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Historical Chinatown Walking Tour
Badge of ExcellenceVictoria, Canada
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Delve into the colorful past of Canada’s oldest Chinatown, in Victoria, British Columbia. This guided walking tour will lead you through the streets and storied allies of the historic neighborhood, as your historian/guide tells you the fascinating, sometimes tragic tales of the people who helped build the city and shape Canada as well as modern China.
- Get an immersive tour of Victoria’s Chinatown based on historic research
- Learn about the history as you discover all contemporary Chinatown offers
- Mobile listening aids help you hear the guide clearly
- Tour is approximately 90 minutes. Please dress for the weather
What's Included
- Local guide
- If visiting the Tam Kung Temple, an optional donation of $1/person is recommended
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1681 Government St, Victoria, BC V8W 0A1, Canada
We meet in front of the Bright Pearl Statue (big metal ball) near the corner of Fisgard and Government Streets in the heart of Chinatown.
Start time
10:30 AM
End point
- 3 Fan Tan Alley, Victoria, BC V8W 3G9, Canada
What To Expect
Chinatown
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Victoria Chinese Public School (Pass By)
Fan Tan Alley
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- No health restrictions
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
29 reviews
Judy_G, Aug 2023
Great tour.... Took my 11 year old grand daughter on the tour and we both loved it.
We were fascinated by the tales about history and lives of the early Chinese settlers. It was a tough life for them, with open discrimination, racism, working and living conditions,. Our guide was excellent, the historical buildings interesting and the time flew by! Would definitely recommend this tour for locals and tourists alike!
Response from Host, Sep 2023
So glad that you and your granddaughter joined us for our Chinatown tour. Sounds like you learned a lot and could appreciate the times and the kind of life that the Chinese immigrants faced. Thanks for recommending the tour to both locals and tourists.
tyiizuka, Aug 2023
John Adams really knew his stuff!...an excellent guide.
We visited the Chinese Museum the day before, and he brought everything to life
Response from Host, Aug 2023
John has been studying the history of the Chinese and Chinatown for a while and has written a book detailing what he learned. He was a co-founder of the Chinese Museum. So glad that you were able to take his wonderful tour.
Lauren_W, May 2022
John Adam's was a great guide, knowledgeable and culturally appreciate. Highly recommend taking the time to do this tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thanks for joining John on the Chinatown tour. We're so glad that you found his walk to be informative and culturally appreciative.
Diane H, Nov 2019
Great tour, which turned out to be private for my son and I only- very, very informative, funny, so patient in answering our many questions. Extra touches like meeting some of the shopkeepers added another layer of personal history that showed a lot of love and respect for not just the historic Chinatown, but the current residents, too.
Deanna_B, May 2019
We enjoyed this tour, led by Chris, on a recent visit to Victoria. Chris is extremely knowledgeable about the history of Chinatown and clearly has a great relationship with current residents and business owners. We learned so much about the area that we would have overlooked had we not taken the tour. We'd highly recommend it!
Quin S, Jan 2018
John was a wonderful tour guide and this was well worth the money.
Terry J, Aug 2017
The guide, Chris, was outstanding. Loved the little aids that he had for us as there was traffic noise. It made it so comfortable that you could hear everything. Chris really knows his stuff and brings it all to life. Great gem of a walking tour. Worth the 90 minutes!
Katejmn, Jul 2017
Chinatown occupies a small part of Victoria, but our history expert/tour guide kept us informed for 1 1/2 hours. I feel like he must be a college professor because he spoke so knowledgably and eloquently about Chinatown and how its residents have contributed to society over the years. He even bought us some Chinese pastry treats from a Chinese restaurant for us all to taste. I wish I could remember his name, but I know that he and his father run a local tour guide service and I suspect that it must contract out to Viator. I have taken quite a few Viator trips and this one rated at the top of my list.
Drake R, Jun 2017
I highly recommend this tour. Chris from Discover the Past walking tours is an excellent guide.
AlexanderJohn_W, Sep 2016
Fantastic tour. Very educational and interesting. Tour ran a little longer than expected. History, and culture were approached with sensitivity. Highly recommended.
From $16.41
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Historical Chinatown Walking Tour
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1 hour 30 minutes
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