Fat Salmon Backpacker's Hostel

Fat Salmon Backpacker's Hostel is a progressive, fun and funky space that provides inexpensive accommodation to progressive, fun and funky budget international travellers.

As the only recognized backpacker's hostel in the Port Alberni area, the Fat Salmon prides itself on offering a little something-something for everyone on every shoestring budget. Featured and recommended in Lonely Planet, Reizen, and Routard international guidebooks, the Fat really knows how to roll out the backpacker red-carpet. Come into our gorgeous Valley, and let us show you how Vancouver Islanders do it up for guests.

The hostel is fully-equipped for all types of stays - from short to longish, we have it all. A sit-in kitchen with a view of Mount Arrowsmith, six comfortable dormitories ranging in size from four beds per room to ten beds per room, a cozy reception area, and a relaxing lounge. We offer free tea, coffee and hot chocolate, free movies from a huge library of DVDs (new & old, national & international), a free library (take-a-book-leave-a-book), a phone and faxing service, free wi-fi, an information centre on premises, storage, free fresh herbs when in season, a BBQ area, an outside deck complete with sunset view over the Beaufort Mountain range, and the best service personnel you will ever meet in the hostel industry.

The Fat Salmon is only a short walk from the Tofino Bus/Greyhound drop off point. We are a 5-minute walk from the MV Lady Rose marine services, which is the way to the West Coast Trail and Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre in Bamfield.

All of the dormitories are shared rooms, and range in size from four beds (The Knickerbocker Room and The Mullet Room) to six beds (The Rotorua Room and The Daisy Field) to eight beds (The Carnie Room) to ten beds (The "Oh, The Places You Will Go" Room) per room . We try our best to accommodate groups together in a given area of the hostel.

There is an inexpensive Laundromat just a hop, skip and jump around the corner, by the Kingsway Pub. We also have a sweet parking space in the back of the building where you can park whatever you came in on, too.

Fat Salmon Backpackers hostel is a proud member of Backpackers Hostels Canada, Pacific Hostelling Network, Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Alberni-Clayaquot Women's Business Network.

Accommodation Information

We are located right beside the Beijing Grand Chinese food restaurant (brilliant authentic Chinese cuisine), on 3rd Avenue, two blocks north of funky and bustling Uptown.

The Fat Salmon is only a 5-minute walk away from four banks (TD, Montreal & RBC). All along 3rd Avenue, you will find cafes, inexpensive restaurants, diners, second-hand clothing shops, a fun cigar shop, a Laundromat, book shops & souvenirs stores. Further up, you will find a petrol station. Further down, a BUDGET car rental depot.

On Argyle, en-route to the Harbor Quay, watch for fish & chippies, coffee shops, restaurants (Swale Rock has excellent seafood, Port Pub has inexpensive yummy pub fare, Timbers has it all), the Farmer's Market, fresh fish markets (The Cod Father is awesome), pubs and liquor shops.

At the Harbor Quay, which is only a 5-minute leisurely stroll, catch a ride down the Alberni Inlet to the trailhead of the West Coast Trail with the Lady Rose Marine Services, hook up with any of several fishing charters, book a dive with a scuba diving outfitter, or take a day paddle with a sea kayaking company.

Come explore the Alberni Valley and discover: Della Falls (highest waterfalls in North America), Stamp Falls Provincial Park (incredible salmon runs), Sproat Lake (for wake boarding, kayaking, swimming, and hiking), Mount Arrowsmith, Mount Washington, Log Train Trail, Roger Creek, McLean Mill UNESCO Historical Site, our very own Alberni Pacific steam operated train (leaves a 2-minute walk from our back door) that stops at McLean Mill and the area's only winery, Cathedral Grove, day-tripping to Tofino & Long Beach & Ucluelet, West Coast Trail, Martin Mars Water Bombers, Nuu-chah-nulth peoples & culture & art, Alberni Valley Museum, our deep-sea port, tubing on the Stamp River, Tall Ships Festival, Forest Fest, Fall Fair, Metal Concert Weekends, Show and Shines (old car rallies), Toy Run, Salmon Festival, Black Powder Club, Mushroom Festival, Mountain Biking Rallies, marathons, and much more.

The Fat Salmon is a proud member of Backpackers Hostels Canada, Pacific Hostels, the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independant Business and the Alberni-Clayoquot Women's Business Network.

We are also affiliated with Batstar Adventure Tours, Rendezvous Dive Adventures, Stamp River Tubing, and VI Dive School.