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Vancouver Island Map with Cities

For more detailed information on Vancouver island visit https://vancouverislandvacations.ca

Where is Vancouver Island? Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada, one of several North American regions named after Captain George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific coast of North America between 1791 and 1794.

The island is 460 kilometres (290 mi) in length and 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width at its widest point. It is the largest island on the western side of North America at 32,134 km2 (12,407.0 sq mi) and the world's 43rd largest island, Canada's 11th largest island and Canada's second most populous island after the Island of Montreal, which has 1.3 million more people.

The population of Vancouver Island was 870,297 as of 2019. Nearly half of that population (401,700) live in the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. Other notable cities and towns on Vancouver Island include Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtenay, and Campbell River..

Vancouver Island - Victoria & the Gulf Islands boast the mildest climate in Canada. Summertime is reliably warm and sunny, with frequent ocean breezes. Temperatures reach average highs in the high 20 s Celsius (75 to 90 Fahrenheit) but evenings can be cool. In winter the Vancouver Island region is the most temperate of all British Columbia, with temperatures just below 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) to 10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit

Information of cities and towns on Vancouver Island with distance and route from Victoria in alphabetic order.

Vancouver Island Bamfield BC

Bamfield, a tiny resort hamlet nestled quietly in a protected inlet on the south shore of Barkley Sound, is best known for its superb salmon fishing adventures.
Time and Distance from Victoria: 3 h 42 min (166.1mi= 267.3120km) via HWY-1 N, HWY-19 N

Vancouver Island Black Creek BC

The Black Creek area is convenient to Mount Washington Alpine Resort Ski Resort on Mount Washington, located 19 miles (31 km) west of Hwy 19 at Courtenay.
Time and Distance from Victoria: 3 h 40 min (164mi= 263.9324km) via HWY-1 N, HWY-19 N

Vancouver Island Campbell River BC

Distance: 257 km or 160 mi Approximate Time: 2 hrs, 57 min Route: 1, 19

Discovery Islands to the east, and adjacent to Quadra Island this city is located on the frontier of a BC wilderness, and has a population of more than 30,000
Time and Distance from Victoria: Hwy 1, 19 heading Northwest 3 hrs, 0 mins

Vancouver Island Chemainus BC

Artists from around the globe were invited to paint huge heritage murals on the sides of buildings, transforming a small coastal mill town into the world's largest outdoor art gallery.

Vancouver Island Cobble Hill BC

A tiny farming village in the Cowichan Valley, Cobble Hill is surrounded by a picturesque landscape and enveloped by a warm climate.

Vancouver Island Colwood BC

Colwood is bordered by the town of View Royal and the district of Langford to the north and west, and by the district of Metchosin to the south.

Vancouver Island Comox BC

Surrounded by a beautiful valley, and the largest glacier on Vancouver Island, the charming seaside village of Comox is located on a peninsular.

Vancouver Island Cowichan Bay BC

Today, the village of Cowichan Bay and the surrounding area is home to a host of artists, craftspeople, and cottage industries - including some fine local wineries.

Vancouver Island Crofton BC

Cradled by verdant hillsides and surrounding mountains, the active community of Crofton is situated on the calm waters of Osborne Bay in the Cowichan Valley.

Vancouver Island Cumberland BC

Located in the Comox Valley south of Courtenay, and once Canada's smallest and westernmost city, Cumberland was a bustling coal mining community

Vancouver Island Courtenay BC

Distance: 217 km or 135 mi Approximate Time: 2 hrs, 38 min Route: 1, 19,

Located in the heart of some of the most beautiful farming landscape on Vancouver Island, Courtenay is the urban centre of the Comox Valley.

Vancouver Island Duncan BC

Distance: 58 km or 36 mi Approximate Time: 0 hrs, 34 min Route: 1

The city is about 45 kilometres from both Victoria to the south and Nanaimo to the north. Although the City of Duncan has a population of just over 5,000, it serves the Cowichan Valley which has a population of approximately 90,000,[2] many of whom live in North Cowichan and Cowichan Tribes. This gives Duncan a much larger perceived "greater" population than that contained within the city limits. People in areas of North Cowichan and bordering on Duncan usually use "Duncan" as their mailing address. Duncan has one seat on the Cowichan Valley Regional District Board. The name Cowichan is an Anglicization of Halkomelem Quw̓utsun̓, which means "the warm land".

