Haida Gwaii, British Columbia

Haida Gwaii: Canada’s Most Remote Worth-It

Getting to Haida Gwaii is the first commitment. The archipelago of around 150 islands sits 130 km off the northern British Columbia coast, accessible by BC Ferries from Prince Rupert (an 8-hour sailing) or by Air Canada Jazz prop flights from Prince Rupert or Vancouver. Prince Rupert itself is 14 hours by train from Prince George or a flight from Vancouver. None of this is casual.

It is worth it. Haida Gwaii is one of the few places in Canada where the culture, landscape, and ecology of the coast are still largely intact and presented honestly rather than packaged for tourism.

The Haida Heritage Centre

Start in Skidegate at the Haida Heritage Centre (Kaay Llnagaay). This is not the usual small-town museum. The building was designed by Haida architects and contains traditional longhouses, a working canoe house, and one of the finest collections of Haida art in existence, including totem poles, argillite carvings, and woven regalia. The Haida are Raven/Eagle moiety clans and the art reflects a cosmology involving transformation, supernatural ancestors, and the relationship between humans and the sea.

Carvers and weavers sometimes work on site. If they are present when you visit, watching without interruption is fine; buying from the centre or directly from artists is the correct way to support the work.

Gwaii Haanas

The southern third of the archipelago is Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, jointly managed by the Haida Nation and Parks Canada. Access is by boat or floatplane only, with no roads connecting to the rest of the island. All visitors must attend a mandatory orientation (30 minutes, at the Parks Canada office in Queen Charlotte or Skidegate), and the number of visitors is capped.

The main destination in Gwaii Haanas is SGang Gwaay (Anthony Island), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the location of a Haida village abandoned in the 1880s following catastrophic smallpox epidemics that reduced the Haida population by around 90 percent. The mortuary poles and longhouse remains at SGang Gwaay are among the most moving things I have encountered in years of travel. Haida Watchmen (members of the Nation who maintain the sites) are present during the visitor season and speak about their history with directness.

Reaching SGang Gwaay requires a multi-day kayak trip or a charter boat (around CAD 300-600 per person per day depending on group size and operator). Several Haida-owned operators run guided kayak and powerboat tours from Moresby Camp at the north end of Gwaii Haanas.

North Island: Naikoon Provincial Park

The north end of Graham Island has its own appeal, particularly around Naikoon Provincial Park. Agate Beach on the east coast runs for miles with no one on it for most of the year. The Pesuta Shipwreck, a wooden stern-wheeler that ran aground in 1928, lies on the beach at the end of a 10 km trail and is spectacularly positioned with driftwood logs the size of houses surrounding it.

Masset, the largest town on the north island, is a fishing and military community. Old Massett (Haida Gwaii’s main Haida village) is adjacent. The Ravens Brew coffee at the local cafe is a cultural institution.

Logistics

The main towns are Skidegate, Queen Charlotte (Daajing Giids), and Masset. There is one road connecting the north and south of Graham Island. Renting a car in Skidegate or Queen Charlotte is necessary for exploring beyond the ferry terminal. Accommodation ranges from small guesthouses and B&Bs to a few larger hotels; book everything in advance for July and August because rooms on the island are genuinely limited.

Weather: temperate rainforest climate. Expect 3,000 mm of annual rain. The west coast of the islands receives substantially more than the east. Pack waterproofs regardless of the forecast.

The salmon fishing, if you have the inclination and the licence, is outstanding. Chinook, coho, and pink salmon runs through local rivers are among the strongest remaining on the BC coast.

Do not expect polished tourism infrastructure. Haida Gwaii works on its own terms, and that is much of why it is worth the journey.