Bora Bora Master Thread

[AJK]

?

Not sure what you're try no to say...

[MichaelA]

Pics? size?

Here ya go..

So one was a Tuna, and the other was..... (can't remember the name) but a cousin of the tuna LOL. 

[Emkay]

Here ya go..

So one was a Tuna, and the other was..... (can't remember the name) but a cousin of the tuna LOL. 

Any chance you know if thats a skipjack tuna?

[MichaelA]

Any chance you know if thats a skipjack tuna?

Yes, indeed it was

[Emkay]

Yes, indeed it was

(pats himself on the back )

[ML1219]

Going there in January, taking the ultra-long route through SCL/IPC

Anyone ever bring in kosher food into PPT? What is customs like there (and in Chile for that matter)?

The shul looks pretty cool, anyone ever been to it?

[AJK]

Going there in January, taking the ultra-long route through SCL/IPC

Awesome. Spending any time in IPC?

[daganster]

Going there in January, taking the ultra-long route through SCL/IPC

Anyone ever bring in kosher food into PPT? What is customs like there (and in Chile for that matter)?

The shul looks pretty cool, anyone ever been to it?

How did you book your ticket/hotel?

[ML1219]

Awesome. Spending any time in IPC?

Yep, roughly a day on each end. Safe to assume I won't find any IPC trip reports or threads on this flight, or what to do about kosher? (I haven't researched yet, but I'm assuming I'll have more trouble getting meat by Lima and Santiago customs than I will IPC or PPT)

How did you book your ticket/hotel?

For all the flack we give US Airways agents about their geography skills, fortunately they are aware (or at least believed me when I told them) that IPC is geographically part of South America, unlike the airline they are merging with 

So used AA miles to get to Northern South America on the cheap, then 30K round trip intra-S.A. business class award to IPC**, then a separate Avios awad IPC-PPT round trip. Total 90K miles (only intra-S.A. flights are in Business). Haven't figured out hotels yet aside from 2 nights at each IC in BOB


**Yes, you are reading that right. I will be doing over 10K miles of flying in flat beds for 30K Dividend Miles. Yes, I will greatly miss the US Airways award chart when it goes away 

[AJK]

So what's exact routing and mileage costs?

[Yaalili]

Yep, roughly a day on each end. Safe to assume I won't find any IPC trip reports or threads on this flight, or what to do about kosher? (I haven't researched yet, but I'm assuming I'll have more trouble getting meat by Lima and Santiago customs than I will IPC or PPT)

For all the flack we give US Airways agents about their geography skills, fortunately they are aware (or at least believed me when I told them) that IPC is geographically part of South America, unlike the airline they are merging with 

So used AA miles to get to Northern South America on the cheap, then 30K round trip intra-S.A. business class award to IPC**, then a separate Avios awad IPC-PPT round trip. Total 90K miles (only intra-S.A. flights are in Business). Haven't figured out hotels yet aside from 2 nights at each IC in BOB


**Yes, you are reading that right. I will be doing over 10K miles of flying in flat beds for 30K Dividend Miles. Yes, I will greatly miss the US Airways award chart when it goes away 

Might find some info on it here - http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=5649.0. Very interesting routing you did there.

[ML1219]

So what's exact routing and mileage costs?

1) JFK-->BOG - 17.5K AA miles
2) BOG-->IPC-->GYE (via SCL in both directions) - 30K Dividend Miles for J (coach was only 5K less, so a no-brainer)
3) IPC-->PPT-->IPC - 25K Avios
4) GYE-->JFK - 17.5K AA miles

I could've done the boring 75K in coach to get to PPT the "normal" way, but I figured it would be worth it for an extra 15K to be in flat beds for half the trip and see some awesome places along the way

Might find some info on it here - http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=5649.0. Very interesting routing you did there.

Thanks!

[ML1219]

One thing i will ask, and I'd be shocked if anyone here can help me but thought I'd toss it out there...

There is apparently a cargo/ferry of some sort that goes between PPT and the other islands (including BOB) several times a week and carries passengers. It's an overnight trip, but if it saves $500 x 2 in costs, I'd probably be ok with it

Problem is, other than reading some hearsay on it, I can't find any legitimate information in English about this.

This is on LonelyPlanet:

The cargo ship Vaeanu (41 25 35) makes three trips a week between Pape'ete and Bora Bora (via Huahine, Ra'iatea and Taha'a), leaving Pape'ete on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5pm; it leaves Bora Bora on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

That's all the info they have. No contact info, no website, no costs, no capacity. And Google is not being much help

[Yaalili]

That's all the info they have. No contact info, no website, no costs, no capacity. And Google is not being much help

Call up one of the good hotels there, they are always great source for tourist information. Did this on many past trips when not too much info was available.

[Drago]

1) JFK-->BOG - 17.5K AA miles
2) BOG-->IPC-->GYE (via SCL in both directions) - 30K Dividend Miles for J (coach was only 5K less, so a no-brainer)
3) IPC-->PPT-->IPC - 25K Avios
4) GYE-->JFK - 17.5K AA miles

I could've done the boring 75K in coach to get to PPT the "normal" way, but I figured it would be worth it for an extra 15K to be in flat beds for half the trip and see some awesome places along the way

Thanks!

Love it. Great use of different currencies and maximizing their reward charts.