BUGS ~ I get bit VERY easily. Should I stay on ship???

[RQINFL]

Reading a lot of posts about bug bites in Roatan. If there is a bug that bites, I get bitten. Should I stay on the ship in Roatan? I don't want to have a ton of bug bites. Thanks~

[sdmike]

None of the 11 on our trip got any bug bites. We did a zipline, hung out with Victor Bodden's monkeys, and went to Infinity Bay beach for an afternoon. No bugs. No bites.

 

Roatan is gorgeous. If you are worried about bugs put on some bug spray and go enjoy yourself. I would not be a captive in my cabin.

[mikel24m]

Very nice Island you shouldnt miss it . My better half got bit up really bad by sand flies(not fleas) you dont even see them until you itch. She didnt put on bug spray I did .Get some deep woods off and enjoy its a great place to visit

 

 

Mike

[Honeyroastedmelnut]

Try to avoid eating bananas or other foods high in potassium the day before you get to Roatan. Mosquitos and Sand Fleas/No-See-Ums are attracted to the potassium. Found this out when my banana loving Grandma kept getting eaten alive at the beach (in FL) and I never had a bite.

Also try bug-spray with DEET. You can get it in the camping/hunting section at Wal-mart for a few bucks.

[Seekup]

I seem to be a bug magnet as well, but repellent with a high concentration of deet (20-25%) kept them away while in Roatan.

 

Get out there!

[lovevacadays]

I get bit very easily as well and end up with very red and swollen bites. We were in Roatan in November and used Deet. I didn't get one bite and loved, loved this island. Don't stay on the ship - you will miss a bit of paradise if you do.

[Fourseventeen]

Big thing there is sand fleas. If you dont go out on the sand you will likely avoid those. When we were there last year we seen tons of people on the ship with red flea bites all over their legs and some on arms and other parts of body. We used lots of bug spray and we only walked across the sand to enter the water...never stood in the sand or layed out yet we still ended up with a couple flea bites.

[mikel24m]

Its my understanding they are not sand fleas but sand flies and you dont even know they are there until they bite you .Use bug spray and your good

 

Mike

[jdvmd]

A few years ago, our group of 19 went to West Bay and did a day pass to the Mayan Princess. I had read ahead of time about the sand fleas and to bring insect repellent. I was the only person to use the spray. I also sat on the water's edge after snorkeling and played in the sand. Thought what a great day, no insect bites, didn't even see any etc. WRONG! The next morning, I had hundreds of red marks/bites all over my body -- only in the places that the sand touch. I put anti-itch and antibiotic creams over the areas as well as took Benadryl. I was miserable for several days.

[2112]

I have read from multiple sources that the best defense against no-see-ums/sand flees/sand flies that are common in Roatan is Avon Skin So Soft. The bugs can't bite through it (it gums up their teeth) and is much more effective than insect repellent against them. You should bring some insect repellent too as the Skin So Soft will not work against mosquitos (should there be any mosquitos).

[Roatan1]

. The bugs can't bite through it (it gums up their teeth) and is much more effective than insect repellent against them. ).

:eek::eek: Flies with teeth??:eek:

[cdamion]

I was in Roatan for a week. Sand flies were TERRIBLE at West Bay Beach. I had very high concentration of Deet and it helped a little. It was bad enough that I dont want to go back to West Bay Beach again.

 

I was fine everywhere else on the island, and will definitely return to Roatan. Once you get away from Coxen Hole (the town where the ships dock) it is one of my favorite places in the Caribbean.

[acumenhokie]

We had a much bigger problem with bugs in Costa Maya then we did in Roatan. It all depends on what time of year you go. If you have bug spray with Deet you should be fine.

[kcfoxy]

I was in Roatan for a week. Sand flies were TERRIBLE at West Bay Beach. I had very high concentration of Deet and it helped a little. It was bad enough that I dont want to go back to West Bay Beach again.

 

I was fine everywhere else on the island, and will definitely return to Roatan. Once you get away from Coxen Hole (the town where the ships dock) it is one of my favorite places in the Caribbean.

 

I've read there is some sort of season for these no see 'em pests, and also that the West Bay beach is supposedly sprayed each evening with some sort of insecticide. We were planning to do a little trip to see the monkeys, have a nice lunch near Bananarama's and then an hour or so at the beach...May 5th will be our day in port this coming Spring, and do plan to use both sunscreen and insect repellant....

[forever cruise]

Is there a time of year sand flies are worse? Anyone know anything about the effectiveness of cactus juice for these?

[Roatan1]

Is there a time of year sand flies are worse? Anyone know anything about the effectiveness of cactus juice for these?

Sand flies can be a problem anytime of the year, it's the tropics so never enough temp change to scare them away. Cactus juice works for some, some swear by it, It has also never been through any testing as to effectiveness or safety, It does nothing for me or my wife, we use deet products. If you use a product other times that you know works for repelling biting critters then it should work here.

[watchdiva]

I've started using a new all natural product Nature's Veil which is available in several stores across the Island. It's 100% natural and is a mixture of several different oils, a little alcohol and is said to last 6 hours. I've used it twice now and both times had NO problem with either mosquito or no-seeum bites! So far I'm happy with the product (and it doesn't have that "bug spray" odor)!

[Roatan1]

While there are some all natural products out there, and Watchdivas suggestion may be a great one but without some sort of testing validating they work and more importantly their safety I am often skeptical. Remember, in many places there is no real epa or health department requirements. Just because something is all natural means little when you figure things like anthrax are found naturally in nature. Check out cactus juice, On Roatan it has a sticker saying its a repellant, in the US it does not becaue to be called a repellent in the US requires testing so it is labeled as a skin care product which requires much less in order for it to be sold. While not common for cruisers there is still a chance of insect borne sickness.

[twodjs]

We got back from a crusie to both Costa Maya and Roatan a couple of weeks ago. We also had much bigger problem with bugs at Costa Maya at the Mayan ruins. I'm normally am eaten alive by bugs - but used the deep woods brand in the towelettes (25% DEET) and had NO bites! My wife who usually doesn't attract bugs and didn't use the towelettes had tons of bites. Didn't notice the problem so much in Roatan - but snorkeled at Upachaya which is more isolated and away from West Bay. Awesome experience! Loved Roatan. Use bug repellent with DEET and get out there!