Hidden between the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is a remarkable bay renowned for its unique rock formations, affectionately known as ‘flowerpot’ rocks, which become accessible to explore when the tide recedes.

The Bay of Fundy holds the distinction of having the highest tides globally, with water levels rising and falling by as much as 50 feet. This dramatic tidal shift occurs twice daily, as an astonishing 160 billion tonnes of water surge into the bay—more than the combined flow of all the world’s freshwater rivers.

During low tide, adventurers can traverse the coastal pathways of areas like Fundy National Park or the Fundy Trail Parkway. These trails offer breathtaking vistas of the bay and its surrounding landscape.

Among the bay’s most captivating sights are the Hopewell Rocks, also known as the Flowerpot Rocks. These towering formations, which visitors can walk around at low tide, are completely submerged just a few hours later when the tide rolls back in.

The Bay of Fundy is not only a haven for these geological wonders but also a vibrant ecosystem teeming with marine life, set against the backdrop of stunning seascapes. This natural marvel continues to captivate all who visit with its awe-inspiring natural phenomena and rich biodiversity.

It boasts a magnificent ecosystem and is home to dramatic seascapes and an abundance of marine life. 

The area is home to a diverse range of animals, including whales, seals, puffins, bald eagles, great shearwaters, lobsters and dolphins. 

The Bay of Fundy, whose name comes from the French word for ‘split’ or the Portuguese word for ‘deep’, is renowned for its fossils dating back to the Coal Age. 

Nestled between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Canada , there lies a bay famous for its ‘flowerpot’ rock formations, which you can walk among when the tide is out 

The Bay of Fundy is known for having the highest tides in the world, with a difference of up to 50 feet between low and high tide 

The area has the most complete fossil record of life from 300 million years ago, including fossils of dinosaurs and giant dragonflies.

At the edge of the Bay of Fundy, you can also walk across a slender strip of seafloor that’s exposed only at low tide to an island at the southern tip of New Brunswick.

Ministers Island is spread across 200 hectares and was once used as a retreat by William Cornelius Van Horne, builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway and one of Canada’s wealthiest men. 

There are 20km of marked trails, and guests can visit the 19th to 20th-century Van Horne estate. 

Guests can also visit the 50-room Covenhoven mansion, a large livestock barn, a bathhouse with a tidal swimming pool, a windmill, and greenhouses.

Closer to home, there are 43 unbridged tidal islands accessible by foot from mainland Britain.

St Michael’s Mount in Mount’s Bay near Penzance, Cornwall, is an ancient tidal island connected to the mainland by a cobbled causeway. 

Sea height can vary by up to around 16 feet between low and high tide and the rocky island is home to a medieval church and castle.

Ministers Island is spread across 200 hectares and was once used as a retreat by William Cornelius Van Horne, builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway and one of Canada’s wealthiest men. The Bath house on Ministers Island is pictured

In Northumberland, Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, is a historic island with a medieval priory and castle that can be reached by a causeway that is only safe to cross at low tide.

It’s somewhere with one of the best walks in Britain for autumn. 

Make your way through the little village with its massive red sandstone monastic ruins, and on along the coastal path past high-perched Lindisfarne Castle. 

Pass the nearby castle garden laid out by Gertrude Jekyll, and then back along the pilgrim path to the mainland.