No cars, no phone signal: Canada's ghost island where guests still check in
Once the thriving heart of Labrador's fishing industry, Battle Harbour has found new life as an island retreat with barely a trace of modern life.
TL;DR
- Battle Harbour, once Labrador's saltfish capital, is now a historic island retreat with minimal modern life.
- The island is accessible via a ferry from Mary's Harbour after driving from Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
- Accommodation is available in restored cottages and historic rooms, with packages including meals and tours.
- Battle Harbour was a significant trading post in the 1770s, with a peak population and infrastructure including a hospital and school.
- Economic decline, a fire, resettlement programs, and a cod moratorium led to the island's abandonment.
- The Battle Harbour Historic Trust now manages the car-free site, preserving its buildings and history.
- Key historical sites include the Marconi towers, the last surviving pair of their kind in North America.
- Visitors can experience the island's past through guided tours, staying in historic buildings, and observing life-size cardboard cutouts of former residents.