scubawife:You will get mosquitos and othe biters in the jungle around cenotes, but please keep in mind that this is a very sensative ecosystem... many guides will actually ask you NOT to use any chemical repellants or sunscreens. The Yucatan is like swiss cheese. Everything that goes into the cenote and the ground water for that matter, has few filters before it makes its way out to the reef. If you knew what they used to look like even just 5yrs ago compared to today, it would break your heart. 30% hurricane/climate and 70% human related...
I'm a bug magnet and get nasty reactions to bites. I've used Skedattle for the past few years in Mexico, Hawaii, and elsewhere and it's worked well for me. It's an all-natural, biodegradable product. The Mexitan sunscreens are also 100% safe and any of the eco-parks or marine reserves will allow you to use them. www.mexitan.com
Products that are biodegradable and eco-friendly don't contain emulsifiers, dye or fragrances. The lotions take a bit of effort to apply and you won't smell like a fruit salad or a pina colada, but you also won't be leaving anything behind in the water that damages the reefs or messes with the cenotes.
Thanks, we have been made aware of the restrictions (which I agree). We have 3 days of cenote diving planned, and while we will do our part to protect the eco system, we also didn't want to become a meal for the local insect population. Appreciate the web-site, and now have some idea of what we need.
Again, thanks!