Just to say we always take malaria tablets (avloclor} they cost about £3.50 from our local chemist ,Boots charge £5 for the same thing, , Someone we know was told he didnt need malaria tablets in Marmaris but got bitten 3yrs ago and now suffers from malaria. Its better to be safe than sorry even the nurse at our local surgery takes them even though its advised you dont need them. I would say its best to take them when going to bed and not on the day you are travelling (you take 2 a week) because they can make you feel really ill but if I take them at night i sleep through the effects.

hi, im going to antalya, lara beach in june. does anyone know if i me and my family need to take malaria tablets?! can anyone help?! comments and advice much appriciated, thanks.

No - you don't need malaria tablets. You might get bitten by mosquitos but they don't carry malaria in that area.

After reading about it on the Goa forum we now use avon "skin so soft" woodland fresh lotion

It works a treat and keeps the Mozzies from biting we used it in Turkey last August & Goa over Christmas and me and swmbo never got bit once, needles to say we will be using it in Turkey again this August

GM 06

Hi!

My wife and I were at the doctors last week and just as an aside I asked the same question as we are off to Side in July. He looked up a NHS medical reference which gives guidance to GP'S for patients visiting potential areas at risk from Malaria, I was surprised when he said that for the Med coast of Turkey medication was RECOMMENDED but not essential, he told us to buy " Chloraquin" from the chemist and take the course. On balance, we will do as he suggested.

Alistair

Whilst it's always better to err on the side of caution - I can't really see the point of taking anti-malaria tablets (which make you feel ill ) to visit a country where the disease is almost unheard of!

I'm a dreadful hypochondriac - but even I don't worry about contracting Malaria in Turkey!!

And how about all the residents out there? Do you think they constantly take anti-malaria pills?

Besides, the council spray truckloads of mosquito killer around the resorts on a regular basis (usually at nightime) and so mosquitos' are never much of a problem. You'll get the odd couple trying to have a nibble, but if you remember to keep your doors/windows closed - then they shouldn't get in. You can also plug in one of those slow-burning repellants which do help.

Mosquitos' only bite at nightime, and so all you need do is apply Autan (or something similar) to exposed flesh: ankles, calves are top grub for mossies - so pay particular attention to those areas. Oh, eating garlic and lemon is supposed to turn them off too!

Strawberry

Been reading about this Avon Skin So Soft, Soft & Fresh - My wife normally gets bitten quite bad on holiday and has tried loads of repellents, I think we will give this a try this year but are wondering does it have to be a certain type (ie. oil spray, moisturiser lotion, bath oil etc.) or do they all do the same trick?

Kev-o, it is the Skin so Soft, Soft and Fresh Dry Oil body spray.

Thanks for that, will get our order in tomorrow, its only £2 each in the current book, i'm gathering it is a bit smelly so not quite sure if I will use it or is it not so bad?

It doesn't smell that bad and it's not that strong smelling anyway.

I got some last week it was £5 for a small spray. I just looked on the site and I couldn't find it at all.
I will have to look at the new book as if it is only £2 I might get another one. Better to be safe than sorry

I have only been bitten on one holiday and that was about 17 years ago in Cyprus. It's an experience I never want to repeat

I feel very sorry for the people who are more tasty than me. It must be awful to be bitten every year.[/list]

You can also get what the locals use in Turkey which is called Sin Kov.

I always get bitten to a certain extent. Not as badly in Turkey as I have been in Greece and France though. Sometimes it depends on the weather. I was in Greece some years back when they were having a 'heat wave' and there was a weird infestation of mozzies - our apartment was full of them, all over the walls. Dreadful!

A lady at our hotel a couple of years back reacted quite badly to mozzie bites and all hers were huge and weepy.