If you have a very deep impression of these islands, or are amazed by the beautiful scenery you encounter during your travels, you can get Custom Luggage Tags Canada as travel souvenirs.

When customizing luggage tags, you can carefully select some of your favorite islands, restaurants or scenery pictures as the background of the luggage tags, add your travel date, feelings, etc., and combine your favorite shapes and colors to design your own travel memories.

You can hang these personalized luggage tags on suitcases and backpacks to identify personal items, and you can also give them to friends as travel gifts to share the joy of the journey with them.

Salt Spring Island

Famously known as the “hippie island” it is, unsurprisingly, extremely laid-back and full of vegan cafes and homemade clothing shops.

My favourite place to eat at is Penny’s Pantry on the Green at the Golf and Country Club, which does the BEST breakfast food and brunch. The cafe is super cute and the staff are the friendliest ever, and it’s simply just a nice way to start your morning. Another pretty sweet place to hang out is at Moby’s Pub, which is filled with locals and does events almost every single night. My favourite ones to attend are their open mic nights and their music bingo nights, with the latter recently offering a holiday to Jamaica as a prize (which was pretty disorientating due to the fact it’s such a tiny establishment).

Black Sheep Books is officially my favourite shop to hang out in, because I’m a massive book nerd and bibliophile and I just love surrounding myself in a shroud of vintage novels. Everything is also decently priced, which is great until you end up with a stack of 40 different books you want to haul across Canada in your two-foot suitcase merely because they’re from the 1950’s and look pretty.

One of the best places to stay is at Oceanside Cottages, due to the fact that you can stay in an adorable little cottage where every spare corner of wall is filled with canvases or murals painted by the owner. Upon arrival, the vase in my own cabin was filled with fresh flowers, the bowl was filled with a plethora of fruit, and there was a large water dispenser to use because drinking straight from the tap may have upset our stomachs. Every little detail makes this place perfect for a weekend getaway, with a fireplace and fresh firewood (and an axe outside to chop down some more if need be) rendering it a real cosy feel. There’s a radio, vinyls, cassettes, and CDs – meaning that you never have to spend a second in silence. My favourite part about the place though? The telescope. I’d never used one before, and I think it’s such a lovely idea.

Outside, amongst views of ocean and woodland, is a little bathtub – a really cool concept. Around the front, there’s a deck with cushioned seats where you can kick back with food cooked on your barbecue. I think that Oceanside Cottages is the ideal place to spend one-on-one time with a friend or lover, or even just one-on-one time with yourself – perhaps taking time out of daily life to write or create your own artwork. It’s all beautiful, and I’m very thankful for the experience. One day I’d love to come back and see what other little finishes have been added.

If this adorable, quaint little cabin doesn’t quite get your engine going, then another absolutely stunning place to stay is the Harbour House Hotel. Made to cater to an entirely different demographic, with entirely different features and feel, the hotel is quite possibly the most chic place on the island. I stayed at the Salish Suite, which, frankly, is one of the most beautiful places I have ever slept in. It was equipped with absolutely anything that I could possibly need, with a very comfortable three-piece suite, canvases of the most beautiful local areas, a complete chess set, a marble wet room with His and Her sinks, a coffee bar (with some gorgeous green tea), a 65″ HD Smart TV, and an exceedingly comfortable King-sized bed.

The view from the room was absolutely gorgeous, looking out over at the ocean and the tiny boats in the distance, and adjourned to the room are large glass doors opening out to a little patio – the place where we spent the majority of our time during our visit. Relaxing back on the plush sofa as the sun is setting, cracking open a bottle of wine as we share stories and look out to the horizon, each night ended perfectly at this haven right outside our door.

In the mornings, we would catch breakfast at Woodley’s, switching between waffles, eggs Benedict, and salad – all of which were gorgeous and a great way to start the day. The staff at the hotel are so friendly and helpful, I didn’t doubt that they would go to the ends of the earth for us.

Pender Island

This island felt a lot more cosmopolitan than the other islands, with a larger population (which, by the way, is 2,250 – over 1,000 more than the majority of the others) and more active construction. My favourite place on the whole island is Hope Bay, due to the fact that hidden down at the end of the beach is an old, slightly aesthetically pleasing, house. Looking out to the ocean and looking in to a slightly creepy interior (think, broken photo frames, ornaments, and cracked and missing floorboards), it’s a strange place to hang out – and yet, it’s perfect for reading in the shade, dangling your legs over the water.

Hope Bay is also home to Pender Chocolates, a gorgeous little Chocolateir featuring the creamiest, richest, and most delicious chocolates in BC. The place is gorgeous, and also offers an absolutely stunning view of the ocean.

