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New Brunswick · Canada
The tides of the Bay of Fundy, among the highest in the world, seen from the Hopewell rocks, the park’s cliffs and the villages of New Brunswick.
In the photo: Dickson Falls, in Fundy National Park.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
The Bay of Fundy separates New Brunswick from Nova Scotia and is renowned for its tides: the difference between high and low tide exceeds 15 meters in some spots, one of the largest ranges in the world. Twice a day, billions of tons of water flow into and out of the bay, covering and uncovering beaches, rocks and the seabed.
On the New Brunswick side, the best-known place to see the effect is Hopewell Rocks: at low tide you can walk among sandstone columns shaped like vases, and at high tide those same columns become small islets. Nearby, Fundy National Park protects forests, waterfalls and the coastline in front of the village of Alma, and the Cape Enrage lighthouse sits atop a cliff.
Moncton, the region’s largest city, is the gateway, with an airport and a train station. On the Petitcodiac River that runs through the city, the tide rises as a wave, the tidal bore. At the other end of the coast, near the border with the United States, St. Andrews is a historic summer village with gardens and boat tours for whale watching.
The region is explored by car, planning your days according to the tide times.
This destination brings together 3 cities: Moncton, Alma, St. Andrews.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence) / geoBoundaries. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM), in Dieppe · 10 km to Moncton
Moncton’s Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM) receives flights from Canadian cities. VIA Rail’s Montreal–Halifax train stops in Moncton. Alma is about 80 km from Moncton, and St. Andrews about 250 km.
Suggested arrival point: Moncton
Largest city in New Brunswick and gateway to the Bay of Fundy, bilingual with a strong Acadian presence. On the Petitcodiac River the tide rises like a wave, visible from Bore Park. Just outside the city is Magnetic Hill, and Parlee Beach in Shediac is about 25 km away.
A lobster-fishing village on the shore of the Bay of Fundy, at the eastern entrance to Fundy National Park. In the harbour, boats rest on the seabed at low tide and float at high tide. It is the base for the park, for Hopewell Rocks and for Cape Enrage lighthouse.
Historic village on the Passamaquoddy Bay, an arm of the Bay of Fundy by the border with the United States, founded in 1783 by settlers loyal to the British Crown. It has 18th- and 19th-century houses, gardens, boat tours to see whales and Minister's Island, which is reached across the seabed at low tide.
The local experience
Sandstone columns carved by the Bay of Fundy tides at Hopewell Cape, which at low tide are visited on foot along the seabed and at high tide become islets.
A garden of about 11 hectares on the heights of St. Andrews, with themed beds, a rose garden, a cedar maze, sculptures and a Dutch-style windmill.
A slope at Moncton’s north exit where, by optical illusion, a car in neutral seems to roll uphill by itself.
Small riverside park on the Petitcodiac River in downtown Moncton, from where you can see the bore: the wave that travels up the river when the Bay of Fundy tide comes in.
Island in Passamaquoddy Bay, near St. Andrews, reached by car across the seabed at low tide, with the summer house of William Van Horne, builder of the transcontinental railway.
A national park on the shore of the Bay of Fundy, next to Alma, with maple and fir forest, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and trails that reach the seaside.
A white lighthouse on top of a cliff about 40 meters above the Bay of Fundy, 25 km from Alma, with a pebble beach and fossil-bearing rock layers.
A planned grid village laid out in 1783, with 18th- and 19th-century wooden houses, Water Street by the pier and the War of 1812 blockhouse.
Sandy beach of Parlee Beach Provincial Park in Shediac on the Northumberland Strait, known for relatively mild waters in summer.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From June to September, when parks and tours are operating and days are mild. Hopewell Rocks usually opens from mid-May to mid-October. The whale season in the bay typically runs from June to October. In winter it is cold and many services close.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three or four days: one in Moncton with Hopewell Rocks, one or two in Fundy National Park based in Alma, and one in St. Andrews.
Moncton has more accommodation and services and is 35 km from Hopewell Rocks. Alma, at the park entrance, has inns and cottages by the harbour. St. Andrews offers hotels and guesthouses in historic houses in the village center.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
It exceeds 15 meters in some parts of the bay. At Hopewell Rocks, it is usually between 10 and 14 meters, depending on the moon.
Visit twice in the same day, or on two consecutive days: at low tide to walk on the seabed and at high tide to see the rocks surrounded by water. Check the tide table before you go.
Three or four days, split between Moncton, Alma and St. Andrews.
Yes. Parks, villages and viewpoints are far apart, and public transport is limited.
Atlantic Time: UTC−4, and UTC−3 from March to November.
