I just returned from Hanioti.

It is almost empty place. More than 80-90% of tourists are gone. Many Greeks (hotel, apartments, and restaurant owner) are gone too which was very disappointing for me. What they should expect from tourists than. Last evening there was just "Gusto Italiano" restaurant opened. All Gyros fast food restaurants was closed. Supermarkets are opened, some shops but it is generally extremely empty and said place. Two days ago Hanioti was center of light and fun, now...
I saw that full bus of English tourists leave Calypso Hotel. In the evening whole town was under heavy smoke. It was extremely huge fire, now it is moved to the south of Kassanda. I think that almost 50% of forest on Kassandra are gone.

This morning wind was very strong (I received information from my friend which left Hanioti today) and he saw smoke almost from Kalithea. Beaches are very dirty because of ash. Smaller particles of ash are falling on Hanioti carried by wind. Pools are dirty, water in see too.

I hope that things should be better very soon but not less that one week. IT WAS ENORMOUS DISASTER, BUT IT IS EXCELLENT THAT THERE WAS JUST 2 VICTIMS. GOD HELP TO TOURISTS BUT PARADISE PLACE IS RUINED.

I would just like to inform anybody that is about to depart for their holidays to Halkidiki that there is no danger and don't be put off coming.

Was it bad? Yes it was.

Is it a disaster? No it isn't. Everybody WAS running scared wondering whether they WERE in danger, if their homes/businesses/cars were on fire andif they would ever recover from such terrible events.

How are things now? The effort of the locals to restore order and normality has been outstanding. Everybody taking part in their own little clean up operations. After a meeting with the local shop owners, everybody is converging on the square at 7AM to clean up any remaining damage or anything affected by the smoke and ash, not fire. I can count on one hand how many hours sleep my wife has had in the last 3 days. Many of the villagers risked their own lives keeing Hanioti village the beautiful and safe holiday destination that it was and still is. We owe them a debt of gratitude. The very night after the main fire, as soon as we had electricity and water, we were open. The next night, everything was open. So things are pretty good considering....

What about the smoke and ash? Yes the last few days have been affected by smoke but every day gets better and better. A little smoke was to be expected as thousands of square metres of countryside went up in flames. The ash, well, nothing a good hosing or sweeping hasn't sorted.

I am speaking for Hanioti but I am sure this is being repeated up and down the peninsular by other villages.

So, if you are planning to visit, there is a friendly welcome waiting for you and please dont abandon us for the sake of a lot of exaggeration and sacremongering.

Leigh & Eleni

The Hot Goblin

Lee can we some pictures please for proof.

Not only the good parts but also the places that have been burnt, the beach including the outskirts of the town that was affected.

Leigh, pass on everyones best wishes from over here to those affected. If I had a holiday booked then I would be back, never mind I will have to wait until 2007 for my next hols.

The beaches are untouched apart from some ash hthat had fallen on them.
Most of the damage has been done to the woodland in the interior where most holiday makers don't go and don't know about.
On the outskirts of the towns there are burnt trees and a few burnt houses but in the centres you wont even know what has happened.
Some do panic and over dramatise things

So, Roy, Leigh, Sakis and other (which run some kind of busines on Kassandra) if everything is just like you said, than where are tourists from other parts of Greece? Why so many of them and even appartments, bars and shops owner left Hanioti and change it for safety and "clean air" of Thessalonici?

I do not own or run any business here so get your facts right.
If you take the time to go to to the area you will see that the air is clean again.
Of course it was smoky while the fires were burning.
Also check with the tour operators and you will see that flights and tourist are coming back to the area so don't try to scare people away

Oopa ! Sorry Roy that was my fault thought you were the skuba diving Roy.

But you are right cant speak for other nationalities but the English are definately on their way.

RAZ
We are in daily contact with our best greek friends who own the central cafe in hanioti, these people areHUMAN BEINGS after all, they are totally devasted by the events o0f the last few days.SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE LEFT THE VILLAGE TO REMOVE YOUNG BABIES , CHILDREN. AND ELDERLY PEOPLE,who could not cope with the effects of the smoke-we too would protect our vunrable.90% OF THE VILLAGE PEOPLE WORKED TOGETHERto deal with the fire-putting there own lives at risk, many worked around the clock, TO DEAL WITH A DISASTER THAT THEY HAD NO CONTROL OVER.
The POSITIVE actions of the buissness and village people will restore normality to hanioti- it is still a place of great beauty with still so much to offer, yes you will still be able to see the burnt foreste ect- but look beyond that, these will replace themselves in time,but the effects of the fire will be in the villagers minds for a long time to come.
These people have to carry on, it is there life, there homes and there livley hood,please dont forget how hard these people have to work during the season just to earn a living-having to keep familys through the long winter months.- i think you need a reality check- how would you have reacted???.
The village p eople will unite together, they dont turn there backs on hard work-HANIOTI WILL RISE AGAIN, THE NATURAL BEAUTY WILL RETURN
Please give some thought and compassion to these people, they need our love and support more than ever, hanioti and its people are fantastic people, hard working human beings--they still have two months of a season still to cope with, lets all be positive and give them all our support.
WE SEND OUR THOUGHTS AND BEST WISHES TO THE PEOPLE OF HANIOTI, SEE YOU ALL SOON. TAKE CARE.
SHERRILYN, STEVE

