SPRINGTIME in Canada often carries with it the spillover of winter chill.

But it is not freezing cold. Still, when visiting this stupendously beautiful and vast country, your visits to all the interesting outdoor spots can be that much more enjoyable, and comfortable, if you are suitably clad against the cold.

Having lived for more than 10 years in Canada, I have found that the best protection against cold is to invest in good quality thermal underwear.

This light undergarment is nothing but finely woven, tight-fitting cotton tees and long johns. Since any winter wear's function is to keep your body heat from escaping as well as to prevent the cold from slithering into you, thermal underwear is the obvious answer, as it does both jobs excellently.

Now that you are ready, let us step out into the Canadian outdoors.

Sights to behold

The great thing about Canada is that the destination - towns, villages, mountain resorts, lakes and forests, is not the only attraction.

Often, the journey itself is as eyecatching because Canada is a country of rivers, lakes, hills, conifers and deer. And wherever you go, you are likely to pass all these. Indeed, lines of cars and buses have been known to stop by the road to allow a herd of elk to cross. Often, people come out of their vehicles to snap photographs of these magnificent animals.

Spring is also a time of re-growth. So expect to see crocus, tulips and daffodils, whose ubiquitous presence in the country this time of year is a sight to lift the spirits. Canada, in short, is a land of stupendous sceneries.

Vancouver on the west coast has been acclaimed by the United Nations as the world's most liveable city. I cannot agree more.

This beautiful cosmopolitan city is nestled at the foot of a mountain range. It is by the sea (the Pacific Ocean) and graced by manicured parks, lakes, hills and forests.

The Asian presence is so strong that some people have dubbed it the "Second Hong Kong".

There is an air about Vancouver. It is welcoming, neat and interesting.

City walk

If you arrive in the early evening in this city, do not stay indoors. Take a walk along Robson Street, the city's most popular thoroughfare with neat little shops and interesting pedestrians from all over the world. In summer, this stretch is full of buskers who add much vibrance to the area.

Since roads in Canadian cities are designed in a grid fashion, it is unlikely you will get lost. Thoroughfares running north to south are streets, and those running east to west are avenues. But carry a street map with you. Get one from your hotel reception desk.

Go for a drive

If there is a free day in Vancouver, it is worthwhile gathering a group of seven people and hiring a seven-seater van for a city day tour.

There is Granville Island, which is connected to the mainland by just a short bridge and is regarded as part of the city. Here, one gets to see the arts and craft of the city. And if you are lucky, you can witness a wood-carving session or a glass-blowing workshop in progress.

You could drive to nearby Richmond, just about 18km away and see this thriving island city with a highly visible Chinese presence. Go to one of the foodcourts and enjoy tasty inexpensive Hong Kong and Malaysian food.

Ski resort of Whistler

While there, check your street map and head for Steveston, a fisherman's wharf where fresh harvest of the sea is sold to the public early every morning.

On the way back to Vancouver, as you travel along Granville Street, turn into any of the avenues on your left or right and see for yourself row upon row of posh homes, many of them Chinese-owned.

Mountains and valleys

If you intend to spend the day at the ski resort of Whistler, then that is all you can do that day. But the journey there is laced with beautiful scenery with the blue expanse of the Burrard Inlet to your left.

The Okanagan Valley is another wonderful place to visit because of its orchards and vineyards. Many vineyards have cosy wine-tasting parlours, where you can sip a variety of wines and then choose the one you wish to buy. Most charge a small fee for this wine-tasting session. But it is a "must visit" for wine lovers.

Farther inland into British Columbia, you have gorgeous destinations such as Banff, Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefield in the Canadian Rockies.

It will be quite a memorable experience for anyone to actually stand on a moving glacier, see its massive ageold ice-blue structure and even take a sip or two of its pure glacial water.

The Columbia Icefield in the Canadian Rockies

Shopping spree

And let me tell you this: Singaporeans go berserk when they visit the Factory Outlet in the neighbouring State of Washington in the United States each time they come to Vancouver. As shopping demons, they are bound to ask for more time to browse among the enticingly priced array of consumer items.

I plead guilty. I once found that spending a day there was not enough. So I returned the next day.

Bon voyage!

This is the second of a 12-part series sponsored by ASA Holidays in 2007.

Photos: Asa Holidays