What items are a must for the suitcase?
 

Hello - Will be arriving in Belize next week. Packing bathing suits and lightweight clothing. Sandals and tennis shoes. A hat. Will be going to San Ignacio first, and then on to the coastal area. Besides our usual toiletries, should we bring suntan lotion and bug spray with us or is it easy enough to find it there? Our travel doctor suggested treating our clothing with permethrin as well as doing same with a bed net. Overcautious or is this a good idea?

Any other musts? Thanks!

J Joel

I pack specific brands of sunblock and bug stuff that I know work - they are not all created equal. We have a few items we purchased with embedded permethrin - I tried the spray method once and it was not worth it imo.

My CA packing list is #14 in the FAQ thread of the Thorntree Forum in case you are interested. Happy trails!
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...nch-faq?page=2

Suntan lotion is X2 the price south of the border! Its easily enough found but crazy high priced.

I also always stick an extension cord in my suitcase. So many places down there have only one outlet or one way on the other side of the room so if you like to have your phone/Kindle what have you by your bed at night, the extra cord plus the extra outlets can be very useful.

Not many mosquitoes on the beach side of Ambergris Caye right now. I haven't used any repellant in several weeks, and, have gotten bitten maybe once. And our condo door is wide open most of the time, so they do come in when they're around.

A good sized bottle of sunscreen was about US$10.00 the last time I checked. Didn't seem really expensive to me. I don't use much though, just on my face. I also don't spend much, if any, time lying in the sun.

I'd bring a flashlight. We do have unexpected (and planned) power outages.

I was going to suggest a flashlight too. We always bring a small one. I pack small bottles of mosquito repellent and sunscreen. The mosquitoes were horrible in San Ignacio when we were out hiking in the jungle - they had just had some big rains, but not bad on Ambergris like Jean mentioned. We also pack a rain poncho, lightweight beach towel or sarong, binoculars, sunglasses, and of course your camera. It's nice to have some plastic bags too in case things are wet. I have a little tube of After Bite that I always pack; it takes the itch out of bug bites. I've used that a few times.

Thanks all! So is a bed net overdoing it? Have also been told to put a Bounce dryer sheet in our luggage - that the bugs that don't like the smell. Another natural item I was told to try is to put Sunflower leaves in with your luggage. Has anyone tried any of these remedies?

We've never packed a bed net anywhere that we've gone. Usually if that's something you need, the hotel would already have one over the bed. Personally I would be okay skipping it.