Saturday, June 7, 2014

Choose Haida Gwaii Adventure Tours And Travel For The Experience Of A Lifetime

By Sally Delacruz


An exotic travel destination is often just the thing to help you view life in a fresh way. It's even better when that destination takes you away from the crowds and closer to nature. If you'd like to experience the ultimate vacation to help you recharge your batteries, Haida Gwaii adventure tours and travel will be right up your alley.

Haida Gwaii is a group of small islands of Canada's northwestern coast. The largest of these islands are Graham and Moresby Islands, but there are about 150 more in the archipelago. Further to the south you'll find Vancouver Island and if you travel north instead, you'll come to Alaska.

You may have heard of the island group under its old name, the Queen Charlotte Islands. The new name became official in 2010 and is in recognition of the original inhabitants, whose ancient villages can still be seen. The Haida still make up nearly half of the local population and their totem poles and villages are found throughout the area. To help you gain understanding of who they are and what they believe in, a visit to the Haida Heritage Centre in the town of Kaay Ilnygaay is a must.

The original inhabitants were renowned sailors and water-based activities are still a popular pastime. Rent a kayak or take a boat cruise to explore the coastline and get to the more remote parts of the archipelago. There are some good surf breaks too. If you're in the region at the right time, you can go whale watching or fishing for a variety of species.

With a large national park as well as a provincial park, the wilderness here is well protected. Go for a hike or take a bicycle ride and try to spot the many bird species. You may also see some black bears, otters, beavers and other animals.

The busiest tourist season is during summer, when the weather is pleasantly mild. However, winter is much warmer than in many other parts of Canada and even then you may want to spend some time outside. Fishing for steelhead is a great winter activity. In fall it rains quite a lot so if you would rather be indoors, you'll find a variety of great restaurants, pubs and coffee shops. There is a vibrant artistic community too and several galleries to visit. Museum lovers should check out the Haida Gwaii Museum, the Port Clements Museum and the Dixon Entrance Maritime Museum.

Getting to the archipelago is very easy, especially in summer. Fly in from Vancouver or take the seaplane from Prince Rupert on the mainland. Alternatively, make use of the regular ferries that travel between Prince Rupert and the islands. Once there, getting around is a breeze too with very good taxi services. You may also want to rent a bike to go exploring.

Exploring is made easy with the variety of tours on offer, often ones with themes such as whale-watching or bear-watching. Check online to see what takes your fancy and then remember to book ahead, especially in the summer months. You'll also find accommodation for every kind of budget, from campsites and RV parks to guest houses and hotels, to make for a comfortable stay.




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