Sointula - Island Utopia
Located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest
Maps: Vancouver Island and Sointula B.C. Canada
Sointula was settled by utopia seeking Finns in 1901, and by outsiders in 1960's and 70's. Today there are few Finns left on the island, and those who are left have mostly forgotten the language of their parents. But they have not forgotten their heritage and what it means to belong to the community. The spirit of Sointula lives!
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How to get there: If you want to get to Sointula, you must first get onto Vancouver Island. The best way to do that, if you are coming from the mainland United States, is to either catch a ferry from 1) Port Angeles to Victoria; from 2) Tsawwassen, (Hwy. 17, south of Vancouver) to Swartz Bay near Victoria; or from 3) Horseshoe Bay (Hwy. 99, north of Vancouver) to Nanaimo, and then drive to Port McNeill. From there you will catch a ferry to Sointula. Be careful, you may never want to go back home! Weather facts: Rain forests are located all along the Pacific coast. Fortunately, it does stop raining sometimes. Some like it sunny, others love the rain. You will have lots of both on the British Columbia coast. Dress accordingly. Vancouver Island: You will love the sights of Vancouver Island. You will see a lot of the east coast of the island on your way. Stop and throw a few pebbles into the water, don't just drive by or you will miss something beautiful. Alert Bay: If you have time, you could stop at Alert Bay which is an Indian village. Here you will have an opportunity to see some Westcoast native culture. |
