British Columbia

~~Regions~~

British Columbia is so vast, that it must be divided into regions in order to properly understand its scope. Each of the regions themselves are as large as some countries.

VANCOUVER ISLAND, off the southwest corner of the province, is some 400km long and 60 to 100km wide. At the south end is Victoria, a heritage city and the capital of the province. The protected east coast is dotted with communities that offer excellent fishing, cruising and some wonderful wading and swimming beaches. There are also numerous smaller islands off this coast famous for the scenery and artists communities. On the north island there exist no finer opportunities anywhere to view orcas. The more remote west coast of the island offers the fabulous beaches of Pacific Rim National Park, unique coastal hiking trails and small coastal ferry services to take you to tiny communities like Bamfield, Gold River, Tahsis. Central Vancouver Island has BC's first Provincial Park - huge Strathcona Provincial Park.

VANCOUVER COAST AND MOUNTAINS, on the mainland, has the beautiful and dynamic city of Vancouver, the lush lower Fraser Valley, and the four-season resort town of Whistler, now famous world-wide for the quality of the skiing and golf, comfort of the lodgings and scenery. The "Sea to Sky" Highway leads up Howe Sound, past Whistler and through the Coast Mountains as an alternate route to the Interior of the province.

To the east of this region is the OKANAGAN/SIMILKAMEEN, British Columbia's fruit basket, famous for their hot, hot summers, wonderful lakes for watersports, orchards, vineyards and wineries. East again is KOOTENAY COUNTRY, a rural section of the province with long lakes, hot springs, a fascinating history, ghost towns and the charming heritage city of Nelson.

Immediately north of both the Okanagan and Kootenay Country is HIGH COUNTRY, a diverse region spanning parts of the Fraser River Canyon and Hell's Gate, to the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies at Mt. Robson. In between are more lakes including Shuswap Lake known for its houseboat vacations, mountains, waterfalls and Glacier National Park. North and west of High Country is the CARIBOO with huge open areas of rangeland, ranches and cowboys. The Cariboo has many fly-in fishing resorts, and is the historic site of the Cariboo Gold Rush which began in 1862, and Barkerville, a completely restored gold rush town.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST, which cuts across the width of the province from the Rockies in the east to the port city of Prince Rupert, and across Hecate Strait to the Queen Charlotte Islands, home to the rich cultural hertiage of the Haida Indians. This region also contains an alternate route north to the Yukon and Alaska - Highway 37, a spectacular road through the wilderness offering access to some stunning scenery and wilderness parks. The northeast corner of the province in the ALASKA HIGHWAY/PEACE RIVER region, and contains an area of the Interior Plains east of the Rockies, as well as the Alaska Highway, the historic road carved through virgin wilderness during World War 11, and now the major access road to the north.

Learn about the Pacific Ocean, our rivers and lakes by choosing the next button and continue on this journey through British Columbia.

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