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4 Original Aboriginal Tofino Escapes

Local Travel Doesn't Get More Authentic Than This

By Candice Ui /

A New Luxury in Ucluelet

So you think you know Tofino and Ukee? Luxuriated at the Wick and hiked the Wild Pacific Trail? There is one recently opened Pacific Rim National Park resort you’ve yet to experience. The Wya Point Resort awaits you in the 1,200-year-old forests, perched on the edge of a sweeping white sandy expanse on the south side of Long Beach. This is the luxurious seedling of what will eventually be a 600-hectare resort, one that the Ucluelet Nation intends to rival the Wickaninnish Inn and Long Beach Lodge upon build-out. So far, nine lodges and 15 yurts pepper a stunning cove in the rainforest right where the sand ends. The yurts sleep up to five and are built on locally milled cedar decks, each equipped with its own gas barbecue and views all the way to Japan. The lodges are some of the most unique places to lay your head in B.C., each named after a spirit animal and equipped with a corresponding house pole, which is essentially your own personal totem. Beg to stay in the Thunderbird Lodge, which looks like a totem pole itself and has decor and construction that rival the epic nature just outside its walls.

wyapoint.com | 250-726-2625

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A Feast for the Eyes

Just steps from Wya Point Resort is the property’s restaurant, which has massive windows framing the awe-inspiring view. But aside from boasting what many mind-blown visitors are calling the most scenic place to raise a glass on the West Coast, the Kwisitis Feast House is all about authentic aboriginal cuisine or ancestral riffs on classic seafood dishes. So while you may try the traditional fish soup and bannock, the kids or less adventurous can opt for the halibut and chips.

kwisitisfeasthouse.com | 250-726-2628

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Vancouver Island Aloha

Of all the fine waterfront resorts in Tofino, the Best Western Tin Wis Resort Hotel is most reminiscent of a South Seas vacation. Perhaps it’s the lack of the West Coast’s iconic big trees encroaching on the property, or the perfectly manicured grass that, when slick from a morning shower and lit up by the noon sun, looks like it’s plugged in. Or perhaps it’s the ocean waters of Mackenzie Beach, usually tranquil even during the winter storms, shielded by rocky outcrops that proudly show off their volcanic origins. Whatever it is about this place, staying in one of the 85 ocean-view rooms is a remote island escape that’s still within walking distance of Tofino’s cafés and restaurants. But staying put is just fine, too, especially with the Calm Waters Dining Room keeping you energized with a devoutly B.C. menu and wine list.

tinwis.com | 250-725-4445

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It Takes a Village

One of the oldest towns in Canada – if continuous human settlement is the yardstick – is just a quick boat ride from your Tofino hotel. Spirit Eagle Experiences immerses visitors in the deep traditions of Ahousaht Village, lets them exchange stories with locals, then learn how to gather seafood and harvest chiton, a type of mollusk that has sustained life here for millennia. And there’s plenty of modern-day pursuits served up by this untouched land – from fishing for tyee salmon off a boat to staring for what seems like an eternity at bear cubs learning to eat salmon under the watchful eye of their mother while massive bald eagles wheel overhead for scraps. This is uninterrupted and authentic B.C. at its best.

spiriteagle.ca | 250-670-2319

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