The Tofino/Ucluelet area of the west coast of Vancouver Island is far west as you can drive by car or bus and is still the only paved road to the open Pacific Ocean in Canada. This end of the road distinction has earned Tofino the official terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway.

Ucluelet is located roughly 2 1/2 hours by car from Nanaimo. You can take the BC Ferries from the mainland to Nanaimo, or alternatively you can fly in to the airport at Long Beach. This is a 45 minute flight from the South Terminal at the Vancouver Airport and there is just a 20 minute drive from there to Ucluelet.

The Long Beach Unit of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve separates the two communities by 26 miles ( a marathon is run between the two communities each summer). The Pacific Rim Park presents the rich natural and cultural heritage of Canada's west coast. Its cool and wet maritime climate produces an abundance of life in the water and on land. Lush coastal temperate rainforest gives way to bountiful and diverse intertidal and subtidal areas. These natural wonders are interwoven with the long and dynamic history of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations and European explorers and settlers. It is no wonder that one million visitors a year come to explore this area.

Tofino is located in Clayoquot Sound to the north of Long Beach. Clayoquot Sound includes extensive ancient coastal temperate rain forests, rivers, lakes, marine eco-systems and beaches, it also includes part of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Strathcona Provincial Park, and several other protected areas. Clayoquot Sound contains the largest area of intact temperate rainforest left on Vancouver Island. The region has become the naturalist's 'Riviera'.

Ucluelet is located in Barklay Sound to the south of Long Beach. It is a village that offers both a sheltered inner harbour and a magnificent vistas of the open Pacific Ocean from the Wild Pacific Trail. From the sheltered inner harbour, watch the bustle of the fishing and charter vessels, spot the ever present bald eagles as they soar overhead, and keep an eye out for the sealions, harbour seals and river otters. The Unique view of the rocky shoreline from the open Pacific Wild Pacific Trail offers a spectacular view and breathtaking winter storm watching.

Both communities are similar in size with year round populations of approximately 1800 each, although this number rised dramatically in the summer months. Although the two towns are very similar in size, environment and location, they have very different personalities. Tofino has a more bustling feel to it while Ucluelet feels much more like a community. Nothing negative about either - just different

If you are a surfer, or like to see what the beach is like, check out this web cam at Cox Bay.

If storm watching is more your style or you want to see whether it is calm enough to go fishing, check out the web cam at Amphitrite Lighthouse.

If you are interested in census data for Ucluelet, please download this Adobe file: Ucluelet.pdf
To view maps of Ucluelet, click here - Ucluelet Maps:

If you are interested in census data for Tofino, please download this Adobe file: Tofino.pdf
To view maps of Tofino, click here - Tofino Maps:

You will find other Links providing more information for this area on my links page.