Vancouver Island Hot Springs - Where to Find Them and Where To Stay

Vancouver Island hot springs are tucked away deep inside cedar forests, and are popular year-round destinations for Island locals.

We'll tell you where they are, how to get to them, and a unique (and romantic) Vancouver Island accommodation that will totally round out your hot springs experience!

"Hot springing" is a really cool adventure, and for people looking for remote island vacations, this is the place to check out. We've also discovered (surprisingly!) that hot spring vacations on Vancouver Island have been noted to be some of the most memorable island vacations for travelers from several sources.

So here's our guide into the remote wilds of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, for your hot springs adventures...

#1 - Best Vancouver Island Hot Springs

It's located in Maquinna Provincial Park, in the northern end of our most favourite remote spot on Vancouver Island - Clayoquot Sound.

Open year-round, the springs are accessible only by air or by sea (one-hour water taxi ride from Tofino). From the dock drop off point, hike along an easy 2 km forest boardwalk to the springs (about 30 min). Wear good shoes as the boardwalk can get a bit slippery. We also recommend that you wear a bathing suit when using the hot springs. There are changing areas, showers and bio-potties available on-site.

The spring is comfortably warm, averaging at about 51 degress C. With the incoming tidal change, the water can have a unique warm/cool feel and it's clean. If you like intense heat, stand under the falls - awesome!

Visiting Vancouver Island Hot Springs Cove is a popular day trip on the west of the island. Be prepared to encounter a good number of people between July and September, the busiest months. The best odds for a quiet, private soak is on a weekday during the off-season. A visit to Hot Springs Cove in the winter makes it a really exhilarating adventure!

GETTING THERE

A couple of good and reliable tour companies can get you out to the springs. Here they are:

Jamie's Whaling Station (our favourite tour company in Tofino) provides a couple of options for your Hot Springs Cove Tour. Make sure you try to book ahead especially in July and August. Click Here for more information on Jamie's Whaling Station tours.

Also... check in with Remote Passages, another Tofino-based company that offers a tours into Hot Springs Cove. Although we've never toured with Remote Passages, we've heard good things about them. Click Here for more information on the Remote Passages Hot Springs Tour.

WHERE TO STAY

Although we haven't stayed here (yet), we've heard a couple of excellent reports on this accommodation - worthy for our site...

For a really cool lodging option (plus a unique romantic getaway on Vancouver Island), book a couple of nights at the InnChanter. This is a 1920s heritage ship moored right in gorgeous Clayoquot Sound. The ship offers 5 staterooms, a library, and an onboard chef and the accommodation cost is really reasonable, which includes meals.

You must take a seaplane or water taxi from Tofino to get to InnChanter. Book it at the Tofino government dock.To find out more about staying here, Click Here to visit the InnChanter website.

CAMPING OPTION...Pitch a tent at the campsite located at the base of the trail. Provides easy access to a twilight visit to the hot springs.

#2 - Best Vancouver Island Hot Springs

A cooler and less "populated" spring, Ahousat is only accessible by air or by boat from Tofino. Water taxis from Tofino and Ahousat offer service to the park.

This is a great destination for those seeking a remote hot springs vacation adventure. Ahousat Hot Springs is considered to be therapeutic to the locals, with clear water reaching a temperature of around 25 degrees Celcius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). A concrete swimming pool collects the flow and swimwear is recommended.

The surroundings out here are pretty awesome! Nestled on a beach at the tip of Matilda Inlet in Gibson Marine Park, spare a bit of extra time for a short, scenic walk. Near the springs, you'll find a boardwalk path that branches south. Take this route and you'll find a wonderful sandy beach on the south end of the Island at Whitesand Cove.

WHERE TO STAY

You'll most likely have to stay in Tofino and make the hot springs a day trip. There are plenty of lodging options in or near downtown Tofino. Check out Our Tofino B&B Page for lodging we recommend.

One other thing worth mentioning...

Flores Island is actually a very popular destination for kayakers. Feeling super adventurous? Kayak to Flores Island to check out the Ahousat Hot Springs.

If you like the idea, the best thing to do is contact the local Chamber of Commerce to find out more about reaching Flores Island. Click Here for the Tofino Chamber of Commerce website.

Have an excellent Vancouver Island Hot Springs Adventure!

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