I have spent nearly a month now touring Vancouver Island and there are many fabulous sights and…read moreactivities, but #1 without question has been the cruise with Archipelago. In fact, their cruise is both #1 and #2 in my book as I went on the tour twice. Both times the scenery and wildlife were incredible; both times Alan & Toddy did a top-notch job as guides and hosts; both times the cruise provided a connection to the natural surroundings and to fellow travelers that you just don't get on the other tours. If you make it to the area, Archipelago should be #1 on your list (and #2).

Al and Toddy were great hosts. They are passionate about their lifestyle on the water and were…read moreanxious to share their knowledge of Ucluelet, it's history and wildlife. The boat is pretty luxurious, well maintained and very clean. Within five minutes of launching, we saw a bear, bald eagles and then sea lions. Later in the Broken Islands, we saw a couple of whales, harbor seals and lots of marine birds. I highly recommend taking this cruise, we saw so many things that we would never have seen if we didn't venture out into the waters of Barkley Sound.

Not only can you not lose because this is a FREE tour...but you will gain so much interesting info!…read more I'm sure hopping on and off a bus would be just fine, but for us, with just one short day in this vast city, we were looking for a quick connection, and that's exactly what we got on this recent Sunday. We met our tour guide, Ali at the designated time (11am) at the designated place, and 20 or so of us enjoyed an incredibly interesting walking tour of Chinatown. There is no way we would have gotten the feel for this city had we not taken this tour. Several folks were repeat tour guy visitors, so they must have enjoyed those as well. Our group had folks from several countries. It is a relaxed tour at a pace that is just right...not too fast and not too slow. Seriously, just right! And absolutely everyone in our group was happy to hand over generous thank you tips. Well-deserved. Ali was kind enough at the end of the tour to guide anyone who wanted dining suggestions or directions. For us, he was even kind enough to let us walk along with him since we were heading in the same direction. As a result, we were fortunate enough to get an extended tour, as he remained a wealth of Vancouver info as we went along. Highly recommend!

I love FREE, Culture, history, and having a tour that rolls all 3 together…read more We took the Free Downtown & Chinatown Tour with Alex. She pointed out some places of interest, told us the history of Chinatown, took us to a herbal store, and ended the tour at the Chinese Gardens. The tour was over 2 hours, and she gave suggestions for lunch. I love these type of tours because they are given by people who have lived there for a good amount of time, and who are passionate about what they are presenting. She was no exception.

Outstanding day and wonderful tour guide. Leif is a pleasure to spend the day with. He picked us…read moreup, took us to the caves, then bought us a fantastic lunch, then waterfall and old growth forest trails. We highly recommend!

From the owner: We create authentic, intimate and memorable visitor experiences while honouring the culture,…read moreheritage, and natural beauty of Vancouver Island. Discover places that inspire stories.

Captain Darrell was extremely accommodating. My Father-in-law, wife and two young boys had an…read moreamazing time. Captain "D" made sure we went out at a time that would maximize the experiance for the boys' first Salmon fishing trip. Good water, lots of laughs and lots of fish. We did have to release some but of course not on the Captain. So anyone upset about that would just be silly. We caught 3 keepers, 1 coho and 2 king salmon (one 15 pounder). My father in law has been fishing salmon his whole life and Captain D had just as much knowledge. He was amazing.

Captain Darrell Jobb can fish!…read more If you want an awesome fishing experience on the beautiful east coast of Vancouver Island, at French Creek Harbor, you must call Darrell Jobb at Western Star Charters. Captain Darrell caters to both serious fisherman and families with children who want a fun and safe day on the water. Captain Darrell came very highly recommended to me by the helpful owners of the French Creek Marina store. I was very impressed with Captain Darrell's professional and safe operation. Captain Darrell does an excellent job of monitoring the weather and water conditions. Listen to him, his main goal is to help you have the best experience possible. If he suggests that conditions are not ideal, take his advice and reschedule for later in the day or for another day. My 12-year-old son and I really enjoy bottom fishing for rockfish and lingcod. Captain Darrell did an excellent job of getting us into some real hot spots. Kids love fishing for rockfish because it gets them super involved with the equipment. Darrell is a very knowledgeable and patient teacher with children and inexperienced adults. I have now chartered with Captain Darrell several times. I find his prices are very reasonable and we've always had an awesome day on the water with him. Book early with him. He's very popular and his summer schedule fills up fast. PS - don't kid yourself, lingcod might not look like much, but those bad boys are delicious! When Captain Darrell gets through cleaning them you will never have seen such beautiful, white (with sometimes very light greenish hue), delicate flesh. I prefer over halibut.

