Canada
Phone Code
+1
Capital
Ottawa
Population
39.7 Million
Native Name
Canada
Region
Americas
Northern America
Timezones
Eastern Standard Time (North America)
UTC-05:00
+27 more
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Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, known for vast wilderness, multicultural cities, Rocky Mountains, Niagara Falls, and bilingual heritage (English and French). Ottawa is the capital, while Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal are major cultural and economic centers. Visitors are drawn to Niagara Falls, Banff and Jasper National Parks, Vancouver's coastal beauty, Toronto's CN Tower, Quebec City's French charm, Northern Lights in Yukon, wildlife viewing, skiing in Whistler, and friendly Canadian hospitality. Canada offers stunning natural landscapes, diverse cities, and four distinct seasons.
Visa Requirements for Canada
Canada's entry requirements vary by nationality. US citizens can enter with a valid passport and do not need an eTA or visa for tourism or business stays up to 6 months. Citizens of visa-exempt countries (UK, most EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and others) must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before flying to Canada. The eTA is applied for online at https://www.canada.ca/eta, costs CAD $7, and is valid for 5 years or until passport expires. Citizens of countries not on the visa-exempt list must apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (visitor visa) through Canadian visa application centers or embassies, providing biometrics, photos, travel itinerary, proof of financial support, and ties to home country. Processing times vary by country.
Common Visa Types
eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization)
For visa-exempt nationals (UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) flying to Canada for tourism, business, or transit.
US Citizen Entry (No eTA/Visa Required)
For US citizens visiting Canada for tourism, business, or family visits.
Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa)
For nationals from countries requiring visas for tourism, family visits, or business stays in Canada.
Transit Visa
For certain nationalities transiting through Canadian airports en route to other countries.
Important Travel Information
Travel Guide
Canada stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic — the world's second-largest country by area, with a population concentrated in a thin band along the US border and wilderness that dwarfs anything in Europe. The Rocky Mountains in Alberta and British Columbia deliver some of North America's most dramatic scenery: Banff and Jasper National Parks with their turquoise glacier-fed lakes (Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake), the Icefields Parkway connecting the two parks along 230 km of alpine road, and Whistler for skiing and mountain biking. Vancouver combines Pacific coast beauty with Asian-influenced food culture — Stanley Park, Granville Island market, mountains visible from downtown, and a dim sum scene that rivals Hong Kong. Toronto is Canada's multicultural engine: the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Distillery District, Kensington Market, and neighbourhoods where you can eat Ethiopian, Portuguese, Chinese, Italian, Caribbean and Korean within a single subway ride. Montreal is the francophone counterweight — Notre-Dame Basilica, the cobblestoned Vieux-Montréal, a jazz festival scene that is the world's largest, poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, and a European atmosphere that feels unlike anywhere else in North America. Quebec City is the most European city on the continent: the fortified Old Town (UNESCO), the Château Frontenac, the Plains of Abraham, and winter Carnival. Niagara Falls remains one of the planet's great natural spectacles. The Maritimes — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island — deliver lobster shacks, lighthouse roads, Celtic culture and the Cabot Trail's coastal drama. The Northern Lights are visible from the Yukon, Northwest Territories and northern Manitoba (Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world). And the Canadian wilderness — canoeing in Algonquin, kayaking in Haida Gwaii, hiking the West Coast Trail, watching orcas off Vancouver Island — is on a scale that recalibrates what 'outdoors' means.
Ways to Experience This Destination
Banff (Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, hot springs, skiing), Jasper (Maligne Lake, Icefields Parkway, dark-sky preserve), the Icefields Parkway (one of the world's most scenic drives, 230 km through the Rockies), Yoho (Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls), Kootenay, Waterton Lakes, and Pacific Rim on Vancouver Island. The Parks Canada Discovery Pass covers unlimited entry to all national parks.
Toronto (CN Tower, ROM, multicultural neighbourhoods, Distillery District), Montreal (Vieux-Montréal, Notre-Dame, jazz festival, food scene), Vancouver (Stanley Park, Granville Island, mountains and ocean), Quebec City (fortified Old Town UNESCO, Château Frontenac), Ottawa (Parliament Hill, national museums, ByWard Market), Calgary (Stampede, gateway to the Rockies), and Victoria (BC's capital, Butchart Gardens, British colonial charm).
