Vancouver Island Holidays

See whales offshore and explore Victoria on your Kuoni holidays

Beautiful to the eye and soft on the soul, Vancouver Island’s lakes, forests, beaches and ocean are a compelling reason to visit.

Where sea lions sunbathe on rocks, humpback whales breach the waters and a tangle of ancient cedar trees thrive in otherworldly forests, Vancouver Island has a thoroughly wild side. Hit the waves in the tiny west shore surfer town of Tofino, lap up architectural gems in its historic capital, Victoria, and head to Clayoquot Sound for a chance to spot native black bears in residence. From lush rainforest to rugged coastline, Vancouver Island serves up plenty of outdoor adventure. Come to sail and kayak in tranquil waters, to hike through fir forests in Cathedral Grove and to taste your way around Cowichan Valley’s wineries.

With Kuoni, you can explore the most beautiful places in British Columbia.

Vancouver Island Hotels

Our recommendations for the best places to stay in Vancouver Island

The Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria

Overlooking Victoria’s inner harbour, Fairmont Empress has a prime position in glorious Victoria....

Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa

Spectacular setting overlooking the Inner Harbour.

Inn at Laurel Point

Perched on a six-acre peninsula on the harbour edge, the eco-minded Inn at Laurel . provides an e...

Long Beach Lodge, Tofino

A cosy lodge with unforgettable ocean and beach views.

Pacific Sands Resort, Tofino

This beachfront beauty of a resort is fully invested in the Canadian outdoorsy way of life. Combi...

Painter's Lodge, Campbell River

Painter’s Lodge, sitting prettily on the banks of the Campbell River, stands ready to whisk wanna...

Coast Discovery Inn, Campbell River

The Coast Discovery Inn is in a prime jumping-off location for adventures around Campbell River a...

Magnolia Hotel & Spa

An elegant hotel in the heart of Victoria, Magnolia Hotel & Spa lavishes its guest with the very...

Holidays in Vancouver Island

Hotel

Vancouver Island
5 Star

The Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria

Overlooking Victoria’s inner harbour, Fairmont Empress has a prime position in glorious Victoria. Oozing elegance and style, this is a swish place to stay when exploring this historic city.

Hotel

Vancouver Island
4 Star

Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa

Spectacular setting overlooking the Inner Harbour.

Hotel

Vancouver Island
3 Star

Inn at Laurel Point

Perched on a six-acre peninsula on the harbour edge, the eco-minded Inn at Laurel . provides an escape from Victoria’s bustle but is within easy distance to reach all the city highlights.

Hotel

Vancouver Island
3 Star

Long Beach Lodge, Tofino

A cosy lodge with unforgettable ocean and beach views.

Hotel

Vancouver Island
3 Star

Pacific Sands Resort, Tofino

This beachfront beauty of a resort is fully invested in the Canadian outdoorsy way of life. Combining a love of surfing with campfire rendezvous and spacious yet cosy accommodation, this is the type of place you’ll make yourself at home in, then find it hard to part…

Hotel

Vancouver Island
3.5 Star

Painter's Lodge, Campbell River

Painter’s Lodge, sitting prettily on the banks of the Campbell River, stands ready to whisk wannabe fishers (and their more experienced counterparts) to catch Canada’s world-famous salmon. But there’s much more to this riverside beauty beside a good catch.

Hotel

Vancouver Island
3 Star

Coast Discovery Inn, Campbell River

The Coast Discovery Inn is in a prime jumping-off location for adventures around Campbell River and beyond. It’s a top choice when you know that you’ll spend most of your time out and about in the wilderness of Vancouver Island.

Hotel

Vancouver Island
4 Star

Magnolia Hotel & Spa

An elegant hotel in the heart of Victoria, Magnolia Hotel & Spa lavishes its guest with the very best service, winning hearts (and repeat business) as they go. Victoria’s attractions are all within walking distance and make the Magnolia a convincing place to stay.

Bear & Whale Safari from Tofino

In Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is a wildlife lover’s dream with whales and bears drawn to the region’s food-rich waters. This is a two-part experience from Tofino which consists of a whale-watching cruise on a 12-passenger Zodiac in the open waters of the Pacific, during which you may spot gray or humpback whales, seals and sea otters. During the second part of the tour you’ll cruise along the coast of the Clayoquot Sound during low tide to see the island’s resident black bears.

• Departs daily
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Bear Watching in Tofino

In Vancouver Island

Cruise along the calm waters of the inlets of beautiful Clayoquot Sound on board a 45-foot covered cruiser in search of black bears in their natural habitat. Travel along the shore and keep an eye out these beautiful creatures as they seek out one of their favourite foods – the rock crab, which they search for when the tide goes out.

