Tofino

Tofino is a small town on the Esowista Peninsula on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Houses line narrow roads between bays, docks and dense forest that reach down to the water.

The name was given in 1909 after an 18th-century Spanish admiral when Spanish navigators charted the inlet. European settlers moved in after 1900, while indigenous settlement reaches back thousands of years.

The Nuu-chah-nulth preserve their language and stories through carvings and artworks displayed in galleries along the main road. Boat trips to offshore islands show how families have used the tides for fishing and seaweed harvesting over generations.

Travel happens by road across the island on Highway 4 or by small plane to the local airport. Rain gear matters year-round because showers can start at any moment.

The place ranks among the wettest inhabited areas in North America, recording more than 3200 millimeters (126 inches) of rain each year. This rain nourishes old trees with moss-covered branches that grow right down to the rocky shores.

Location: Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District

Inception: 1932

Elevation above the sea: 10 m

Website: https://tofino.ca

GPS coordinates: 49.15267,-125.90436

Latest update: December 13, 2025 15:50