Richmond (British Columbia)
Richmond [1] is a riverine city to the south of Vancouver in the Lower Mainland. Comprising several islands, the city is protected by a system of dikes from the Fraser River's occasional flooding. Richmond has the country's largest Asian-Canadian population by percentage.
Richmond is mainly composed of four main islands: Lulu Island (Richmond proper), Sea Island (Vancouver International Airport (YVR)), Mitchell Island (industrial) and Iona Island (parks and city maintenance).
Steveston, historically a fishing village and now a tourist and shopping district, is located at the southwestern tip.
The character of Richmond has changed dramatically over the last 25 years. It was previously primarily a farming community with a large fishing village. It has become a center of new immigrants, mostly from Asia. There are now a number of residential high rise towers and Hong Kong style shopping malls.
Travel to Richmond-1, visa requirements
Richmond-1 attractions and sightseeing
- International Buddhist Temple [2] - the first and largest authentic Chinese Buddhist temple, and traditional palatial Chinese architecture, in North America. It is Richmond's "Point of Pride", and is home to a wealth of traditional Chinese art pieces, such as paintings, calligraphy, and statues. In particular, the temple houses the largest Buddha statue in North America, and the largest Buddhist mural in the world, which took over two years to complete. The temple is a rich source of Chinese and Buddhist culture as well. The temple makes contributions in areas such as charity and education, and the teaching of Buddhist philosophy.
The four grand halls are built with great attention to detail, as shown in the golden ceramic roof tiles and flaring red eaves. The classical Chinese garden is serene and beautiful, with its gazebos, Wisdom Fountain, lotus ponds, dragon fountains, and stone bridge. The scholar's courtyards are surrounded by evergreens, and the entrance to the temple is bordered by trees, flowers, and deer.
The temple welcomes everyone, and admission is free. There are special events on Buddhist or Chinese holidays, as well as community celebrations on Senior's Day. Guided tours can be held for groups of 15 or more people. The cafeteria serves Chinese vegetarian lunches, and the gift shop offers a variety of Buddhist items.
- Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site [3]
City tours
- River Rock Casino Resort [4]
- River Rock Casino Guide [5]
Shopping, Richmond-1 souvenirs
- Richmond Centre Mall [6] - the largest Mall in Richmond, with over 240 Stores
- Asian Shopping Mall - there is a large number of Asian shopping malls in Richmond. These usually have many small shops with a huge variety of things for sale. These include Aberdeen Centre [7], Parker Place Shopping Centre, [8], Union Square, and Yaohan Centre.
- Richmond Night Market [9]
- Steveston Village - a wide variety of small shops in this tourist area.
- Lansdowne Mall - which has a Best Buy, Futureshop, Zellers, and other stores, along with a decent food-court.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
There are a number of fine dining places in Richmond.
- Pajos [10] Famous for Fish & Chips. 4 different locations, several awards. Sit on The Wharf and enjoy some fish and chips with flying seagulls.
- Fukuroku [11] Japanese cuisine. serves sushi, udon, etc. Main restaurant located in downtown Richmond as well as an Express Bar nearby. Enjoy authentic meals at a reasonable price
Richmond-1 nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
- Pioneer's Pub Located at No. 3 Road and Williams, probably has the best price for beer in Richmond.
- Flying Beaver [12] Located near the south terminal of Vancouver International Airport. Has a great patio, and you can watch the seaplanes take off and land on the Fraser River.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
There are a number of hotels and motels that serve the airport, including the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, which is located inside the International Terminal.
Contact
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