• Departs daily
• Operates April to October
• Group experience

Victoria Whale Watching by Catamaran

In Vancouver Island

Head out into the Salish Sea from the Victoria's Historic Fisherman's Wharf on this exhilarating catamaran cruise. Keep your eyes peeled for humpbacks, orcas and other marine species as you spend a few hours on the water. You'll be accompanied by a naturalist/biologist and the boats feature washrooms, an indoor heated area and plenty of outdoor viewing areas.

• Departs daily
• Operates May to October
• Group experience

Tofino Whale-Watching Cruise

In Vancouver Island

This is the ultimate whale and wildlife-watching adventure from Tofino. Travelling by 12-seater Zodiacs or a 65-foot covered boat, you'll explore the inlets and fjords of the spectacular Clayquot Sound. This six-hour experience is split into to excursions out on to the water, with a break on land to refresh between voyages. Wildlife you may see during your cruise include black bears, sea lions, sea otters and, depending on the time of year, gray whales, humpback whales and orcas.

• Departs daily
• Operates March to October
• Group experience

Victoria Hop-on Hop-Off 24 hr Pass

In Vancouver Island

Experience Victoria aboard an open top, double-decker bus, with the flexibility to explore the many popular attractions the city has to offer on this hop-on hop-off tour. The tour loop takes approximately 90 minutes, and guests can hop on and off at their leisure whenever the tours are operating. Highlights include Fairmont Empress Hotel, Craigdarroch Castle, Chinatown and Old Town, Fisherman's Wharf, Panoramic Inner Harbour, Parliament Buildings, Christ Church Cathedral, Oak Bay Village and Marina, Cook Street Village, Ogden Point Cruise Terminal and Break

Get to know Vancouer Island and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT -8 hours

CURRENCY

Canadian dollar (CAD)

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

10 hours (Vancouver)

LANGUAGE

English and French are the official languages in Canada

Victoria
Just off the west coast of mainland Canada lies Vancouver Island. A scenic ferry or floatplane ride from the mainland will transport you to pretty Victoria, British Columbia’s historic capital city which is home to attractive colonial buildings and verdant gardens. The colourful Butchart Gardens in the north of the city are stunning, and in the summer months whale watching is extremely popular, with orcas inhabiting local waters. Some of the best food here includes freshly-caught salmon and trout.

Tofino
Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, on the tip of the Esowista Peninsula, is the settlement of Tofino, a popular summer destination. Tofino is the perfect choice for nature lovers, whale watchers and even surfers, and with its setting on the southern edge of the Clayoquot Sound, it offers stunning views of the water. From here you can take a cruise to spot whales, learn how to surf, follow hiking trails along the coast, head out on bear-watching trips and visit the beautiful Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Ucluelet
Located approximately 25 miles along the south west coast of Vancouver Island from Tofino, is the district of Ucluelet (pronounced yew-kloo-let), affectinally know as Ukee. Much like the rest of Vancouver Island, the area is heaven for outdoor adventurers with a wide range of activities on offer allowing you to explore the beautiful Ucluelet Peninsula. As well as bear and whale watching, ocean kayaking is a favourite pastime in the region’s sheltered waters. Other activities include fishing and hiking the Wild Pacific Trail.

East coast
Set on the eastern shore of Vancouver Island, the city of Campbell River is the ‘Salmon Capital of the World’ and popular activities here include bear- and whale-watching, fishing and hiking. Knight Inlet, which is reached by float plane from Campbell River, is set in the far reaches of one of the main inlets of the British Columbia coast. This natural wilderness of lush rainforest shelters a diverse range of wildlife including bald eagles, grizzly bears and black bears.

Float plane
The opportunity to see Vancouver Island and the Strait of Georgia from a floatplane is one of the most quintessential Canadian experiences. These operate between Vancouver and Victoria, Tofino, Campbell River or Port Hardy. Alternatively, you can cruise across the strait with BC Ferries. Routes include Vancouver to Nanaimo and Vancouver to Victoria (Swartz Bay). There are two departure points in Vancouver – Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay, the latter only serving Nanaimo.

Sorry, your hotel is no longer available

Please check alternatives

Where do you want to go?

When

Choose dates

{{store.searchDuration}} nights, {{formattedDate}}

Who

From

Class

Occasion

{{item.title}} {{item.body}}
{{item.title}} {{item.body}}

Choose a departure date

Duration

{{store.searchDuration}} nights

Enter rooms & guests

Adults Aged 18 or above

Children Aged 0-17 years

Select child age{{store.passengers[0].childAges.length > 1 ? "s" : ""}}:

Child {{i+1}} Age Age on date of return

+ Add another room

{{airport.text}}

{{flightClass.text}}

{{occasion.text}}

Checking prices & availability

{{term}}, {{formattedDate}} for {{searchDuration}} nights

All ({{destinations.length + products.length + offers.length + inspiration.length}})
Destinations ({{destinations.length}})
Holidays ({{products.length}})
Offers ({{offers.length}})
Inspiration ({{inspiration.length}})