Gulf Islands Activities & Adventures
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide for Gulf Islands, British Columbia.
Canada’s beautiful west coast is home to lush landscapes, unique indigenous groups and some of the most stunning ocean views. Located midway between British Columbia's mainland and Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands welcome visitors to experience all they have to offer.
Travellers to the area can experience everything from aboriginal and farm tours to golfing and sea kayaking. Whether a single traveller, couple or family, the Gulf Islands are sure to have the perfect tour and activity for everyone.
WATER ACTIVITIES
Boat Tours
There is definitely no shortage of water-based activities in the Gulf Islands. A good way to get to know the area and some of the islands is to opt for a boat tour. Many of the Gulf Islands offer tours such as Pender Island’s Ecosummer Expeditions, which provides tours around both the Gulf Islands as well as Haida Gwaii (formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands).
Salt Spring Island, the most visited of all the Gulf Islands, is home to Island Escapades Adventures, a tour company offering kayaking or sailing tours as well as multi-day expeditions for those looking for a more intense wilderness experience. Boat tours are also available on Hornby Island, Gabriola Island, Mayne Island and the Discovery Islands.
Sailing
Those who prefer the feel of the wind whipping through their hair will most likely enjoy sailing and a couple of companies offer sailing tours. L’orenda Sailing, based on Salt Spring Island, is run by Skipper Don Mellor and gives wannabe sailors the option of day or week-long instructional tours.
Misty Isle Charters, on Cortes Island, also provides sailing tours of the area.
Fishing
Dedicated fishermen will be pleased to spend some time on the Gulf Islands and many of the boating tour companies also offer fishing expeditions.
Great White Charters, based in Salt Spring, offers boat tours as well as fishing charters. Visitors can expect professional and well-trained guides. Rope'n and Reel'n Charters, another Salt Spring Island-based fishing tour company, gives serious fishermen the inside scoop. Long-time Salt Spring resident and proprietor Hal Keown is equipped with everything needed for a successful fishing trip.
On Galiano Islands, Sporades Tours offers both fishing and sightseeing trips of the southern Gulf Islands as does Morning Beach Fishing and Sightseeing Charters.
Kayaking
Sea kayaking is a great way to experience the Gulf Islands at one’s own pace. Popular with locals and visitors alike, most of the islands have kayak rentals. Quadra Island is home to Great Root Adventures, which specializes in full-day guided trips that include rentals, shuttle service, charts, maps and, possibly the most important, lessons.
The Denman Hornby Canoes and Kayaks, on Denman Island, provides professional canoe and kayak instruction as well as custom-made excursions for those who have a specific trip in mind.
Whale Watching
One of the biggest draws to this part of Canada is the chance to see whales and visitors have a chance to see the large mammals with a number of whale watching tour operators. Discovery Marine Safaris on Quadra Island has numerous trips from which to choose, and guests can opt for a whale watching tour, a marine wildlife tour or the Tidal Rapids Tour. Most tours include lunch, educational handouts and professional staff.
Another Quadra-based tour company, Aboriginal Journeys is First Nations-owned and operated, and also offers whale watching tours as well as many other wildlife watching tours.
Scuba Diving & Snorkelling
Serious divers might be inclined to brave the cool water temperatures to get a look at all the colourful life sitting just below the Gulf Islands via a scuba diving or snorkelling excursion. Hornby Island Diving invites divers to explore the reef and see everything from octopi to six-gill sharks, then stay at the guest lodge and relax with home-cooked meals after their underwater adventures.
Cedar Beach Diving on Thetis Island allows visitors to be more hands on and invites guests to get more involved by planning their own dive trips. The 49th Parallel Dive Charters provides dive trips in the Salish Sea as well as a Boeing 373 dive site.
Two dive centres, Abyssal Diving Charters and Lodge and DynaMike Dive Charters, provide diving services on the Discovery Islands.
ABORIGINAL TOURS
Local Tours
Those looking to learn more about the indigenous peoples of the area may want to explore further with one of the aboriginal history and culture tours available in the Gulf Islands.
Aboriginal Journeys on Quadra Island offers wildlife viewing as well as expertise of the land and culture. Locally born guides with a minimum of 30 years experience provide educational insights into the history of the area.
Performances & Exhibits
Discovery Islands’ T'sasala Cultural Group performs traditional dances that represent a variety of the tribes within the area. Performances are often scheduled during summer months though special performances can be arranged. The U’mista Cultural Centre and Nuyumbalees Cultural Centre both house indigenous artifacts including masks, rattles, copper and whistles.
ACTIVE ACTIVITIES
Visitors looking to see more of this unique Canadian West Coast wilderness can enjoy getting back to nature with all sorts of outdoor activities.
Hiking & Camping
Most Canadians prefer to hike and camp on their own but for those new to the concept or to the region there are camping and backpacking tours available to help plan and orchestrate a full-fledged Canadian camping trip.
Hiking tours are also available and are a great way to explore the Gulf Islands, and two tour companies are available to help get visitors on the trails. The larger Ecosummer Expeditions offers everything from canoeing and boat tours to hiking and guided walking tours (those who cannot bring all their gear with them will be pleased to know this tour company provides all accommodations, meals and equipment), while the smaller Tardis Expeditions specializes in hiking tours of Quadra Island.
Golf
For something a little tamer, serious golfers won’t want to leave the islands without playing a round or two. The Salt Spring Island Golf and Country Club is one of the older clubs in the area and offers a small but challenging nine-hole course.
