Vancouver Island, Canada: readers' tips, recommendations and travel advice Instead, book a Pacific Coach Lines coach-ferry ticket from Vancouver (pacificcoach.com). The coach runs down to the ferry terminal and boards the boat; you then get a wonderful 95‑minute mini-cruise through the scenic Gulf Islands before reboarding the coach onwards to Victoria. It's all incredibly painless. Better still - though it cost more - was our return from Victoria, when we treated ourselves to a seaplane flight (001 800 665 0212; harbour-air.com). Views of the Georgia Strait, islands, mountains and Vancouver were breathtaking. You can get flights right from Victoria's city-centre harbour to the centre of Vancouver, but also, as we did, from Victoria directly to Vancouver airport for our flight home. It all dovetailed perfectly. Lesley Patterson, Bucks Victoria is a decent base for whale-watching, and the tourist office (tourismvictoria.com) has lots of pamphlets for the many companies, all of which seemed pretty similar, both in the length of trips and the prices they charged. We went out with Five Star (250 388 7223; 5starwhales.com), and though we were on the boat for quite a long time before we got into really open waters, we did see whales. However, later in our trip we came to tiny Telegraph Cove, well up the island on the east coast. This was a very charming spot, and probably offers a prettier, more memorable whale-watching experience. In the season, they reckon there is a 90 per cent chance of sightings, but as well as whales we saw eagles and other sea creatures. However, it's a popular place, so book in good time (Stubbs Island Charters; 250 928 3185; stubbs-island.com). William Ferry, Yorkshire One of the best trips we did was aboard the MV Lady Rose (250 723 8313; ladyrosemarine.com), a working boat that runs through fantastically scenic seascapes on the west coast. We'd recommend booking, as it's very popular, and looking into additional sailings in the summer - sometimes they lay on a second boat. Also be sure to take a jacket and warm clothes, even in summer. Gordon Roy, Somerset A side trip well worth making on Vancouver Island, if time allows, is to take the small, strictly functional coastal vessel MV Lady Rose [see "Best by Boat" above] from Port Alberni on the west coast down the 25-mile inlet to Bamfield on the southern shore of Barkley Sound. Bamfield is a boardwalk community with a population of 200 and which, apart from a logging gravel road, is otherwise inaccessible. It's an all-day trip and the boat makes a longish stop at Bamfield, allowing for lunch at the Bamfield Inn. To say it is a scenic trip is something of an understatement, but of added interest en route are six or seven ports of call at the isolated communities on the inlet, where kayakers, visitors and locals embark. The mail is delivered and collected, together with various other cargoes - perhaps a roll of carpet or a new kitchen sink, as well as the everyday necessities. These stops offer a fascinating insight into the lives of the hardy folk who live there. A further bonus is the wildlife, and if you're lucky, like us, you will have a view of a black bear and its cubs patrolling the shore. J Lloyd Jones, Monmouthshire We were surprised to find just how many other smaller islands lie off Vancouver Island itself. Hopping on and off the various regular ferries (bcferries.com), whether with a car or as a foot passenger, is very easy. We picked Gabriola on the strength of a conversation in Victoria and were not disappointed. It's an idyllic place, with peaceful countryside, a warm-watered and pretty coastline, and lots of galleries, funky cafés and laid-back living. Graham Bishop, Somerset There's no question for us about Vancouver Island's highlight - the Pacific Rim National Park, on the west coast. We'd suggest staying in Tofino, which is a pretty town, but one that's a bit overrun in summer. This said, there are plenty of places to overnight, including lots of b & bs where you can stay with the locals. The town's a good base for boat trips to the coastal wilderness, and for whale-watching, and for the park's centrepiece, the majestic and wild Long Beach, which stretches almost 20 miles to the south. It has several marked trails, none of them very long, but, on the strength of the hikes we did, all hugely tempting. David Stuart, Edinburgh We really enjoyed staying in Victoria and wished we had longer there - we only had one full day - but it did help to have a warm, sunny day; three days in Tofino were spent in the rain: it's not called the "wet coast" for nothing. The Royal BC Museum (royalbcmuseum.bc.ca) was excellent, with good displays: well worth the visit. The city is easy to walk around, and has buildings that do boast some character. We also thought that Miniature World (miniatureworld.com) was worth a visit. We stayed at the Executive House Hotel (250 388 5111; executivehouse.com), which we found very spacious and central. Roger Eggleton, Powys Odd to suggest one of the best things about Vancouver Island is leaving it, but it's hard to imagine a more spectacular public ferry ride anywhere in the world than wending between the islands and fjords of the Inside Passage with BC Ferries (bcferries.com) from Port Hardy on the island's northern tip [see "North and South"]. It's a fair old drive from Victoria (but an impressive one, and manageable if you spend a few days seeing other things en route), and you'll need to book to get a car on board (you can also travel as a foot passenger). But it formed a fantastic link in our trip round western Canada, beautiful in its own right, and dropping us at salty Prince Rupert for the trip east up the Skeena Valley and then into the Rockies. Not to be missed. Derek Baines, Suffolk We were a bit underwhelmed by the coast immediately north of Victoria. For a couple of hours it's pretty built up, with little or no access to the sea, so ignore the various "attractions" promoted en route and push farther north, where the scenery begins to pick up. David Kirk, Perth The Butchart Gardens (butchartgardens.com) are widely advertised and were praised in our guidebook. I guess if you were very horticulturally minded, they'd be a hit, but we found them rather over-commercialised and, at Can$30 (£18.90) for a ticket, really quite expensive. Mary Wright, London Victoria has enough genuine attractions (notably the RBC Museum) to make it easy to avoid some of the really rather underwhelming "attractions" heavily advertised around the place: Miniature World, the Undersea Gardens, the Wax Museum [temporarily closed] and so forth, were not for us. Gerald Payne, London Victoria trades on its (often quite genuine) British feel, but the many "typical" English pubs are fun but pure pastiche - stick to the Canadian places to eat and drink. We especially liked Rebar (50 Bastion Square; 250 361 9223; rebarmodernfood.com), especially for its juices and healthy dishes. Sue Hatt, Surrey Do you have tips, advice or observations on any of the destinations below to share with other readers? The sender of the best entry on each destination will win a three-night self-catering stay for two in a luxury villa at the Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswolds. Devon Burgundy Perth, Australia Slovenia Three nights" self-catering for two at Lower Mill Estate. The offer is strictly subject to availability and certain periods are not available. Transfers to Lower Mill are not included. Other conditions apply (see below). Set in over 550 acres of unspoilt Cotswolds countryside, Lower Mill Estate provides the perfect escape in which to enjoy a few tranquil, revitalising days with friends or family. An award-winning collection of sustainable and secure holiday homes, Lower Mill offers the ideal balance between outdoor living and rest and relaxation, amid acres and acres of space. Each of the luxurious lakeside properties available has been individually designed, and offers modern, elegant interiors and superb views across the estate and surrounding lakes. Lower Mill also has an abundance of outdoor pastimes, including kayaking and sailing, as well as the opportunity to explore miles of trails and paths by bike or foot, and the chance to discover over 500 species of wildlife. Also on site is the award-winning Pevonia Spa, with over 60 treatments to choose from, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools and the UK's first "eco-pool," purified entirely by plants. Email your tips and reccommendations (no longer than 150 words, please, and, if possible, with names and contact details for recommended hotels and so forth) on any of the four destinations above, with your name, address and phone number, by July 25, to yoursay@telegraph.co.uk