In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Cartwright
Cartwright, Labrador
Go only if you are driving the Labrador coast or want a boat-based Mealy Mountains trip: 1 night, 2 at most, and book the bed before you leave home.
Cartwright is a village of about 440 people at the end of Highway 516, on Sandwich Bay in southeastern Labrador. There is one small motel, one general store, no bank, no garage and no mobile phone service. The reason to come is the coast itself: the road in, the bay, the archaeology and Inuit history, and boat access to the Mealy Mountains. Two nights covers the village and one boat day; one night is enough if you are only passing through.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Cartwright, Labrador
- Best months
- Jul–Aug (boat and road season)
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (sub-Arctic winter, ice, road conditions)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget CAD 90–140 excl. bed · Mid CAD 140–220 excl. bed · High CAD 220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance 911 · Highway conditions 511 · Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve +1 709 458-2417
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Motel room, per night | CAD 95–140 |
| Coffee or a take-out meal | CAD 6–18 |
| Groceries, per person per day | CAD 25–45 |
| Fuel, per litre | check |
| Boat charter to the Mealy Mountains, per day | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YRF · Cartwright Airport
- Small airstrip about 2 km from the village centre; coastal flights link Goose Bay and communities south toward St. Anthony — check the current schedule and operator.Small airstrip about 1.2 mi from the village centre; coastal flights link Goose Bay and communities south toward St. Anthony — check the current schedule and operator.
Typical fares
- Fuel, Cartwright village station
- the last fuel before 393 km of empty road northwestthe last fuel before 244 mi of empty road northwest
- Boat day to the Mealy Mountains
- book with a local outfitter before arrival
Get around
On foot or by car. The village is compact and flat; the airstrip is about 2 km from the centre. There are no taxis, no buses and no public transit. Fuel up here before any run to Goose Bay or Port Hope Simpson.On foot or by car. The village is compact and flat; the airstrip is about 1.2 mi from the centre. There are no taxis, no buses and no public transit. Fuel up here before any run to Goose Bay or Port Hope Simpson.
See and do
Known for
- Flagstaff Hill and its two cannons
- Sandwich Bay and Inuit history at Natsiktok
- Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve access by boat
- The end of the road on Highway 516
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve | By boat from Cartwright, usually with a local outfitter | A full day |
| Port Hope Simpson | Drive south on Highway 516 to the Trans-Labrador Highway, then Highway 510 | About 2.5–3 h |
| Happy Valley-Goose Bay | Drive northwest via Cartwright Junction | About 5–6 h |
| Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve | Boat, 40 km northeastBoat, 25 mi northeast | — |
Sleep
- Village centre (Main Road area)
- Walkable to the Northern Store, fuel, post office and the ferry dock. The only practical base.
- Northside Motel area (Low Road)
- The village's small motel; ask about food service when you book, since the old hotel burned down in 2013 and was not rebuilt.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the fuel station? | Where is the fuel station? |
| Is there anywhere to stay tonight? | Is there anywhere to stay tonight? |
| How far to the next services? | How far to the next services? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- No mobile phone service in or around the village — tell someone your plan before you drive in.
- No bank and no repair garage: bring cash and a spare tyre.
- The 393 km northwest to Happy Valley-Goose Bay and the 187 km south to Port Hope Simpson have no fuel and no services. Carry a full tank, ideally a spare can.
- Lodging is very limited and the next village is nearly 200 km away: reserve before you go.
- The Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve, 40 km northeast, is closed to everyone except accredited researchers.
- Winters are sub-Arctic and brutal; the road season is short.
The village itself is quiet and low-risk. The real hazards are distance and weather: no phone signal, no fuel for 393 km northwest, sub-Arctic winter, and black bear and moose country along the highway. Drive in daylight with a full tank.The village itself is quiet and low-risk. The real hazards are distance and weather: no phone signal, no fuel for 244 mi northwest, sub-Arctic winter, and black bear and moose country along the highway. Drive in daylight with a full tank.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cartwright yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Flagstaff Hill and its two cannons
- Sandwich Bay and Inuit history at Natsiktok
- Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve access by boat
- The end of the road on Highway 516
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Parks Canada — Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve: parks.canada.ca/pn-np/nl/mealy
- Wikivoyage: Cartwright (Labrador), revision 5243677 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5243677
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CartwrightCartwright, Labrador
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire and ambulance911
- Highway conditions511
- Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve+1 709 458-2417
No consulates in Cartwright. The nearest are in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador; embassies are in Ottawa.
No mobile phone service in or around the village. Carry cash: there is no bank.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cartwright-labrador). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.