NOVA SCOTIA

In Nova Scotia you'll find spectacular vistas along its 7500 kilometres of pristine seacoast, from the towering seaside cliffs of the world famous Cabot Trail to the long sandy beaches of the South Shore. Canada's Ocean Playground is on a 520 kilometre long peninsula that beckons the traveller with beautiful coastal scenery, a colourful marine heritage and a lively maritime lifestyle that is as irresistible as the siren song of the sea.

Surrounded by four bodies of water, no place on the peninsula is more than thirty-five miles from the sea. Since John Cabot claimed the land for the British crown the province has been the home of buccaneers, privateers, sailors and fishermen from all comers of the world. Nova Scotia offers quiet caves, picturesque ports, long sandy beaches and wind-swept headlands. You can swim, fish, sail, row, paddle and windsurf, there's also bird-watching, whale-watching, raft-riding, clam-digging and a host of inland rivers, streams and lakes with magnificent trout and salmon fishing.

The capital city of Halifax is a vibrant and unique seacoast destination which celebrates its maritime heritage with the Titanic exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. or the best living history in Canada on the ramparts of the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. Halifax, the capital, along with its sister-city Dartmouth just across the harbour, are a blend of the old world and the new. Halifax is not too big to be impersonal, there is a choice of several first-class hotels, excellent dining with the emphasis naturally on seafood, fine boutiques, night-clubs, live theatre and even livelier pubs.

The province is criss-crossed by a network of fine highways, divided into 10 scenic areas each with its own special charm. Luneneberg is so authentically historic, it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll the 18th century streets of the Fortress of Louisbourg, the largest historical reconstruction in North America. The is evidence of seafaring culture living on in the many towns that dot the coast of Nova Scotia, where working fishermen still ply their trade.

Just down the road almost anywhere, one can enjoy the simpler pleasures of village life and no visit to Nova Scotia will be complete until you have photographed the beautiful village of Peggy's Cove. When it's time to celebrate, Nova Scotian's know how to throw a party, from the world famous Nova Scotia International Tattoo to local church strawberry suppers. There are Clan gatherings, dory races, Town Crier competitions, highland games, barbecues, blueberries and bluegrass. The welcome mat is always out and the greeting is always sincere. It's an easy place to reach but very hard to leave.