North Vancouver Island Region
Rich in First Nations tradition and culture, the North Island region offers a wealth of recreation opportunities in spectacular settings.
What to do
- Discover the North Island's magnificent wilderness on a sightseeing, caving, hiking, wildlife watching, kayaking, or diving adventure.
- For a moderately challenging day hike, follow the trail in Raft Cove Provincial Park to a spectacular beach well known for its spirited surf.
- From Port McNeill, take BC Ferries to Sointula on Malcolm Island and Alert Bay on Cormorant Island, two of the region's most historic destinations.
- Arrange for a fishing charter and reel in a really big salmon or halibut, or fish for trout in one of North Island's many lakes and streams.
- Explore North Island's ancient First Nations Heritage.
Cities and Towns of the North Central Island
Sayward (Area Population: 1,400)
Sayward, the Gateway to the North Island, is a natural playground with unbelievable opportunities for exploration and recreation. Sayward offers visitors full amenities, including moorage, accommodations, a recreation centre, shopping, and more.
Woss and the Nimpkish Valley (Population: 400)
Wilderness hiking and camping abound in the densely forested and sparsely populated Nimpkish Valley. Gravel logging roads off Highway 19 beckon to adventurers.
Zeballos (Population: 265)
A peaceful logging community, Zeballos was once the site of a gold mine that produced more than $13 million worth of gold between 1938 and 1943. Zeballos is accessible via 42 kilometres (26 miles) of gravel road through lush forest. Freedom-bound vacationers will find plenty of great ways to unwind.
Telegraph Cove (Population: 6)
The tiny community of Telegraph Cove began as a one-room telegraph station in 1912. Today, Telegraph Cove is a mecca for visitors coming to experience superb fishing, kayaking, diving, and wildlife watching. Overlooking a tranquil inlet and granting some of the best ocean views on the Island, Telegraph Cove is an attraction in itself.
Port McNeill (Population: 3,114)
Port McNeill, the Gateway Community to the Broughton Archipelago, is the heart of Tree Country, where trees are planted, thinned, fertilized, protected from disease, and harvested in a cycle that provides the economic base for the entire region. Dense forest, tranquil lakes, exquisite views of Broughton Strait, and plenty of wildlife make this a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Drive, fly, boat, or bus to Port McNeill and stay in a resort, hotel, bed and breakfast, or campground. Friendly Port McNeill is a great base for exploring the North Island. Outdoor activities include fresh and saltwater fishing, whale and wildlife watching excursions, cultural tours, air charters, boat charters, hiking, scuba diving, kayaking, and windsurfing.
Alert Bay (Area Population: 1,800)
First impressions of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island are powerful: the village has an abundance of First Nation paintings and totem poles. Spend a few days fishing, exploring, and watching whales in this peaceful environment. Accommodations include motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, and cabins. Alert Bay is accessible via BC Ferries from Port McNeill. The busy harbour offers complete marina facilities as well as other activities and attractions.
Sointula (Population: 800)
Located on Malcolm Island, Sointula (which means “place of harmony”) was founded by Finnish settlers in an idealistic attempt to create a utopian colony almost a century ago. The community has a fascinating and dramatic history, which embodies the Finnish characteristic of “sisu” or tenacity. Today, Sointula is a commercial fishing centre with a distinctive Finnish flavour. Many of the present-day residents live in settlers’ homes, with wooden saunas and boatsheds still lining the waterfront.
Port Alice (Population: 1,371)
Originally built in 1917 around a pulp mill, Port Alice received immediate recognition as B.C.‘s first “instant” municipality in 1965 when it was completely rebuilt at Rumble Beach, seven kilometres (four miles) away. Port Alice offers all the modern conveniences and plenty of activities.
Port Hardy (Population: 5,283)
At the northern end of Highway 19, the active community of Port Hardy offers a wealth of opportunity to outdoor enthusiasts at any time of the year, a major BC Ferries terminal, and the gateway to Northern Vancouver Island recreation.
Holberg and Winter Harbour (Populations: 200 & 55)
West of Port Hardy, a well maintained gravel road leads past brilliant blue lakes and emerald forests to Holberg on the shores of the Holberg Inlet and Winter Harbour at the mouth of Quatsino Sound. Holberg is known for the Shoe Tree, an old cedar snag covered with hundreds of shoes, and the Running Gardens which feature exotic trees, shrubs, and plants from all over the world. The tiny fishing and logging settlement of Winter Harbour is located 40 minutes from Holberg. A quaint community with a boardwalk along its waterfront, Winter Harbour offers fishing and boating charters, kayak rentals, and accommodation.
The North Vancouver Island region is a paradise of natural splendour. It's the last frontier, where massive expanses of pristine wilderness beckon to adventurers of all kinds: hikers, kayakers, boaters, divers, campers, and anglers.
You can walk on beaches where yours are the only footprints in the sand, see wildlife in its natural habitat, and look at views that look the same now as they did thousands of years ago. In the midst of all this spectacular wilderness, there are enclaves of civilization with comfortable places to tuck in for the night, restaurants with fresh seafood on the menu, and friendly locals willing to offer tips on the best views, walking trails, and fishing spots. The North Island region is truly a nature lover's dream come true.
The largest area within the Vancouver Island region, and the least populated, the North Island region extends from Sayward all the way to Holberg and includes a sizable portion of the B.C. mainland coast. The North Island Route (Highway 19) is a modern highway that takes drivers safely through the scenic splendour to the region's hospitable communities.