Well Said Steve xx

I think the post should change into " Good News from Hanioti ".
The fire was here , yes , we have tasted it very much !
It was around us , but we fought it , we protect our guests , we protect our properties. We offered food all night , water , milk, place to sit and calm away from the fire.
Everybody was awake trying to put down the fire, which was big, quick and sudden. Nobody expected it.
And we have managed to survive with few to none damages. The resort is ok, ALL the hotels are ok and open and operates fully, among the thousands of people there were only 26 people with breathing problems.
The air is getting better every day, their are no ashes because we have cleaned them.
Hanioti ,Polihrono, Pefkohori, Nea Skioni and their people, do not need luck , we had a lot of it 2 days ago,or any more of those negative thoughts.
We need your support and your positive thinking.We need your kindness, we need you to say that you are thinking of us.
Kassandra will be reborn from their ashes.
The sun stills shines and it is so bright and you can see that, because their is no smoke.
Thank you all of you that you think of us and you will come back again !

hi in Hanioti
my wife and I will be returning for our fourth visit next month, keep up the good spirit and as some have said alot of it is scaremongering and I'm sure it will retain the friendly and welcoming spirit regardless of the surrounding disaster as it has been called.
See you soon
Gordon & Christine

Hey Everyone,

First of all I hope everyone effected by the fire in hanioti are ok and all is well, I cant imagine what it must of been like for the residents of the areas I can only say I hope everything works out for the best and good luck.

I would just like to know if anyone would be able to help answer a few questions that I have reguarding a holiday I have booked in hanioti next month?

Firstly I am staying at the Renaissance Hotel and would like to know if its ok and how much its been effected by the fire (also any information in general would be good to as I have never been to halkidiki or Greece before, whats it like etc?)

Secondly I booked my holiday in Hanioti because of its excellent reviews of the area, people, culture and activities have any of these been effected becuase of the fire? For example the village I hear is amazing with great people and places to eat, and just sit with a cool drink and relax to the sunset is this vision of Hanioti I have still the same after the fire? Also the beach I have heard is one of the best around I hope this is still the amazing setting it has been portrade to me?

Lastly I try not to believe everything I see in the newspapers but being a London city worker its hard to by-pass something you read everyday. I have as some people have to seen some awlful pictures of burnt houses, supermarkets, bars, parasols, sunbeds and what worries me is the caption always relates to Hanioti, so what is really going on there and what does Hanioti look like from all views? (Any images would be great)

One last thing really what I think tourists want to know 'what are we going to see when we get to Greece, and Hanioti, what should we expect and is this fire going to effect our holiday in anyway, if so how?

Sorry again for any loss but it is nice to hear that there are places in the World where people come together in time of need, and more than anything thats whats making me more excited about visiting Halkidiki, Hanioti.....Friendlyness and care for there country (it must be a fantastic place).

Any replys would be great.

Thanks

Macintosh

Hi Macintosh

I work in London, St James' and I am off to Hanioti in the morning. (9th time). I am sure when you get there you will fall in love with the place as do most people who go ...there is just something about it and its' people. Enjoy...

Shirley

Again I would like to reiterate Macintosh's concerns and would repeat his request for current images from Hanioti. I am sure the people are nice, but we need to see images of what it looks now, not what it looked like when it was ideal.

Hi Macintosh
Do not worry about your holiday Hanioti and its people will make you welcome. I have been going there for 15 years and still love it as much as ever. You will see that so many people have to return year after year. Not all of the area is fire damaged, If you belive what the doom merchants have to say the fire is about to spread to Atheens! My wife and I will staying at the Renaissance Hotel 18/25 Sept and are looking forward to seeing all our friends. Iam sure you will have a good time and bet you a large Metaxa you will want to return.

Alan

I think you will find that they are not allowing people in as a wedding party was sent home, are you british if so why send people out there was you in the fire NO proberly not I WAS so was my Daughter and we ran for our lives, first choice have condemend buildings due to smoke damage, its not a good place to be this year so do us brits a favour and if you dont know that facts dont upset people and tell them they are safe, i does look like you have a finacial interest!!!!

I do know the facts as I am still here.I was on fire watch all night when it happened keeping just ahead of it to act as an early warning.The tourists are back in the villages.There is no danger as the fire happened days ago .A few places still smell of smoke but the areas in the villages have been cleaned and the wind has taken the smoke away.
The beaches are clean the sun is shining the air is clear and everywhere is open.I could post some photos taken last year in Hanioti and ones taken today and you wouldn't see the difference or I could show you the burnt super market and a couple of houses on the edge of the forest that got burnt and it would look bad.
So please unless you are in the area now do not scare people with what happened on the night.
Yes it was bad but it is now over and it is safe.
And before you ask I don't own a business over here I am on a long holiday same as I do every summer

Anyone would think that the Tour Operators started this fire by reading some of the comments here. Well done the Reps in difficult circumstances!!
Leigh

Agree

It was an almost impossible situation for the tour operators. Finding people, let alone dealing with them, would have been almost impossible on Monday night.