We came here for camping and also to check out the caves here. It cost $30 to $50 a night to camp…read more The campsite was busy on the weekend and not so much on the weekdays. The campground is quite big. The outhouse was not bad. We also explored the caves. The tours take 2 hours approx. You can do a self-guided tour but if you do than you don't get to go inside past the gates in the caves Note that in the areas there are lots of dangerous wild animals. We heard that there was a deer that got taken out by a cayote.

This was my first time cave exploring and I had such a wonderful and memorable experience! This is…read moredefinitely one of the best highlights of the entire trip! We went on the guided 3 hour "Ice Age Adventure" tour. Our tour guide was amazing!! She was very educational with the history, facts, and preservation efforts. She was experienced, attentive and overall fun to be with. We explored a series of marble passages and crystal caverns created by the power of "The Ice Age". The experience was amazing! We were crawling and schootching through tight passage ways. We even climbed an underground waterfall!! Wow, the amazing crystals formations were breathtaking. My pictures do not do them justice; you simply just have to see it for yourself!! Dress warm, as it does get a little chilly inside the cave, wear boots or sturdy shoes and know you are going to get a little wet! Take a waterproof durable camera! Also, if possible some gloves can be very helpful. They provide the helmets with a light. Hydrate and have a balanced meal, you will be hiking to the cave as well as climbing and crawling inside. They offer an education center featuring geology information, a small museum and fossil display. They have a small theater, so visitors can learn more about this unique environment without having to enter the caves. Snacks and souvenirs can also be purchased. Other above-ground opportunities include a self-guided walk through the amazing surface geology on the new "Phil Whitfield Interpretive Trail" that highlights interesting surface features explained in a self-guiding brochure. The drive to Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park takes you on an unpaved road for a few miles; don't be worried, it is part of the adventure!! Great price for the experience, this is a MUST DO when visiting Beautiful Vancouver Island!!

We took a group of ten people (6 adults and 4 kids aged 10-14) for a four hour sail tour. Captain…read moreSteve was great - very relaxed and knowledgable about the area and sailing. The kids got to take turns steering, and fishing. We even dropped a crab pot and came home with four large crabs! Great fun and a really nice afternoon on the water enjoying the beautiful inlet.

The Gwaii Hanaas National Park in Haida Gwaii is a paradise for sea kayaking. It's very remote and…read morequiet, has good beaches, fresh water and lots of wildlife. I've taken four trips with Gord in Haida Gwaii; two trips to Cape Freeman and two trips on the Outer Coast. On one Cape Freeman trip a pod of Orcas closely followed us for 30 minutes and on one Outer Coast trip a juvenile humpback surfaced with an outstretched mouth directly in front of us - about 20 yards distant. Another highlight of these trips is the visit to Sgang Gwaay, a Haida village that still has totem poles that are still standing after the village was abandoned in the 1860's. Gord is an outstanding guide who holds to the highest standard of safety and providing opportunities for guests to have genuinely meaningful experiences in a remarkable place. Gord's philosophy of attending to the present, particularly the quietude (there can be hours and hours without any noise pollution) helps to settle a busy mind. Gord is renowned for his cooking and his skillful use of his spice pantry. When he taught a kayak guiding course I attended last year, Gord emphasized that it is much easier to make rational decisions if one is relatively comfortable and that good food is a great source of comfort. The kayak fleet and gear are first-rate. Unlike, most kayak guided trips which require 1 or 2 large double kayaks, all of Gord's guests can use single kayaks - a double kayak is also available. There is a world of difference paddling a single and double kayak. Gord has different types of trips. For those with little or no experience sea kayaking, the Waters of Sgang Gwaay trip stays in calmer waters and has shorter trips between campsites. Experienced paddlers can take the Cape Freeman trip which can get out to the West Coast of Moresby Island. A trip with Gord is not for those who need an agenda. Gord always complies with the conditions of winds and waves - which may mean that you stay and continue to enjoy the same campsite. This is a great lesson for life! Nor are Gord's trips good for those who want to kayak independently of the group. But if you want to safely kayak and camp in a remote, beautiful and dynamic setting, Gord can't be beat.

