My summer season in Tofino is coming to an end. I currently have 2 weeks left… I am here to discuss how I scored staff accommodation, what the surf was like and interesting things to do while here. Whether you are visiting or planning on moving, there will be something here for you.
Autumn
Staff Accommodation
Scoring accommodation here was similar to Whistler, hard and expensive. However, like anything if you have enough determination you will succeed. So, this brings me to living in a van for 6 months. I never thought I would do this, but can honestly say I really enjoyed it.
My van was connected to a house, which I shared with 14 other people. This could have been a nightmare, although everyone was laid back and sweet so I have ended up with 14 friends. My rent was $35 per week which is insane! That covered all utilities and I just slept in the van. This has been a common thing here. People come and live in their vans over summer. Surprisingly fun (speaking for myself).
Surf
Surfing, something I did not expect to find in Canada. As someone who has been learning to surf now for two years, I can say that this might just be the best place for learning. Why? The waves are not intimidating at all. Although they might gain some size, they aren’t super dumpy. The wipeouts are nothing compared to Australia or Central America. Due to the thick wetsuits, you also pop back up to the surface naturally. Generally, they are awesome longboard waves.
Cox Bay
The other massive factor making Tofino great for learners is the people. The people here are the nicest to each other out of everywhere I have ever been. Where I would get laughed at in other places, people here smile and wave to make sure you are ok. I haven’t seen anyone get yelled at in the surf. There is not any weird localism when you head out. The people aren’t as territorial as I would have thought.
I strongly believe that surfing here has improved my skill level the most because I don’t feel scared to surf around people or paddle for the waves. This made me happy.
The Walk to Cox Bay
Hiking
I have done some incredible hikes while here. The two which I had never heard of before coming were 5040 and Triple Peak. These less heard of hikes tend to take between 1-3 hours going up, then a following 1-3 hours on the way down. While you can do this trip in a day, I recommend camping on the mountains. They are across from each other which was incredible.
Hiking Up Beside A Waterfall
Because they are lesser-known hikes, they still have a rugged and adventurous feel. To summit Triple Peak, you will need climbing gear. Trust me on this one, I thought people were just being sensitive and that maybe I could rock climb my way to the top. You can’t! Unless you are perhaps an extreme athlete. You can get to the base of the peaks which is still incredible.
5040 was my favorite. I camped at the lake with a friend and we woke up in time to summit before sunrise. We were able to watch the sunrise from the top and it might have been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The feeling of the cool breeze on my face, combined with being able to see the ocean amongst the mountains made my year. This is the moment I gained a hiking addiction.
View from 5040
Smaller more popular hikes include the plane crash hike. Years ago, a plane crashed in the rainforest. Now you can hike out to it. Someone has placed down planks of wood so that you can avoid a lot of the mud. The plane itself is covered in graffiti art and possible to climb on. If that doesn’t sell you on it, I don’t know what will.
Radar hill is a nice one. I did not actually do the lookout; I went to Radar Beach instead. Important to note that you can climb over the rocks to more secluded beaches off to the left. I was able to do this, it would be great for a picnic or just hanging out with friends for the day.
Tonquin Beach, a nice small beach with walking trails. This is a great place to hang out with friends on a sunny day, or to bring a book.
Yoga
Coastal Bliss yoga is amazing! They are constantly doing really interesting workshops. My membership was $150 a month for unlimited yoga. This comes to $37 a week roughly. While this might seem expensive, with such cheap rent and extensive class times, I am able to go between 4-7 times a week. This combined with surfing has really helped me stay relatively calm (I am usually a very anxious person internally).
Music & Art
During summer, there are plenty of gigs to go to. Usually, it is surf rock style music. Although there have been some small DJ’s. There was also the Jazz Festival. This is very small and just something nice to do with friends (very family friendly). The one “nightclub” is the Maq. It is just another small-town bar. There is Karaoke on Wednesday nights, the occasional DJ and if you are lucky the local rapper A12. If you see him, you are in for an unforgettable experience.
As for art, the town is full of small art galleries to check out. I love wandering through these on my days off. They always inspire me to be more creative.
Sunrise in Town
Don’t forget to check out the markets while you are here. I got a really nice hoody at the markets from the Goofy Club. I constantly get compliments on it. There is a tonne of jewellery, food and occasionally live music.
Hot Springs
I was lucky and able to go on a seaplane to the hot springs. You can try for local standby for these tours if you are planning on moving here for the summer. What I recommend for the hot springs is to stay at the campground on the island. This is a relatively unknown campground, the main advantage being that you can go to the hot springs for sunrise, before any tours arrive. You will have the hot springs all to yourself. Then head back with the next tour group whether it be via boat or seaplane.
Camp Spot at Hot Springs
Bioluminescent Algae
The bioluminescent algae tend to come out in August. You have a few options for seeing them. You can throw on a wetsuit and go for a swim at Tonquin. Another option for anyone who enjoys surfing, is to head down to the beach at night and surf. As I was paddling through the water, I saw my hands seemingly glowing. When the waves crash, they light up. Watching the surfboards shine in the water is amazing. Can’t recommend this enough.
Night Surf With Bioluminescents
Final Thoughts
Tofino is a place for anyone who enjoys nature. It does not feel shut off from the world, like some small towns do. Maybe this is because of the people who wander through. There are so many artists, photographers and entrepreneurs. I met a friend here who built her house out of industrial shipping containers! If you are thinking of spending the summer here, all I can say is I really enjoyed it. It is slow paced, in a nice way. Giving you time to relax and breathe. I have felt more inspired here than I have in a long time.
Wild Pacific Trail – Ucluelet
So here is to the end of my adventure in Tofino. While I can’t wait for my next adventure, I will miss it.
Tofino Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/20rW5U64zinMqFPf9kRx8o?si=fd7c56536e9240fd
