daisya2

I am leaving later this week for the Guanacaste/Nicoya Penninsula region of Costa Rica. Do I need to be worried about bugs? I was in Belize the end of 2003 and the mosquitos/sand fleas ruined the trip! I had to cut the trip short when I ran out of bug spray and after bite lotion.

Mama

Are you saying Turtle Inn in Belize did not carry any bug spray? Daisy, come on! Even the most remote places in Belize have bug spray. Turttle Inn is not so remote. Why you didn't get enough spray with you? If you did a little research you would know about sand fleas in Belize.
There is a huge bug problem in Nicoya Penninsula. If I had such problem I wouldn't go. You still have some time left to cancel your trip.

daisya2

I took two cans of 33% Deet and one can of 100% Deet. I thought that would be plenty for two people/one week. Not so! Turtle Inn had a bottle of bug spray sitting on the bar at dusk. No spray in rooms. No spray in gift shop. No after bite availble in rooms or gift shop. I still have bite scars on my feet/legs, from last week of November.

I learned about Turtle Inn from three places. Vogue article, Travel and Leisure Pictorial, and Conde Nast Traveler write up. None of these mentioned any bugs at all!

How did you know I was at the Turtle Inn?

Are the bugs as bad in CR as Belize?

Iza

It really depends on where you are. We spent two weeks on Nicoya Penninsula in August of last year and here is what we observed:
- Malpais - virtually no mosquitos. We stayed at Florblanca where they don't even have screens on the windows. Sand fleas were somewhat bothersome on the beach at sunset but not otherwise.
- Nosara and Tamarindo - mosquitos were definitely more of an issue there but with moderate bug spray use we were fine (make sure to spray your legs before going out to dinner). Sand fleas were also moderate and mostly in evidence at sunset on the beach.

This was our third trip to CR and the bugs would definitely not stop me from going again!

Mama

People who are very sensitive to bug bites should avoid this area. You should ask this question before you made your final decission to go to Costa Rica.

Turtle Inn is within very easy and short walk to Placencia where you could buy all bug spray you wanted. Placencia is known for terrible sand fleas. So is Guanacaste/Nicoya Penninsula. Can't you change your destination? I feel bad for you but too bad you did not ask this question earlier.