Vanuatu Travel Forum

Hi all

Just wondering...what sort of things do you all use for protection against mosquitos when travelling? We're going to Vanuatu next month and I am worried about the mozzies attacking me. They always seem to love me too much...

We'll be taking malaria tablets but I just don't want to be bitten in the first place.

I have heard of something called DET or something like that!??!?! Is it available in Australia?

I have also heard that Vitamin E is good to keep mozzies away...does anyone know if that is true?!?!

Any help will be appreciated! Thanks! :)

Buy a mosquito repellent with the chemical ingredient DEET. Although there are other "natural" products sold containing a variety of more pleasant-sounding ingredients, the chemical stuff is the only one that actually works consistently and well. It's smelly, it's not good to drink or to breathe, but it will keep the mosquitoes away. I use it all the time and have never had any ill effects. If you're going to a malarial zone, then DEET is pretty much a necessity.

I've never been to Australia so I don't know if it's available there, but I presume it is, since you've heard of it. Any drugstore should carry it.

Hi Julie

Thanks for the info. I have never seen anything called DEET here in Australia but I will double check next time I go to the chemist or supermarket. Thanks! I wonder if perhaps it is just an ingredient in a repellant and I will have to check through the package label better...hehe... ;)

Yes, it is an ingredient, not the brand name of the product itself. I hope you find it! The mosquitoes love me too and I know just how annoying that can be!

Thanks heaps! Will check it out for sure! :)

Have a great weekend!

DEET ,or N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide as it is known in Australia is available there, works for mossies, ticks, sand flies, midges and repels women as well. Read the instructions carefully and put a small amount on your forarm. If no reactions are noted in 20 minutes you can probably assume you can use it. Few people react to it but I believe the few that do get it real bad. I donīt go anywhere without it and in the Canadian Lakes my wife decided, foolishly, that she didnīt need to put in on one day. Mossies and horseflies thought they were in heaven. For really infested areas there is a product containing DEET called "Deepwoods" but donīt know if it available in Australia.

very high doses of B vitamins help to keep the mozzies away, apparantly it makes you smell very unattractive [ not to people though thankfully]
I always take twice the amount and have been bitten THREE times in total since 1997 which l think is amazing

Ah, that's it...Vitamin B! I have heard that from someone else too... I don't know if it is a proven fact or anything but I'm willing to give it a go! :) Thanks heaps!

l think its actually vitamin B12 that does the trick, but l`m not sure so l take a suppliment containing all the B vitamins

It is B1 (thiamin) that makes you smell bad to mosquitos so prevents them biting you. The effective dosage is 300mg a day.

I thought foxes were the problem on Blackheath, not mossies.

my husband is one of those unlucky people who is SO tasty that exotic insects line up at airports to greet him when we arrive, so we have plenty of bite experience, and our best tip is........if you get bitten anywhere in the world find the local herbalist and use their cure, it usually works better than stuff made in your country

LOL I know, I feel guilty because l dont get bitten.......... its usually the ants who bite Carl
if ants had websites he would be their top restaurant tip LOL

I discovered something forty years ago that was 'supposedly' invented 'specifically' as an insect repellent. For fear of repeating myself, go to my travel page on Wasaga Beach, the page described as Beach Sand #2 Grit. Liberal application will remove all fear of insect bites for hours at a time.

Pa (mapakettle)

Products with DEt in them are not very pleasant to "wear" on your skin, but are effective.

Avoid spending unprotected time outside in the early hours and dusk and just after - these are the times the mozzies are most active.

Sitting in the shade or at least having bare feet under a table is also easy picking for mozzies. Mozzie coils under tables are good value!

Wear white at the vulnerable times - mozzies prefer not to land on white clothes because they are sensitive to being obviously present. Sounds far fetched bit it is true.

Basically, bare skin is an open invitation, but also be aware that even jeans are not mozzie proof!!

Hope these help - haven't read the other replies, though I'm sure a few would agree with these points.

There are mozzie parches that you can stick on your face if sleeping outdoors. You scratch them when putting them on, so that the active ingredient (which is 'nice' citronella - much nicer than horrible DET!!) is started. These appear to be OK to a point, but certainly not foolproof.

Hi guys

Just thought I would let you know that our trip to Vanuatu was amazing!!! I got some repellent with DEET and had Vitamin B tablets too...I only got bitten a couple of times so that's not a bad effort!! :)

If you're interested I have put some stuff up on my pages already. :)

Sherie

Hey I can you out with this. I used to work in an advice centre for just this type of thing. In Oz you want to buy something called Aeroguard tropical strength. Its a spray that has the highest content of DEET - This was highly recommended by all and noone ever complained about any ill effects! have a good time. Im off on my honeymoon there in a couple of weeks!