CNN has released its list of where the most beautiful places are in the world this year and Vancouver Island as a whole, made the prestigious list.
Vancouver Island is ranked 21 of 25 of the world’s most unrefuted beautiful places. Many of its competitors boast natural wonders, iconic, ancient man-made structures or pristine beaches and we made the cut.
“With over 3,220 kilometers of coastline, almost 10,000 lakes and acres of soaring mountains, Vancouver Island is like Canada in miniature,” reads CNN’s description of the island we call home.
“Its surfing is world-class, while visitors can join a summer boat tour for possible orca sightings.”
“Land lovers have plenty to appreciate about the backtrails criss-crossing the island, encouraging exploration by bike or on foot. Head toward the forest on the trail of Roosevelt elk and grizzly bears for more thrills.”
Although no local would suggest that a tourist go out in search of Vancouver Island’s grizzly population, the sentiment is warming to the heart.
Vancouver Island’s economy leans heavily on the people who want to come through for a small taste of the feast for the eyes we experience day-to-day. This prestigious list will hopefully encourage more people to come visit our home and appreciate its beauty and people.
CNN also got it right that our home is an outdoors-person’s dream. The rainforest on Vancouver Island is one of the most lush in the world with incredible amounts of biodiversity.
Trails like the West Coast Trail and the Juan De Fuca Trail draw in visitors from around the world who want to slumber and wake on a beach and spot whales while enjoying their cup of coffee.
Avid cyclists can take on the challenging Tree to Sea Loop and ride over 1,000 kiliometres of unpaved logging roads that zig-zag across the northern island; from Courtenay up to Cape Scott, over to Port Hardy and back down to Comox.
The description in CNN’s list did miss one particular wonder Vancouver Island has that makes us unique and that is what lies beneath our ocean waters. The island’s bull kelp forests are regarded as some of the world’s best cold water dive sites.
Those brave enough to dive beneath the freezing Pacific waters may see wolf eels, sea lions and the legendary giant Pacific octopus.
@brookesirah Life on Vancouver Island. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else! #vancouverisland #pacificoctopus #orcawhale #blackbear #seaanemone
The other top contenders of CNN’s 25 of the world’s most beautiful places are:
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
- Samburu, Kenya
- Mount Toubkal, Morocco
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
- Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
- El Nido, Philippines
- Rotorua, New Zealand
- Kata Tjuta, Australia
- The Maldives
- Petra, Jordan
- Atacama Desert, Chile
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica
- Ciudad Perdida, Colombia
- Dominica
- Svalbard, Norway
- Lake Bled, Slovenia
- Cappadocia, Turkey
- Positano, Italy
- Lake District, UK
- Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
- Denali National Park, Alaska
- Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
- Badlands, South Dakota
- Monument Valley, Utah
As Canada’s only representative, Vancouver Islanders can be proud of the pristine, natural beauty we possess in our home.
Have you been to any of the other locations on this list? Let us know in the comments!
