British Columbia

A short ride north is the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. Yes, it’s touristy but it’s one of those things you have to do – Mrs Thatcher did it twice. Swaying vertiginously 230 feet up and made mainly from cedar and hemp, it’s not only unnerving, it’s the longest and highest suspension bridge in the world. While you’re this side of town, it’s worth heading up Grouse Mountain. Despite the hike being only 1.8 miles in distance, it’s known as the ‘Grouse Grind’ thanks to the punishing gradient. If mountains are your thing, the world-renowned slopes of Whistler are but two hours away by car.

Heading west, the biggest island is Vancouver Island, beyond which is nothing but the open Pacific and, after a few thousand miles, Japan. It’s not small, measuring 285 miles in length and 50 miles across, with most of its population clustered at the southern end, along with the island’s wineries (guided trips, such as those run by Crush Wine Tours, are popular). The capital, Victoria, is an intriguing place, especially for English visitors. If you get talking to someone on the BC ferry over (95 minutes from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay) and tell them where you’re heading, they’ll exclaim about how darn English it is there.

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The affluent Oak Bay has the vague air of a well-heeled 1950s seaside suburb – but English it isn’t, its charms are all its own. Keep this to yourself, though; Victorians are inordinately proud of their ‘heritage’ houses and English connections. The older Swans Hotel is a refreshing foil to the hulking luxury hotels in the newer parts of town. The suite-style rooms, hung with local art, are bigger than many a London flat.

While you’re on Vancouver Island, a visit to Tofino is essential. Almost everyone who knows this part of the world claims it’s their favourite place. Part of its allure is its inaccessibility: stuck out on the western coast of the island, facing an apparently endless ocean, Tofino nevertheless manages to combine isolation with comfort.

Accommodation is sprinkled around the coves along the Pacific shore in the form of beachside villas and apartments – so everyone gets an unhindered path to the sea as well as an uninterrupted view. The Pacific Sands Beach Resort has just this arrangement on Cox Bay, with a clutch of beautifully appointed hideaways. With honeymooners clearly in mind, the master bedroom of the villa has two walls of glass, a fire and a large round bathtub where you can sip a drink and gaze out past the pine trees at the lapping water. Cocooned inside among the tactile fabrics and soft muted colours, it’s a sensory shock when you open the door to the balcony and hear the hiss of the ocean. Hanging up downstairs are bright yellow waterproof coats in preparation for Tofino’s winter guests who, thanks to a brilliant piece of tourism marketing, flock to the area for the winter storm-watching season.

In this hippy town, sophisticated seafood restaurants nevertheless proliferate. Even the local sandwich bar, Breakers, does high-class organic wraps and cakes to rival Vancouver’s best. Surrounded by water as you are, it’s inevitable that your days are spent out on it. Jamie’s Whaling Station run trips out to Hot Springs Cove via the Clayoquot Sound. Broad and close to the open sea, whales can often be spotted. One huge grey whale swam under our small boat, broke the surface to breathe at the stern, and then dived, not to be seen again.

In a country as big as Canada, you usually have to choose the type of holiday you want: the vast emptiness of the prairies or the hectic bustle of Toronto. In this endlessly varied corner of British Columbia, you can have it all in a fortnight, from the laidback nonchalance of Tofino to the buzz of Vancouver – as well as all that untamed countryside surrounding it.

Getting there
Air Canada return flights from £255 (www.aircanada.com).

Where to stay
Pacific Palisades Hotel, Vancouver
(001 604 688 0461/www.pacificpalisadeshotel.com). Deluxe double room from $160 (£75) a night.
Pacific Sands Beach Resort, Tofino
(001 250 725 3322/www.pacificsands.com). From $150 (£71) a night in storm season.
Swans Art & Boutique Hotel, Victoria
(001 250 361 3310/ www.swanshotel.com). Suites from $179 (£85) a night.

Activities
Crush Wine Tours, Victoria
(001 250 888 5748/www.crushwinetours.com).
Jamie’s Whaling Station, Tofino
(001 250 725 3919/www.jamies.com).
Rockwood Adventures, Vancouver
(001 604 980 7749/www.rockwoodadventures.com).
Tourism British Columbia
(www.hellobc.com).


For more great ideas about holidaying in British Columbia, the new ‘Time Out Vancouver Guide’ is out now.

Kate Riordan. Photography: Stuart Robertson

Vancouver guidebook One of the world's most beautiful cities, with its unique mix of sea and ski, laid-back West Coast living and superb dining. Truly a city for the twenty-first century, Vancouver is currently gearing up for the 2010 winter Olympics. [Buy Now ] Availiable in bookshops and direct from timeout.com/shop