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A natural rock arch at Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of Fundy

389 · Further Horizons

Bay of Fundy

The coast changes dramatically with the tide, making time as important as location when understanding the landscape.

PhotographXeresNelro · CC BY-SA 4.0

Summary

The Bay of Fundy lies between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada and has an exceptionally large tidal range. Water exposes and covers mudflats, rock formations and harbour edges through each tidal cycle.

The changing shore is the central spectacle. The same place can appear dramatically different within hours, making time essential to understanding the power and form of the landscape.

301–400 · Further Horizons

The essentials

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Allow time

3 days as an initial allowance, excluding approach travel

Choose a base

Alma, Saint John or the chosen coast

Getting there

Choose a base for the part of the Bay of Fundy you want to explore, such as Alma or Saint John; the bay covers a large coastline.

Plan ahead

Check official tide and shore-access times for the exact place. Book guided kayaking or boat trips separately, and never use another beach’s tide window for a shore walk.

Practical notes updated 30 September 2026. Visitor information and sources

Canada · Nature
Country guidesCanada
Open my 100Record a visit

The essential experience.

A detail that changes the visit

Use official tide and shore-access information for that precise place; do not improvise a walk on exposed flats.

The rock formations at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick
Hopewell Rocks New BrunswickPhoto: Michel Rathwell from Cornwall, Canada · CC BY 2.0

For the curious reader

History, landscape and context.

The Bay of Fundy (French: Baie de Fundy) is a bay between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine. It is an arm of the Gulf of Maine and part of the Atlantic Ocean. It has the highest tidal range in the world, averaging about 16 metres (52 ft) due to tidal resonance in its funnel-shaped basin. These rifts filled with sediment which became sedimentary rock. Many fossils have been found along the Fundy shoreline. The oldest dinosaur fossil in Canada was found at Burntcoat Head. Very early reptiles have been discovered in Carboniferous tree trunks at Joggins.

Abridged background from Bay of Fundy, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened; this adapted background remains under the same licence. Retrieved 23 September 2026. Source revision.

Green foliage at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick
Lush green foliage in garden at hopewell rocks provincial park NewbrunswickPhoto: Bukky658 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Long Beach on the New Brunswick shore of the Bay of Fundy
Long Beach on the New Brunswick shore of the Bay of FundyPhoto: Andrew O'Connor · CC BY-SA 4.0

From inspiration to a practical plan

Plan your visit.

Physical demands
Beach access can involve steep steps and slippery mud or rock; the incoming tide changes the available route.
The consequential detail
Use official tide and shore-access information for that precise place; do not improvise a walk on exposed flats.
Add to my travel workbenchResearch access requirements

Through the seasons

A place in the world.

Canada.

A place in the world
Bay of Fundy location mapBay of Fundy location map

Select the pin to open a detailed map. Use Closer look to see the surrounding region. Drag to move a zoomed map.

Map: Natural Earth
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In pictures.

Watch Fundy’s shoreline transform as the tide exposes and covers the coastal rock.

A natural rock arch at Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of FundyPhoto: XeresNelro, CC BY-SA 4.0
Green foliage at Hopewell Rocks in New BrunswickPhoto: Bukky658, CC BY-SA 4.0
The rock formations at Hopewell Rocks in New BrunswickPhoto: Michel Rathwell from Cornwall, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Long Beach on the New Brunswick shore of the Bay of FundyPhoto: Andrew O'Connor, CC BY-SA 4.0
A look up at one of the flowerpot rocksPhoto: Kenny Louie from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Labrador tea shrub on the Kinnie Brook trail in Fundy National ParkPhoto: LaTerreACotta, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Bay of Fundy coastline in Nova ScotiaPhoto: Dan Dickinson, CC BY 2.0
Patch of oxalis montana found in Fundy National ParkPhoto: LaTerreACotta, CC BY-SA 4.0
Open the complete galleryDiscover the world in photographs

Follow the connection

Keep exploring.

Explore more places in the same country.

The waterfront at Lunenburg

415 · Canada

Old Town Lunenburg

A planned town, a working waterfront and brightly coloured buildings connect the streets to Atlantic maritime history.

The Château Frontenac above a street in Old Québec

211 · Canada

Old Québec

A fortified city above the Saint Lawrence

Useful links and further reading.

Choose a source for the job: official visitor information for access, the UNESCO record for the named property’s designation, and background or library resources for deeper reading.

Visit · bayoffundytourism.com

Bay of Fundy: official website

The official website associated with this place. Look for visitor information, contact details and local announcements; availability varies by provider.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Read · Wikipedia

Bay of Fundy: background reading

Encyclopaedic context and its bibliography. Follow the cited research for a deeper examination of particular claims.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Visit · Wikivoyage

Find travel information for Bay of Fundy

A clearly labelled search of the community travel guide; check the page’s coverage and the age of practical details.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Books · WorldCat

Find books about Bay of Fundy

Search library holdings and editions, useful for finding specialist histories, field guides and works beyond a general travel guide.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Photography · Wikimedia Commons

Find photographs of Bay of Fundy

Explore further photographs and their individual credits.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Maps · OpenStreetMap

Explore the local map

Inspect the surrounding area.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.
Visitor information behind these practical notes