Has Anyone been to Club Med Bintan

[CJ]

Lots of previous postings about Sandflies etc on the Expat Message Board dating back to April 2000.
Has Anyone been to Club Med in the last few weeks,what precautions can I take against bugs.
Only going for one night.
Thanks in Advance

[Med]

According to my experience, nothing special needed. When I was at Club Med Bintan, I understood that they will regularly "fumigate" even the beach area so there shouldn't be any problems. We stayed one night and didn't have any problems at all. That's our experience!

Have a good time!

[PhilM]

We were in Bintan last weekend with our friends - We used all the correct potions; but the sand fly bite count came to in excess of 150 between five of us! My usual tactics of plenty of alcohol, garlic, and chilli in the bloodstream failed completely as I personally mustered 43 bites.

The worst time of day is between about 3 - 5 pm at the edge of the beach furthest from the water. The only solution seems to be to apply enough oil to look like an oil slick so the little sods drown in it while trying to bite you.

Next visit for me it will be water sports in the morning and a bar lunch/dinner from 1 pm until falling over time.

[Med]

Phil M,

did you stay in Club Med or some other resort? Why I am asking is because there seems to be differences where do you get bitten and where not (according to my own experience and what I have heard from friends staying in different resorts in Bintan). I don't know if the season makes any difference - we were in Club Med in last November.

[got back]

we just returned from two night stay last weekend. Building sand castles, playing in the water, running on the beach...5 bites between the three of us. And we didn't use the bug poison on the kids. I was worried initially, but even at dusk- there were no probs. Perhaps we arrived just after spraying...perhaps we stunk....perhpas in was the wine...

[Bitten]

We stayed at Nirwana gardens last month, doing the sandcastle thing too, I came back with at least 150 bites to myself!! My son didn't have one??
Not sure what the reason is - maybe they like the wine.......

[PhilM]

Med - we were over at Nirwana. I am firmly convinced our stay coincided with the annual sand fly convention. I am still itching and cursing the little buggers today.

[Old wives]

All the old wives' tales re alcohol/chilli/garlic don't work - see the above.  Suggest you try a pharmacist.

[Once bitten, twice shy]

I have been in Singapore for 5 years, and the first year I went on a trip to Bintan.  I must have looked like a delicious roast chicken, as I had over 150 bites on ME, insects on me, inside my swimsuit biting like crazy! (I am not a very big surfaced area person, either).  I think my blood has finally lost its uniqueness, but in the future I only swim in the swimming pool, and cover up on the beach. It's not worth the terrible after affects.  Besides, covering up also protects you from the harsh sun in the tropics - which we ladies need to protect to prevent the "leather bag" look! In future cover up, and swim in the pool

[Lyn]

Go to the pharmacy.  Increase your intake in vit E, a friend who goes to these places taught me this and apparently it will keep the insects away from you.  Worth trying.