Is La Palma Based On A True Story

Okay, let’s get this straight right off the bat. If you’ve just finished binge-watching La Palma on Netflix, you’re probably now side-eyeing your next vacation to the Canary Islands like it’s a ticking time bomb. I get it. The show is a wild, volcanic rollercoaster where a family holiday turns into a literal earth-shattering disaster. But here’s the big question everyone is asking at the dinner table: is this crazy story based on a true event?

The short, reassuring answer is no, La Palma is not a true story. It’s a work of fiction, crafted by Norwegian writers who clearly have a thing for making us clutch our popcorn. Think of it as the love child of a disaster movie and a holiday brochure that got seriously lost in the mail.

Why does it feel so real?

The show is so good at faking it that you start checking the news for a “tsunami warning” in your own backyard. It uses a real place—the beautiful, very real island of La Palma—and slaps a fake catastrophe on top of it. It’s like someone turned your favorite calm cat into a roaring lion for a blockbuster film.

They borrowed the island's terrifying geography. La Palma actually has an active volcano, the Cumbre Vieja, which last erupted in 2021. That real eruption was messy, caused evacuations, and destroyed homes—but it was slow-moving lava, not a dramatic Hollywood cliffhanger. The show took that kernel of truth and inflated it into a mega-tsunami plot.

The “what if” that keeps you up at night

The fictional disaster in La Palma is based on a real scientific theory that sounds like a nightmare you’d have after eating too much cheese. Scientists have wondered: what if a giant chunk of the island’s volcano, the Cumbre Vieja, suddenly collapses into the ocean? The theory suggests it could send a wall of water racing across the Atlantic at the speed of a sports car. But here’s the kicker: most experts say that scenario is about as likely as your Wi-Fi working perfectly on a rainy Tuesday. It’s a theoretical possibility, not a guaranteed future.

It’s like worrying your neighbor’s dog might suddenly learn to breakdance and crash through your window. Could it happen? Technically, yes. Will it? Probably not. The show just ran with the idea and turned it into a hit.

If new Netflix disaster series La Palma is based on a true story

How to watch it without panicking

Think of La Palma the same way you think of Jurassic Park. No one leaves that movie and immediately checks their backyard for velociraptors. You enjoy the adrenaline, jump at the right moments, and then switch on the lights. The show is pure entertainment, not a documentary from National Geographic.

The characters? Completely made up. The family drama? Fiction. The clumsy rescue boats and emotional speeches? All Hollywood magic. The only true thing is the name of the island and that it has a volcano. The rest is a fantasy about what could happen if nature decided to throw a world-class tantrum.

Anecdote time: my own “volcano” panic

I once booked a cabin in the mountains after watching a survival show. For the first two days, I kept a “go bag” by the door and checked for bear tracks every time I went to the bathroom. My husband had to remind me that the scariest thing in that forest was probably a grumpy squirrel. That’s what La Palma does to you. It makes you treat every hidden crack in the earth like a potential apocalypse. Relax. It’s just a story.

Is 'La Palma' Based on a True Story? All About the Real-Life Island’s

The creators even admitted they wanted to “make the audience feel the tension of a real disaster,” but they also made sure to include a ridiculous amount of dramatic coincidences. Because, let’s be honest, no real disaster has that much family drama and perfect timing. Real life is messier and way less scripted.

The bottom line for your travel plans

So, should you cancel your trip to La Palma? Absolutely not. The island is still there, still beautiful, and still not collapsing into the sea. The only thing you need to fear is overpriced hotel towels and sunburn. The show is a fun, fictional nightmare—like a bad dream you can wake up from by hitting “next episode.”

La Palma is based on a true story the same way a pizza is based on a true story about tomatoes. It borrows an ingredient, but the final product is a whole different creation. So watch it, enjoy the ride, and then go book that beach vacation. The only waves you’ll see are the ones you’re splashing in—not a 100-foot disaster.

Just remember: if your flight attendant suddenly looks worried, it’s probably just turbulence. The show stays on the screen.