Tofino/Ucelet Question
 

We are heading to Vancouver Island in late September and have two full days in the Tofino/Ucelet area.

We are keen to go kayaking and also if possible see some bears/salmon as they are around this time of year.

Would appreciate reccommendations on whether to stay in Tofino or Ucelet and where should we go for the best kayaking trip?

We will have our own car.

Tbanks

Lesa

I would prefere Ucluelet as basis.
www.uclueletinfo.com/adven.htm

There are plenty of operators and you can choose between shorter and longer overnight canoe trips depending on your knowledge. Ucluelet offers also access to the Broken Island by watertaxi & canoe(part of the Pacific NP). Consider also doing a hiking bear whatching tour with a guide.

There are also bear whatching tours in Tofino. But these tours are in most cases with a zodiak boot or other vessels and not with a canoe.

There are also other villages at Westcost, which are suited for canoe & bear-whatching tours (zeballos, Bamfield).

Hi. Actually I prefer Tofino as a base, I just think the town and area are nicer, better beaches, closer to Pacific Rim park etc., but its a matter of personal choice, they are both nice. I havent tried a kayaking trip, but for accomadations we have always rented private condos through an agency called Tofino Vacation Rentals (www.tofinovr.com) and have been very happy with them. I think you do much better renting private condos, better "bang for the buck". At the end of sept you should be able to get good deals, as the peak tourist season is over (I think).
For the Kayaking I would just "google" it under Tofino Kayaking and I am sure many sites will come up. I'm sure someone else will also reply to your post here, just keep watching.

I highly recommend the kayak trip to the Broken Group Islands. It takes most of the day, but it's well worth it. You cross the open water on a motorized boat, traveling from the coast of Vancouver Island to the Broken Group Islands. They are just what they sound like: a series of small islands that have broken apart from each other. It's a delighful place to kayak, calmer water and never-ending views of the islands not far away. We had lunch on one of the islands. Once you've made your way through the group, about 3 hours or so, the motor boat picks you and your kayak up and whisks you back to Ucluelet.

This trip is perfect for kayakers of all skill levels (except maybe someone very experienced who's looking for a big challenge.)

You're likely to see a resident whale along the way, and sea lions too. We went in July but the locals said we would see both bears and salmon (and bears eating salmon) in the September or October season.

Both Tofino and Ucluelet are fine places and only about 30 minutes away from each other, with the national forest in between. Most of the lodges are just outside Tofino -- we LOVED Long Beach Lodge, it's described on this forum as "ralph lauren style." More rustic is Middle Beach Lodge; higher end is Wickaninish Inn. If you want a condo, we thought the brand new Villas at Pacific Sands (www.pacificsands.com) looked terrific. The other buildings at that resort looked a little bit worn.

Lesa, I just saw your post. We're planning a similar trip (same timeframe, same area). Have you decided on lodgings yet in either Tofino or Ucelet? We're hoping to see the bears as well, but perhaps not kayaking, though it really sounds like fun.

We have decided to stay in Tofino, and just scoot down to Ucelet for the Broken Island Kayak trip as it sounds awesome, especially if there are bears, salmon around that time of year.

We are on a pretty tight budget so though as we are spending so much time outdoors that we will probably stay at the Hostel in Tofino, as you can still get rooms there instead of dorms.

Can't think of the name off the top of my head, but it's on the Tofino area webpage.

Cheers

Lesa

Has anyone stayed at the Middle Beach Lodge (Headlands)? Also, what is the cost of the Broken Islands kayak tours? Mahalo.

The cost is around $230, just had a look....seems quite expensive for a day trip....

We booked 2 nights at Middle Beach Lodge in late September (beach). It was $330 total per couple for 2 nights, and included a 3-hour whale watching tour, and breakfast.

That is, $330 CAD, not US. Sorry.

We just got back from the most fabulous trip to Tofino/Vancouver with our two teenage daughters. We stayed at the Tin Wis Best Western. It's right on the beach. We were in room 310 right next to the jacuzzi and gym. We spelt with the sliding door open every evening and built a fire on the beach. At first we were reluctant to book the kayaking trip but it was well worth the 225 we paid. Ray was the best. Combination science teacher and history. We held many different starfishes saw whales and looked around Inuit fishing sites. It was the highlight of our trip. We are sorry we left for two days in Vancouver. Try to eat at the Raincoast cafe pad thai is the best and Breakers fantastic grilled tuna on a salad. enjoy.

You can get pretty reasonable rates at the Tin Wis. At least check it out and compare to what you would be paying at the hostel. Late september is already "off season" in Tofino.

Food will be one of your biggest expences in the area. Restaurants are excellent, but pricy. Consider picking up things to make bag lunches if you are on a budget. The Tin Wis may also have reasonable packages that include breakfast . . .

stoweflake, Great review of your trip! Although, I assume you mean First Nations, and not Inuit fishing sites... as the Inuit are in the high arctic :)

We just returned from VI and really preferred Ucluelet as a base - the Wild Pac Trail was right there and the restaurants were easier to get in to. Either way it's only 25 minutes between the towns. The Broken Group Islands trip really is $250 because they have to rent the boat, they said. (www.oceankayaking.com).

There is so much wildlife to see that any tour you take is bound to deliver. We went whale watching with Jamie's Whaling Station (www.jamies.com) and saw 2 bears & 6 bald eagles all within the first 5 minutes of the trip - hadn't even left the harbour yet! They also guarantee whale sightings, so you get to go again if you don't see whales, though we did see several grey whales, as well as seals aplenty and 3 billion sea lions, and myriad seabirds.

We just returned from Tofino and had a fabulous time. The water restrictions had no impact on our trip at all. We were more than thrilled with our ground floor unit at the Pacific Sands Resort, complete with fireplace and oceanfront patio. Complimentary email access was a bonus. We had the best meal of our entire trip at Shelter, great halibut and chips at Big Daddy's Fish Fry (recommended by the locals) and lovely breakfast food and lunch from Breakers. We did the $79 p/p 2 hour bear watching trip with Jamies Whaling and, in addition to 2 viewings of 2 different bears, also saw Orca whales, eagles and seals. Fantastic.

Thanks for the tips as we're also going but in early-mid October.

Might be too late for kayaking will
see how weather holds. (or doesn't)

Leigh...you don't mention...
did you do the Broken Group Islands trip, or skip? If so, please share your review, too! :-)

Jamies seems to come well-regarded on these boards, so we'll consider them as well. Thanks!