Hi everyone,

I am trying to finalize our plans to visit Bonaire for the 1st time in September. I have been seriously considering staying at Divers Paradise as it looks like an affordable package and a nice place to stay.

The only possible problem is that I am pretty allergic to mosquito bites and they do not have screens on the windows. The bedroom has A/C and we could probably keep the door closed at all times (although I know they might still find their way in).

I will be bringing a wide variety of repellents (herbal, DEET, electronic) and am even considering a mosquito net. I suppose by keeping all the windows shut in the early morning and evening hours that might help too, but I have no idea how warm it might get inside.

Does anyone have any first hand experience of dealing with mosquitoes at Divers Paradise or some other accommodation without screens? Should I break down and try a more expensive package somewhere with screens?

Thanks in advance,
Laurie

The mosquitoes are not to bad because of the constant breezes. The only place I really had a problem was in the restaurants where the mosquitoes hid under the tablecloths. Deet for you and spray for the room should be enough. Most of the places I have seen don't have a lot of screens especially on the doors. Besides you will be outside most of the time anyway, the life on Bonaire is lived outside.

you can find very affordable misquito netting ( like $ 10 for a double size) and all the repllents you need at the Tong Fong variety store on the island..we call it the Chinese store , it has everything...then you don't have to carry with you

My wife too has severe problems with misquitoes. When we stayed at the Carib Inn and the Divi, she got bitten often. The bits would raise, turn extremely red to the size of a half dollar and I understand they hurt quite a bit. She met a woman who was a doctor and it she suggested that my wife to to town and get hydrocortisone (I think 2%) and bacitracin and mix them together in equal parts and apply several times a day. It helped relieve the swelling and itch. Now we bring the mixture with us to Bonaire.

You might want to check into a few other places that are just a few dollars more per night... My husband and I stay at Hamlet Oasis also called Hamlet Bonaire. They have direct water access and dive operation on site. And there are screens on the windowa including a sliding door.

We have stayed at the Plaza the past 2 February's. I am also very sensitive to mosquitos and found the worst place was the dive locker at the Plaza dive shop. During the day it was bad, but forget it at dusk or night.

I'm pretty sensitive to mosquitoes; even when nobody else is getting bitten, they find me, and they welt up and itch like a sonofagun. The worst is when they find the tender skin around the eyes -- I look like someone slugged me. I even had my eyelids swell shut on me once. Sunny daytime isn't a problem, except for very shaded spots. Evenings and nights are the worst. Keep the bedroom door closed, and use the A/C at night. Giving the bed sheets a very light mist of bug spray right before climbing in seems to help. Spray down any body parts that might sneak out from under the sheet at night. If you go out to dinner in the evening, definitely spray from the waist down if you're wearing shorts (long pants are preferable for those who are sensitive!). My legs are scarred up from the bites I got when forgetting that rule.

The absolute worst spot for mosquitoes -- in dive gear that's been hanging up overnight! They seem to love the black of my BC and wetsuit. I get -clouds- of the things... If your wife is highly sensitive, I suggest that you be the one to take down hanging gear and put it in gear bags.

The one bit of good news about Bonairean mosquitoes is that they're wimps. They seem to be cowed by pretty much anything on the market that purports to protect against mosquitoes. We travel with the kids' version of "Off", which has a low percentage of DEET. New England skeeters laugh at the stuff, so we don't use it here, but it works great on us adults in Bonaire...

Faith

Hi everyone
Is the mosquitoes problem, a year round problem? We will be visiting during the middle of July. Should we bring long pants for the evenings?
2nd question. Since we get very thirsty after diving how do you keep your drinks cool in a truck baking by the shore line? Or does everyone drink hot water. Is the water really as safe to drink as everyone claims (especially after being heated by the sun)?
Thanks for any tips
Carter

The water is very safe. Freeze a plastic bottle and it will melt while your diving. Water will stay cold through a couple dives and then go back and get the next bottle.

I don't think you should have a mosquito problem in July as the rainy season should be long over by then. Someone else will jump in here with more details....I have not been there in July, but I don't think it should be an issue at that time of the year. At least in most places on Bonaire. Can't hurt to take a little deet just in case for that dusk/dawn period of time on bare ankles and the like. Have fun! Carole

I'm a July visitor. I left the island with hundreds of little red bites on my legs. I don't know what bit me but they didn't hurt, just looked funny! There are mosquitos and other bugs but I didn't find them overwhelming. I'll use a little more bug spray in the evenings this year.

