Canada - the Queen of Northern Beauty. Tips for Visiting the Country
Canada – vast lands, inspiring and diverse landscapes, dense forests, snow-capped mountains, pristine nature – the sense of admiration and awe will accompany you from the moment your foot touches the northern grounds.
Canada is a truly wonderful place on Earth; a separate world within the world, where travelers get to see the balance of people and nature co-existing together. As it is a relatively remote place to visit, usually the trip takes three to four weeks, to cover as many places as possible.
While such duration brings lots of positivity and excitement, it also requires better preparation to be equipped for non-planned events. Let’s learn how to travel to Canada and make the most out of your trip.
Canada is a very multi-cultural country. Toronto’s Caribana Festival is one of the largest festivals in North America.
Tips For Visiting Canada
1. Do the planning
A lot of seasoned travelers purchase available tickets and make spontaneous plans when arriving at a place. It doesn’t work with Canada though.
Canada features a large area with rather scattered populated locations and only a few budget airlines. When deciding to travel to Canada, sign up for flight aggregators and check up on the sales and discounts offered. It can be a better idea to organize reverse planning – based on the price/availability of tickets.
2. Plan the budget
Canada is a costly country, thus, make sure you bring enough to cover all the expenses. An official currency is CAD – Canadian Dollar. Financial planning should be based on median costs.
A ‘low-budget’ day in Canada takes around $150-$200. A one-week trip to Canada can cost around $1,200 per person, including accommodation, food, sights, and local transportation. The price gets much higher if there are numerous flights.
Regarding nutrition – average breakfast costs $10 to $30 (average $20); lunch = $15 to $35 (average $25); dinner = $25 to $60 (average $40). Prices usually include taxes and tips.
As for accommodation, hotels offer a variety of lodgings, with an average price of $247.63 per night. The price may vary depending on the star rating of the hotel and its location. There are also hostels, private apartments, and campsites to satisfy any budget of the tourists.
3. Take care of the medication
Health considerations are important.
When heading to Canada, medical insurance is a ‘must’, as it will help to manage all the difficulties related to unexpected health issues, thefts, loss of documents, etc. In case you have chronic diseases, bring all the medications you need to keep them in stable condition. It is also worth researching the nearest medical institution and specialists just to be on the safe side.
You can search for worldwide medical platforms like Doctor.Global, where you simply type your request, and it will instantly find suitable matches. For instance, when needing the best surgeons in Toronto, the platform will offer relevant clinics.
4. Consider the seasons
Canada is beautiful any time of year, yet the activities will certainly be different:
- Winter lovers will enjoy the best December to February period, having a chance to go skiing at world-famous resorts in the Rocky Mountains, or witness the Northern lights in Yukon.
- Spring brings life to nature, and festivals to people. If you are a fan of maple syrup, there are numerous festivals held in Quebec (Bonjour, Française).
- Summer is simply a perfect season in Canada, it is never too hot, and the temperatures allow the visitors to enjoy gentle sunshine and the stunning beauty of nature along with outdoor activities – hiking in the national park, whale-watching, cycling, and so on.
- Fall offers a breathtaking game of coloгs and light, and harvest celebration across the country. Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated in October.
Regardless of the season, Canada has a lot to offer, yet, it is important to consider the budget. Winter trips cost more, while summer ones will put less pressure on the budget.
The Calgary Stampede is one of the most unique festivals in the world, combining an agricultural fair, with First Nation camp, midway, diverse music concerts, grandstand show, rodeo and chuckwagon races.
5. Mind the etiquette
There are a few rules to keep in mind when in Canada:
- Canada is a bilingual country, with French being the primary language in the province of Quebec. Although everyone speaks English perfectly there, it would be a good idea to learn a few basic common phrases in French. It always helps to strike up a conversation in the right direction.
- Canadians are polite to the core and their ‘sorry’ is used in every situation of the slightest discomfort.
- Time is of high value, thus, punctuality matters. Always come on time for the meeting, excursion, or any kind of gathering.
- When talking, avoid the trigger topics about personal life, religion, and politics.
- Canada is a socially diverse country, thus, there is always tolerance to people of any race, gender, and abilities.
The Final Thoughts
Canada is a must-see country that has everything to attract even the most demanding visitors – from highly-developed cities to virgin lands of natural beauty.
Canada welcomes guests all year round and there is no better time to visit it than now. Yet, before heading there, plan your trip day-to-day, explore the cost of the flights and manage your visits accordingly, bring enough money to co