Mayne Island

Mayne Island is perfect for a day trip by car, with my favourite place to visit being Dinner Bay Park, home to the Japanese Gardens. It’s an extremely beautiful garden, with small shinto shrines, cherry blossom trees, and a cute little river running through it, and doubles as a memorial to the Japanese Canadians who lived on the island until they were sent to internment camps during the second world war.

Mount Parke offers the best view out of all the islands, with the summit overlooking Victoria and the other gulf islands. It’s a perfect place to go on a long hike, stopping every now and then to spot hummingbirds and rogue tulips.

Galiano Island

Out of all of the islands, Galiano Island was the one which I spent the most time at. I found that there was so much more to do here in a much more condensed span of area than on the other islands.

For those of y’all that enjoy hiking and wandering the natural surroundings, Galiano Island is a haven. My favourite parks are Montague Harbour Provincial Park, Bodega Ridge Provincial Park, Bluffs Park, and Bellhouse Park – which all offer stunning views of the bay and forests, along with being relatively devoid of other people. Technically, everywhere on the island is accessible via walking, but if you don’t want to spend the majority of your day walking up and down cemented roads, then I highly recommend either taking a vehicle of your own or hitchhiking. I personally hitchhiked around seven or eight times (the island is very safe, and if someone doesn’t pick you up then they get shunned in the community) and met the coolest and loveliest people ever – and didn’t have to pay for gas. I was given life advice from a fella missing a good few teeth, met a farmer from Yorkshire on his gap year, and rode in the SUV of a woman whose daughter worked at the spa I would frequent. A pretty cool experience.

One of my favourite places on the island is Galiano Island Books, as it’s an absolute haven for bibliophiles. I spent a good few hours browsing the books in this small store and ended up leaving with a bag full of worthwhile purchases, and honestly it was such a cute little place filled with the loveliest staff members who treated me like family. Conveniently, located several stores down is also my favourite food establishment on the island, in the form of the Sturdies Bay Bakery – a place filled with cupcakes and pastries and other gorgeous, carb-filled deliciousnesses.

I stayed at several places on Galiano Island, with one of my favourites being Bodega Ridge. I stayed in a little cabin which was absolutely adorable, decorated with plants and tea lights and made almost entirely out of wood. The owners are the nicest people ever, driving us from the main house to our little cabin and giving us their number should we have any problems. In our living room, my travel companion and I spent our time here listening to the radio and telling each other childhood stories around the fireplace, and nipping out to watch the sunrises and sunsets. I also loved the interior design, with little wooden embellishments, a large white bathtub, sliding doors, colourful glass light shades, and heated flooring. I found this place absolutely perfect for giving myself a self-prescribed technology detox.

Another gorgeous place to stay is at the Galiano Oceanfront Inn + Spa, a luxe hotel which made me feel as though I was vacationing at a palazzo on the Mediterranean. I spent my time here drinking green tea and writing on my terrace in the sun, reading my Galiano Island Books in the bath-cum-jacuzzi on a balcony overlooking the ocean, and watching the stars as I listened to the crackling firewood from my fireplace. The shower has approximately a million little jets, which all vary in pressure and height. The food at the inn is all absolutely gorgeous – with portions appearing small but keeping you full for hours. I recommend the beef dip and the charcuterie board plate thing, as they showcase the best of the restaurant’s food. My travel partner and I spent a nice long lunch here and then headed down to the spa, where we went in the hot tub, and then for a eucalyptus steam which burnt our eyes, and then for a much needed cold shower. The whole place smells gorgeous, offers a patio which goes right down to the beach, and offers you free herbal tea on tap. Love it.

Out of the many things to do on Galiano Island, one of the highlights is going out with Gulf Island Kayaking. When I went, I was utterly unprepared and so had to borrow the staff’s hat and sunscreen, but I quickly got the hang of things. It was a lot of fun, and despite my worrying lack of balance, I didn’t actually capsize (although honestly I did get close a couple of times). We stopped at a beach to take in the views (where I had a clam spray water at me from the sand), and I dipped my hands in the water as we meandered on the water, leaning back and looking out for seals and bright purple starfish.

Port Alberni

Whilst most people overlook the charm of Port Alberni and only use it as a service stop, it is probably one of the cutest places on the whole of Vancouver Island. It is set out like every Sixties small town in every indie movie ever, and is super rustic and adorable. The whole place features these really laid back vibes, with everyone knowing everyone’s business and nothing having changed in the past five decades. The streets are full of old hunting shops and Riverdale-esque drive-ins and jade-painted wooden churches with shiny black spires – it’s a weird place, but it’s full of charisma and you can’t help but love it. One of my favourite places in the whole town is this sleepy little cafe called the Mountain View Bakery and Deli and Espresso Bar (it’s quite a mouthful!), because it is this warm, cosy little haven filled with locals reading the paper (which features ads for firearms and GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS), and they do the most gorgeous coffees and Cornish Pasties (with the latter not being served in the entire rest of Canada). Love. It.

