Bora Bora Master Thread

[ual902]

When is BOB off peak season?

How bad is the weather in BOB during off peak?

[AJK]

When is BOB off peak season?

How bad is the weather in BOB during off peak?

GIYF.

[AJK]

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!

Had a hard time visualizing, but this helped:



Green = AA miles
Red = US miles
Blue = BA Avios

[ual902]

Had a hard time visualizing, but this helped:



Green = AA miles
Red = US miles
Blue = BA Avios

LOVE IT, just added this to my bucket list

[ML1219]

If you guys are impressed with that, imagine what it would've looked like if AA didn't eliminate the free stopovers at international gateway city

"Hi, I'd like to book a flight from Guayaquil to Kauai" 

LOVE IT, just added this to my bucket list

Here's a tip that will help you from personal experience - if you're searching on BA.com and you're not getting any availability, don't automatically assume it doesn't exist. Do a dummy booking on LAN's website and see if it prices out to the lowest mileage level (the equivalent of saver for AA) - I can't promise it will be available to OW airlines, but it has been frequent enough that it's probably worth spending 5 minutes to PUTPAC AA and double-check. Especially so with the more obscure destinations like IPC, PPT, GPS etc.

[avadah]

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

The ferry was discussed on Travelisfree.com. Email him. He replies. As opposed to....ahem...cough cough. 

[Dan]

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

When I looked into the ferry years ago I don't think it was particularly cheap.

As opposed to....ahem...cough cough. 

Sorry for figuring that making a forum and answering 35,000 times on a forum where others can benefit is a better use of my time than individually answering those people where noone else can benefit

[avadah]

Sorry for figuring that making a forum and answering 35,000 times on a forum where others can benefit is a better use of my time than individually answering those people where noone else can benefit

It's ok. Just don't do it again. 

[ual902]

@ML1219,

 My main conecern would be getting the OWB,s @ BOB

[Yaalili]

The only thing that is firm so far is 2 nights at IC Thalasso (where it books into an OWB) since availability is uber-scarce. The rest of the itinerary i'm less concerned about - it will be some mix of the different IC's and Hilton's around PPT/MOZ/BOB, but i haven't researched those yet.

@ML1219,

 My main conecern would be getting the OWB,s @ BOB

Seems like he is getting one.

[ML1219]

@ML1219,

 My main conecern would be getting the OWB,s @ BOB

If you can find award availability at the IC Thalasso, you will be confirmed into an OWB

If you're willing to spend an ungodly amount of SPG points, you can probably secure one at the LM and St. Regis as well

[Yaalili]

If you're willing to spend an ungodly amount of SPG points, you can probably secure one at the LM and St. Regis as well

Anyone else thinking of couples retreat now? Was a great way for that hotel to get all that popularity.

[avadah]

If you can find award availability at the IC Thalasso, you will be confirmed into an OWB

They won't try to first book you into one  of those 5 standard rooms?

[jaywhy]

If you guys are impressed with that, imagine what it would've looked like if AA didn't eliminate the free stopovers at international gateway city

"Hi, I'd like to book a flight from Guayaquil to Kauai" 


Here's a tip that will help you from personal experience - if you're searching on BA.com and you're not getting any availability, don't automatically assume it doesn't exist. Do a dummy booking on LAN's website and see if it prices out to the lowest mileage level (the equivalent of saver for AA) - I can't promise it will be available to OW airlines, but it has been frequent enough that it's probably worth spending 5 minutes to PUTPAC AA and double-check. Especially so with the more obscure destinations like IPC, PPT, GPS etc.

I love your routing. Good job working the charts.

[ML1219]

They won't try to first book you into one  of those 5 standard rooms?

The 5 "standard" rooms are OWBs. I assure you of that. I think Dan even had a post a year or 2 ago about it

[ML1219]

I love your routing. Good job working the charts.

Thanks! If I enjoy BOB enough, maybe next time I'll route there through NRT or AKL 

[Yaalili]

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

From beginning of FEB they will be operating the 787 on that route, will you be returning on it?

[ual902]

From beginning of FEB they will be operating the 787 on that route, will you be returning on it?

WOW sounds even better with the 787 option. I also checked BOB IHG Thalasso for 50K IHG OWB calendar and if your pretty flexible they got some good availability for the IHG OWB.

[ML1219]

From beginning of FEB they will be operating the 787 on that route, will you be returning on it?

Dang too bad I missed it, but I believe I will still be on the 767. But for a a 5-6 hour flight, it's not the biggest deal in the world

[Yaalili]

Dang too bad I missed it, but I believe I will still be on the 767. But for a a 5-6 hour flight, it's not the biggest deal in the world

Most of their 767s have been redone, and are pretty nice and lie-flat.