The wide sands
Under an open sky.
Sarena D — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ymblanter — CC BY-SA 4.0 · starkerry — CC BY-SA 3.0 · DARREN ST0NE — CC BY-SA 2.0 · larsjuh — CC BY 2.0
Long Beach is one of three sections of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It is a broad sandy beach facing the Pacific between Tofino and Ucluelet, backed by rainforest, and draws surfers and people who enjoy quiet walks on the sand. The park covers 511 square kilometres, divided among Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail. Wickaninnish Beach Provincial Park formed the nucleus of the national park. The area has a rugged coast and temperate rainforest, with western hemlock, Sitka spruce and western red cedar. Pale grey sand runs on and on under a wide sky, broken by a small rocky headland and a tree-covered islet. Driftwood logs pile up at the edge of the forest. Visitors surf and windsurf, humpback whales are sometimes seen offshore, and rock pools reveal ochre sea stars at low tide. It is 14.6 km in a straight line from Tofino, so you need a car. The water is cold and currents strong, so do not swim without local advice, and surfers wear wetsuits. Keep clear of drift logs when the surf is high. Rain is common outside summer, so bring a jacket. Sunsets here are very fine.
Under an open sky.
Tree-covered, just offshore.
Washed up by the forest.
Long Beach Unit, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Vancouver Island
The water is cold and currents strong, so ask locally before going in.
Yes, it lies in a national park, at C$12.25 per adult per day.