Matrexx

I'm just working on packing for my week long stay in Cuba next week. I've heard it recommended to take bug repellant. Will it really be necessary at this time of year?

Thanks

Canuck_at_Canada_eh

Hola:
It really depends on where you are in the country. Any place in the tropics has it's native mosquitos and no-see-ums. Cuba is really no different than anywhere else.
I always take some Deet repellant and a tube of AfterBite just in case. It takes hardly any room in the suitcase, and can often make or break the mood of your vacation.
So my advice is to throw it into the bottom of your suitcase. Maybe you need it, and maybe not, but why not be prepared.

Steve

Carolred

I am a magnet for no-see-ums. At one time on my trip last year I had 63 bites on my two legs, mostly below the knee and at the sock line. This mostly happened in the Trinidad and Playa Ancon part of the trip. 7% DEET did not seem to deter them.

My husband got none so I am assuming they liked the smell of my sunscreen (I am a non-tanning red-head, he burns the first day out then tans).

I have had this problem in Turkey and Spain also. I make sure I bring along a non-drowsy antihistamine like Allegra or Claritin, because even with that, the itching was unbearable.

cholla

I'd recommend it for sure. All the caribbean islands have mosquitos and such but its only a problem in the evenings.

Enjoy your trip.

meta

I have found that the type of sunscreen you wear makes a difference. whenever I go to the beach with my neighbor, she wears sweet smelling sunscreen, and guess what, she becomes a bug and flying insect magnet.

Try to stick with sunscreen that has little or no smell, and don't put on perfume or sweet smelling moisturizer under your sunscreen.

I am pretty fair, and I have found this helps.

Carolred

What sunscreen product do you use? I use unscented everything but have yet to find a good sunscreen (SPF30+) with no scent.