Vancouver Island has been ranked the best island in Canada by travel magazine Travel + Leisure.
The magazine says that out of the more than 52,000 islands in Canada, Vancouver Island stands at the top of the list for its wild, natural spaces as well as its pockets of urban charm.
“Situated on Canada’s Pacific Coast just off mainland British Columbia, Vancouver Island is a microcosm of all that Canada has to offer,” said Travel + Leisure.
“Its northern and westernmost reaches are untrammeled wilderness, with Douglas firs towering above the mossy forest floor, bears and Roosevelt elk roaming the grounds, and pods of orcas hunting in the waters off the coast,” said the magazine.
“Head to the southern tip and you’ll get a slice of Canadian history and culture in Victoria, the provincial capital and the most populous city on the island.”
Vancouver Island was chosen during Travel + Leisure’s annual “World’s Best Awards” survey.
This year, more than 186,000 of the magazine’s readers participated in the survey, and were asked to rank different islands on five categories – natural attractions/beaches, activities/sights, restaurants/food, people/friendliness, and value.
Each of those categories was then rated from “excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor.”
Travel + Leisure says most people who voted for Vancouver Island said the Island’s natural charms were its highlight.
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Meanwhile, voters said Canada’s second best island was Cape Breton Island, N.S.
Cape Breton Island had previously held the top spot for the past six years, before being dethroned by Vancouver Island.
Travel + Leisure described the Nova Scotian island as a “fascinating cultural mélange where Scottish, Acadian, and Mi’kmaw influences intermingle against a backdrop of picturesque coastal landscapes.”
Prince Edward Island was named the third best island in Canada by Travel + Leisure readers this year.
Readers highlighted the island’s friendliness, beautiful natural beaches and “seafood, seafood, seafood,” as its best qualities.
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