Canada's west-coast city between the Pacific and forested mountains: the Stanley Park Seawall, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, the Grouse Mountain gondola, Granville Island market. Nearby are the Whistler ski resort (Peak 2 Peak gondola) and, by ferry, Victoria. For nature, family trips and cool summers. No direct flights from Ulaanbaatar — connect via Seoul, Tokyo or Beijing. Mongolian citizens need a Canadian visitor visa (TRV).
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 180 days✈ Flight: 17h☀ Best months: June, July, August, September
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: June, July, August, September.
Things to see (12)
📍🧸 for kids
Stanley Park and the Seawall
NatureFree (bike rental from ~CA$15/hour)24 hours
A 400-hectare forest park next to downtown; cycling the 9 km Seawall around it is Vancouver's number-one experience. Totem poles, Lions Gate Bridge viewpoints and the aquarium are here. Rent bikes on Denman Street.
Nature≈CA$80 (ages 6–12 ≈CA$28–29, under 5 free)Summer ≈9:00–20:00, winter ≈10:00–17:00
A 137 m bridge swaying 70 m above the river, treetop walkways (Treetops) and the cliffside Cliffwalk. Free shuttle from downtown. It gets crowded — come early.
NatureFrom ≈CA$89 (often cheaper online)≈8:45–22:00 (varies by season)
The Skyride gondola lifts you to 1,100 m with the whole city below. In summer two orphaned grizzly bears, the lumberjack show and bird demonstrations; in winter skiing and skating. The fit can hike up the steep 2.9 km Grouse Grind.
A market hall on a former industrial island under the bridge: fresh seafood, fruit, bread, crafts. There is a dedicated Kids Market. Getting there by the little Aquabus or False Creek Ferries water taxis is half the fun.
The city's oldest district: cobbled streets, 19th-century brick buildings, cafés and souvenir shops. The Steam Clock whistles every 15 minutes. Don't wander east to Hastings Street at night.
Kids≈CA$40–55 (ages 3–12 ≈CA$25–35, varies by date)10:00–17:00
Inside Stanley Park: sea otters, seals, jellyfish, an Amazon rainforest gallery and a 4D cinema. The best rainy-day pick for families. Online tickets bought ahead are cheaper.
Culture≈CA$26 (half price Thursdays from 17:00)10:00–17:00, Thursdays to 21:00; closed Mondays in winter
Monumental totem poles of the Northwest Coast First Nations and Bill Reid's sculpture 'The Raven and the First Men'. On the university campus, near beaches and the Nitobe Japanese Garden.
The city's highest point: gardens in a former quarry with views of the city and the North Shore mountains. The domed Bloedel Conservatory on top holds over 100 tropical birds. Great for photos and a rest.
BeachFree24 hours (lifeguards in summer ≈11:30–20:30)
Downtown's sandy beach — the best sunset spot; the international fireworks (Celebration of Light) in July. Kitsilano Beach has a heated outdoor saltwater pool. The sea stays cool even in summer.
The free alternative to Capilano: a suspension bridge 50 m above the canyon, cedar forest and the Thirty Foot Pool. Swimming in the river is dangerous — strong currents and cold water. Reachable by bus.
About 2 hours along the coast-and-cliffs Sea-to-Sky Highway. The 4.4 km Peak 2 Peak gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, the Cloudraker Skybridge. From December to April one of North America's biggest ski resorts. Buses from Vancouver (Skylynx, Epic Rides).