We usually travel in the end of July and the beginning of August. Last year was the first time that we were even slightly annoyed by the bugs. I think last year was a little wetter than normal.

Even so, the bugs really only were out around dusk. We found that they loved the areas under the tables at restaurants. We made a habit of pulling up the table cloths to let the bugs out before we put our legs under.

The water is very safe, and very good. Even warm it's good, which is the mark of water that's REALLY good, not just cold enough to mask the taste. Water will stay pretty cool on the shade, or you can do that freeze thing.

BUG TECH: Door should ALWAYS be closed to your BR. AC in BR on low from the late afternoon on. Later, go in BR and kill anything that moves. Get an electric squash racquet at the Chinese Store to kill them with. A half hour before sundown, close up your rooms/apartment, whatever. Keep it closed up until morning except to go in and out. Long pants in the evening. Add socks with sandals to the pants if you're especially sensitive to bugs. Rinse off salt ASAP after dive, I think it attracts them.

Seb, you've got the drill down pat! Great suggestions and observations! Carole

I hate falling asleep while diving Carole. A slight chill in the BR keeps the covers on you and the bugs slow down.

Seb has it right...one September, didn't get one bit, last July, I was akin to Faith...I had welts all over withing the first two days, and they itched like a son-of-a-gun!

I usually get bitten like crazy with big red welts. I've been in July several times and March, August and November. There's always been a low level of mosquitoes but I think that after it rains there are more mosquitoes out. I have found that if I put DEET (25%) on for dinner and do as Seb says with the AC in the bedroom, you should be fine. Although, I always bring a mosquito net for the few mosquitoes that linger.

So am I to understand that this will be an issue year-round? My fiance and I planning our honeymoon there next March and it is our first time. Is March in the rainy season? Will we be eaten to death?

OK, no, it's not like Belize, Julie, where you are the menu. Sometimes after a lot of rain the bugs get thick. They are mostly wimp bugs tho, so long pants for dinner and the other strategies I outlined above make it pretty easy to avoid being on the menu,it is alleged.

A few suggestions based on our 10+ trips to Bonaire:

My wife, who is also very sensitive to mosquito bites, uses "Cactus Juice", a natural insect repellant. Comes both in a lotion and a spray. The lotion is also an SPF-15 sunscreen. I have found it at some, but not all, locations of Bed, Bath & Beyond. She uses it both day and evening (and evenings are usually the worse time).

I use industrial strength insect repellant containing about 30% DEET, but only need it in the evenings. This type of insect repellant is available at most outdoors/camping stores and military "surplus" stores.

At night, we place a sheet of "Bounce" or other scented fabric softener somewhere on our headboard. Helps keep any mosquitoes that may have gotten into the bedroom away while sleeping.

Try to leave the lights off in your room at night if you have the windows open. Normally the breeze blows sufficiently to ward of the critters, but why add to their attraction.

And finally, if a restaurant offers bug spray, accept it and use it liberally as they know their location is having a mosquito problem that night. Does not reflect badly on the restaurant. Rather it is because they know that on some nights around dusk, and with their lights on, they can have mosquitoes.

Thanks, Seb- you read my mind! I was eaten alive in Placentia and did not want a repeat on my honeymoon!

I've only stayed on a liveaboard there Julie, but I saw the land based folks and felt their pain when we went to Altun Ha.
I also like the cactus juice, never tried the bounce though Mark.

You might try this 'Cactus Juice store locator': http://www.cactusjuicetm.com/retail.locator.php from Google.

Donate your body to science.

Laurie, et al.

I lived on Bonaire before screens in the days DDT was still legal. July is better, but they live there year round, especially the mangroves. I would not recommend any place that does not have screens, especially with your reaction. My son gets the same red splots.

There are plenty other affordable places with screens. You should assume bugs will be there when you are going. For clothes and nets used by the military try:

www.skeeta.com

If you have a problem with DEET, Seb and Glen's recommendation of Cactus Juice is interesting. Their products can be purchased most easily online from them directly. We are testing CJ here in FL for mosquitoes and no-see-ums in the swamp and estuaries. So far, so good.

www.cactusjuicetm.com

Maybe along with the July Jelly Jam testing for jelly(fish) we should do Bud's Buggers too. Donate you body in the name of science or at least jellies and bugs or BT.

See you BTers July 16th - Aug 1.

Bud