Backpackers on a Budget Love Nanaimo, BC

For budget minded backpackers, independent travellers and hiking enthusiasts looking for affordable hostel accommodation, there is no better place than Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in Canada.

Located on Central Vancouver Island, and an exceptional centrally located basecamp for backpackers trekking around Vancouver Island.  However, Nanaimo is not a city to be overlooked – it offers an abundance of cultural, outdoor and sport related activities for travellers at all budget levels – from free to outrageously expensive! Read the rest of this entry »

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Choice of Three Backpacking Hostels in Nanaimo

There are 3 backpacker hostels in Nanaimo – the Painted Turtle Backpackers Guesthouse, the Cambie Hostel and the Nicol Street Hostel.  If you want to read about budget accommodation options in the City of Nanaimo, take a few minutes to read this review site about Hostels in Nanaimo for backpackers. Essentially, this independent traveler summed up the 3 hostels as follows:

Nanaimo has three hostels: Hostelling International Nanaimo (Painted Turtle Guesthouse); Nicol Street Hostel; and the Cambie Hostel. All three hostels are located in the downtown core area of Nanaimo, although HI-Nanaimo is located in the historic arts district closest to the seawall and oceanfront. All three hostels are very different in accommodations and this is my assessment Read the rest of this entry »

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Basecamp Nanaimo

Make Nanaimo your first, last or only stop for quality accommodation on Vancouver Island. Nanaimo is centrally located between Vancouver, Victoria, Tofino, Port Alberni, Cowichan Valley, and Campbell River so you can easily sleep in Nanaimo and take day tours to other favourite Vancouver Island destinations. Plan to stay a minimum of 4 nights to take it all in! Read the rest of this entry »

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Nanaimo North and South

North Nanaimo and Nearby Parks

Pipers Lagoon Park - Josh McCullochNorth Nanaimo is perhaps best known for the shopping malls strung along the Island Highway (#19A) – notably the Woodgrove Shopping Centre, the largest such megamall on Vancouver Island. What many visitors miss is the northside’s lovely waterfront parkland accessible from Hammond Bay Road. Neck Point, Piper’s Lagoon and Sealand parks in particular are excellent hiking, picnicking and walk-in diving spots.

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