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on Victoria, British Columbia. In this DIY video, we'll be showing you how to get to
Chinatown and what to see once you arrive. The main gate in Chinatown is
located at 500 Fisgard Street near downtown Victoria. You can walk about one
kilometer to the gate of Chinatown from downtown Victoria, just head north on
government Street then make a left on Fisgard. It'll take you about 15 to 20
minutes. To get to Chinatown by B.C. Transit bus, go on the B.C. Transit website
and click on trip planner for your best route and times. If your hotel is near
Douglas Street, you can take bus number 70, 30, or 31 going northbound on Douglas
and exit at Herald, and then walk south on Douglas to Fisgard, then walk about
a block west to Chinatown. If you are driving, you can find metered parking on
the streets or you can go to public parking garages metered parking can be
paid by coin, credit card, at an on street pay station within your parking zone. The
Chinatown in Victoria is the oldest in Canada. The tourist Chinatown began
around 1858, when gold was discovered in the Fraser River Valley drawing many
immigrants to the area. Victoria's Chinatown was designated a National
Historic Site of Canada in 1995.
There are also pedicab tours that are available that will pick you up from
your hotel, provide a guided tour of Chinatown, and
drop you off at your hotel.
Most hop-on/hop-off tours have a stop in Chinatown like Big Bus and Gray Line. The
major landmark in Chinatown is the gate of harmonious interest on Fisgard
Street. The current gate was constructed in 1981 and is the last of several prior
gates. The top of the gate of the harmonious interest has a stupa, and its
roof is covered with golden glazed tiles, and decorated with Chinese
mythical creatures on the corners. The center arch are three characters:
Tong-ji-mon, meaning the gate of harmonious interest. Panels on the side
of the name plates are decorated with golden dragons. There are two Chinese
verses on the front side panels translated to "work together with one
mind and to help each other to achieve harmony." Once you arrive, you can tour
Chinatown on a self-guided tour as it isn't really that big but you'll learn
more in the area if you take a tour. Many of the tours tell you about the history
and visit places you may miss because they're tucked away in small alleys. When
you arrive in Chinatown, visit the Tam Kung Buddhist temple at 1713 Government
Street; take the stairs to the top floor of the oldest Chinese temple in Canada.
Make sure to stroll through dragon and Fan Tan alley. Dragon alley connects
Fisgard and Herald streets through three buildings. Fan Tan alley is considered the
narrow street in Canada and is open only for pedestrians. This alley was known for
its gambling and brothels back in the day, but is now lined with hip shops.
In Chinatown, you can also find many restaurants. My favorite is Don Mee
restaurant for dim sum. You can also find stores with Chinese items, trinkets and
small grocers. Chinatown will take you an hour or more depending on your
interest; you can combine it with a visit to Market Square and Fort Street. Fort
Street is a hip and trendy section of town so there are lots of cafes, bars,
restaurants, and shops to explore.
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