Canada is the second largest country (after Russia) in the world. It might share the border with the USA, but Canada is different from its neighbors in a lot of ways. The country is huge and traveling from one city to another means traveling long distances. And you can’t expect to cover most of Canada in just a few weeks. So if you have limited time, it is better to choose one or two provinces and focus on the best tourist attraction in Canada.
To be precise or to emphasize how big Canada is let me tell you the country has six time zones, it’s made up of 10 provinces and three territories. So if you want to make the most of your Canada trip, I would suggest you rent a car or book cheap flight tickets.
So before you plan a trip to Canada, here are a few things which you should know other than just knowing about the famous tourist sights of Canada:
Be Prepared for the Weather
Pro tip: bring layers!
Even if you’re planning a summer trip to Canada, it can get chilly at night in the mountain area, and the weather varies from one place to another. Canada’s western coastline has a bit mild temperature in winter but if you’re anywhere else in Canada, expect it to be very cold. So take your warm clothes, hats, thick gloves, scarf to wrap around your face, etc.
Two Official languages
Canada has two official languages: English and French. Majority of the population speaks English as their first language, but about 20% of the Canadians have French as their mother tongue.
Overall, Canada is a multicultural society where you can find different levels of proficiency in languages, different accents and number of other languages spoken.
Sales Tax is added to Your Bill
In Canada, a federal sale tax is added to all goods and services. On top of that, most of the provinces have their own tax which means depending upon where you are; your bill could come up to about 15% taxes.
Tipping in Canada
Tipping in Canada is similar to that of the USA.
When you are receiving services from waiters, cab drivers, hotel employees, hairdressers, and others, they expect a tip from you. Although tipping isn’t compulsory, in most of the cases a tip ranges from 15% to 20%.
Expect a Good Customer Service in Canada
Just like the USA, Canada is a consumer society. You will find most of the stores are open seven days a week and closes late at night. Restaurants cater to almost every possible diet and servers are friendly and attentive. The toll-free numbers of various services you may require works fine.
Health Insurance
Canada is well known for its excellent healthcare system, but that’s for Canadians only.
So if in case you get injured during your visit, and you don’t have an adequate health insurance cover, you might be presented a huge medical bill. So, before traveling make sure you have travel insurance which covers your medical expenses in Canada.
Right Travel Documents
If you’re not a US citizen, you will need either a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for visiting Canada. The document you’ll need depends upon the passport you hold. So, make sure you have all the necessary documents before your travel date.
So with these useful tips for planning your trip to Canada, I hope you’ll have a great time in Canada.