NatureGardens in summer CA$44.25 (ages 13–17 CA$22.13, 5–12 CA$5); ferry ≈CA$21 one wayGardens from 9:00, closing time varies by season
BC Ferries takes 1 h 35 min to Victoria, the capital on Vancouver Island, weaving between islands — whales are sometimes seen. The 22-hectare Butchart Gardens, the Inner Harbour, the Parliament Buildings. Whale-watching boats (April–October) leave from Victoria and Vancouver. Doable as a day trip, better with a night.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goStart the Canadian visa at least 1–2 months before the trip: online application, biometrics in Ulaanbaatar, then hand in your passport for the visa.+
1
Visa: Canadian visitor visa (TRV)
Mongolian citizens need a visitor visa, not an eTA. Create an IRCC account and apply online: visa fee CA$100 + biometrics CA$85 (biometrics capped at CA$170 per family). After paying you get a biometrics instruction letter — book an appointment at the VFS Global Canada Visa Application Centre in Ulaanbaatar to give fingerprints and a photo. Processing from Mongolia is ~19 days (1 Oct 2026), not counting biometrics.
Tip: If you held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid US visa, attach a copy — CAN+ may speed up the decision.
Bank statements, salary and employment letters, property and family ties — showing why you will return to Mongolia matters most. Add your itinerary, hotel bookings and any invitation letter. There is no fixed minimum amount of money; show enough to cover the trip. Mongolian documents need an English or French translation.
Medical care in Canada is very expensive for visitors, so travel with good medical insurance. Buy non-refundable tickets only after the visa is issued. Routes through the US need a US visa, so connecting via Seoul, Tokyo or Beijing is simpler for Mongolian citizens.
Tip: In summer (June–September) hotels in Vancouver and Whistler fill up fast — book 2–3 months ahead.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityYVR is on Sea Island in Richmond; the Canada Line metro runs straight to downtown.+
1
Immigration and customs
On arrival your passport and visa are checked, and you complete the customs declaration at a kiosk or with the Advance Declaration in the ArriveCAN app (optional, faster). The officer will ask about the purpose of your trip, where you are staying and for how long — keep your hotel booking and return ticket at hand. Declare all food, especially meat, dairy and dried meat (borts): undeclared food brings fines.
About half an hour from YVR-Airport station to Waterfront (downtown). On weekdays the 2-zone fare (bank card/phone CA$5.10, Compass card CA$4.20) plus the YVR AddFare of CA$6.50 when leaving the airport (from 1 July 2026). Just tap your bank card at the gate; with a DayPass (CA$12.55) there is no AddFare.
The YVR Skylynx bus runs direct from the airport to Whistler: from CA$55 one way, ~2.5 hours. Epic Rides from downtown is cheaper. In winter (December–March) the Sea-to-Sky Highway gets snow, so if renting a car check it has winter tyres.
📶Phone and internet+
1
Buy an eSIM at home
If your phone supports eSIM, install a Canada plan from Airalo, Ubigi or similar before the flight — it works the moment you land. Canadian mobile prices are among the highest in the world, so a data-only plan is enough; make calls over WhatsApp or Messenger.
Tip: Free Wi-Fi is common at the airport, SkyTrain stations, cafés and libraries.
2
Local SIM
For longer stays, buy a prepaid SIM from Rogers, Bell, Telus, Freedom Mobile or their budget brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile, Lucky Mobile) at downtown stores, Best Buy or London Drugs with your passport. Coverage is good in the city; it drops on parts of the Sea-to-Sky Highway and in the mountains.
🚇Getting aroundSkyTrain, buses and the SeaBus all run on one TransLink fare. Downtown is easy on foot and by bike.+
1
Fares and zones
From 1 July 2026 adult fares are 1 zone CA$3.50 (Compass card CA$2.85), 2 zones CA$5.10 (CA$4.20), 3 zones CA$6.70 (CA$5.40); an all-zone DayPass is CA$12.55. Buses are always 1-zone, and after 18:30 and on weekends all transit is 1-zone. Transfers are free within 90 minutes.
Just tap your Visa, Mastercard or Amex card or your phone at the gate — one card per person. Children and 13–18-year-olds get concession fares, so get them a Compass card from a station machine. Tap out when you leave too, or you are charged the full fare.
The SeaBus crosses from Waterfront to North Vancouver (Lonsdale Quay), where buses leave for Grouse Mountain and Lynn Canyon. Downtown has Mobi bike share and separated bike lanes along the Stanley Park Seawall and False Creek; helmets are required by law.
