"Fairytale Island" Vargas Island by tayloretc

Vargas Island is a short boat trip from Tofino. The eastern side is heavily wooded with sharp rocky beaches; the western side is a provincial park and has some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. Most of the campers and kayakers go to the western side.

There is an inland trail connecting the primary eastern landing dock (at the Vargas Island Inn, one of very few permanent structures on the island) to the beaches on the western side. However, the trail is not quite as maintained as the locals say it is - the "boardwalk" sections, for example, are half-buried logs that were probably last maintained 5-10 years ago. And the trail is officially blocked because the bridges are out. And there are also wolves, and ample evidence that they use the trail. You're better off hiring a boat.

On both sides there's unbelievable peace and quiet. The picture above was taken from the Vargas Island Inn's private beach. Seals come to the seaweed beds just offshore, so morning and evening you can watch them play in the shallows.

Starfish and sea anemone at low tide

The difference between high and low tide here is about 10 feet, so exploring the tide pools is a lot of fun. The starfish come in bright orange and nearly-flourescent purple, and the largest of them is about the size of a dinner plate.

(That weird looking sac thing at the lower left is a sea anemone when the tide goes out.)

• Pros:Beautiful around the edges - peace and quiet
• Cons:Scary in the middle - wolves, washed out bridges, and...?