IC Bora Bora Le Moana Master Thread [merged]
Oct 11, 2007, 11:46 pm
#91
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Did any of you who went to Bora Bora have to have any inoculations? A visa?
Oct 12, 2007, 1:18 am
#92
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Did any of you who went to Bora Bora have to have any inoculations? A visa?
Oct 19, 2007, 5:38 pm
#93
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: BWI
Programs: Priority Club Platinum, UA Mileage Plus Premier
Posts: 5
First time poster, but I was interested in using reward nights to go to Bora Bora in the near future. Thanks for all the great advice! In terms of getting there I did have one question hopefully someone can help me with. Flying from BWI, is there any way I can use my United miles to pay for a flight to PPT. I realize this will probably have to be done via the Star Alliance, but with Air New Zealand ending the non-stops from LAX, can this still be achieved. Not too concerned about segments, layovers, etc.
Oct 20, 2007, 11:32 pm
#94
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My first trip is scheduled for next summer.
Is it true that it's so beautiful and exotic that people prefer not to even have so much as a glass of wine to fully absorb the wonder?
Is it true that it's so beautiful and exotic that people prefer not to even have so much as a glass of wine to fully absorb the wonder?
Oct 21, 2007, 4:46 am
#96
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Re: The truth about Bora Bora
Interesting thread posted by someone in a Tahiti related website:
Re: The truth about Bora Bora - need to know!!
I have been obsessing over Bora Bora for the past year and have been practically camping out on St. Regis Bora Bora website as well as every website related to Bora Bora. My husband hates to travel that far, but promised we can go soon. I need to know if water lagoon in Bora Bora is really that heavenly crystal turquoise color or if hotels enhance these photos to make it look so beautiful? Also, are there fish/sharks in the water under the over water bungalows? If so, that would put a big dumper on my plans to jump and swim in the lagoon by my own OWB. If you have been to Bora Bora - please share the truth! From pictures it looks like the most heavenly place on earth, but I need to know from real trevellers! Thank you so much in advance!
and here is one of the replies:
Yes, the lagoon really does look like that. The color in those pictures is not touched up. I have not stayed at the St Regis, but from what I understand they do not have a ton of fish swimming around them yet. But even if they did, it only adds to the experience. The fish won't bother you at all. And neither will the sharks or the rays. Nothing to worry about at all.
Let me tell you a cute story about the color of the lagoon in Bora Bora. My husband was raised in Hawaii, he also spent 8 years on Guam, has visited a few other islands near Guam and also Jamaica, and we've been toseveral resorts in Mexico. On our way to Bora Bora (a place I always wanted to go), I asked him if he was excited about seeing Bora Bora. He said he's been to a ton of tropical islands...once you seen a few, you've seen 'em all. Tropical islands are tropical islands. He didn't expect Bora Bora to be any different. Well....looking out at the lagoon our first day just totally blew him away. He sat there for the first 3 days just staring at it and saying over and over...I can't believe how beautiful that is. I can't believe the colors. In his mind it just totally blew Hawaii, Guam ,and Jamaica out of the water. Not even close. It really is that beautiful! Take my word for it.
Re: The truth about Bora Bora - need to know!!
I have been obsessing over Bora Bora for the past year and have been practically camping out on St. Regis Bora Bora website as well as every website related to Bora Bora. My husband hates to travel that far, but promised we can go soon. I need to know if water lagoon in Bora Bora is really that heavenly crystal turquoise color or if hotels enhance these photos to make it look so beautiful? Also, are there fish/sharks in the water under the over water bungalows? If so, that would put a big dumper on my plans to jump and swim in the lagoon by my own OWB. If you have been to Bora Bora - please share the truth! From pictures it looks like the most heavenly place on earth, but I need to know from real trevellers! Thank you so much in advance!
and here is one of the replies:
Yes, the lagoon really does look like that. The color in those pictures is not touched up. I have not stayed at the St Regis, but from what I understand they do not have a ton of fish swimming around them yet. But even if they did, it only adds to the experience. The fish won't bother you at all. And neither will the sharks or the rays. Nothing to worry about at all.
Let me tell you a cute story about the color of the lagoon in Bora Bora. My husband was raised in Hawaii, he also spent 8 years on Guam, has visited a few other islands near Guam and also Jamaica, and we've been toseveral resorts in Mexico. On our way to Bora Bora (a place I always wanted to go), I asked him if he was excited about seeing Bora Bora. He said he's been to a ton of tropical islands...once you seen a few, you've seen 'em all. Tropical islands are tropical islands. He didn't expect Bora Bora to be any different. Well....looking out at the lagoon our first day just totally blew him away. He sat there for the first 3 days just staring at it and saying over and over...I can't believe how beautiful that is. I can't believe the colors. In his mind it just totally blew Hawaii, Guam ,and Jamaica out of the water. Not even close. It really is that beautiful! Take my word for it.
Oct 21, 2007, 2:29 pm
#97
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,424
Air NZ do fly Auckland - Papeete, but only twice a week. PPT is in South Pacific according to the United Chart. Doesn't really help you if you're flying from US though.
Oct 22, 2007, 6:18 am
#98
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Wirelessly posted (Portable FT Checker: BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/155)
Will soon have finished my report on Schofs' Travels from my stay here, so watch this space
P.S. Couldn't agree more about Bloody Mary's - you'll see why when you read my report!
Will soon have finished my report on Schofs' Travels from my stay here, so watch this space
P.S. Couldn't agree more about Bloody Mary's - you'll see why when you read my report!
