Dealing with Mosquitoes On A Tropical Vacation

Aah, mosquitoes. The bane of life in the tropics. For people who live in the hot, humid regions of the world, the constant presence of the whining pests is just another annoyance they have to live with. Most have developed a certain tolerance for the pesky insects, or at least a fine-tuned ability to ignore them. Unfortunately, such blasé acceptance escapes most first time visitors to the tropics, who swat, swear and sweat as  they try not to let the clouds of mosquitoes ruin their vacation. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to deal with this irritation.

Preventing mosquito bites

The simplest way is to avoid a tropical vacation when its the rainy season. After a big rainstorm, mosquito infestations tend to rise, as they breed prolifically in the many stagnant pools of water left after the rains. During the rainy season, if the daily showers don’t upset your plans, the daily mosquito attacks probably will. If you really can't stand the thought of being mosquito-prey, try and vacation during the dry season - you’ll have more problems with overheating, but less problems with the bugs.
 

Once you’re in the tropics, the easiest way to protect yourself from dive-bombing mosquitoes is to cover yourself as much as you can. If the material is thin, don’t be surprised if the mosquitoes still bite: sweat soaked cotton isn’t much protection against their determined attacks. Probably the best solution is to wear loose, long sleeved shirts and flowing trousers, which give protection against both insects and sun.

You can also wear hats with netting to prevent attacks on your face, but unless you’re on the beach, on safari, or supremely confident, you can forget about looking sophisticated and un-touristy. If you’re still willing to try them, you can pick one up at sporting goods stores, or order from online travel gear websites.

You can also try camouflage yourself to deter the pests. Mosquitoes tend to be attracted to bright colours, which some people say is because they mistake the cloth for the hide of one animal or the other. The one colour that seems to attract the most attention is black, presumably because it makes them think you’re a zebra. Khaki, beige, olive and other ‘natural’ colours seem to have no particular attractiveness to mosquitoes, perhaps because they make you look like a plant. Dress yourself accordingly.
 

Chemicals to prevent bites

For greater protection, clothing can be soaked in or sprayed with permethrin, which is an insect repellent licensed for use on clothing. If applied according to the directions, permethrin will repel insects from clothing for several weeks.

If you don’t want to spray insect repellent on your clothes, you can do the traditional thing and spray it on yourself. There are literally hundreds of insect repellents available, most of them containing the chemical DEET, the most effective insect repellent available. Of all these preparations, the most popular is Ultrathon, which is the US Military’s insect repellent of choice.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of concern about DEET, as overexposure can have severe effects. Experts recommend that most adults and children over 12 years old use preparations containing a DEET concentration of 20% to 35%, which provides complete protection for an average of five hours. A concentration of 10% or less is recommended for children ages two to 12.

There are also herbal repellents available for vacationers who don’t want to put too much ‘artificial’ chemicals on their skin. These preparations use citronella as the active repelling ingredient. Herbal repellents are generally somewhat less effective than the chemical preparations, and the most effective one appears to be Bite Blocker, which is based on soy-bean, coconut and geranium oils.

Most experts agree that the most complete protection you can have against mosquitoes is to use a DEET-based repellent together with premethrin-soaked clothing. There are any number of repelling wrist bands, repelling plants, sonic repellers and other gizmos being touted effective insect repellents, but they generally don’t perform as well, if at all.
 

Some natural deterrents

Incidentally, for some unfortunate people, their natural body chemistry produces a skin odour that is irresistible to mosquitoes. Some people can blame floral-scented cosmetics,

soaps or shampoos for the cloud of mosquitoes buzzing around them, while some medications for blood pressure and cholesterol can also produce the same effect.

To combat natural or medically-produced animal magnetism, you can try to alter your body chemistry. Most people find that taking garlic for at least two weeks before an expected insect encounter changes their body odour enough to reduce their desirability to mosquitoes.

Some studies also suggest that taking about 25mg to 50mg of vitamin B1 three times per day has the same effect. As with garlic, it takes about two weeks for the odour to fully saturate the skin. If you’re on any form of medication however, you should check with the doctor to make sure taking supplements will not interfere with your medication.

Mosquito proofing your room

Insect repellent and clothing is fine during the day, but what about at night when you’re asleep? You can protect yourself at these times by staying in air-conditioned rooms, or in rooms with a strong fan, as mosquitoes prefer warmer, stiller air. You can also sleep under mosquito netting. Most hotels in the tropics will usually provide you with netting, but if you are travelling in the more remote regions of Asia, Africa or Latin America, you may need to bring your own. Alternatively, you can spray the room with insecticide, such as Raid or Shelltox.

Mosquito coils are also usually provided, and such be used, if you don’t mind the smell. If you do object to the pungent aroma, citronella candles or incense can substitute. Citronella isn’t considered very effective, but burning a candle used in a cool room while sleeping under mosquito netting can be your best bet for a good night’s sleep.

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First published on 12 February 2005. This article is free for personal and commercial reproduction, with the following terms and conditions.