repellent for sand fleas in Belize and Roaton

[gay head]

We are going on the Magic to Roaton and Belize on Decemberv28.I keep reading these posts about how people are bitten by these sand fleas and to bring repellentWhat is the best to bring? Off is what I normally use.Is there anything you can buy on these islands that is better? Or something I could take with me? I had planned to go to Caye Caulker for the day but are they worse over there?

[Relayer]

Merry Christmas and hope you have a blast in just a few days!

 

We have been to Belize and Roatan on five occasions, March and October for the most part. Never have had any issues with sand fleas or any other biting bug. We have always packed the Off brand disposable wipes just in case.

 

Happy sailing!

[OCruisers]

We take along OFF Backwoods for Sportsmen which is available in convenient 1 oz. spray containers.

 

In Roatan on some catamaran excursions with a beach stop ... we were warned to sit in chairs and to never put our towels directly on the sand for seating.

 

We've never had a problem with sand fleas in either Roatan or Belize BUT we do use the OFF Backwoods and never sit directly on the sand.

 

LuLu

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Edited December 25, 2013 by OCruisers

[Podie]

Back Woods Off covered with baby oil takes care of the worst sand flea colonies you can possibly encounter. I just spent a week in Belize and had no problem at all but that was the recommended precaution.

[mousefansmom]

We were in Roatan for a one day Port stop in 2011 and two of the 4 of us were infected with a strain of Malaria (we can only assume it was from here, and the current CDC report is a "moderate" outbreak). It took a year to feel fully better and tons of different medications. Regardless, we are going back-this time we will apply a repellent with DEET or Picaridin frequently before and during the port stop. We were not bothered with sand fleas at all, and don't expect to be this time, especially if we use Picaridin as the most recent studies show it to be more effective on sand fleas (no see-ums).

 

Hope that helps!

[crewsweeper]

And again...for the record...these are sand FLIES! not fleas.

[MeemawCruiser]

So are you affected if you take a city tour with these bug bites - or just experience them at the beach?

We are going on the Magic to Roaton and Belize on Decemberv28.I keep reading these posts about how people are bitten by these sand fleas and to bring repellentWhat is the best to bring? Off is what I normally use.Is there anything you can buy on these islands that is better? Or something I could take with me? I had planned to go to Caye Caulker for the day but are they worse over there?

[OCruisers]

And again...for the record...these are sand FLIES! not fleas.

 

Sure, there can be sandflies.

Just saying ... The BIG problem in Roatan is the sand flea situation.

Sandflies fly.

Sand fleas hop.

 

LuLu

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[OCruisers]

So are you affected if you take a city tour with these bug bites - or just experience them at the beach?

 

It's highly unlikely you'll have any problem with insects on a city tour.

Just use the insect repellent you normally use in other tropical ports of call. :)

 

LuLu

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[Tinkrbell]

We have been to Belize and Roatan many times and have never encountered and sand fleas or sand flies.

[MeemawCruiser]

Thank you for your replies - Meemaw Cruiser ------

 

It's highly unlikely you'll have any problem with insects on a city tour.

Just use the insect repellent you normally use in other tropical ports of call. :)

 

LuLu

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