Poutine (Quebec's fries-gravy-cheese-curds icon), Montreal smoked meat (Schwartz's), lobster in the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, PEI), Vancouver's Asian food scene (dim sum, sushi, ramen — some of the best outside Asia), maple syrup (sugar shacks in Quebec in spring), butter tarts (Ontario), Nanaimo bars, peameal bacon sandwiches at Toronto's St. Lawrence Market, and wild salmon on the Pacific coast.
Polar bears in Churchill (Manitoba), orcas and humpback whales off Vancouver Island, grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest, moose and elk in the Rockies, canoeing in Algonquin Provincial Park, kayaking in Haida Gwaii, the Northern Lights from the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and the Bay of Fundy's extreme tides (the world's highest, up to 16 metres).
Whistler Blackcomb (North America's largest ski resort, 2010 Olympics), Lake Louise ski resort in Banff, Revelstoke (world-class powder), Mont-Tremblant (Quebec), ice skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa (world's largest skating rink), dog sledding in the Yukon, snowmobiling across Quebec, and hockey — attending an NHL game is a quintessential Canadian experience.
Nova Scotia's Cabot Trail (one of the world's most scenic coastal drives), Halifax's waterfront and Citadel, Peggy's Cove lighthouse, PEI's red-sand beaches and Anne of Green Gables heritage, New Brunswick's Bay of Fundy, Newfoundland's Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows (UNESCO — the first European settlement in North America), icebergs off Newfoundland's coast, and lobster everywhere.
Money & Currency
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Currency code: CAD
Practical Money Tips
Currency in Canada
Canada uses the Canadian Dollar (CAD, C$). The CAD fluctuates against USD, EUR, GBP and other currencies — check current rates before travel. ATMs offer the best exchange rates; avoid airport currency exchange counters (Travelex, ICE) which charge commissions of 3–8%. Canadian banknotes are polymer (plastic, like Australia's) — waterproof and colourful: $5 (blue), $10 (purple, Viola Desmond), $20 (green, Queen/King), $50 (red), $100 (brown). Canada eliminated the penny in 2013 — cash transactions are rounded to the nearest 5 cents.
ATM Availability
ATMs are ubiquitous across Canada — at banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC — the 'Big Five'), convenience stores, gas stations, shopping malls and airports. Most bank ATMs charge $1.50–3 per transaction for non-customers; standalone ATMs may charge $3–5. Visa, Mastercard, Plus, Cirrus and Interac networks are supported. Always decline Dynamic Currency Conversion. In remote areas (northern Canada, small towns), ATMs may be limited — withdraw before heading into the wilderness. Your home bank may add international withdrawal fees (1–3%); check before travel.
Card Acceptance
Canada is very card-friendly — contactless payment (tap) is the standard method. Visa and Mastercard are accepted virtually everywhere. Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay work at most terminals. The Interac network (Canadian debit) is universal domestically but not compatible with most international debit cards — your Visa/Mastercard debit works fine. Credit cards are preferred for car rentals and hotel deposits. Cash is useful for: small-town businesses, farmers' markets, food trucks, some taxis, and tipping in cash (always appreciated). Carry $30–50 in cash as backup.
Tipping Customs
Tipping in Canada follows the same system as the United States — it is expected, not optional. Standard rates: restaurants 15–20% of the pre-tax bill; bars $1–2 per drink; taxis 15%; hotel housekeeping $2–5 per night; hotel porters $1–2 per bag; hair salons 15–20%; food delivery 15–20%. Canadian servers earn minimum wage (higher than the US federal minimum) but tipping remains strongly expected. Calculate tips on the pre-tax subtotal — Canadian bills show the subtotal, GST/HST/PST taxes and total separately. Many restaurants now present tap-to-pay terminals with pre-set tip options (18%, 20%, 25%) — choose your amount or select 'custom'. Not tipping or under-tipping is considered very rude.
Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.
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