Outside of the metropolitan areas, much of BC is pretty remote. The more remote the area, the better prepared you need to be.
If you are thinking of traveling off designated ski or snowmobile trails always take an avalanche safety course. Travel with experienced guides, talk to locals, look at the Canadian Avalanche Centre's forecast. Or best of all, just play it safe and ski at one of BC's great ski resorts.
Outside the winter months always inform yourself about local concerns with carnivorous wildlife, i.e. bears and cougars. If you're in the BC woods, you can assume that there are likely bears and other wildlife in the area. You're in their territory and it's good practice to make noise and keep your eyes (and ears) open. Knowing how to avoid wildlife encounters is a good idea.
Petty property crime is a problem in the major cities, as it is in most, so don't leave items visible in a vehicle. Violent crime is relatively infrequent. Simple precautions will normally preclude a brush with crime.
A problem area for tourists to avoid is the infamous East Hastings area of Vancouver.
Recent experiments with late bar/nightclub closing times (4AM) have also led to increased problems and violence on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver (especially on weekends).
Close to 20 women have been killed or are missing along the "Highway of Tears" (Highway 16) between Prince George and Prince Rupert since about 1970. Young women might want to avoid hitch-hiking along this highway, especially if you are alone.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about British Columbia
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in British Columbia - updated Apr 2024
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British Columbia Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
