Set between the province of Alberta and the Pacific Ocean, British Columbia is a land blessed with amazing diversity and a temperate climate. There is an equally amazing variety of places to see and things to do across the province. Mountains to gaze at or climb. History and art to discover. Endless beaches to comb. Cosmopolitan cities to explore. Moss-carpeted rainforests to hike. Sensual spas and tantalizing gastronomic delights to indulge in. Warm-water lakes to play in. Rivers to ride. And so much more.

British Columbia is one of the rare places where you can ski, dive and golf in the same day, that is, if you can handle it? Below you will find everything you need to know about BC and the diving.

How to get there?

Being the second biggest country in the world, Canada is very easy to get to. Most people drive up to Vancouver, British Columbia from the States, or take a plane, from anywhere in the world. The choice is yours. However,when you arrive you will probably end up in Vancouver, BC.

From Vancouver, you can dive the Pacific, but if you want to get adventurous, drive towards the Okanagan Valley (Kelowna also has an international airport). Located 4 - 5 hours east of Vancouver. This is actually where we are based out of, and there are some amazing deep rivers (60ft), freshwater coral lakes, wrecks and caves. Only dove by a few, secret spots, so get in contact with us here and we can show you these hidden gems.

When to dive?

The best time to dive in British Columbia, would be from May - Sept. In the Okanagan Valley throughout the July and August months, you can expect up to nearly 40 degrees Celsius. Vancouver tends to be a little cooler and wetter, as it's right on the ocean. You will want to bring at least a 5mm wetsuit during the summer months.

For diving in the Pacific and during the colder months, it is a good idea to wear a 7mm wetsuit with boots, gloves and a hood. Or for an even better idea, bring your drysuit. We have dove all winter in just a 7mm wetsuit, which was a very dumb and cold idea, so bring your drysuit for winter diving. Click here for some really comfy wetsuits and drysuits.

Currency - (Exchange Rate)

Good ol' loonies and toonies. As you know, everything is in Canadian dollars. Which is now pretty close to the USD dollar. Tipping is optional but not mandatory. To avoid exchange problems, visitors are advised to exchange their funds to Canadian dollars at a bank or a foreign currency exchange outlet.

Where to Stay?

There are many places to stay in Vancouver, and the Okanagan, the option is yours. Click here for a full list of available hotels and resorts in the Vancouver area. If you are also checking out the Okanagan Valley, click here for a list of hotels and resorts.

If you come out to British Columbia on a tight budget, you may want to click the following links for cheap places to stay, where you can meet young traveling backpackers from all over the world.

Cheap Vancouver Accomodation
Cheap Kelowna Accomodation

Time Zone

Standard time zone: UTC/GMT -8 hours

Hook-Ups

Treat this information like it's your best friend...well I guess that all depends on what your best friend is like. Anyways, for diving in British Columbia, you will need some tips and local contacts, so here goes.

Vancouver:

The best dive shop in Vancouver from our experience is Great Pacific Diving. With 2 locations, friendly staff, and always diving everyday. Most of the other dive shops are old school , worn out and not even close to the ocean. And no, we are not getting payed to write this.

Take a day trip out to Vancouver Island, the ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island costs the following: Adult $10.55 - Child (5-11) $5.30 | Cars: $33 - $35 | Payment: You can pay with cash or credit card only. You will find the most amazing dives of your life on Vancouver Island, big fish and even bigger war ship wrecks.

Kelowna:

Kelowna is home of the world famous "Ogopogo monster" in Okanagan Lake. They are actually filming a movie of it this summer with a $2 million dollar reward if you have any type of evidence. Okanagan lake is also home to a sunken 1960 train barge, smaller wrecks and huge fish.

If you really want to dive some cool spots, about one hour from Kelowna, there is a portion of Kettle Valley River ( a wide river with hardly any current, about 100 ft wide and 60 ft deep with millions of salmon). This dive spot has been found last year and only a handful of divers know about it, as it is on a logging truck trail deep in the forest. If you are serious about diving it, email us and we will take you there.

Or, 3 hours from Kelowna, past Kamloops, there is a lake called " Pavillion Lake". One out of the three freshwater lakes in the world with coral. They have NASA teams up there, always studying the lakes, looking for answers and connecting it to ancient lakes on Mars. This lake is weird, nessled up in the mountains, with a caribbean type ambiance. Crystal clear water (70 ft vis) and very white sand.

Both of these dive spots have been featured in our first video magazine issue. If you are interested in checking these dive spots out in high definition and getting the directions, click here.