Tofino

Tofino is part of Vancouver Island, and is one of the prettiest places in the world, full stop. I was fortunate enough to spend a significant amount of time there, surfing, boating, wildlife watching, hiking, and eating, and feel relatively qualified to call myself as least a third of a Local. I wrote a whole comprehensive guide on the area, and strongly recommend that y’all stalk it before you prepare for a fairytale week away.

The best way to travel between islands is with BC Ferries, which offers several routes to travel between islands each day. Taking a BC ferry is such a big part of any British Columbian’s life, that it almost feels like a right of passage (pun intended) to board one of their vessels. You can either go as a walk-on passenger or take a car (which is definitely recommended for  travelling around the more remote islands), and spend the whole trip kicking back with some ship food and looking out the window at the whales. I have taken well over 15 different ferries between Victoria, the islands, and the mainland, and my favourite bit is standing out on the deck at  sunset and having the wind whip my hair as I look out for seals and eagles.

And so, have you guys ever visited the BC islands or plan on travelling to this beautiful Canadian province? Let me know in the comments below!

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I recently spent time exploring Tofino, which is a tiny district on Vancouver Island surrounded by ancient rainforest, vast stretches of white beach, and surf shops. Locals follow a laid-back, slow-paced lifestyle, and it is the perfect place to get away from the more crowded parts of the continent. Having spent the past few months living with the residents, I feel as though I am now adequately packed with local knowledge – and ready to share my newly-acquired expertise with you.

Where to stay

LONG BEACH LODGE RESORT

The Long Beach Lodge Resort is hands down one of the best hotels that I have ever had the pleasure of staying at. Our deluxe beachfront room offered a massive two-person bathtub in the wet room (which came with the most divine bath salts) and also had shutters overlooking the bedroom, and subsequently, the VIEW. The room features a large balcony which looks out to a perfect vista – distant mountains, pearl-coloured sand, tall emerald trees, and, best of all, the ocean. Ideal for when the sun was out, we could kick back on the balcony sipping green teas from silk teabags and martinis from tall glasses, looking out to the lazy rolling waves and soft pink skies.

We had both fluffy bath robes and sturdy Helly Hanson raincoats in the room, which we could use to wear down to the sauna, or out to the ocean on a rough day. One of my favourite pastimes involves laying back in an armchair and reading my book – and I could do exactly that in front of our fireplace, in a room which I imagine my future book chamber to replicate. The hotel itself is gorgeous, with curio wooden furnishings, cast iron and granite decorations, and hallways showcasing local artwork. I had a wonderful stay, and it definitely offered me the perfect haven to unwind from the accumulated stresses of travel. If there is one place that you have to bunker down at in Tofino, it’s here.

THE WICKANNINISH INN

Being someone who has a big fat crush on everything architecture and interior design related, the Wickanninish Inn was perfect for me. It is incredibly unique, with every decoration and item of furniture being handmade and locally sourced, and each painting showcasing the works of local artists. Every aspect of the hotel has this stunning history behind it, and honestly, it is divine. They feature many rustic elements – such as driftwood rocking chairs, bathtub views overlooking miles upon miles of ocean, suites with lounges stuffed with books and open fireplaces – along with more modern items, such as flat screens which pop out of the bedroom cupboards. It’s very pretty, and the perfect place for a retreat out of the city. Also – their cafe offers the most gorgeous chocolate muffins and green tea seeped through paper funnels!

Where to Eat

LONG BEACH LODGE RESORT

I can’t recommend the Long Beach Lodge Resort enough – especially as they offer the best evening meal in the whole of Tofino. Not only was the food incredible, but the view was absolutely breathtaking. As we sat eating our meal, we were able to glance out at the red and orange hues of the setting sun, mirrored in the silent waves. Something about the hazy light and the relaxed atmosphere had me and my travel partner talking for hours about things we’ve never revealed to each other before. It was weird, and magical, and wonderful.