The North Island region has more coastline and waterways than any other area within the Vancouver Island region and presents marine adventurers with a wide selection of guided and self-guided activities.
The diving here is world famous. Brilliant soft corals, countless marine species, 100+ visibility, and unique opportunities like diving with pacific white-sided dolphins aand wolf eels. The North Island region's many natural dive sites include the Browning Wall, a site that was rated the best dive site in B.C. and one of the top ten in the world. The North Island region also has its share of shipwrecks and sunken cargo ships that provide homes for an array of colourful creatures.
Kayaking is a region specialty because there is so much to see and so many places to see it. Guided kayaking options include day tours and lessons, as well as two to seven day adventures. Paddling places for self-guided kayaking include serene bays and coves and sheltered offshore islands. You can even paddle in the pathway of orcas! Opportunities for canoeing are just as exciting. Local Info Centres can get you paddling in the right direction.
If you want to get out on the water with minimal effort, sign up for a marine sightseeing tour, or fly over the waves on a float plane adventure.
Windsurfers will love the high winds at Nimpkish Lake, as well as along the coast near Port McNeill, while long-board surfers test their skills at Raft Cove and San Josef Bay. White water rafting is available on some of the fast-moving waterways in the Nimpkish Valley.
Year-round saltwater fishing opportunities in the North Island region are amazing and run the gamut from day charters and floating fishing operations to resorts accessible by floatplane. A day on the water can net you a wide range of fish, such as salmon (all five pacific species), halibut, crab, rockfish, sea bass, and snapper. Peak saltwater fishing season starts in May and continues to early October, but locals fish, weather permitting, year-round and so can you!
Freshwater anglers have dozens of lakes and rivers to choose from year-round. Camping is popular among freshwater anglers and numerous lakes in the region have campsites. Guided tours and excursions by boat and helicopter are also available.
The North Island region's most famous hiking trail is in Cape Scott Provincial Park. The 27-kilometre Cape Scott Trail is currently the park's longest, with shorter trails ranging from 2.5 kilometres to 21 kilometres. The new 47-kilometre North Coast Trail is opening soon and will link to the Cape Scott Trail; check with local Info Centres for updates. There are many shorter trails in the North Island region. Maps and information are available at Info Centres.
The North Island region is renowned for caves. The most accessible caves are in Little Huson Regional Cave Park, between Woss and Port McNeill. Port Alice is also known for its caves, as well as its unusual karst (limestone) formations. Many of the caves in the region are located in difficult terrain and should only be visited by experienced cavers or with guides.
Mountain bikers will enjoy the logging roads in the region, especially in the Woss/Nimpkish Valley and Sayward area, near Port McNeill, and near Sointula. Bike rentals are available.
Wintertime means skiing and snowboarding at Mount Cain, a resort with a vertical drop of 450 metres and a reputation for powder runs. Open weekends from about mid- December to April, this family ski resort has eighteen downhill runs, two T-bars, a handle tow, cross country skiing trails, and a day lodge.
If you've come to Vancouver Island to see wildlife, the North Island region is the place to be. Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve, 1,248-hectare marine park was established in 1982 for the protection of orcas, also called killer whales or blackfish. About 250 of these mammals travel to the area each year. Other creatures in these waters include humpback, grey, and Minke whales, seals, sea lions, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea otters, and eagles.
Black bear and grizzly bear watching tours are also offered in the North Island region. These safe, guided boat tours may include such highlights as bears fishing for salmon or rolling over rocks in search of crabs. Bear watching tours are available from June through October.
In the Sayward area, watch for Roosevelt elk, a species found only on Vancouver Island. Bird watchers will enjoy Winter Harbour, Telegraph Cove, Rough Bay near Sointula, the Salmon River Estuary near Sayward, Storey's Beach in Port Hardy, the Ecological Park near Alert Bay, and the Zeballos Estuary. Other land mammals to keep your camera ready for are black-tailed deer, timber wolves, and cougars.
While you will definitely want to bring your hiking boots and binoculars to the North Island region, don't forget your golf clubs. Even in all this wilderness, there are good golf courses. Port McNeill has a course with views of mountains, forests, and ocean, and Port Alice has one of the oldest and most challenging courses on Vancouver Island. Near the Port Alice highway turnoff, you'll find another course with spectacular views.
If you're a shopper, you'll find a number of galleries and shops showcasing the work of the region's artistic community. Some galleries double as studios and feature artists and artisans working on site.
When you are choosing the time of year to visit the North Island region, check the Calendar of Events at vancouverisland.travel. A few of the biggest events are Alert Bay's Sports Day in June and Port Hardy's Filomi Days in July. Port McNeill's Seafest and Telegraph Cove's Salmon Derby and Art Show are August highlights. September means Indian Summer Days in Port Hardy, Logger Sports in Zeballos, the Labour Day Picnic in Port Alice, and the Coast-to-Coast Foot Roast in Holberg.
The communities in the North Island region are known for their friendly hospitality and can provide you with all the creature comforts you need, from an array of accommodation and dining options, to moorage, supplies, and services.
Did you Know?
- The North Island region measures approximately 16,000 square kilometers in size, yet it's population is only about 2% of the total for Vancouver Island.
- The North Island is famous for unusual land formations and Little Huson Cave Regional Park is the location of a number of these natural oddities including sink holes, canyons, and a swiftly flowing river the disappears into rock. The Port Alice area is another good place to see caves and karst.
- The Browning Wall is considered the best dive site in BC and one of the top five cold-water dives in the world.
- The Nakwakto Rapids in Seymour Inlet are the fastest tidal rapids in the world.
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