Its summit is Mount Otemanu located in the center of the atoll; another summit, Mount Pahia, on the main island, is 661 m (2,169 ft) high. Privacy Policy. They were dealing with the aftermath of a very large earthquakewhich itself produced a lot of damage and injuries and probably some casualites. All guests from resorts were evacuated to the main island mountains however in the end, no huge tidal wave came. Sodas that we, the paying guests, are being denied. What if Air France doesnt send one of their big, fancy planes to an island just coming up for air after a cyclone? Good. Temperatures dont really change throughout the year. See full Affiliate Disclosure here. I know that there is a coral reef surrounding the bora bora area which will sort of mitigate tsunami waves but other than that I cant seem to find anything.. Definitely not risk free. An underwater volcano in the South Pacific erupted violently on Saturday, causing tsunamis to hit Hawaii, Japan, and Tonga's largest island, Tongatapu -- sending waves flooding into the capital. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. I too will be travelling soon to Bora Bora and want to know asap if you guys get hit and how bad it is. "We do not know yet whether these (waves) are actually tsunami," he told the briefing. The manager says most of the property still has power but they are now evacuating everyone to the spa situated at the very top of the hill. I traveled all of these islands in 2000 & Bora Bora was the most beautiful. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. We cant understand why they wont release us. There will be some crying from the Black Pearl farms looking for more Govt (French) subsidies. Im sure it has a lovely view of the harbor if only it wasnt monsoon season outside. Reinforced steel and concrete combined is a better option. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. These let your skin breathe and will overall help you stay cooler. Ok, fine. Jenny, We leave on Thursday. ATN did divert one flight to Hawaii to be on safe side. Additionally, one person was injured. The main island, located about 230 kilometres (125 nautical miles) northwest . The peak season in Bora Bora is between early August to early October. Scan this QR code to download the app now. ATN did divert one (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? After all, Ive heard Bora Bora is even better than Moorea. ), throw it in my backpack, and make my way up the hill to join the rest of the nervous-looking guests. Finally! This is likely because they were all sleeping soundly instead of plotting an overthrow. I hadn't seen or heard anything about it reaching that far, but does anyone know for sure? Even in milder storms, it does get very windy and wet and you may feel a little cold. Answer 21 of 39: Does anyone have any information about the recently issued tsunami warning? 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. Karine explains that the two options for dinner will be ravioli (from a can that she holds up) or ramen noodles and she will now begin heating them up. Firstis the time of year in relation to the weather. Where to stay in Papeete For my stay in Papeete, I have humble needs - cheap, clean, and functional. That's great!!!!! It seems a little early for power failure. But I dont care because I am ridiculously excited about my morning flight to Bora Bora. I had a couple on Bora Bora the 29 September. These months have the best weather of all the low season months. What country is most likely to have a tsunami? We have 15 minutes to pack and get our bags down to the hotel dock if we want a chance at that flight. You couldve been in that bungalows that supposedly drifted overwater. Thanks Patti. If the whales are in socializing phase, the tour guide may estimate that is safe to get into the water with flippers, diving mask and snorkels. Last Minute Hotels in Bora Bora; By Hotel Type Bora Bora Campgrounds; Bora Bora Hostels; Romantic Hotels Bora Bora; Luxury Hotels Bora Bora; Bora . The further away from the epicenter the better you will be. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For some ideas, check out my list of the best things to do in Bora Bora when it rains. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. The strongest tidal wave registered in French Polynesia so far reached a height of 20 meters. Compared to other countries, these numbers are minuscule and you have little to worry about when visiting Bora Bora for vacation. 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. On the plus side, the front desk clerk is super friendly and helpful. They are able to cross entire oceans without great loss of energy. Earthquakes in Chile (Southern Chile) with a magnitude of 8.5. This time my room is much larger and nicer, which was a lovely surprise after a stressful day. Luckily, Bora Bora lies just outside of the main hurricane belt which is why hurricanes rarely occur in Bora Bora. Bora Bora is undeniably among the world's most beautiful places. The tsunami is expected to. When I thought I was stuck on Bora Bora for another night I e-mailed to cancel my reservation for tonight. Bora Bora is a tropical destination so it has a wet season and a dry season. 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. They are all American and two are even from Atlanta (my hometown). Its worth noting that most hurricanes which do pass through Bora Bora are not this bad and rarely cause any significant damage or injuries. A total of 167 humans died. When they reach an appropriate age they are tagged and released into the Pacific, free to roam where they like. Especially in regions with only few tsunamis, the damage is often drastic, as the population does not expect tsunamis and thus hardly takes any protective measures. anyhoo, back at the airport at 5am trying to get out before the next snow storm. Craig, Kathy, and I dont relax until we all have boarding passes in our hands. It is slowlyreally slowlymoving toward the ocean, but it's been happening for a very long time. Monthly Bora Bora Weather Chart Certainly not horrible but definitely bare bones. My Air France flight isnt until tomorrow morning but its not looking good for me either. Tsunamis in Bora Bora? Ive looked on Google & cannot find any info regarding the effect IF ANY of the recent Tonga EQ and tsunami on Bora Bora. As long as I still have A/C and internet, I could stay here forever. With six nights on Bora Bora, my budget wont allow for $600/night hotels the whole time (and thats what they all are on this island, at a minimum). She warns it is possible well be spending the night in here (which at only noon seems an absurd possibility). Hi, my name is Meg and, you guessed it, I love to travel. No I was here. The mountain in the centre of the island would provide significant refuge for people however, but the towns would still be damaged. But I am worried about getting stuck on the island, missing my next flight, and screwing up the remainder of my Round-the-World itinerary. There will be no maid service or room service but they will try to come by with fresh towels at some point. I'd say it is relatively high risk as it sits in a zone surrounded by subduction zones. I had an OK night of sleep. Its far more pleasant out there even while getting pelted with rain and dirt(which should tell you something about the conditions inside). As we disembark and grab our luggage, boats from the other hotels are approaching right on our heels. 