In regards to the food itself, every item of produce is locally sourced, with all of their fresh seafood harvested in a sustainable manner. My favourite dishes include their confit duck leg (with celery root slaw, apply, and toasted almonds), the muscle and clam dish (served in a gorgeous broth with shaved fennel and parsley), the scallop risotto, the lingcod (with stripe shrimp, roasted squash and citrus emulsion), and the polenta. Their hummus is the smoothest that I have ever tasted, and the bread that they bring to the table before you meal was ridiculously tempting for me throughout the evening (I can’t digest gluten, and yet there I was, gnawing on this beguiling bread). For those of you with a sweet tooth, you can’t go wrong with their classic chocolate brownie dish, or their oversized French macaron.

TACOFINO

Quite frankly, this place was love at first bite. I’d heard so much about it, and visited the sister company in Victoria – but it didn’t come close to comparing to this little food truck. Something about the atmosphere of tens of complete strangers hanging out on wooden benches in the sun, snacking on tacos and burritos and tamales, is oddly alluring to me. The people are the friendliest and it is such a nice place to really sit back and take it all in.

SHELTER

Shelter is arguably the best place to spend a late afternoon – kicking back in their plush armchairs by a small open fire, listening to chill music which you will no doubt Shazam the heck out of, all whilst gorging on some of the most gorgeous food. I have never had such a charismatic waiter before in my life than I had at Shelter, and it would be exceedingly difficult to feel down when he’d bring out a plate of yam fries or buttermilk chicken or a ridiculously fat burger, and be super charming as he did so. It’s a lovely little place, and definitely one of the best on the island.

WOLF IN THE FOG

Absolutely every dish is delicious, submerged in a plethora of stunning flavours. Whilst you try the crab arancini, or the tuna and pork jowl, or the halibut with assorted shellfish, you will be submerged in the loveliest ambience. The whole restaurant is lit up with a warm colour scheme, enhanced by the wooden furnishings and locally designed earth-tone decorations. Soft chatter filters over smooth jazz, and you can see the chefs working at their stations on the far side of the room. Waiters wear plaid flannel, and let you take your time as you devour the food. The food menus themselves are about an eighth the size of the wine menu – which suggests that both the owner and I have the same priorities in order. For dessert, I highly recommend their gala apple – and not solely because of how #InstaWorthy the presentation is.

CHOCOLATE TOFINO

Chocolate Tofino is, quite frankly, a woefully dangerous place for a chocolate fiend like I to venture into. You step into their teensy-tiny little shop, surrounded by glass rows of hand-decorated truffles and chocolates, with workers in this Willy Wonka-esque set-up folding and garnishing the products behind the counter. They offer a wide selection of goodies, with my favourite being their “hedgehog” ice-cream and wildflower honey ganache – and, truth be told, every single item in their Happy Pack. The latter is a little parcel showcasing a variety of the locals’ favourite chocolates, from their strawberry cream starfish to their wild blackberry buttercreams, to their hazelnut rainforest crispy logs. Everything is so unique and pretty and made with love, and I love every second there (and bite!). It took all the willpower I have to not demolish every bit of chocolate instantly.

WHAT TO DO

LEARN TO SURF

One thing that you absolutely must do during your time in Tofino is mimic the locals and fling yourself on top of a surfboard. In my opinion, the best company to do this with is Pacific Surf Co – and let me tell you why.

I had my first ever surf lesson with these guys, arriving in-tow with my travel partner who, frankly, cannot swim for the life of him. Whilst highly entertaining for me to glance out at him every five minutes in the water as he erupted from the ocean and spat out sea foam, our instructor was the nicest ever and helped him learn to stay above the waves. We went out as a small group, where we were in turn introduced to the fundamentals of both catching a wave and being able to safely read the water – and despite both myself and my land-bourne travel partner being relatively nervous before starting, by the end of it we felt fully prepared and ready to go.

Once I was in the water, my main fear of freezing to death utterly dissipated as my wetsuit clung to me like blubber, keeping me warm against the frosty ocean. It didn’t take me long to find myself getting real cocky, as I felt ready enough to wade out in water up to my hips. The waves were slowly getting higher and more powerful, and somehow I managed to lose grip of my board and have it cut in front of me. As one massive wave started towards me, I pushed my head under the water and out of the way of my board, where I was pulled under by the waves. Seconds later, when I was finally released from the surge, I stood up coughing up sea salt and having snot run down my face as the instructor gave me a big thumbs up. I was told that it was a good thing I moved and didn’t get knocked completely unconscious by my board, and was advised on how to turn it into a sick wave. When we left Tofino several days later, I was covered in some very pretty bruises – reminders that I’d tried something epic, loved it, and had the battle wounds to prove it.

VISIT THE HOT SPRINGS COVE

Another one of the best things to do in Tofino is to visit the hot springs on the Sidney Inlet. There are several companies that run here, but I personally recommend Jamie’s Whaling Station as they tend to get you as one of the first groups there (it does get busy!) – also offering the chance to stop and view wildlife on the way.

