Some questions for those who went to the Roatan Invasion last year...

[diversteve]

• Just want to clarify: Sand Flies = Sand Fleas = Mosquitoes. Different words for same biting animal.

Not - Sand flies/fleas/noseeums could the same thing just living in the sand b4 becoming airborne but mosquitos are a separate bug. We saw clouds of sand flies at dusk and they were not mosquitos. Mosquitos seemed to live under things although I did Deet a few trying to get thru the screens on my patio door once. From 6" away, they were mosquitos not sand flies which tended to be smaller.

What to Do About the %)^#&%* Sandflies! | We LOVE Roatan Blog!!
Roatan How To: Deal with Tropical Bugs! | Roatan Honduras Travel Guide

 

[flyboy08]

Those little buggers sux! Literally!

 

[KathyV]

On any tropical vacation I suggest bringing some long pants, socks, and a light jacket with long sleeves. Just sweat pants or yoga pants or light weight tropical pants will be fine. It is a natural tendency to pack mostly shorts, tank tops, and sandals for your trip but covering up at night can really help to reduce the number of bites.

 

[kelemvor]

Not - Sand flies/fleas/noseeums could the same thing just living in the sand b4 becoming airborne but mosquitos are a separate bug. We saw clouds of sand flies at dusk and they were not mosquitos. Mosquitos seemed to live under things although I did Deet a few trying to get thru the screens on my patio door once. From 6" away, they were mosquitos not sand flies which tended to be smaller.

What to Do About the %)^#&%* Sandflies! | We LOVE Roatan Blog!!
Roatan How To: Deal with Tropical Bugs! | Roatan Honduras Travel Guide

That reminds me. @Hoomi be careful of the hammocks that are on the porches. Several folks told me theirs were full of some kind of biting bug (noseeum I guess). I sprayed mine down with OFF when I got there and I did not have that problem. Maybe because of the off, maybe not. Just an FYI that the hammocks can be a problem.

 

[KathyV]

Bugs are pretty much a given there - and most of Roatan since it's a tropical jungle island. Anywhere there's standing water something is likely to breed. AKR is waterfront but just a mile or so inland from there is the rain forest. It's the only island I've visited in the Caribbean that I did the Mosquito Malaria protocol before and during....

I think the point about malaria protection is very important. We've been to Roatan twice, we didn't stay at AKR but we had lovely dive trips and we did follow the CDC's travel medicine precautions, see the link below.

We saw a travel medicine physician before we left and we were vaccinated for Hepatitis A and Typhoid and we took anti-malarial medication before, during, and after our trips. According to the CDC, Malaria is "Present throughout the country and in Roatán and other Bay Islands. None in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa." It is an awful disease and I wouldn't risk it, even if the chances are low.

If your health insurance doesn't cover travel vaccinations and medicines, check with your local public health department, sometimes they offer vaccines free or at a reduced price.

Dengue Fever also occurs in Honduras (although it is more common in the urban areas) but we used repellent and took care to avoid insect bites as much as possible.

We also avoided undercooked and raw food and drank bottled water to prevent traveler's diarrhea and dysentery, especially when eating away from the resort.

It sounds like a lot but it really wasn't hard. Get a few shots and take a few pills, cover up and use repellent, and use common sense about food and water. Have a great trip!

Below are the CDC's travel recommendations for Honduras, including Roatan:
Health Information for Travelers to Honduras - Clinician view | Travelers' Health | CDC

 

[kelemvor]

If your health insurance doesn't cover travel vaccinations and medicines, check with your local public health department, sometimes they offer vaccines free or at a reduced price.

When I called around for the vaccinations, my doctor and the local walk-in both said they did not carry these. They both suggested health department. At least in my area, a visit to the health department really sucks. Better than malaria, I'm sure - but it still sucks. I didn't get vaccinated, took the gamble and won.

 

[KathyV]

When I called around for the vaccinations, my doctor and the local walk-in both said they did not carry these. They both suggested health department. At least in my area, a visit to the health department really sucks. Better than malaria, I'm sure - but it still sucks. I didn't get vaccinated, took the gamble and won.

You need an Infectious Disease specialist with a practice that includes travel medicine. I didn't have any trouble finding one in the Midwest so it should be easy to find one in Florida.

I was interested to learn that many of their patients are not vacation travelers, they are individuals doing mission work to 3rd world nations.

 

[rsingler]

Since no one has flamed DEET, I am emboldened to take the chemical protection discussion one step further.
In noseeum territory, which for me included Iraq and other sunny locales, there is one more step you can take that is superb: 0.5% Permethrin.
It's NOT for your skin. But go to CVS, and look for a bedbug treatment for kids. Read the label CAREFULLY, and choose the one with 0.5% permethrin and nothing else, e.g., RID.
If you have a few days before you leave, take a long sleeved shirt and pants that you plan to wear around sundown, and spray both liberally with the product. Close it up in a garbage bag overnight, then dry it in the sun or a dryer on air dry.
It'll be good for several weeks and will even survive one or two washings. It is safe.

As for DEET, anything over about 22% DEET is wasted. The key is persistence on the skin; say, when you're sweating. Therefore, 20% DEET cream is the best choice, though sprays are easier to apply.

There are no reliable (non-experimental) vaccines for malaria and dengue. RTS,S has a relatively low efficacy. Prevention is the key.

Fmr 332d Exped Med Grp hosp commander, Iraq

 

[Hoomi]

I almost forgot one important question. Are gloves prohibited while diving there? I know many places have banned gloves, under the logic that wearing gloves makes it more likely that people will touch coral. I wear gloves for the UV protection while at or close to the surface. To wear them in Cozumel a couple of years ago, I needed to take along a waiver from my dermatologist.

 

[diversteve]

Inside the Marine Park - Yes. which is mostly where you'll be diving - from Sandy Bay to past the West End - IDK the exact boundaries. They also have some south side oversight.

Divers are not permitted to use gloves.

Roatan Marine Park » Marine Reserve By-Laws