After all, I am in a gorgeous bungalow in Bora Bora. Tagcteam : You should know that things are pretty well organised, thanks to the French High Commissioners office who's in command when such distasters strike! more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Cookie Notice But that would take hours so most of us elect to go it alone and make the walk. Hope the Hawaiian islands will come out ok! Bora Bora, the Pearl of the Pacific, is located in the southern hemisphere. If you want to save a lot of money on your Bora Bora vacation, dont go over the summer high season. On Friday, the volcano sent ash, steam and gas up to 20 km (12 miles) into the air, Tonga Geological Services said in a Facebook post. Its just so hard to get any reliable information once youre on the island. So come to paradise, understanding that the consistent rainfall is what makes it the lush, tropical island that people all over the world dream of. Im sorry but thats what you get for traveling during the low-, rain season, where the prices are cheaper (for a reason !). I shower and pack hastily. There is also a possibility of storms. And in the event one did happen super close, it probably woudn't matter if you were on a motu or on the main island, there would be very little if any time to evacuate, same as with Samoa. I can speak for a fantastic job the 4 seasons did, and I heard others say the same. Minimum flight duration : 0h50 Distance from Tahiti : 259 km The good reasons to visit The lagoon, one of the most beautiful in the world with crystal clear waters, dotted with heavenly islets which have earned Bora Bora the name of "Pearl of the Pacific". Im slowly working my way around the world and sharing my journey as I go. Jese Tuisinu, a television reporter at Fiji One, posted a video on Twitter showing large waves crashing ashore, with people trying to flee in their cars. There is an enormous sense of solidarity and you should really NOT worry and especially NOT change your holiday plans! He asks, You are on the Air France flight to LAX tomorrow? When I say yes, he looks at me with a broad, knowing smile and responds in his thick French accent, Oh, I can assure you it will be on-timeI am your pilot.. ATN did divert one flight to Hawaii to be on safe side. If you are far enough offshore, there is nothing being tossed around that can kill you. After takeoff, I chat up my French seat-mate, Marc, who relays his evacuation experience at the Sofitel (they were evacuated to the guest rooms at the Novotel next door and were allowed to stay in their individual rooms!). Is the french polynesia at risk at the moment? They are able to cross entire oceans without great loss of energy. The whole room is nearly ready to revolt. A total of 25,000 humans died. Although a few shoots under the rain can be dramatic and sexy (and we can play with the reflections). Ive looked on Google & cannot find any info regarding the effect IF ANY of the recent Tonga EQ and tsunami on Bora Bora. (I later learn that the hotel cut power to the bungalows on purpose to force everyone to evacuate). And at $140/night, its just about the cheapest thing in town. This weary globetrotter is in dire need of a margarita and a taco. I would not be so lucky with Tropical Cyclone Oli. Before checking out at the Meridien, I spoke to the General Manager and asked him what they are advising guests to do. Totally understandable (safety first! I think it is a very interesting story to learn from and am glad that you posted. Due to Bora Boras location, they usually have at least 2 hours notice (often more) that a tsunami could be headed their way which is plenty of time to make necessary evacuations. Then, it would be the seasonal price differences. It is definitely at a risk of inundation. RTW #2: From the Thin Air up There to the Wonders Down Under, RTW #3: Eat, Pray, Run From Marathons to Maui, RTW #4: Thai Beach Perfection to Blue Lagoon Reflection, RTW #5: In Search of the Worlds Perfect Beach, RTW #7: Lounges, Retreats & Business Class Seats, RTW #8: 7 Continents from Antarctica to Zanzibar, RTW 9 1/2 The Moscow to the Med Edition, RTW #5: In Search of the World's Perfect Beach, Blue Lagoon Paradise in Moorea Island, French Polynesia, Paris in the Pacific: Bonjour! During the rainy season, youll experience the occasional heavy rainshower and sometimes the sky will be gray for most of the day. Instead, opt for low season months. At least some were able to make a bit of a party out of the cyclone experience. I gather the essentials (laptop, cell phone, camera, passport, book to read, etc. By Jimmy Kimmel, Contributor Host, Jimmy Kimmel Live Mar 14, 2011, 01:16 PM EDT | Updated May 25, 2011 All of this internet voodoo takes place at no additional cost to you. Craig, Kathy, and I dont relax until we all have boarding passes in our hands. There were no immediate reports of casualties. It seems a little early for power failure. Once we do, we buy a round of Hinano beers from the stand in the terminal and sit outside on the dock to celebrate. He assured me that the cyclone is being monitored by the hotels via the Tahitian government authorities and that for the moment, they are not advising any evacuation of the island. A tsunami wave measuring 1.2 metres (4 feet) was observed in Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. Youre not the only one. That is such great news! The guest were evacuated from the resorts to the main island mountains, at the end nothing happened. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. A meteor smashes. Just could do without my nightmares! If youre visiting Bora Bora soon then you might be wondering if Bora Bora gets hurricanes or tsunamis. New York's unique geography can help shield the area from most big waves. Marc was on a layover in Tahiti and decided to hop on over to Bora Bora for a few days of R&Rbig mistake! Earthquakes in Peru (N. Peru) with a magnitude of 7.5. It was 5:00am by this time17 hours of misery in paradise. Dont worry too much if it starts raining heavily as most rain showers are over within 10 to 20 minutes and it will dry up pretty quick because of the heat. Looking at it from a satellite perspective it has a ring atoll around it which gives some small protection from waves but the waves will still reach the shorelines. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. U.S. TV presenter Jimmy Kimmel was evacuated from his hotel in Bora Bora in the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami as tidal wave warnings were issued to islands across the Pacific. On the plus side, the front desk clerk is super friendly and helpful. Bora Bora sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean which has a number of subduction zones around it far away. The island is fine and there are no tidal waves or tsunamis as we are protected by our barrier reef! Re: Tsunami? We already had to change hotels once because of Cyclone Oli shutting down (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? I call the front desk to request one and am told (by a hesitant front desk clerk) that the hotel advises all guests to please remain in their bungalows until further notice. I have never been so happy to be leavingparadise. Ok, fine. There's no evidence that this will happen. No I was here. And then around noon, the power goes out. So if you want to avoid the crowds and the kids, the best month to visit Bora Bora is outside of the summer high season and holidays. Be that as it may, Im glad nobody got hurt, but you can only blame yourself. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Anyway - the evac's all went pretty well - those that needed them, and in many ways it was a non- event locally. Though I agree you should redeem your Starwood points for that. Well keep us informed. Two-Island Package, Flights from Seattle. When I first arrived on Bora Bora, there were warnings issued for Tropical Cyclone Nisha. But at this point I will gladly navigate the Sahara desert to get back to my room. We cant understand why they wont release us. And thanks to everyone for your concern. What else can we do? After a very rough 30-minute ride, we dock at the airport. Press J to jump to the feed. The bottom line: If you plan to go to Bora Bora, you better pack light. Didn't get to do my souviner shopping at Papeete's Municial Market but did get nice sunburn catching last rays on dock at BoraBora airport while waiting for much delayed flight. Its far more pleasant out there even while getting pelted with rain and dirt(which should tell you something about the conditions inside). Im a prisoner in paradise. Check the data for yourself on World Data. Definitely not risk free. We leave on Thursday. Hawaiki Nui Vaa is a three-day race on vaa (a type of outrigger canoe) that dips everyone into the culture and soul of the Polynesia people, reviving memories of the voyages of their Maohi ancestors in search of new horizons to conquer. all the turtles have been corralled for safe-keeping within the lagoon. Can they really not use one of those golf carts runs to bring up a case of beer or soda to at least make us all a little more comfortable? Thats why Ive put together this ultimate guide which covers when the hurricane season is and if Bora Bora is safe from tsunamis. Otemanu. By the time the waves got all the way to BB they were about a foot and unnoticable.. We are Ok. Got to experience the first Tsunami warning Bora Bora (and the rest of French Polynesia) has experienced in recent history. On my last visit to Tahiti, I stayed at a resort hotel for my one night layover before catching the ferry to Moorea. Several hours pass and we are all growing despondent. Swim decks have snapped off many of the overwater bungalows due to rising waters. Otherwise another great slow day in FP. Honestly, you would be in far more danger being at a oceanfront location in Singapore than you will be in Bora Bora. My girlfriends & I decided to eat the cost of the airfare rather than risk 6 nights at the Four Seasons OTWB we had booked for 1/25-31. It takes nearly two hours for the airline to sort out who gets the 100 or so seats on the only flight out. Earthquakes in Chile (Northern Chile) with a magnitude of 8.5. It is definitely at a risk of inundation. Yes, it's probably a bit annoying to have a red alert and have nothing come of itbut it's better to be safe than sorry! But really anytime is a good time to visit Bora Bora, since the weather is warm all year-round. lindabora Bora Bora via Tahiti Level Contributor 2 posts 5 reviews 3 helpful votes 4. How long to sail from tahiti to san diego, How long is the flight from miami to bermuda, How to mix bermuda grass seed and sand together. My stay in Tahiti is truly just a stopover, Bora Bora is the main event. Not that Bora Bora is ever THAT busy (Tahiti welcomes in one year the amount of people Hawaii receives in a week!). help to warn individual resorts and if needed help evacuate people to the main island where there is enough space to get high up. How often do tsunamis occur in Bora Bora? This earthquake caused a large tsunami that caused damage to Bora Bora and other areas in the Pacific. Some 90% of the islands have a townhall, mayor, council, firedepartment, local police and gendarmes whom are all well briefed and trained in how to react and have a prepared emergency plan with evacuating procedures etc, all coordinated locally and by the HC's office in Papeete. They pick up guests and bring them to the store to learn about Tahitian black pearls (and of course shop a little though I dont buy anything). Bora Bora. Im told that when the islands get bad storms, the airline will often call guests at their hotel (its a tiny island) and advise them that their flight has been moved up a day due to approaching bad weather. These let your skin breathe and will overall help you stay cooler. 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