Almost everywhere in Canada takes cards, especially tap-to-pay; you need very little cash. Withdrawing Canadian dollars at a bank ATM costs your own bank's fee. Changing to CAD in Ulaanbaatar is awkward, so make a card your main way to pay.
Tip: Tell your bank before leaving that you will use the card abroad, and add it to Apple/Google Pay.
2
Price tags exclude tax
Shelf prices don't include tax — it is added at the till: 12% on most goods (GST 5% + PST 7%), 5% on restaurant food, 15% on alcohol. Hotel taxes and fees add around 20% to the room rate, so check the final price when booking.
Tipping is expected in restaurants, cafés, taxis and hair salons: in Vancouver restaurants 18–22% of the pre-tax bill. The card machine shows a percentage screen. Not required at takeaway counters.
🍜FoodFresh Pacific seafood and outstanding Asian food (especially Chinese, Japanese and Korean) — familiar flavours for Mongolian travellers.+
1
What to eat
Wild salmon (smoked or candied), Pacific oysters and Dungeness crab; Japanese sushi — cheap and excellent in Vancouver; Chinese dim sum in Richmond. Canadian classics: poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy) and Nanaimo bars. Tim Hortons coffee and Timbits doughnut holes.
2
Eating cheaply
Granville Island and Lonsdale Quay markets have plenty of choice. Food courts in Richmond's Aberdeen Centre and Parker Place are cheap. On summer evenings the Richmond Night Market serves Asian street food.
Big supermarket chains: Save-On-Foods, Safeway, No Frills (cheap), T&T (Asian groceries). A hotel room with a kitchen cuts food costs a lot. Alcohol is sold only in liquor stores (such as BC Liquor) and only to adults (ID is checked).
Tip: Drinking alcohol in public places and on most beaches is not allowed.
🛡️Safety and health+
1
Emergency numbers
Police, ambulance and fire — 911 (free, 24 hours; the operator asks which service you need and can bring in an interpreter). For non-urgent health questions, HealthLink BC on 811 — a nurse will advise. Vancouver Police non-emergency line 604-717-3321.
The Downtown Eastside (east of Gastown, around Hastings and Main) has serious drug problems — walking through by day is usually fine, but go around it at night. Leave nothing in the car and lock bikes well. Hospitals: Vancouver General, St. Paul's (downtown).
The North Shore mountains are next to the city but are real wilderness: weather turns fast and hikers get lost every year. Stay on trails, carry water, layers and a light, and tell someone your route. Never leave food out in black-bear country. River currents (Lynn Canyon) are strong and the water is cold — don't swim. Summer wildfire smoke is possible.
Canadians say 'please', 'thank you' and 'sorry' constantly; queues at bus stops and tills are strictly kept. Thanking the driver when you get off the bus is customary. Stand on the right on escalators.
2
Respect for First Nations
Vancouver stands on the territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations — you will hear a 'land acknowledgement' at events and museums. Don't touch totem poles or ceremonial objects, and check whether photos are allowed.
3
Smoking, rubbish, nature
Smoking is banned indoors, at bus stops, in parks and on beaches. Sort your rubbish (garbage, recycling, food scraps). In parks and mountains stay on trails, don't pick plants or flowers, and never feed wildlife.
📱Useful apps+
1
Transport
Transit app — real-time bus and SkyTrain arrivals (TransLink's official partner). Google Maps — walking, cycling and transit routes. Uber and Lyft operate in Vancouver.
ArriveCAN — the optional customs and immigration Advance Declaration. BC Ferries — schedules and bookings to Victoria. DriveBC — road conditions, snow and closures on the way to Whistler.
About half an hour from downtown to YVR on the Canada Line; no AddFare is charged going to the airport. Plan to be at the airport 3 hours before an international flight — security queues are long in peak summer.
Canada has no general GST/PST refund for visitors, so don't expect a tax refund. There is no exit passport control — airlines pass on the data. Leave within the period you were allowed (usually 6 months); overstaying affects future visas.
