Coral Harbour (Salliq)

A Hamlet On Southampton Island, The Home Of The Aivilingmiut, With The East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary And The Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary On The Island, A Large Snow Goose Colony And Walrus And Polar Bear On The Coasts. Visited By Researchers, Birders And Adventurers With Local Guides, And Reached Only By Air · Coral Harbour, Nunavut

Coral Harbour, Salliq in Inuktitut, is an Inuit hamlet of about 1,000 people on the south coast of Southampton Island, at the north end of Hudson Bay. It is the home of the Aivilingmiut, and the island is best known for its birds: the East Bay and Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuaries hold one of the largest snow goose colonies in the world, and walrus, seals and polar bears use the coasts. The hamlet is reached only by scheduled flight, normally from Rankin Inlet or Winnipeg via Rankin Inlet, and it is not a sightseeing town. There is no tour desk and no fixed programme. Visitors arrange boat and snowmobile trips through local outfitters and the Hunters and Trappers Organization, and must ask about sanctuary access before going. Services are a co-op store, a small lodge or hotel and a few takeaway counters (confirm). The reward is a wild, flat island of tundra, tidal flats and open water. Ask about sanctuary rules well before you book.

Coral Harbour, a hamlet of about 1,000 people on the south coast of Southampton Island at the north end of Hudson Bay, reached by scheduled flight from Rankin Inlet; coordinates approximate, Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada

Coral Harbour keeps no visiting hours because it is a living community. The co-op store, the lodge and any community hall keep their own hours, often a weekday pattern of roughly 9 to 5 with shorter days at weekends - confirm by phone. Bird and goose viewing runs roughly late May to September, with nesting peaking in June and July, and boat trips for walrus run in open water from about July. Winter is dark, cold and quiet with few services for visitors. Walking the shore costs nothing at any hour. Sundays and public holidays are quiet, so buy food and fuel the day before.

Coral Harbour (Salliq) on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos