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Planning a TripGetting There By Plane -- Orca Airways (tel. 888/359-6722 or 604/270-6722; www.flyorcaair.com) offers year-round flights between Vancouver International Airport and Tofino. By Car -- Tofino, Ucluelet, and Long Beach all lie near the end of Hwy. 4 on the west coast of Vancouver Island. From Nanaimo, take the Island Highway (Hwy. 19) north for 52km (32 miles). Just before the town of Parksville is a turnoff for Hwy. 4, which leads to the mid-island town of Port Alberni (38km/24 miles) and then to the coastal towns of Tofino (135km/84 miles west of Port Alberni) and Ucluelet (103km/64 miles west). The road is paved but very winding after Port Alberni. By Ferry -- A 4 1/2-hour ride aboard the Lady Rose Marine Services (tel. 800/663-7192 Apr-Sept, or 250/723-8313; www.ladyrosemarine.com) MV Lady Rose takes you from Port Alberni to Ucluelet. By Bus -- Greyhound Vancouver Island Coach (tel. 250/388-5248) operates regular daily service between Victoria and Tofino. The 6-hour trip, departing Victoria at 7:30am and arriving in Tofino at 2:35pm, costs C$65. The bus also stops in Nanaimo and can pick up passengers arriving from Vancouver on the ferry. The Tofino Bus (tel. 866/986-3466; www.tofinobus.com) also offers daily bus service from Victoria and Vancouver to Tofino. A one-way ticket from Victoria to Tofino is C$64. Visitor Information The Pacific Rim Visitor Centre, located just north of the Ucluelet junction with Hwy. 4 (tel. 250/726-4600; www.pacificrimvisitor.ca), is a clearinghouse of information on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It's open all year. From October through March, it's open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm; through mid-June, it's open the same days but till 5pm. From mid-June through September, it's open daily 9am to 7pm.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip. Related Features |
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