Gord's attention to detail in virtually every aspect of his tour - from the thorough packing list,…read moreto the delicious campfire-cooked meals, to his diligence with safety on the water - combined to make a truly memorable experience for me during my recent 7 day 'SGang Gwaay Adventurer' tour. For those adventurers who are looking for an intimate wilderness experience with a well-seasoned guide who will help you make the most of your time in Gwaii Haanas, this is the trip for you. I highly recommend Butterfly Tours and, as someone who has self-guided many outdoor excursions before, I think the experience was well worth the investment to do this trip with a professional guide.

Trail Series, Part 32 When I was a kid I remember riding my…read morebmx bike to elementary school proudly sporting a backpack with an iron on decal that read "Eat my dirt!" During our off-road buggy tour those days came flooding back to me as there were many times that we found ourselves eating the dirt of those riding with us (which didn't subtract from our enjoyment of freely roaming the Canadian wilderness even a little bit). I couldn't keep myself from loudly expressing my excitement just like a kid enjoying a roller coaster for the first time. I think Dana may have laughed the entirety of the ride and for the longest time I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, I am unusually funny today because she just can't seem to stop laughing. I should probably write this material down!" (It took me longer than I'd care to admit, but I eventually realized that Dana was laughing because she was having so much fun off-roading and not because my comedic material was all that good. ) Joan served as our jovial tour guide and did a great job with the safety orientation before we left, provided excellent instruction about how to safely navigate each section of the course, and timed our river crossing perfectly for the end of our ride (since we happily got drenched!). The course itself was always engaging, provided some spectacular vantage points, and included a great variation of sections to test your technical skills and also give you an opportunity to open up that throttle (at times exceeding speeds of 60 kph). If this were a hiking trail I'd rate it as moderate in difficulty, so be aware you will be jostled around quite a bit and you will likely feel just a tad sore the next day as you're describing your adventure to others with a smile that you're unable to wipe off your face. While the course presents a worthy challenge, the buggies they provide are well suited for the task (and an excellent helmet and goggles are provided to all adventurers). In keeping with Canadian tradition, we were careful to pack an "Oh Henry!" bar as part of our emergency rations. And that's...Henry's Take. #eatmydirt Photo Credit @danavoros

I took my daughter to do the off-road buggy and we had an absolute blast! Our tour guide, Brock,…read morewas very personable and patient with the inexperienced members of our group AND was still able to accommodate the ones who wanted to GO! 5 out of 5, I would recommend this place to anyone!

Nice easy hike that is safe for dogs. However, this hike does have some rocky sections. There's…read morelots of wide open spaces, bodies of water, and some wild life.

Beautiful waters here! Short hike, easy access, be prepared to swim…read more PARKING It's a small parking lot, maybe 10 spots, with overflow on the road around it. I've been here in the afternoon on a weekday in July and midday in a weekday in August. Both times we were lucky and one spot was open. Generally there's turnover since it's a short hike and you can get a spot. AMENITIES There is a bathroom at the trailhead, no water. There are tons of educational signage about the wildlife and plants in the area. DIFFICULTY & TIME Short hike, very little elevation change. You can get to the actual Smuggler Cove in about 30-40 minutes with a 4 and a 6 year old in tow (this is right before the loop starts). I've done the entire full lollipop loop in exactly one hour with only adults. SHADE The hike is 95% shaded. RECEPTION I had 5G reception for most of the hike (T-mobile). CROWDS It was busy but not too crowded both times I went. It was more empty when I went in the afternoon (July 2023). There were many more swimmers during my midday visit in August 2024, but still easy to get your own little private small cove to swim in. SWIMMING In August, we went swimming in the cove. It's not tropical, but it's not nearly as cold as other parts of the ocean. Lots of people were swimming, and a lot of people brought inflatable stand up paddleboards or kayaks.