Cave, Waterfall & Surf: Sombrio Beach

Sombrio Beach is an excellent beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. It's about a 2 hour drive north of Victoria BC, on Highway 14. The beach is great for hikers. You can walk along the beach itself, or along the hiking trails above the beach. It's all part of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. The waves are often high enough for surfing, but the number of rocks in the water should keep amateurs like me out of the surf, choosing instead sandy beaches such as Long Beach, BC or Cox Bay, BC. There are a few minor caves along the beach, and one significant cave at the southern part of the beach. Cave ins have changed the shape of the cave significantly since we first went in it in the mid 90's. If you go through the cave, you come up to the next beach, which features a waterfall pouring into the ocean. If you're on the trails, you can see the waterfall from the side or from above.