Vancouver Island makes list of world's best island getaways
Vancouver Island is the only Canadian destination to make this year's list of top island vacations in the world, according to travel website Conde Nast Traveler.
Vancouver Island was chosen as a top vacation spot alongside other islands in Vietnam, Hawaii, Spain, Ecuador and beyond, according to Conde Nast's list of "16 Best Island Vacations in the World, According to Our Travel Specialists."
The travel website is quick to point out that the island has a range of activities to offer beyond spending time in B.C.'s capital city.
"Many people don’t realize, however, that Victoria is at the southern tip of the island and that the island is nearly 300 miles long," writes travel editor Sheri Doyle, who contributed to the list and owns travel website Pacific Northwest Journeys.
"One of my favorite places on the island is Tofino, a small town on the far west coast about halfway up the island that’s a great destination for outdoor adventures with fantastic food and lodging," she wrote.
Other classic island activities include visiting Butchart Gardens and watching whales off Victoria or Tofino, as well as black bear watching in some of the more remote areas of the island, according to Doyle.
While not mentioned on Conde Nast's list, another Vancouver Island community has been growing into an up-and-coming whale-watching spot.
Residents of Port Alice on northern Vancouver Island have been watching a family of humpback whales visit the village year after year.
The whales spend much of their time in the village's sheltered inlet and can be seen from the shoreline.
"The whole community gets excited," said Port Alice resident Jacqueline Mackenzie in late January.
"You see people coming down to the marina, coming down along the sea walk and just checking it out – it's great," she said.
The frequent visits have even brought tourists to the small village, with visitors coming from as far afield as Europe, according to resident Marnie Chase.
"We just have to figure out some accommodations for them other than the B&Bs, they fill up quick," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.