Vancouver Island Errington BC

Errington is located in the foothills of Arrowsmith Mountain on Errington Road, off Highway 4, just south of Parksville and Qualicum Beach on the east coast of central Vancouver Island.

Vancouver Island Esquimalt BC

The municipality of Esquimalt, incorporated in 1912, has many heritage buildings and beaches with excellent views of Victoria Harbour and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Vancouver Island Fanny Bay BC

Modern visitors are likely to be found with white plastic pails, surveying the silt shores in search of the oysters for which Fanny Bay is so well known.

Vancouver Island Gold River BC

Gold River was always dependant upon the Pulp Mill and the forest industry. Since the closure of the Pulp Mill in October 1998, Gold River has focused on rebuilding the community

Vancouver Island Highlands BC

The Highlands is a stunningly beautiful rural residential area just northwest of Victoria British Columbia Canada. It's blessed with an exceptional abundance of scenic beauty, native plant and animal life, and public parkland.

Vancouver Island Knights Inlet

The Knight Inlet area is a true west coast adventure, with great towering mountains rising straight out of the sea, cascading waterfalls and waterslides, and a history rich in native culture.

Vancouver Island Ladysmith BC

Nestled on the eastern shores of spectacular Vancouver Island, the Town of Ladysmith features all of the warmth and charm of small town living with a full range of services and amenities. Ladysmith is a growing community (population 7,538 in 2006) located just 88 km north of Victoria and 23 km south of Nanaimo

Vancouver Island Lake Cowichan BC

The town of Lake Cowichan is the gateway to some of the most spectacular camping and hiking available on Vancouver Island. Other communities such as Honeymoon Bay,

Vancouver Island Lazo BC

Just outside of Comox, Lazo is close to the Comoxâ€™ airport and harbour, also the city of Courtenay and the city of Cumberland

Vancouver Island Langford BC

Situated between Colwood and the Malahat, and incorporating the head of Finlayson Arm and Mount Finlayson, Langford offers an accessible diversity of beautiful parks and lakes and limitless recreational activities.

Vancouver Island Malahat BC

Traveling north from Victoria, Malahat Drive climbs through imposing mature forests and over rugged mountainside before dropping down into the Cowichan Valley.

Vancouver Island Metchosin BC

The heart of Metchosin is at the Village Centre, where Happy Valley Road and Metchosin Road intersect and a few stores, a restaurant and a school are located.

Vancouver Island Mill Bay BC

The surrounding parks and scenery are lovely - perfect for hiking, cycling and boating. This is an ideal spot to spend a few days, basking in the sun and swimming in warm waters.

Vancouver Island Nanaimo BC

Distance from Victoria: 110 km or 68 mi Approximate Time: 1 hrs, 29 min Route: 1

Nanaimo is the only all-purpose port city on Vancouver Island, with every facility required to serve both the commercial and recreational needs of business and tourism.

Vancouver Island Nanoose Bay BC

The rural community of Nanoose Bay is a hot spot for golfers, clam diggers and water sports enthusiasts.

Vancouver Island North Saanich BC

Said to be the finest rural-residential area in all of Canada, North Saanich boasts a long coastline on three sides, enveloping agricultural farmlands, cosy bays and generous protected parklands.

Vancouver Island Parksville BC

Distance: 147 km or 91 mi Approximate Time: 1 hrs, 56 min Route: 1, 19,

Parksville boasts one of the finest climates in Canada and is favoured as one of the most popular summer family vacations destinations of Vancouver Island and British Columbia

Vancouver Island Port Alberni BC

Distance: 193 km or 120 mi Approximate Time: 2 hrs, 32 min Route: 1, 19, 4A, 4

Visitors come to Port Alberni year-round to sport fish Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound for chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon. Salmon school in the inlet before ascending to the spawning grounds.

Vancouver Island Port Alice BC

The small community of Port Alice is located on beautiful Neroutsos Inlet, one of Vancouver Island's gateways to the wild and wonderful west coast.

