Authored by Rebecca Crawford

Tropical countries are appealing and magnificent, but they are also home to a bunch of eerie crawlies whose bites can cause big problems for travelers.

To make sure you return safe and in good health, here are a few basic tips on how to keep insects away.

How to Keep Insects Away When You’re Traveling in Tropical Countries

Mosquitos

The biggest threat to those who are into traveling to subtropical and tropical countries are definitely mosquito bites, especially in regions where malaria is a major concern.

Avoiding mosquito bites in such countries can be a tricky thing to do, but there are some easy steps you can to in order to keep malaria at bay:

Spiders and Scorpions

Mosquitoes spread malaria, and you’re probably ready for that if you’re visiting a tropical country. But, what you also have to be careful of, are some scorpions and spiders that are poisonous and even the smallest “tick” might result in Lyme disease.

Don’t worry, many of the illnesses are treatable, but it’s best that you take all the precautions in order to avoid being bitten in the first place.

If you plan on going on a tour where you’ll have to walk through the bush, or tall grass, wear long trousers and closed toe shoes (forget about flip-flops when you’re visiting tropical country).

And if camping IS really your favorite activity, always check your sleeping bag (and shoes) for scorpions and spiders before you go to bed. You never know if these little dangerous thingies crawled into your bag when you weren’t in it. Keep your tent zipped up at all times, and keep your shoes inside overnight.

Symptoms from spider and scorpion bites can be various, but most often you’ll notice a red line and a sore on a place where you were bitten. Some can just cause mild skin irritation such as swelling or itching.

You can also experience flu-like symptoms like weakness, dizziness, fever, etc. If you suspect you have been bitten, head straight to the hospital.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs pop up all around the world, and aren’t limited to tropical countries. They are flat, reddish-brown, small insects and infestations have become more common in developed countries.

Although they don’t transmit any disease, some people have pretty strong allergic reactions to their bites, and they often try to follow you home in your suitcase which could cause financial and emotional stress.

In order to avoid exposure to these small crawlies, here are some prevention strategies you can take:

Ticks

Although not all ticks are bad and dangerous, some of them can spread some serious viral and bacterial diseases.

To protect yourself you should wear permethrin treated clothing, making sure your body is fully covered, and spray yourself with an insect repellent containing Picaridin or DEET (read more here if you want to find out more about such products and their qualities.)

When removing a tick, it’s important not to touch it with bare hands – you should always use tweezers. Grab it as close as possible, aiming to get it by the mouth that is embedded in your skin.

Never grab the tick around the body (the swollen part of the tick), and gently pull it until it lets go of your skin. After it’s out, you should wash the area where you were bitten (and your hands) with warm water and soap.

Rohan Anti-Insect Clothing With Insect Shield®

Being that insects are the vectors for some pretty serious and even life-threatening diseases, keeping yourself protected is crucial – and Rohan clothing can form the first line of defence.

Rohan’s clothing for men and women incorporates Insect Shield® technology. This permethrin-based treatment is invisible, odourless and impairs the ability of insects including mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, fleas, chiggers and midges to land, and so reduces bites.

It’s extremely durable too – and is designed to last for the lifetime of the product. Offering proven, reliable repellency, Insect Shield® treated clothing should be a key part of your insect protection plan.

Pictured: Women’s Sanctuary Shirt in Cornish Blue Check – $95.00. Featuring the Insect Shield® treatment to deter tiny creatures and a UPF 40+ rating to help protect you from the sun.

Before You Travel

Before you travel, do thorough research on your destination in order to find out what insects might pose a threat as well as all insect-borne diseases.

Don’t let insects discourage you from visiting a country you always wanted to visit. It could stop you from seeing and experiencing some of the most stunning tropical places in the world.

FOR REPELLING MOSQUITOES. CLICK TO VIEW ON AMAZON ↓

Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Natural Insect Repellent

Portable Mosquito Repeller

Bristol Mosquito Repeller Lantern

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Rebecca is a USA writer and hiker at hikingmastery.com. Her favorite hike to date is the Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal. While this hike usually takes 16 days, she likes to slow down, and enjoy the mountains and company of other adventurers, so it took her 28 days.