mosquitos in CR
 

hello,we're doing the well traveled san jose-arenal-tamarindo itinerary in a week, but did not have time to get shots/malaria pills.
Bought strong DEET, but do i need a mosquito net? We are staying 1 night in Capitan Suezo w/no A/C, thanks!

I have not been to Tamarindo, so will leave that one for someone else. However have you asked the hotel if there is mosquito netting around their beds?

We have traveled 3 times in early Feb to many different areas of CR and have never encountered a problem with mosquitos. We have run across the normal lizards and a few scorpions. But not mosquitos.

We have never taken any shots or pills to prepare us for travel to CR.

We have always taken deet, but have yet to use it.

Now with all that said, even here in the states I do not normally attract lots of bug bites. Where my daughter can walk out the door and get a bite. I think you simply use your good judgement to avoid mosquito bites, just as you would at home.

Enjoy your trip.

Capitan Suizo does not have mosquito nets but the bungalows have screens in all windows so mosquitos are not a big issue (make sure you don't leave the windows open, and turn off the lights when you are leaving the bungalow - this way you will minimize bugs getting into the bungalow). Generally, Tamarindo has its share of mosquitos and sand fleas. You see a lot of tourists walking around with bites on their legs ;-). Having said that, here are my methods for avoiding insect bites in Tamarindo (having visited 3 times): Insects are most active around sunset, I always make sure to spray my legs with insect repellant (OFF works well) before going out in the evening. I also burn a mosquito coil when sitting on the outside porch after dark. I make sure all windows and doors are shut so as not to let insects into the bungalow. At night, I set the ceiling fan on fairly high and cover myself with the bedsheet. With these precautions, I only had one or two bites during our last trip (and typically I am a mosquito magnet).

thank you for all your replies! As you can tell i'm a worry wart and just read the CDC advisory. Thinking i'll take the malaria pills since i still have time, but seems too late for Hep A..

Another additional tip to keep the bites away. Keep you feet out from under table and chairs. We learned this last year in Guyana. There everyone seemed to sideways to the tables outside in the evening with their legs in front them. Seems the mosquitos like to be under the tables and chairs.

"OFF" with 30% DEET is fairly good but "Ben's" liquid is 90% DEET and is a 98% guaranteed, if applied all over (back of legs, neck, face,etc) you will come home 99% bite free. In Honduras where the mosquitos are large enough you can ride them "OFF" is not enough but "Ben's" worked. We also purchased a few lightweight pants and shirts that are pre-treated with repellent for the evening or after a rain and the humidity rises.The extra few hundred dollars made us comfortable and no sratching until the skin was raw.The clothes can be washed a number of times and still retain the repellent.

We did basically the same trip last month (see my recent 3 part trip report). In Arenal, we didn't have a problem with mosquitos any time of day. But like Iza said, Tamarindo does have mosquitos, especially at sunset. And we stayed just 100 yards from where you'll be. We brought 100% deet but didn't use it, opting for Outdoor Off instead (30% deet I think). It did the trick. Sand fleas are definitely an issue. They must be microscopic because we never saw them and didn't feel the bite, just the itch later on. Bring some anti-itch stuff. You might still have time to get the Hep A shot. We took the malaria pills just to be safe and had none of the side effects, fortunately. I'm not sure they're essential though.

Dave

One more "Amen" to the sand fleas (no-see-ums) at Tamarindo. I met a woman a couple of summers ago with lower legs covered solid--so badly she got an infection and had to seek medical treatment. It was quite severe and more than likely caused scarring.

Our daughters always have trouble in Tamarindo unless they spray. They have a few marks to show for it as well. The worst thing is the itch--drives you nuts. Anyone ever have chiggers? Very similar. Mosquitoes have been less of a problem, but still they do exist!

Another good product is Ultrathon--does a great job with about 27-28% DEET.

You can purchase anti-itch meds at any farmacia if needed. Calamine, etc.

You might be able to get a gamma globulin shot for Hep A to cover you while you are there. We got our Hep A a couple weeks ago, but I think they said less than 2 weeks out, you can get the gamma globulin. Worth checking into. Have a great time!

Make sure you use the DEET. We did a very good job for the first 16 days (Arenal and MA) - no bites at all. Got to San Jose for our last afternoon / evening, got a little lax...and my wife awoke with 6-8 bites -

- and a case of dengue fever.

We got the Hep A/B shots and the anti-malarial pills just to be safe, and will likely do the malaria routine when we return.

Don't forget the DEET!

Just returned from Arenal and Manual Antonio. We did not take anything for malaria or Hep A. We ate at different types of restaurants, ate salads daily and drank non bottled water some times. We did not have a problem and as long as you are in a travel-tourist area with decent amenities I doubt you will. Every place sells bottled water though. As far as the bugs--OUCH-- I mean ITCH-- they loved me. The beach was less of a problem than Arenal/cloud forest areas where we encountered fire ants and black flys. We used deep woods off which worked well -- except for the ants of course or the places you missed. At the beach (M. Antonio) we had no AC and screened windows and had no problems with mosquitos.

What insects or other wildlife risks should I look out for at Arenal-La Fortuna, Montverde, and Quepos-Manuel Antonio.

What should I look out for and what precautions should I take? I am going in March.

Does my risk increase if I do hikes or activities at night?

Thanks for your help.

We've done several night hikes and haven't worried at all about animales or insects. At night we cover our feet with good tennis shoes and socks and we wear long pants. A good repellent will be all you will need. No need to worry too much about this--it really isn't a huge problem--and sometimes no problem at all.