Bowen Island, Galiano Island and Gabriola Island all have golf courses available for those wanting to play but the Golf Islands Disc Park on Pender Island offers a different take on golf perfect for the whole family—27 holes of disc golf. Open to the public, this course is the perfect place to spend a warm and sunny afternoon.
Travellers to the area can experience everything from aboriginal and farm tours to golfing and sea kayaking. Whether a single traveller, couple or family, the Gulf Islands are sure to have the perfect tour and activity for everyone.
WATER ACTIVITIES
Boat Tours
There is definitely no shortage of water-based activities in the Gulf Islands. A good way to get to know the area and some of the islands is to opt for a boat tour. Many of the Gulf Islands offer tours such as Pender Island’s Ecosummer Expeditions, which provides tours around both the Gulf Islands as well as Haida Gwaii (formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands).
Salt Spring Island, the most visited of all the Gulf Islands, is home to Island Escapades Adventures, a tour company offering kayaking or sailing tours as well as multi-day expeditions for those looking for a more intense wilderness experience. Boat tours are also available on Hornby Island, Gabriola Island, Mayne Island and the Discovery Islands.
Sailing
Those who prefer the feel of the wind whipping through their hair will most likely enjoy sailing and a couple of companies offer sailing tours. L’orenda Sailing, based on Salt Spring Island, is run by Skipper Don Mellor and gives wannabe sailors the option of day or week-long instructional tours.
Misty Isle Charters, on Cortes Island, also provides sailing tours of the area.
Fishing
Dedicated fishermen will be pleased to spend some time on the Gulf Islands and many of the boating tour companies also offer fishing expeditions.
Great White Charters, based in Salt Spring, offers boat tours as well as fishing charters. Visitors can expect professional and well-trained guides. Rope'n and Reel'n Charters, another Salt Spring Island-based fishing tour company, gives serious fishermen the inside scoop. Long-time Salt Spring resident and proprietor Hal Keown is equipped with everything needed for a successful fishing trip.
On Galiano Islands, Sporades Tours offers both fishing and sightseeing trips of the southern Gulf Islands as does Morning Beach Fishing and Sightseeing Charters.
Kayaking
Sea kayaking is a great way to experience the Gulf Islands at one’s own pace. Popular with locals and visitors alike, most of the islands have kayak rentals. Quadra Island is home to Great Root Adventures, which specializes in full-day guided trips that include rentals, shuttle service, charts, maps and, possibly the most important, lessons.
The Denman Hornby Canoes and Kayaks, on Denman Island, provides professional canoe and kayak instruction as well as custom-made excursions for those who have a specific trip in mind.
Whale Watching
One of the biggest draws to this part of Canada is the chance to see whales and visitors have a chance to see the large mammals with a number of whale watching tour operators. Discovery Marine Safaris on Quadra Island has numerous trips from which to choose, and guests can opt for a whale watching tour, a marine wildlife tour or the Tidal Rapids Tour. Most tours include lunch, educational handouts and professional staff.
Another Quadra-based tour company, Aboriginal Journeys is First Nations-owned and operated, and also offers whale watching tours as well as many other wildlife watching tours.
Scuba Diving & Snorkelling
Serious divers might be inclined to brave the cool water temperatures to get a look at all the colourful life sitting just below the Gulf Islands via a scuba diving or snorkelling excursion. Hornby Island Diving invites divers to explore the reef and see everything from octopi to six-gill sharks, then stay at the guest lodge and relax with home-cooked meals after their underwater adventures.
Cedar Beach Diving on Thetis Island allows visitors to be more hands on and invites guests to get more involved by planning their own dive trips. The 49th Parallel Dive Charters provides dive trips in the Salish Sea as well as a Boeing 373 dive site.
Two dive centres, Abyssal Diving Charters and Lodge and DynaMike Dive Charters, provide diving services on the Discovery Islands.
ABORIGINAL TOURS
Local Tours
Those looking to learn more about the indigenous peoples of the area may want to explore further with one of the aboriginal history and culture tours available in the Gulf Islands.
Aboriginal Journeys on Quadra Island offers wildlife viewing as well as expertise of the land and culture. Locally born guides with a minimum of 30 years experience provide educational insights into the history of the area.
Performances & Exhibits
Discovery Islands’ T'sasala Cultural Group performs traditional dances that represent a variety of the tribes within the area. Performances are often scheduled during summer months though special performances can be arranged. The U’mista Cultural Centre and Nuyumbalees Cultural Centre both house indigenous artifacts including masks, rattles, copper and whistles.
ACTIVE ACTIVITIES
Visitors looking to see more of this unique Canadian West Coast wilderness can enjoy getting back to nature with all sorts of outdoor activities.
Hiking & Camping
Most Canadians prefer to hike and camp on their own but for those new to the concept or to the region there are camping and backpacking tours available to help plan and orchestrate a full-fledged Canadian camping trip.
Hiking tours are also available and are a great way to explore the Gulf Islands, and two tour companies are available to help get visitors on the trails. The larger Ecosummer Expeditions offers everything from canoeing and boat tours to hiking and guided walking tours (those who cannot bring all their gear with them will be pleased to know this tour company provides all accommodations, meals and equipment), while the smaller Tardis Expeditions specializes in hiking tours of Quadra Island.
Golf
For something a little tamer, serious golfers won’t want to leave the islands without playing a round or two. The Salt Spring Island Golf and Country Club is one of the older clubs in the area and offers a small but challenging nine-hole course.
Bowen Island, Galiano Island and Gabriola Island all have golf courses available for those wanting to play but the Golf Islands Disc Park on Pender Island offers a different take on golf perfect for the whole family—27 holes of disc golf. Open to the public, this course is the perfect place to spend a warm and sunny afternoon.
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