Few things more irritating than going on a trip you have always dreamed of and returning bombarded with mosquito bites. You go on a Madidi Tour, visit Rurrenabaque and sail the Beni river, enjoy a great time surrounded by the Amazon rainforest and wildlife, but then you look at your body and... surprise. The red dots left in the skin are itchy as well as quite unsightly, and you certainly want to keep clear of this annoyance. We explain how you can (and how you shouldn’t) avoid mosquito bites.

Wear light colors

Mosquitoes tend to fly close to the ground and use their vision to find their next prey. Dark colors stand out: they contrast with the horizon. So you know, wear white colors, or the lightest ones you have available.

Use chemical-free repellents

Chemical repellents are the easiest alternative, spread them over your skin and they certainly will help. But you may not want to soak yourself with chemicals every day, right? There are also safer options like oil from lemon eucalyptus. Try to search for repellants that use oil fragrances to ward off bites.

Wear long clothes

We know in hot temperatures it is really tempting going out with short clothes but you may want to think it twice and maybe wear thicker and longer clothes like jeans. It’s the most basic and cheapest shield you can have against mosquitoes.

Beware of dusk and dawn

We know, dusk and dawn are some of the most beautiful moments of the day, and in case you are going on a tour to the Amazon basin you won’t want to miss it. But otherwise, it is good to know that these are the times of the day where mosquitoes are at their peak biting time.

Avoid floral perfumes

Mosquitoes are attracted to nectar from flowers almost as much as they like to bite humans. So better if you avoid fragrances with flowery smells.

Don’t spend money on oils or candles

Some oils like citronella are natural repellants. Problem is that they only act when their scent or smoke is just between you and the mosquito. And even if you are surrounded by them and light torches around you, Jonathan Day, PhD, and a mosquito expert at the University of Florida, tells they are barely effective.

In case you are going on vacation to a summer house with a garden, or you just want to prevent mosquitoes to be nearby, you can try with plants that repel mosquitoes naturally.

Don’t spend money on DEET wristbands

DEET (chemical name, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is a widely used ingredient in many mosquito repellents. As they are not scent-based repellents, they would need to be spread all over your skin in order to be effective.

Don’t buy ultrasonic devices

Some devices that claim to repel mosquitoes thanks to their ultrasounds are sold. In reality, these inventions are just a myth and don’t work at all as you can read in this report from the BBC based on studies.

Remember to check our boat tour to Rurrenabaque here!