We might have been lucky, but last January in Monteverde and Arenal we had no problems with insects. We had brought DEET with us, but never opened the package. We saw one mosquito on the Cano Negro daytrip.

Shillac raises another issue. What type of shoes do I need? Are sneakers OK or should I get hiking shoes or boots? I plan to hike, river raft and do the canopy bridge tour.

Hiking boots would be good if you are going to do LOTS of hiking and if that is what you are used to. We always get by very well with our regular Nike tennis shoes and flip flops! We haven't hiked any more than a half day at a time, however. I would think that for white water you might prefer a Teva type "amphibian" sandal. Lots of people who post of Fodor's seem to like them.

We had lightweight, waterproof hiking boots. The waterproofing sure paid off. Aggressive soles for slippery trails help a lot.

I wouldn't worry about not getting shots or pills. I was in Tamarindo last March, no mosquito nets in my room and I didn't get any bites. I was really worried about the bug situation because I get eaten alive on a usual basis in the States. This year, I was getting mosquito bites as late as November when no one else around me was. I used 100% deet on my clothes in Manuel Antonio, and brought OFF as well, but by the time I got to Tamarindo I was really lax about using it and it didn't really matter.

We did a night hike in Monteverde and didn't encounter any bug problems. As far as the potential problems in the cloud forest areas besides the mentioned insects, are snakes, which we never saw. We wore our hiking boots in Monteverde just because it was so muddy and damp all the time and also because of early encounters with insects. It was a little better at Arenal, but we didn't do as much hiking there either. At the beach, I was in Tevas or flip-flops most of the time.

Can you get a good DEET product in CR? I am bringing some Ultraton cream with me, but if we run out??? What do you bring with you? Do you bring spray with you on the plane? I have heard that you shouldn't bring aerosal spray cans checked in your luggage incase they explode

We've always carried aerosol cans in our luggage. It may have to do with the size of the can? Not sure, no one's ever commented on it or told us not to. Avon's Skin So Soft bath oil makes a good repellent as well. But I don't think you'll run out of a can of Ultrathon.

Bug repellent is subject to 100% duty in CR, so buying it there will be expensive. I'd heard the same thing about aerosol cans as shillmac, but we didn't have a problem, either. SSS works well but wears off in a hurry. We found the pump-spray bottles of Off travel well, go a long way - and do the job.

-Jeff

Thanks for the info. I didn't think the strong stuff came in pump sprays, but will look for it!

We were in the Caribbean lowlands a couple of weeks ago and used no bug spray at all. I got 2 or 3 mosquito bites and my travelling companion only 1 bite. We had Muskol with us but didn't feel the need to slather on the chemicals.
At Rincon last November we encountered a few 'mega black flies' in the late afternoons and used a splash of repellent once. Had no problems at all in Playa Grande or Tamarindo.

Jerry

Higher concentrations of DEET aren't more effective, they just last a bit longer. For example, a 5% solution will work for around 2 hours; a 30% for about 6 hours. These are reduced somewhat if you sweat a lot or otherwise get wet. There's no evidence that concentrations above 30% provide any additional protection. IMHO, you don't need to spend extra for the 'high octane' products - just remember that it wears off over time...

-Jeff

I agree with Jeff. We took 100% DEET a few years ago--never used it, but now I understand it isn't particularly a good idea to use such high concentrations.

As for Tamarindo, I am not bothered there either, for some odd reason. But everyone traveling there should be aware that MANY people are. The no-see-um bites are uncomfortable to say the least--more like tortuous--and you can get hundreds around your feet, ankles, and calves. Our daughters have been victimized by the little critters more than once--finally they were convinced to use repellent!

Do take precautions if spending time there (especially on the beach) in the late afternoon and evening hours. Tamarindo is notorious for that!

It seems that most of the responses on this post address travelling in the "dry season." Is there a difference with the amount of insects in the green season (more or the same)? We are going to CR the first week of July (Osa peninsula, Arenal, Peace Lodge). Thanks!

Dan and Melissa,
We were on the Osa first week of July and didn't even CONSIDER trekking about without repellent. And we don't use it frequently. You simply "run into" more insects down there at all times of the year. We have never had a problem in the Arenal/Central Valley area and probably wouldn't bother with it up there. That's just us. . . . .:)

You might want to take your own 'attractiveness' into account as well. We hadn't had a problem in Arenal and MA, and we relaxed our last night in SJ. My wife - a mosquito magnet - didn't use repellent, awoke with a dozen bites or so, and brought a case of dengue fever home with her :-(

If you have any concerns at all, just 'DEET-up' when you go out and you probably won't have any issues...

-Jeff

That's a bummer, Jeff. I hope she has recovered completely. Had a couple of friends (one a local) come down with it last year and it wasn't pleasant. They were pretty much wiped out for a couple of weeks. My Tico friend was hospitalized for one week and had to get a lot of rest for 2 weeks after. Wouldn't want the stuff, so yes, you are correct. Precautions are everything!

Hi...this is all great advice! I have a couple more details that I'd like to ask...we are planning a trip to CR, we want to rent a villa. We are traveling at the end of August, beginning of September. I have read someplaces that the beaches are the worst for insects and that at elevations at around 600 meters you lose the insects, specifically mosquitoes and no-see-ums...true? We would love to have a place right on the beach...but not if it means we can't leave the house because of bugs! We are open to suggestions...still haven't narrowed down exactly what city we will stay in...Tamarindo is in the running...but I started to read about insects here and became concerened. I am not a magnet...but others with us are... Thank you in advance for you time and attention!