Victoria Island | Beautiful Islands in Canada

Victoria Island is part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago that straddles the boundary between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Victoria Island  ranks as the ninth largest island in the world. Only just smaller that Britain and with a total population of little more than 2,000, it rates as one of the most sparsely populated regions on earth.
It is a island of peninsulas, craggy coastlines and innumerable inlets. Glaciers have carved the scenery into a series of moraines and glacial lakes, and though the landscape is relatively flat the Shaler Mountains in the north rise to 655 m (2,550 ft) above sea level. Though seemingly bleak, this habitat supports over two hundred species of plants and breeding populations of 50 species of bird and nine species on mammal.
This hostile environment supports only two communities of note. Located on the island's south east coast, Iqaluktuutiak serves as the administrative center for Canada's Arctic region. Originally named after the Duke and Cambridge by fur trappers in 1839, the area was used by Copper Indians as a summer camp until the 1950s and given a more descriptive name, which means 'good place to fish', reflecting the local diet. Holman, situated on the island's west coast, is the best place to view the seasonal migration of caribou, musk ox and grizzly bear that use the year-round ice to move to and from the island.
This is place where tourism feels like exploration and, whilst human activity has left some scars and the landscape, Victoria Island is still a near pristine wilderness. You will need the guidance of local experts to travel safely and to understand this magical Arctic landscape.

Quadra Island | Beautiful Islands in Canada

Quadra island is the largest and most populous of the Discovery Islands, which lie between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. A short ferry ride from Campbell River takes you through whale- and dolphin- rich waters to this island of ancient temperate rainforest.

Human activity on the island dates back over 2,000 years and is thriving. Salish and Kwagiulth First Nations communities still exist here today. A misguided search for the fabled Northwest Passage brought Spanish and British ships to these treacherous waters in the late 18th century and contact began. Today most  of the descendants of the native bands live at Cape Mudge on the south of the island, where visitors can experience a flourishing artistic community. Quadra is also home to many well-known contemporary artists, writers, potters, and other artisans, and a growing community of alliterative health practitioners.

Whit its rich woodland, diverse topography, and plentiful wildlife, Quadra Island has become a huge draw for outdoor enthusiasts. There is an extensive system of lakes and rivers for kayaking and canoeing and many paths and trails for hiking and mountain biking. Guided bird watching and fishing charters run in the summer months, as do seaborne whale and bear watching trips. Its sheltered coves and inland lakes are home to an incredible variety of wildlife, including black tailed deer, river otters, harbour seals, sea-lions, cormorants, snowy owls, the great blue heron and the rarely seen peregrine falcon.

Its relative remoteness at the top of the Strait of Georgia helps this island community retain and idyllic charm. Aboriginal and European people live side by side, and whilst tourism is growing it is not overwhelming.

Baffin Island | Beautiful Islands in Canada

Baffin Island is in the eastern Canadian Arctic, lying between Greenland and the Canadian mainland. Covering 507,451 sq km, it is the largest island in North America and the fifth largest in the world. It was named after the British explorer William Baffin but the overwhelmingly Inuit population know it as Qikiqtaaluk.
Made up of a dozen or so sparsely populated communities, Baffin lives up to its reputation for being unspoiled, untamed and undiscovered. With 60% of the island lying above the Arctic Circle and summer temperatures struggling to reach even 5 C, this rugged ice-covered landscape is not for the fainthearted. However the rewards for any visitor are great, with unrivaled scenery and the chance to see the rich and diverse Arctic wildlife, including polar bears and whales in their natural environment.
Getting  to Baffin Island is only feasible by air. The island has only one airport (Iqaluit) which deals with external flights and another six which handle internal transfers. Arriving at Igaluit you will find a thriving First Nations community. This capital of the newly-formed state of Nunavut can  can provide all yo need for a kayaking canoeing or trekking holiday.
Most of the fines mountains are located on the Cumberland Peninsula, at the head of the South Pangnirtung Fjord.  Much of the area is included within Auyuttuq National Park, and is accessible from Pangnirtung, a small coastal Inuit settlement. From here, access to the peaks is by boat dog sled, float-plane or ski-plane, depending on ice and weather conditions.
The sheer vastness of the island is difficult to take in and any traveler should plan ahead, not be too ambitious and allow extra time for weather related delays, even in summer.