Vancouver Island Port Hardy BC

Distance: 497 km or 309 mi Approximate Time: 5 hrs, 36 min Route: 1, 19

This turn-of-the-century Port Hardytown is now the largest community in the region and the bustling terminal for B.C. Ferries the service to Prince Rupert and the Queen Charlotte Islands

Vancouver Island Port McNeill BC

Distance: 456 km or 283 mi Approximate Time: 5 hrs, 5 min Route: 1, 19

Port Mcneill situated in a sheltered harbour is also a launching point for sports fishing enthusiasts who test their skills in the maze of waterways between Vancouver Island and the mainland.

Vancouver Island Renfrew BC

A small village at the end of Highway 14 on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, Port Renfrew calls itself The Jewel of the West Coast,

Vancouver Island Qualicum Beach BC

Steeped in quaint British heritage and famous for its local arts, crafts and beautiful English gardens, modern day Qualicum Beach offers visitors the same gentle countryside and golden, seemingly endless, sandy beaches.

Vancouver Island Royston BC

Royston is located south of Comox, in the Comox Valley. Transportation links to the Comox Valley include rail, bus, car, ferry, and air service, including floatplane access.

Vancouver Island Saanich BC

The largest municipality in Greater Victoria, Saanich offers the charm of country life mingled with the convenience of urban residential neighbourhoods and close proximity to the provincial capital of Victoria.

Vancouver Island Saanichton BC

Located on the Saanich Peninsula of Greater Victoria, Saanichton is well known for flowers and rose gardens.

Vancouver Island Salt Spring Island BC

Salt Spring Island is the largest, most populated, and most visited of the Southern Gulf Islands.

Vancouver Island Saratoga Beach BC

At the north end of the Comox Valley, at the mouth of the Oyster River, Saratoga Beach may be the ultimate stretch of shimmering sand on the sheltered east coast of Vancouver Island.

Vancouver Island Sayward BC

The friendly residents of the small coastal settlement of Sayward on Kelsey Bay live in a spectacular natural environment in the Sayward Valley of North Vancouver Island.

Vancouver Island Shawnigan Lake BC

A fashionable summer recreation and cottage area for over a century, Shawnigan Lake has seen its share of happy anglers, blissful sunbathers and elegant day-trippers.

Vancouver Island Sidney BC

Sidney-by-the-Sea appeals to those who enjoy both seafaring excursions and land-based adventures. There are many inlets and nearby islands, 3 km of public accessible waterfront - including many beaches and great beachcombing

Vancouver Island Sooke BC

Sooke enjoys some of the mildest climate in western Canada, with warm and dry summer months, and wet and mild winter months. Sooke's unspoiled beaches, meandering rainforest trails and breathtaking vistas of Washington State's Olympic Mountains

Vancouver Island Tahsis BC

Tahsis is a west coast village, offering a wide range of accommodation, a full-service marina and a safe, friendly small town atmosphere that boasts a fascinating blend of history lessons and outdoor adventures.

Vancouver Island Telegraph Cove BC

Telegraph Cove is a tiny town and a major destination during the summer months, when the snug little bay bustles with boaters, anglers, campers, kayakers and whale-watchers
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Vancouver Island Tofino BC

Distance: 315 km or 196 mi Approximate Time: 4 hrs, 5 min Route: 1, 19, 4A, 4

Tofino is a pretty fishing village at the tip of Esowista Peninsula near the entrance to Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Tofino is a rapidly growing tourist centre

Vancouver Island Ucluelet BC

Ucluelet is situated in the Long Beach unit of Pacific Rim National Park, located between the villages of Tofino and Ucluelet - the most accessible and most developed component of the Pacific Rim National Park.

Vancouver Island Victoria BC

The Victoria region covers the extreme southern end of Vancouver Island, including the Saanich Peninsula, Victoria, Esquimalt, Colwood, Metchosin, and Sooke, with almost half of Vancouver Island's population of over 750,000.

Vancouver Island Zeballos BC

Nestled among towering forest-cloaked mountains, Zeballos sits at the head of Zeballos Inlet, gateway to Nootka Sound, world-famous for salmon fishing and kayaking opportunities

Vancouver Island offers something for every one on vacation. Map of the island listing accommodations, applying for a fishing licence and outdoor experiences.

