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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Port Hope Simpson
Stay one night as a fuel-and-sleep stop on Route 510 between Labrador City/Goose Bay and the Blanc-Sablon ferries. No reason to come here on its own.
Port Hope Simpson is a hamlet of about 529 people on the Trans-Labrador Highway, in southeastern Labrador. It exists as a service point: fuel, a hotel, a restaurant and an airstrip on a road where the next 410 km north to Happy Valley-Goose Bay has no services at all. The surrounding country — the Alexis River, Shinneys Water Complex, snowmobile trails — is the point, not the village.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (road and fishing season); Feb–Mar for snowmobile events
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr unless you are on a snowmobile; ice and snow close the road to casual driving
- Stay
- 1 night
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 C$120–180 excl. bed · Mid C$180–280 excl. bed · High C$280+ 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 (NL) 511
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea | C$3–5 |
| Soup, chilli or a sandwich | C$10–18 |
| Pizza by the slice | C$5–8 |
| Fuel, per litre | C$1.70–2.10 |
| Hotel room, one night | C$140–240 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YHA · Port Hope Simpson Airport
- Small airstrip about 2 km south of town; scheduled service is limited — check current operators before booking.Small airstrip about 1.2 mi south of town; scheduled service is limited — check current operators before booking.
Typical fares
- Fuel, Port Hope Simpson
- fill the tank here; the next services north are 410 km awayfill the tank here; the next services north are 255 mi away
- Route 510 to Mary's Harbour
- about 62 km, about 1 habout 39 mi, about 1 h
- Route 510 to Cartwright
- about 187 km, about 2.5–3 habout 116 mi, about 2.5–3 h
Get around
You need a vehicle. The village is small enough to walk, but everything outside it — the Alexis River, the trails, the next fuel stop — is a drive. Fuel and basic repairs are at P & K Sports and Automotive and Penney's Pitstop. Snowmobile trails connect the hamlet to Cartwright, Mary's Harbour, Red Bay and other coast communities in winter.
See and do
Known for
- Trans-Labrador Highway fuel and sleep stop
- Alexis River salmon fishing
- Shinneys Water Complex
- Snowmobile trails and winter events
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mary's Harbour | Route 510 south, about 62 kmRoute 510 south, about 39 mi | About 1 h |
| Cartwright | Route 510 north, about 187 kmRoute 510 north, about 116 mi | About 2.5–3 h |
| Happy Valley-Goose Bay | Route 510 north, 410 km of wildernessRoute 510 north, 255 mi of wilderness | About 5–6 h |
| Forteau and the Blanc-Sablon ferries | Route 510 south through Red Bay and Lodge Bay | About 3–4 h |
Sleep
- Alexis Drive / village centre
- The Alexis Hotel is the only hotel: rooms, restaurant, fuel and a small store in one place. Book ahead in summer.
- Russell's RV Park
- Next to Port Hope Hardware and Building Supplies; the option if you are self-contained in an RV or camper.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the fuel station? | Where's the gas station? |
| How far to the next services? | How far to the next gas? |
| Is the road open? | Is Route 510 open? |
| I need a room for one night. | Do you have a room for tonight? |
| Thank you | Thanks, bye |
| No mobile signal here | There's no cell service here |
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
- The 410 km north to Happy Valley-Goose Bay has no fuel, no food and no services. Fill the tank here, every time.
- There is no mobile phone service in Port Hope Simpson. Tell someone your plan before you leave the last town with signal.
- Fuel up before you leave; the next services south are at Mary's Harbour, about 62 km on.
- Set your watch: most of Labrador north of here uses Atlantic time, while Port Hope Simpson and points south to Forteau use Newfoundland time.
- Winter driving on Route 510 is for locals and prepared vehicles; do not attempt it casually.
The village is quiet and safe. The real risk is the road: 410 km of wilderness north with no fuel or services, no mobile signal in town, and winter conditions that close Route 510 to casual drivers.The village is quiet and safe. The real risk is the road: 255 mi of wilderness north with no fuel or services, no mobile signal in town, and winter conditions that close Route 510 to casual drivers.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Port Hope Simpson yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Trans-Labrador Highway fuel and sleep stop
- Alexis River salmon fishing
- Shinneys Water Complex
- Snowmobile trails and winter events
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Labrador Coastal Drive — Port Hope Simpson: www.labradorcoastaldrive.com/home/87
- Newfoundland and Labrador ferry services: www.tw.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices/
- Wikivoyage: Port Hope Simpson, revision 5319963 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5319963
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Port Hope Simpson
Can you take me to this address?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates in Labrador. US consulate general in Halifax or Montréal; most other countries: embassies in Ottawa.
No mobile phone service in the hamlet. Carry cash; card machines may be offline.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/port-hope-simpson). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.