At the Heart of it all
Framed by Mount Benson to the west, and the harbour islands to the east, with the coastal mountains rising above them, Nanaimo is washed in hues of sea blue, fir green, and slate grey under an azure sky, creating a vista of astounding beauty.
Here, you have abundant opportunities to immerse yourself in nature. Within the city itself, there are shimmering beaches where eagles soar above, parks woven into lush rainforest with walking trails gently winding among the towering firs. Nearby are seaside trails, mountain hikes, even a dedicated bungee bridge for the steely-nerved.
Downtown is home to a thriving arts scene with a new art gallery, a superb theatre and lively music venues where you can hear rock, pop, blues and jazz, which is only fitting since Diana Krall is one of our greatest treasures.
There are so many reasons to make Nanaimo your home base from which to revel in the supernatural beauty of Vancouver Island. You are less than an hour from Cathedral Grove where 800 year-old Douglas Firs dwarf both people and egos.
Farther north are the enchanting towns of Qualicum Beach and Courtenay, as well as the entire Comox Valley. To the south are the pastoral Cowichan Valley and coastal communities and the charms of Victoria. Of course, to the west is the wild coast and the captivating beauty of Tofino – Canada’s last stop, and quite possibly its most spectacular.
These wonderful Island destinations can all be experienced as a day trip – or an overnight stay – so you can easily return to your home base in Nanaimo to enjoy the shining city on the Salish Sea, the very heart of Vancouver Island.
Nanaimo History
From the Snuneymuxw to Today
The name “Nanaimo” comes from the people who dwelt here long before the first Europeans arrived. The Snuneymuxw (Snoo-NAI-muk) were living along the shores of Departure Bay and Nanaimo harbour when the Spanish ship, Santa Saturnina under the command of Juan Carrasco, sailed into the harbour in 1791.
After signing a treaty with the British, the Spanish were to leave Vancouver Island behind before they had a chance to establish a permanent settlement. So Nanaimo, with its stunning, natural harbour became little more than a fur trading post throughout the early 1800s.
In 1849, the Hudson’s Bay Company who had interests well beyond fur, were given the rights, including fishing and mining, for all Vancouver Island. Soon after, in 1850, Snuneymuxw Chief Che-wich-i-kan known to history as Coal Tyee, paddled a canoe laden with coal to Victoria.
It was good coal – very good coal – and the 19th century version of black gold launched an industry and a town. Nanaimo, or Coleville as it was called until 1860, was born as a coal-mining centre.
As the coal mining industry boomed, Nanaimo attracted the adventurous from England, Europe, across Canada, the US and China. The town took on an international feel and boasted its own Chinatown, which survived until destroyed by a fire in 1960.
Coal and other goods were sent to Victoria for export on the Esquimalt Nanaimo Railway. Sir John A. Macdonald himself drove the last spike in 1886 on his only visit to BC.
But coal waned, not because of a ferocious mining explosion in 1887 that killed 150 miners, but because the mine eventually gave up all its coal. Forestry, in the form of pulp mills took over as the dominant industry and remains a vital part of the region’s economy. Along with commercial fishing, a thriving commercial port, and a marine biological research centre, Nanaimo is a thriving city that attracts visitors – business people and tourists alike – from around the world.
It truly is the heart of Vancouver Island.