Accommodations, Things to do, Places to go

Vancouver Island Vacations Tourism Information Guide that has been designed to assist all visitors vacationing on this beautiful island of ours. We would like you to experience an enjoyable vacation.

For the camping enthusiasts there are over twenty provisional campgrounds available and literally dozens of privately owned RV parks on the island. Vancouver Island offers something for every one on vacation. There are many outdoor experiences you will be able to enjoy, fishing, golfing, horse back riding, parks you can trail walk and of course grizzly and black bear tours just to name a few activities.

Accommodations on Vancouver Island

We have hundreds of various types of accommodations listed from Victoria to the top of the island Port Hardy and every city and town in between on both the east and west coasts to suit all budgets, tastes, needs and desires.

For instance there are bed and breakfasts, cabins and cottages, campgrounds, condominiums, chalets, farms, guest houses, hostels, hotels, houseboats, inns, lodges, motels, resorts, rv parks and villas to suit all tourists.

We have made it as easy as we can for you, just select the location you intend to visit and then select the lodgings of your choice from all the listings It is easier to look at the Vancouver Island map we have on the website so that you can plan your trip making your bookings in advance. You may decide to stay at a water front inn or bed and breakfast with the sound of the waves lulling you to sleep, or a vacation rental home that can accommodate families or groups.

Activies on Vancouver Island

There are more than 50 golf courses for the avid golfer to experience. Most of these courses are set in the most beautiful surroundings near the sea, by lakes or surrounded by great mountain ranges in evergreen forests. Vancouver Island also can boast of having some of the best championship courses.

Fishing charter guides who are ready to give you the Vancouver Island Salmon and Halibut fishing charter experience of a lifetime!

Guides who know the waters here well and are ready and committed to serve you individually, ensuring a personalized and rewarding fishing charter. You may be fortunate enough to land a halibut , now that would be a vacation to remember. It is all here at our front door. Unbelievable fishing on Vancouver Island for those seeking the finest saltwater fishing getaway. Grizzly bear watching is always a tourist attraction at Knight Inlet about 80 kilometers north of Campbell River. During a vacation on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, be sure to book a whale watching tour to see whales, eagles, dolphins and other marine mammals.

Outdoor Recreation

Enjoying winter skiing on Vancouver Island

Mt. Washington is only minutes away from the Comox Valley and offers world class skiing, snowboarding and Nordic sports. In the summer season Mount Washington is a hiking and mountain bike haven.

If you're looking for activities beyond alpine, all snowbound tastes are catered for. Mount Washington provides guests with one of the top-rated Nordic experiences in North America.

Outdoor Activities Fly Fishing

Get inspired by the province’s natural beauty and make plans for your next outdoor adventure, by taking advantage of the many recreation opportunities available across the diverse landscape of mountains, rivers, lakes and coastlines. You will experience excitement and adventure on either a fishing, whale watching, bear watching or hunting trip. Vancouver Islands rugged wilderness, fresh lakes and rivers offering excellent opportunities for gaming and fishing enthusiasts. Kayaking is a very popular sport as the island has many bays and inlets with calm waters. Here is The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Kayaking

Vancouver Island offers a host of exceptional recreation opportunities. While some of the island’s most spectacular recreation features are located in parks, many more recreation resources are found in the rugged backcountry.

Outdoor Activities Sailing the coast of Vancouver Island

Alternatively, if you are planning a more relaxed type sailing holiday and intend to explore the shores, bays and the hundreds of inlets surrounding Vancouver island, then you can also look forward to sun tanning, beach combing, waterfalls, beautiful anchorages, great scenery, swimming, hiking, photography and the many species of wildlife.

There are over 18 marine parks in our area.

Desolation sound is extraordinarily beautiful sailing area with many safe anchorages and beautiful locations… mountain waterfall and forest lakes only minutes walk from snug anchorages. The waters are calm, sheltered and warm. Desolation Sound is a world famous sailing destination or longer trips to the many other marine parks like Princess Louisa, Toba Inlet, Bute Inlet or the Broughton Archipelago.