As in most North American cities, Internet cafés and Wi-Fi service can be found throughout Vancouver and Victoria. Most hotels and B&Bs also have Internet connections; many of the larger properties have Wi-Fi, which is usually free. It's harder to find Internet cafés in smaller towns in the Okanagan, Tofino, and Ucluelet, but many lodgings have some kind of connection that you can use. Internet and Wi-Fi access are available free at all 22 branches of the Vancouver Public Library with a Vancouver Public Library card or Internet Access card, obtained on-site. Internet cafés throughout the city charge about C$3 per half hour.


Cybercafes. Cybercafes lists more than 4,000 Internet cafés worldwide.

Vancouver Public Library. 350 W. Georgia St., Downtown, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 6B2. 604/331–3603;


The good news is that you can now make a direct-dial telephone call from virtually any point on earth. The bad news? You can't always do so cheaply. Calling from a hotel is almost always the most expensive option; hotels usually add huge surcharges to all calls, particularly international ones. Calling cards help keep costs to a minimum, but only if you purchase them locally. And as expensive as mobile phone calls can be, they are still usually a much cheaper option than calling from your hotel.

Calling Within Canada

Vancouver uses 10-digit calling for local calls (e.g., 604/555–1212). The city's area codes are 604 and 778. Whistler and the Sunshine Coast also use a 604 area code, and for the rest of British Columbia, including Victoria and Vancouver Island, it's 250. Pay phones are not as easy to find due to the widespread use of cell phones. Look for them in hotels, malls, and gas stations. New ones accept credit cards and prepaid calling cards. Dial 411 for directory assistance, 0 to reach an operator, and 911 for emergencies. All long-distance calls, including calls to the United States, must be prefixed with a 1.

Calling Outside Canada

The country code for the United States is 1.

Mobile Phones






Mobal. Mobal rents mobiles and sells GSM phones (starting at $29 for a phone that works in North America) that will operate in 190 countries. Per-call rates vary, but are typically more than $1 per minute. Unlock services are $9. 888/888–9162;



Ready for a trip of a lifetime to British Columbia?