The best of British Columbia

Canada's scenic wonderland of British Columbia (BC) is only slightly more than one-third the size of Western Australia but it manages to pack in considerable variety. The province even has a desert, the Osoyoos, which is Canada's one true desert, though it's only pocket-sized.

But that's hardly why increasing numbers of Australians visit BC through its gateway city of Vancouver. We mostly go to see a country that is geologically young compared with our ancient and eroded land, a country with spectacularly different scenery of high, permanently snow-capped mountains, massive glaciers, endless boreal forests, lakes and rivers, and - perhaps most significantly - abundant wildlife which is completely different to our own.

The first time you see a wild bear is breathtaking. And you most likely will; even in a ski resort such as Whistler black bears are common. It's startling; both exciting and scary at the same time. But if you venture further into the wilderness, with luck you'll see a brown bear, or a grizzly, as the Americans call them.

Spotting your first bald eagle is also thrilling. Though small compared with our wedge-tails, they are noble and striking birds. To see a moose is even more rewarding - they are very shy, as are lynx. Elk, on the other hand, are as likely to be found in the town centre of Jasper in the Rockies, where they confidently and proprietarily promenade.

If you're hiring a car, you'll notice that about a quarter of the other vehicles using the highways are large motor homes of the Winnebago variety, often with a small four-wheel-drive towed behind. Those are pricey. But for about $2000 a week, a family of up to six can go where they like, when they like, and the only additional cost is food and fuel. A smaller camper of the type that fits in the back of a ute would be about $1000 a week.

The scenery is compelling, beginning with the Coastal Range of snow-capped mountains, literally overshadowing Vancouver, a gorgeous, cosmopolitan city between the Pacific and the sky. Vancouver has a vibrant, go-ahead and rich multicultural feel about it.

Locals are big on the arts and music, and are proud of their world-class parks - there are 404 hectares of parks in prime downtown land - and ocean beaches. Stanley Park, named the best park in the world in 2014, is a short walk from the city centre. No wonder Vancouver plans to be the world's "greenest city" by 2020.

Two days drive further east, sharing the BC border with Alberta, are the Canadian Rockies. If you have time for only one week's sightseeing, the Rockies' national parks are a must. You'll find you're scarcely inside their boundaries before the superlatives start flowing.

The Willmore Wilderness Provincial Park and Jasper and Banff national parks abut one another, stretching 400km from the north-west following the line of the mountains to the south-east. You can get to Jasper at the northern end and Banff in the south by train or coach but the trains don't travel between them.

There is one road, the magnificent 230km Icefields Parkway. If you want to take a gazillion photos of the soaring peaks and plunging valleys it's best to hire a vehicle so you can stop when you want.

A high point along the parkway is the Athabasca Glacier, one of the main arms of the huge Columbia Icefield, just a short walk from the road. Clearly visible west of the glacier is the Snow Dome, a 3456m mountain that is North America's hydrological apex, meaning its melt waters run in three different directions to the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

All along the Parkway you're likely to see caribou, elk, Rocky Mountain goats, big-horn sheep and bears. Apart from the bears, the animals are shy, so take some good binoculars and a long lens for your camera.

The highest point on the parkway is Bow Pass, at 2088m. From here there's a trail up to another truly OMG view over Peyto Lake, coloured turquoise blue thanks to suspended ground-up rock particles from the glaciers.

If you're short of time there's plenty to see and do within a short drive or flight of Vancouver, which is the usual arrival point by air. Many people are happy to drive to Whistler, less than three hours drive from Vancouver, to ski, walk, fish or paddle the many lakes and rivers.

Twenty minutes flying or 90 minutes by ferry west from Vancouver is Vancouver Island, an often-ignored but beautiful part of BC. The island is home to Victoria, BC's capital and the seat of parliament. It is often referred to as the City of Gardens and has a population about the same as that of Canberra. The island is huge at 460km long and 80km wide, and the whole population is only twice that of the capital, so it's easy to be alone.

There's heaps to do. First Nation cultural tours are worthwhile, particularly the totem pole carving. There are galleries exhibiting indigenous artworks, and some fine architecture, including the Parliament Buildings and the Fairmont Empress Hotel on the Victoria waterfront.

Then there's whale, seal and sea-otter watching, hiking or kayaking the innumerable fiords and inlets.

Like most of the rest of BC, there are so few people about that in a kayak you often feel you're the first person to ever be there. There's even a surfing scene at Tofino on the west coast. Considering the water temperature, you might be surprised to learn Tofino was named the best surf town in North America in Outside magazine's 2010 Editors' Choice awards.

When considering the island, note that its excellent resorts, at Tofino for example, can be up to 20 per cent cheaper than those on the mainland.

While most tourism occurs in the province's south, flying or driving north is well worth the effort. Fly to Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon Territory with its subarctic climate, and you really are entering frontier country, especially if you decide to drive eight hours further north to Dawson City. Its population now is about 1300 but shortly after it was founded during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, it was home to 40,000.

A few miners still extract enough gold to keep them there and Dawson Dolly offers an entertaining old-time frilly vaudeville show. It is worth going to the far north solely for the exquisitely beautiful vegetation in autumn and the magic of the spectacular Aurora Borealis.

I've been so awe-struck by BC and the north-west I've spent my entire month-long annual holiday there for the past seven years, and will continue to do so. It's culturally similar to WA and we share a common ancestry and language.