The secret to solo travel is you

By Erin Linn McMullan

The secret solo travellers share is how much fun it is to travel on your own. Solo adventures offer freedom to follow your whim, explore with an open heart, and balance solitude and social connection with fellow travellers. To embark on a transformative journey as you discover this meaningful marinescape on #Indigenous Coast BC and a deeper knowledge of self. How you design your dream vacation in this west coast paradise is entirely up to you.

It all starts at oceanfront Tin Wis Resort, an Original Original and Authentic Indigenous world-class destination where everything is right here on your doorstep. White sand beach – check. Breathtaking scenery – check. Adventure partners onsite and off ready to make your dreams come true – check, check, check.

Tap into your inner rhythm

There is a deeper yearning that only the ocean can answer – inviting you to marvel, connect with Nature, splash and play. The everchanging tides’ magnetic pull resets your natural circadian rhythm. Rise early or late but start your day on the beach only steps away.

Immerse yourself with a cold Pacific plunge then apply cycles of heat to boost your serotonin and dopamine at the Nordic sauna onsite. Bask in the glow of the imported Finnish stove and inspiring ocean view, then try the Nordic shower or cold plunge bucket on deck. “It’s made especially for solo travellers,” says owner Jordan Hanthorn, who explains you can pre-book a private session to pamper yourself or join a social sauna, sometimes up to half an hour beforehand.

“It’s always our mission to encourage people to psychologically do something out of the norm and accentuate their living experience by plunging into the ocean. Immersing yourself in that unnatural, uninhabitable environment ‘mostly naked’.” It transforms your neurochemistry every time. It’s impossible to leave your cycle without being in a better mood than when you arrived. That’s the luxury a beachfront sauna does for the psyche – you can’t find it anywhere else.“

In spring, tiny red and green hummingbirds dart amongst newly budding flowers picking away at the nectar. “They come right up to you when you’re coming out for a break all sweaty and steamy,” says Jordan. “We’re just absolutely immersed in nature where we are – it’s all within reach.”

Beach or SUP Yoga

Breathe in the sweet salt air, stretch, and reflect on this perfect moment on Tin Wis with yoga on the sand or on the sea.

SUP, Surf, or Saltwater Kayak

“On those little islands out at Tin Wis, there is so much to see,” says Catherine Bruhwiler, owner of Tofino Paddle Surf, confessing May is her favourite month. “There’s one spot we call ‘Starfish Alley’ and on our SUP tours, we stop and look at all the stuff on the rocks and it’s epic. It’s right there at eye level.” Or cruise around the cove in a saltwater kayak.

Available sunup to sunset, onsite Tofino Paddle Surf aims to create the experience you dream of, specializing in one-on-one lessons and guided solo adventures that go at your own pace as you explore the west coast. Invest in fun with your own private customizable surf camp whether you’re a beginner or fine-tuning your skills with high-performance coaching. “Our goal is to set people up so that when they’re finished a lesson, they can literally go rent a board anywhere in the world.”

Cheer on local surf talent year-round

Tofino is home to some of Canada’s top surf competitions – including the Rip Curl Nationals, Queen of the Peak, and Triple Plank. These events bring together the country’s most dedicated surfers, skaters, and snowboarders for unforgettable coast-to-coast competition. Learn more about Rip Curl Nationals, cheer on the Queen of the Peak here, or dive into Triple Plank here.

Getting to the beach is easy and eco-friendly with T̓iick̓in (T-Bird) Ebikes – Canada’s first Indigenous e-bike company – located right on-site at the resort. Begin your hiking and biking adventures with a cruise along the MUP to Cox Bay.

After a day on the beach, treat yourself to handmade gelato or sorbet at Chocolate Tofino – just a block and a half from the resort.

Indulge yourself with a day trip to the Hot Springs (approved)

Journey with award-winning Ahous Adventures, an Original Original and Authentic Indigenous experience, to luxuriate at the Mux̣šiƛa Hot Springs at Nism̓aakqin in the Ahousaht haḥuułii.

Clayoquot Sound is home to kakaw̓in (orca) and serves as a summer feeding ground for baleen whales like Eastern North Pacific Grey Whales and Pacific Humpbacks – species with whom the Ahousaht People have a deep and longstanding relationship. Read more.

Expand your perspective

Solo passengers are welcome aboard confirmed departures (2-person minimum) on Tofino Air’s 50-minute Sand to Summit Tour, which soars over the Vancouver Island Range in Strathcona Provincial Park, then follows the coastline where Ḿaaʔak (Pacific Grey Whales) migrate north in spring.

Find community at Monday Open Mic Nights (approved)

Whether it’s your first time up at the mic or you’re a seasoned musician, Open Mic Night Mondays at Tofino Browns Socialhouse is a welcoming venue with its covered and heated patio for good vibes rain or shine. “Lots of times you see that one person by themselves that is new to town and they’re there to meet other musicians and they walk in with their guitar by themselves,” says Geoff Johnson, who has been running open mic nights in Tofino for 15 years. “It’s a good community builder.”

Keep the magic going

Let your breath catch as you cozy up to a beachside clay firepit while sunset shapeshifts to night sky and t̓at̓uus (stars) come out one by one, glittering into infinity – bending time as you dream of tomorrow.