Lonely Planet

• Eat: 87 restaurants
• Sleep: 59 hotels
• Shop: 84 venues
• See: 68 sights
• Play: 43 venues

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Weather

Vancouver has one of the mildest climates in the country. It rarely snows in the city, and when it does, for maybe a week or two over winter, it tends to melt quickly or get washed away by the rain. Conversely, it seldom gets oppressively hot. What Vancouver is guaranteed to get - by the bucketload - is wet. The surrounding mountains, which on a clear day look close enough to touch, disappear completely when the clouds settle in and the rain pours down, which can be for days on end.

Health & safety

By world standards Vancouver is a small city and certainly doesn't have many of the problems you might encounter in places like Los Angeles or Johannesburg. Violent crime is unusual but theft is common, especially car break-ins, car theft and bicycle theft. The area around Main and Hastings Sts is a pretty downtrodden part of the city and is not an area in which to dawdle at night, especially for a woman on her own.

Visas

Most Western visitors don't need a visa to visit Canada for up to 180 days. Travellers from about 150 nations, including South Africa, China, North Korea, Taiwan, Eastern European and developing countries, however, do need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) with the Canadian consulate in their home country. TRVs good for a single entry cost and are valid for up to six months. For the latest details check the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada at (www.cic.gc.ca).

When to go

The best time to visit is from early June to early October, when there's less rain, temperatures are warm, daylight hours are long and the transportation routes are open. May to September are good times for whale-watching. The winter ski season peaks in January and February, but at resorts like Whistler the slopes are open year-round.