Port Alberni is located at the head of Alberni Inlet on Vancouver Island. This is the jumping-off spot for west coast adventures, from here you can reach Tofino, Ucluelet, Bamfield, Lake Cowichan, and Port Renfrew as well as all the wilderness in between these communities. This is a premier eco-tourist territory, it’s the best the island has.
Port Alberni’s economy has traditionally run on fishing and logging, but today it is tourism, it is located at the head of Vancouver Island’s longest inlet, it is the gateway to the central west coast of Vancouver Island including the Pacific Rim National Park, Barkley Sound, and Clayoquot Sound, it’s a great place to stay and head out on day-trips. It is surrounded by pristine wilderness, huge first-growth forests, and wild rivers, the forests are filled with wildlife and giant trees, the rivers, lakes, and the sea is filled with fish and the birdlife is incredible.
Port Alberni is definitely one of the major hubs for fishing on central Vancouver Island and the harbor shops and boat rental outfits are the best places for information on fishing locally in both saltwater and freshwater. The people of Port Alberni make the claim of being the salmon fishing capital of the world, Campbell River makes the same claim…so let’s just say that Vancouver Island is the salmon fishing capital of the world.
There are many things to do here, there is a deep seaport where you can get on a west freighter and take a trip along the coast as it makes deliveries and picks up passengers, a truly great trip. So come on for a visit, you won’t regret it and remember to bring your camera.