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Travel Bestie

26 May 2022 - 6 min read

Travel Guide to Canada from Manila: More Than Just A Maple Syrup Extraordinaire

Canada, or the Great White North, is a country in the Northern part of America. It is the second-largest country in the world. Ottawa is the capital state of Canada, while Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver are the largest metropolitan cities in Canada.

Many things make Canada a precious gem; from its beautiful scenery to the largest producer of maple syrup that is heavily produced in Quebec.

Their maple syrup is as popular as their next-level politeness. They could easily be the most polite country out there, which makes it a great opportunity to experience their hospitality on your next trip to Canada from Manila!

What are the latest COVID-19 Travel Requirements to Travel to Canada?

Below are some of the travel requirements to Canada for eligible travelers including permanent residents and those allowed for discretionary travels. You can get further information from Traveloka COVID-19 Requirements and Information:

Present recognized proof of vaccination.
Register and submit travel and health documents to ArriveCAN (Mobile App or online form) 72 hours before your arrival in Canada.
Fully vaccinated travelers are no longer required to present a negative COVID-19 test result.
While fully vaccinated travelers will be randomly selected for arrival testing, they are not required to quarantine while waiting for their test result.
Unvaccinated travelers are required to do a test on arrival and on Day 8. They must also quarantine for 14 days.
Travelers are required to wear masks for safety precautions.

How to Fly to Canada from Manila?

It will take about 15 hours for a direct flight from Manila to Canada - specifically to Toronto via Philippine Airlines. However, the current flights available include one or two layovers, regardless of where you are going in Canada.

There are other airlines that provide transit flights as well. Some of them are Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, KLM, Malaysia Airlines, and Korean Air. Airfare would depend on the cabin class, the extra baggage you’re getting, and other add-ons.

What are the Best Places to Visit in Canada?

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls was formed back in the last ice age when the glaciers receded at the end of Wisconsin glaciation. That has caused the water from the Great Lakes to carve a path through the Niagara Escarpment and head towards the Atlantic Ocean.

It is made up of three waterfalls:

the Horseshoe Falls or the Canadian Falls,
the American Falls,
and also the Bridal Veil Falls.

The Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three. It is around 57 meters high and 790 meters wide. It is located on the border of two countries: Canada and the United States of America. The other two falls, which are smaller, are located in the United States in the state of New York.

Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall, too. This has been proven from its flow rate.

It is also a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Niagara Falls was a source of power even from back in 1750 due to its powerful flow rate. Throughout the years, the hydropower plant has been evolved to ensure the conservation of the falls too.

Things to know:

Horseshoe Falls is also the main tourist destination among the three falls.
There is a cruise that can bring visitors into the water canal closer to the waterfalls.
There is also an observation deck that offers the highest view of the falls.

Banff National Park & the Rocky Mountains

The oldest national park in Canada is the Banff National Park which is located in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta.

The park is 6,641 square kilometers of land, consisting of mountain terrains, glaciers, ice fields, a wide range of forests, and alpine landscapes.

This park has been categorized to have a subarctic climate where it is cold and snowy in winters and is mild during summers.

Due to the location of the park at a higher altitude, it influences the climate and causes a lower temperature. It also causes the park to have greater snowfalls.

Note about its weather:

It has been recorded that the park can get up to 234 centimeters of snow on average every year.
The temperature of this park during winters can drop to −15 °C, and the highest is only −5 °C.
On a daily basis, the average temperature is only seven °C and can rise up to 22 °C during summers.
On days with more wind, the temperature may drop to −20 °C or −30 °C.

Due to the vast area of this park, the ecosystem remains intact where animals such as the grizzly bear, cougar, wolverine, elk, bighorn sheep, and moose can still be found there.

Other than that, there is a large variety of bird species that live in the forest here. There is also a minority number of reptiles and amphibians that can be found too.

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. The city got its name from an Algonquin indigenous group that has the meaning 'to trade'.

The city is mostly known as a political center of Canada due to the parliament being situated here, Parliament Hill.

It is also a tourist attraction as it is located on a hill that gives a good view of the city. There is also a fountain in there that never freezes, even during winter.

Fun fact: There is a Centennial Flame, which is lit by natural gas up until today. Many considered it as a wish fountain for visitors.

Things to know:

Ottawa has an attraction called The Rideau Canal. Sitting at 202 kilometers long, it is the world's largest outdoor ice-skating rink.
It is now the oldest working canal system in North America.
It has also been named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The water would freeze over during winter, making it the largest skating rink that some might even use to commute to work.
During summer, many would ride a bike or jog around it.

What are the Travel Tips to Remember When Traveling to Canada?

Be aware of Canada’s wildlife.

As Canada has several national parks with a wide variety of ecosystems, bears are definitely listed as one of them.
Grizzly and black bears are among those that have been seen in the parks, especially during summer. Therefore, when being in the national parks, it is important to be vigilant of the surroundings as bears can be very dangerous.
For those who visit Churchill, you may need to be on the lookout for polar bears. They can camouflage well with the snow and are known to stalk humans actively.

Prepare for different weather conditions.

Winter in Canada can be extreme which could lead to avalanches and snowstorms.
It is also common for the temperature and climate in Canada to differ based on the location because of how vast the country is.

Familiarize yourself with Canada’s transportation.

Canada has an excellent public transportation system. For interstate travel, the most common ones would be the bus, flights, and trains.
As for transportation within the major cities and town; bus, trams, light rail system, and underground trains are the optimum choice.
A transit pass would make each trip slightly cheaper as you may get unlimited use of public transportation for a certain period of time.
These tickets or passes can be bought at convenience stores, transit stations, or the bus driver himself.

Water safety.

During summer, many would go swimming as Canada has the world’s largest coastline. There are a lot of places where you can go swimming.
There are also many freshwater lakes in Canada. Despite the many lakes and oceans available to be explored, it is best to go to a place where there are people.
The currents in the ocean can be strong; therefore, unless you are a strong swimmer, it is best to have someone with you or a guide if you want to go swimming in the ocean.
The cliffs at the oceanside in Canada are very rocky. It is not advisable to dive headfirst.
A common rule to be remembered is not to jump in to save a drowning friend. The wrong technique can result in you being pulled down by the drowning person. This can result in two casualties.
It is best to call the emergency line at 911, similar to the United States.

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