To Paradise And Back on Schofs' Travels
Oct 22, 2007, 2:50 pm
#99
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Reserved PPT-Bora Bora ticket. Will fly NZ 40/41 between AKL-PPT. The Air Tahiti booked me for a flight arriving 1 hour before AZ 41 departs for AKL. Risky? Can I check-in in Pappete for my flight on NZ?
MD
MD
Oct 23, 2007, 6:34 am
#100
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
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Posts: 1,549
Are you seriously arriving at PPT from BOB just 60 minutes before your onward flight to AKL?
You might make the plane (although check-in may well have closed, and the Passport Control staff will almost certainly have closed the entrance to International Departures when they move over to process the passengers arriving from Auckland on your aircraft) but your luggage will be left on the Air Tahiti domestic carousel. It's an impossible connection, because VT don't interline domestic luggage onto international flights.
There is often a wait of up to 45 minutes for luggage from domestic flights to be unloaded onto the carousel.
My rule of thumb for connections at Papeete is to allow a minimum of 90 minutes after international arrival before a domestic connection, and a minimum of 2.5 hours from a domestic flight to an international one. That way if your plane from BOB is 15 minutes late and your luggage takes another 45 minutes to be unloaded you can still make the 5 minute walk to international check-in and know that you have nearly 30 minutes left until check-in closes.
You might make the plane (although check-in may well have closed, and the Passport Control staff will almost certainly have closed the entrance to International Departures when they move over to process the passengers arriving from Auckland on your aircraft) but your luggage will be left on the Air Tahiti domestic carousel. It's an impossible connection, because VT don't interline domestic luggage onto international flights.
There is often a wait of up to 45 minutes for luggage from domestic flights to be unloaded onto the carousel.
My rule of thumb for connections at Papeete is to allow a minimum of 90 minutes after international arrival before a domestic connection, and a minimum of 2.5 hours from a domestic flight to an international one. That way if your plane from BOB is 15 minutes late and your luggage takes another 45 minutes to be unloaded you can still make the 5 minute walk to international check-in and know that you have nearly 30 minutes left until check-in closes.
Oct 23, 2007, 9:24 am
#101
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: New York
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Are you seriously arriving at PPT from BOB just 60 minutes before your onward flight to AKL?
You might make the plane (although check-in may well have closed, and the Passport Control staff will almost certainly have closed the entrance to International Departures when they move over to process the passengers arriving from Auckland on your aircraft) but your luggage will be left on the Air Tahiti domestic carousel. It's an impossible connection, because VT don't interline domestic luggage onto international flights.
There is often a wait of up to 45 minutes for luggage from domestic flights to be unloaded onto the carousel.
My rule of thumb for connections at Papeete is to allow a minimum of 90 minutes after international arrival before a domestic connection, and a minimum of 2.5 hours from a domestic flight to an international one. That way if your plane from BOB is 15 minutes late and your luggage takes another 45 minutes to be unloaded you can still make the 5 minute walk to international check-in and know that you have nearly 30 minutes left until check-in closes.
You might make the plane (although check-in may well have closed, and the Passport Control staff will almost certainly have closed the entrance to International Departures when they move over to process the passengers arriving from Auckland on your aircraft) but your luggage will be left on the Air Tahiti domestic carousel. It's an impossible connection, because VT don't interline domestic luggage onto international flights.
There is often a wait of up to 45 minutes for luggage from domestic flights to be unloaded onto the carousel.
My rule of thumb for connections at Papeete is to allow a minimum of 90 minutes after international arrival before a domestic connection, and a minimum of 2.5 hours from a domestic flight to an international one. That way if your plane from BOB is 15 minutes late and your luggage takes another 45 minutes to be unloaded you can still make the 5 minute walk to international check-in and know that you have nearly 30 minutes left until check-in closes.
They (Air Tahiti) asked me for my outbound flight (NZ 41) and suggested 3:25P departure. I agree that it is too close to my NZ flight and quite risky. Will book 11:10AM flight and will have 5 hours in PPT. Any suggestions for a quick tour of PPT? Thanks.
MD
Oct 23, 2007, 9:29 am
#102
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Boston, MA
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Open for suggestion: Tahiti -> Moorea via ferry
Moorea -> Bora Bora -> PPT - I can't remember the name of the fare I should purchase but isn't there a package fare that would cover these segments cheaper than individually? @:-)
Oct 23, 2007, 10:03 am
#103
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,111
If they suggested this to you, I'd go with it. In case, you don't make it, they will accommodate you on the next flight. I'd bring their suggestion with you just in case but I doubt it's going to be a problem.
Oct 23, 2007, 10:41 am
#104
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: New York
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Did you book via email or fax with them? I've read reports that it's not as simple as just going to their website and booking your flights. I need to book our FP domestic segments for our honeymoon in Jan.
Open for suggestion: Tahiti -> Moorea via ferry
Moorea -> Bora Bora -> PPT - I can't remember the name of the fare I should purchase but isn't there a package fare that would cover these segments cheaper than individually? @:-)
Open for suggestion: Tahiti -> Moorea via ferry
Moorea -> Bora Bora -> PPT - I can't remember the name of the fare I should purchase but isn't there a package fare that would cover these segments cheaper than individually? @:-)
Oct 23, 2007, 10:48 am
#105
Join Date: Apr 2004
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I doubt that Air Tahiti would care if I miss my connection. Anyway, the next NZ flight to Auckland is 6 days later. I would have to go to Rarotonga to get to AKL on time to catch my flight back to US. I think that taking an earlier flight from BOB to PPT is the way to go. No chance for misconnection.