Travel to Victoria on Vancouver Island

We traveled to Victoria on a low budget, using public transportation and taking the ferry from Vancouver to Sidney on Vancouver Island. In order to make the most of our time, we aimed to take the 9:00 am ferry, which meant we left our place on the first bus at 7:00 am. Unfortunately, the bus took forever to arrive, but we had a nice bus driver who was driving this route for the first time. We almost forgot to make a stop and then we missed the turn to Downtown. As a result, we lost power and the bus was moving very slowly and struggling. The bus driver tried to take the next street to redirect. It was an uphill street and we thought we would have to get off and push. But with a snail's pace and holding our breath, we managed to make it through the curve and the next one. Finally, the bus was back on track and the journey continued.

The connections to the Canada Line and bus number 620 worked better. We arrived on time and checked in just in time for the ferry. Despite the gloomy rainy weather, it was full, entertaining, and interesting. Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales. When we arrived at the ferry terminal, we quickly headed to the bus to Victoria. The line of waiting passengers grew long, but the system and the discipline of the guests worked well, and after a short wait, we were on the double-decker bus number 70, which goes directly to Victoria.

Overall, the journey took us 4 hours, but it was full of adventures and not boring at all. It is a trip that can be done with children and it saves money compared to other charter boats directly from Downtown or seaplanes.

Unfortunately, we slept somewhat uncomfortably and loudly at the Backpacker Ocean Island Inn. At times, all four of us were in one double bed during the night, but the other available accommodations would have cost three times as much. The location was okay, but the sound insulation was a disaster. Fans were installed in half-opened windows, which were not sealed properly. So whether the fan was on or off, everything came through and we were given cardboard to cover it up. Luckily, it was only for one night.