In my experience of the tour to the cove, we discovered on the ride that a member of our group was actually deathly terrified of boats – and she was here, on a boat ride. The staff was calm and collected as my travel partner and I shook our heads in disbelief as this lass burst into tears, going right out of their way to avoid the sharp corners of the choppy waves. Regardless, the ride there was beautiful, and we were told that if our skipper were to continue piloting south, there would be nothing but clear waves between us and Antarctica (can I hear, impromptu day trip?).

When you arrive at the forest on the Sidney Inlet, it takes a half an hour boardwalk to get to the heart of the springs. The second I clocked that we would be the first ones to jump into thw water, I decided to dive right in – and let me tell you, there’s a reason why they don’t merely call it the “Vaguely Lukewarm Springs.” It was 53°C and so ridiculously hot that it immediately caused our limbs to sizzle and glow bright pink, making my head swim after ten minutes. In the end, we spent nearly three hours soaking back in the water, and it both relaxed the heck out of me and made me feel as though I could pass right out. Every single person that has ever visited Tofino has visited the Hot Springs Cove (probably, but don’t quote me on that), and a trip to the area really isn’t complete without a saunter around the springs.

CHECK OUT LOCAL ARTISTS

I mentioned that local hotels such as the Wickanninish Inn display the works of many of the local artists in their suites – and with good reason. For pieces that are unique and made with love, why not spend a free hour wandering around the open woodwork stores, and kitsch little home-reared galleries? Even boutique stores are run by people with a flair for art, and a mere clothing browse can easily end up with you falling in love with a new painting or photograph. Tofino is such a gorgeous place – and the art scene definitely doesn’t let it down.

GO WILDLIFE WATCHING

Tofino, being part of Western BC, is unsurprisingly choc-a-block with wildlife. Going out on a pre-planned tour is  one of the best ways of securing a sighting from up close, without ending up directly facing off with a black bear. On a single boat ride, you may expect to see porpoise, seals, grey whales, orcas, and otters – and I saw all five on my ride to the Hot Springs! Looking out to land, you can spot wolves, cougars, and bears – definitely the best way to get a glimpse into the wild side of Canada.

EXPLORE THE HIKING TRAILS

Frankly, you can’t really say that you’ve visited Tofino until you’ve conquered their many hiking trails. There are many to choose from, with local favourites being the South Beach Trail, Wild Pacific Lighthouse Loop, and every inch of Maquinna Marine Provincial Park. Be sure to do research on the trails beforehand – some, such as the walk around the crashed bomber site, may be unsuitable in certain conditions, or too extreme for an average hiker to attempt.

TAKE A BEACH DAY

Honestly, the only place in the world that compares to the beaches in Tofino, is Wales (although I may be slightly biased on the latter). Everywhere you go in Tofino, you will find yourself surrounded by vast rolling waves and sparkling white sand. Honestly, there’s no escape – you’re encircled by the vista from your hotel bathroom, and a cafe window, and the balcony you grab martinis at after dinner. The seaside is such a staple to the local Tofino life, that it is literally impossible to not spend at least one day loitering on the sand.

Some of my favourite beaches are Cox Bay, Chesterman Beach, Mackenzie Beach, and Long Beach. They all feature distant mountains, glistening blue ocean, and condensation coming from the waves which settles like smoke over the horizon (rendering the most gorgeous, soft, hazy views). The only downside is that during these colder months, the water is so chilly that when you submerge your half-naked body in for even half a minute, the hypothermia kicks in and you quickly start to feel as though you’re burning. That could just be me, though.

HOW TO GET THERE

TOFINO ALL ISLAND EXPRESS

One of the easiest ways to travel to Tofino is via a coach from the larger cities. Whilst it may take longer than it would to drive, you get to kick back in comfort, knowing that you have several hours to yourself. My favourite part of the All Island Express is that the windows are nice and big – perfect for staring out at the stunning scenery around you.

HITCHHIKE OR DRIVE

Whilst taking a bus is perhaps the most convenient way of travelling to Tofino, it may be more beneficial to have more control over your transportation if you want to explore nearby towns and islands. Due to the fact that it is c-o-s-t-l-y to drive yourself all the way up to the area, why not consider hitchhiking, like your old pal Amy? I found myself travelling the breadth of the place in a bright yellow school bus, kicking back in a kid called Marco’s assigned seat, feeling like I was finally a background actor in an American movie.

Have you guys ever been to Tofino, or want to drop everything and leave right now? Or do you fancy visiting one of the other absolutely gorgeous places in British Columbia? Let me know in the comments below!

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