Originally a small whale-hunting settlement 700 mi/1,125 km northwest of Yellowknife, "Tuk," as it is commonly known, saw great changes in the late 1970s and early '80s, when it was a center for oil exploration in the nearby Beaufort Sea. (The oil proved too costly to extract, and the oil companies have since pulled out.)
Today, the settlement's well-developed infrastructure caters to travelers who fly from Inuvik and marvel at those who live at the edge of the world. The town has the world's greatest concentration of pingos—ice-core hills that resemble volcanoes. They make good lookout spots.
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