Sandfly or other nasty fly situation in the South Pacific

Hi

We've just started planing our honeymoon... 3 months in the South Pacific backpacking and camping mostly, except for the final week when we will splurge on a over-water bungalow or something else extra.
We have been reading different threads on this forum and have come across some very very upsetting information - there are sandflies or other nasty tiny biting flies on the islands in the South Pacific???!!!! This is definitly information that the LP guide and all beautiful travel magazines has failed to mention.

We have encountered sandflies before, and would never ever ever go back to those places - no mather how beautiful they are or how good the diving/kayaking/whatever is... What is the point if all you do is itch and itch and scratch and bleed?

SO PLEASE, be honest and tell us - where you have encountered sandflies or their relatives in the South Pacific! (Tips on where you haven't encountered them are also gladly accepted).

A&J

yup, sand flies all over the place.

Have you heard of insect repellent - quite common these days.

ps if you are that anti-sandflies, don't ever come to NZ either!

....and mosquitos - especially around water......

I read about this sort of general problem and was expecting the worst when I arrived in Fiji. Yet I had no problem whatsoever. 2 months, zero problem with sandflies.

I'm not sure what the explanation is - luck, time of year, place on island - I don't know. However, one important detail is that I never laid out on the sand - an activity which seems to define 'beach holiday' for some people. Perhaps that is part of the explanation. Many sandy beaches are part of the time underwater at high tide. Many creatures may be living under the sand waiting for the water to return. From an insect's point of view there may therefore be a lot of nutrients which attracts them. If a person lays out on the sand then you are in the middle of an active micro-ecosystem.

But I spent my time relaxing in a hammock and may have escaped all of this activity ..

As far as mosquitoes are concerned, they were sometimes plentiful on Fiji. But, DEET applied (especially around ankles), arms and legs kept covered with loose clothing (some tourists think they need to wear the "shorts and t-shirts" uniform to be truly on holiday) , and a mosquito net at night kept that problem to a minimum.

and what is the critter that's the equivalent of a sand fly but in the water ? i forget what they're called- meanies or something??. they are all annoying if you are not accustomed to them, so definitely stay away if that is going to ruin your trip. did anyone tell you about the flying cockroaches? they're called palmetto bugs. cane spiders? they're like tarantulas but they eat the flying cockroaches so you love them. like most everyone else on these posts i love the south pacific with a depth that it takes one to know one. all these bugs can be found in the hawaiian and caribbean islands too so i guess you're s.o.l. but you might enjoy a cruise! they have several in tahiti and you don't have to get off the ship, can go snorkelling and enjoy the scenery from there. it's your honeymoon - do what pleases you!!! (excuse me if i didn't answer your question or make suggestions to your liking but i found your post a bit confusing when you talk about camping in one sentence and an extreme aversion to biting insects in the other..) who's old enough to have ever seen "green acres" on t.v.?

In French Polynesia, especially the Marquesas, they have no-nos which are hellacious little biters. We call them no-see-ums where I'm from in the states but the ones here have a lot more power behind their bites. You might google them...I can only assume they are on other islands in the South Pac.

Drew

Can't say that I've been bothered by sand flies in French Polynesia, Cooks, Samoas, or Tonga. And I spent a lot of time on the beach.

Haven't seen any giant spiders (heard about one lurking in the ladies room of Crushers on Aitutaki but chose not to look), palmettos (they're usually seen indoors) - Ofu in American Samoa and Uiha in Tonga come to mind, just slide your snorkel fin under it and toss it out the door.

Mozzies/nonos - in some places they bite all day long.

However, I don't recall itching and itching and scratching and bleeding. Light your mozzie coils and apply repellent.

Upscale resorts such as featured in the travel magazines generally spray their grounds.

okay - you want to go to south pacific - you will find nature, - mozzies, cockroaches, spiders, snakes and sandflies belong there, too. I've been living for a long time on a small island in Fiji - occasionaly there were sandflies - not too many, compared to New Zealand, and not too often. I believe it depends on a combination of season, weather and winds, same as flies and mosquitoes.
You will have to find a compromise - try Johnsons and Johnsons baby repellent - it works and does not stink so badly, but you might have to apply it a bit more often than the heavy stinky ones. And once you are bitten and it itches apply a strong tea tree oil. Takes a couple of minutes, then it will relieve the itching.

If you can't compromise then you should seriously consider another destination.

I'm amused/vexed/annoyed by questions like this.

Seriously. What location on this planet wouldn't potentially have some sort of biting pest? It's part of life and communing with nature on Earth, isn't it? I mean, I suppose you could get a well-sealed hotel room anywhere, turn on the air conditioning, don't leave the room, turn on the TV and watch the Travel Channel.

If bug spray doesn't figure into your plans I'd cancel your trip and just rent a couple of isolation tanks.

I'll be going to Ofu Island in 24 days, and when I return home in June my mosquito bites, coral scrapes, sunburn, and blisters from walking everywhere will be my fondest souvenirs.

Different strokes . . .

--Terry
webmaster Vaoto Lodge

We just spent 2 weeks in Palau in March and did not have any problems with sandflies and just had an occasional mosquito bite. We may have just been lucky but we did not get any sandfly bites on trips to FP, the Cooks, Vanuatu, Fiji or New Caledonia and the mosquitoes were not as bad as I had imagined(I am a mossie magnet). Often it is the time of the year that can affect whether or not these pests are around.

I encountered quite a few mosquitos in Samoa -- I just kept a can of DEET and a bottle of ammonia-based afterbite with me at all times. I don't recall there being biting flies. I agree with the others that anywhere you go camping, bugs will be a risk.

is "afterbite" a trade name? i'm leaving for the SP in a month & would love to know more about the product your speaking of. thanks!

...thank you for all your replies... most of them have been anoyed with me, which is interesting. I don't mind mosquitos, snakes, frogs, scorpions, cochroaches, spiders... I DO mind tiny almost invisible to the eye sandflies... I have travelled in Central and South America, Asia, China, Europe, North America... and have only encountered sandflies in 2-3 places. So excuse my ignorance - i just did not realise that they existed on every single beach in the south pacific as many of you claim they do. Cruise - not an option. DEET - haven't worked so far for sandflies, I guess I will have to try again. I was really looking forward to camping... but of course if most of the campsites are close to the beach, and sandfly infested - I will not consider this an option anymore.

I'm still wondering though, if there are any particular islands/places you would say are "more" sandfly infested then others...

ok, try Disney land then. That might suit your criteria.