Travel Series #1 - Haida Gwaii

Welcome to the first of many travel series. In each edition I will inform you of a destination I would like to visit. First I would like to remind my readers that I shy away from popular beach and touristy locations. Warm weather and hype is no incentive for my holiday plans. I prefer taking in the area's history and culture.

My first destination takes us to Haida Gwaii; a group of islands off the coast of British Columbia, formerly known as the Queen Charlottle Islands. Haida Gwaii has been dubbed the "Canadian Galapagos" because of the unique plethora of flora and fauna living on the islands. Caribou, whales, otters, mosses, sea lions, star fish, martens, liverwort, porpoises, dolphins, tufted puffins, and bald eagles to name a few. It is home to at least 39 species of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. In January 2010 the Canadian government and the Council of the Haida Nation agreed to establish a National Marine Conservation Area. This would be the first and only "fully protected, vertical ecosystem in the world" from mountaintop to ocean floor.

Occupied by the Haida people for at least the last 10,000 years, the islands are rich in culture too. Resources from the forest and ocean sustained the Haida People, and their gratitude is reflected in their art. Carvings, paintings, woven baskets, hats, and totem poles have been ubiquitous on the islands for generations. Anthony Island, in the far south of Haida Gwaii, is an UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Site. Most of Haida Gwaii's six hundred archaeological sites are on Anthony Island. These include the remains of Haida longhouses, villages,
totem and mortuary poles, and burial sites in their original locations.

Haida Gwaii has something for the active tourist as well. Set up your wilderness camp amongst the large cedars and cypress trees. Sail through the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve. Hike woods, sandy beaches, and look over rocky cliffs. Paddle through inlets and coves around islands on a sea-kayaking trip. Why not try your hand at surfing or scuba diving? Finally, flightseeing and numerous boat and eco-tours will keep even the most restless traveler captivated.