5-star hotel or not, nature stays nature with all its hazards. The tsunami caused damages in 6 further countries. It very rarely rains all day in Bora Bora even in the rainiest month which is January. They are kind enough to allow me to store a bag with them so I can lighten my load a bit for my 6 nights in Bora Bora. The best month to visit Bora Bora in low season would be either November, April or May. Its summit is Mount Otemanu located in the center of the atoll; another summit, Mount Pahia, on the main island, is 661 m (2,169 ft) high. Well, turns out, not great. Earthquakes in Peru (N. Peru) with a magnitude of 7.5. Just about the time wed all given up hope and made peace with the fact that we are going to be spending another night here, Karine comes running up to the pool. Things are looking up but Im still a little concerned about my Air France flight to LAX tomorrow morning. how about future tsunami generated from the after shock? Like most of Bora Boras resorts, its located on its own private motu so the only way to get there is by boat. Bora-Bora is formed by an extinct volcano, surrounded by a lagoon and a fringing reef. The dry season in Bora Bora takes place over the winter months in the island, but note that this is the southern hemisphere winter (the opposite from the winter months in Europe, Asia and America). Staying 17ish hours in a small room full of people (even if the heat is bad) is bearable in these conditions, have you every been stuck for an entire month in an apartment with no A/C ? The gym is an interior room downstairs in the spa building. Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington The few staff that remained on the motu during the storm will be focusing on clean-up and making sure the grounds are safe. I admit it, I have been procrastinating. I gather the essentials (laptop, cell phone, camera, passport, book to read, etc. Stat. Landslide in French Polynesia (Fatu Hiva). I think the way they managed the situation was good considering no one died (after all, it is a tropical cyclone were talking about). Having ample advance notice and having a tsunami warning system in place is key to being able to get to safety in time. Nowadays these racing machines with sophisticated paddles specially shaped for faster speeds are most popular. The next time we crack the door to look out, the huge palm is on the ground exactly where we were just standing. 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. I do take advantage of a local pearl farms free offer of a ride into town. One of the 118 islands of French Polynesia, surrounded by thousands of miles of Pacific Ocean, it's a favorite honeymoon spot. By midnight, the storm has settled a bit and the natives are getting restless after 12 hours in captivity. One dream has stuck with me through thin and thick. One of only a few of its kind in the world (and the only one on Bora Bora) the Meridiens inner lagoon allows guests to learn about and swim with these beautiful creatures. Sometimes, you can listen to the males sing using a directional hydrophone. The best time for blue skies and sunshine. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-21870410', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');InterContinental Le Moana) had very good evacuation protocol. When we land in Papeete the rain is still coming down hard. Tidal wave. My Dad for staying on top of the weather situation (youd be amazed how hard it is to get good weather info for Bora Bora) and texting me updates. And once youre there, youre committed to riding it out. The island is fine and there are no tidal waves or tsunamis as we are protected by our barrier reef! About 50 of us (more than half of the hotel guests) are rushed onto the Hilton boat. 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. Hour after hour drags by with no sign of relief. 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". Otemanu. The next morning as I board the plane, Marc is waiting at the top of the stairs to greet me decked out in full pilot regalia. Every year over the same time period, humpback whales come to French Polynesia from Antarctica. Maybe look at past histories of earthquakes, tectonic activity:). When I make it to the restaurant for breakfast, Karine informs me that there would be no flights and no boats for the day. There are still bands with strong winds passing over us, but the worst is over. The rain is still pounding and the water is dark and murky. Luxurious hotels, each one trying to surpass the others, in terms of elegance and comfort If a hurricane poses any sort of danger then your hotel or resort will evacuate you and take you to safety. Dinner is served as flies continue to buzz around the room. Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes or other seismic eruptions on ground of an oceans and can cause massive tidal waves, which run with enormous force on land, causing great devastation. Bring blow dryer, flat iron and specific anti-frizz products. US TV host Jimmy Kimmel was actually staying at the Four Seasons Bora Bora at the time and even wrote a hilarious article about his experiences of being evacuated. Bora Bora Itinerary: What To Do For A Week In Bora Bora, InterContinental Thalasso vs Four Seasons, Does Bora Bora Have Volcanoes? I hope to go back someday under better circumstances. Needless to say, after that, all field trips are canceled and its back to the fly-infested oven. On my last visit to Tahiti, I stayed at a resort hotel for my one night layover before catching the ferry to Moorea. I hadn't seen or heard anything about it reaching that far, but does anyone know for sure? 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. Within the confines of the spa, the gym is a single room that barely exceeds the approximate square footage of my bungalow. I dont know if any of you have ever arrived at your hotel by boat but I must say, its a pretty awesome experience. Tsunamis In French Polynesia Information on the island is limited, but thanks to internet access (and a little help from my Dad back home) Ive been keeping an eye on the storm myself. 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. The thousands that died in 5-Stars hotels in Southeast Asia with the 2004 tsunami didnt have that chance and absolutely no warning. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Yesterday there was about 3 ft between platform and water. 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. 3 minute read January 15, 2022 8:59 PM UTC Last Updated ago . And how bad it is exactly where we were just standing there was about 3 ft between platform water... 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