ALOHA!
Whether or not to bring a mosquito net for travel to India is one of those things that is based more on individual preference.
Your goal with packing a mosquito net would be to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses as one of the ways to stay healthy in India.
The risk for mosquito-borne illnesses in India is certainly there
In late 2017, I was making plans to travel with someone when we were both in India.
That was canceled because she came down with dengue fever when she was in Hampi!
As you can imagine, that was not a fun experience for her. Apart from having difficulty communicating with her travel insurance company back in the United States (GeoBlue), she had to get a 7-hour taxi ride from Hampi to Bangalore while feeling miserable. (Bangalore was the closest place to go for a decent medical facility.)
Is travel insurance for India worth it?
Personally, I’ve never carried a mosquito net with me for travel around India.
But here are things to consider in case you want to consider doing so! And at the very least, some other prevention measures you can take too.
Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!
How much of a risk are you willing to take?
Most areas of the country have some sort of risk for getting sick from mosquitoes.
Being a tropical climate year-round for much of the country, there is at least a minimal risk of contracting a mosquito-borne illness for most places you travel in India. Getting sick because of a mosquito bite would definitely not be fun to deal with.
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Prevention is almost certainly easier and less stressful than dealing with curing your sickness from a mosquito bite
This isn’t like a mild case of food poisoning, which can be a miserable experience, but will almost always be over in a day or two. (Activated charcoal might help to make you feel better quicker!)
For most people, contracting a mosquito-borne illness can take weeks to recover from.
And, it can be the worst if you happen to be traveling through a smaller city in India. You might not have the medical care you need, and while you’re feeling miserable, you may have to make your way to a big city hospital that requires a long taxi ride. (Like Hampi to Bangalore.)
So it can be a good idea to have at least some sort of mosquito bite prevention plan in place.
This might mean sleeping with a mosquito net around your bed, and it might also mean the traditional bug spray during the day.
Malaria risk in India
Here’s a map of India from the Scotland UK government about the risk of malaria across India. It’s only meant as a guide, but you may consider protecting yourself from mosquitoes even in low risk areas.
Dengue fever risk in India
Aside from malaria, another serious mosquito-borne illness to worry about in India is dengue fever. In October 2017, the US government put out a warning about contracting dengue fever, with a higher risk in South India.
Do guesthouses in India have mosquito nets?
Some guesthouses and hotels do have mosquito nets for you to use. If you find yourself staying at one and want to use it as a line of defense against mosquitoes, be sure to check to make sure that it doesn’t have any holes. All it takes is one hole for a mosquito to get in, and with the net surrounding the bed, you’ve basically given the mosquito an invitation to stay with you for the rest of the time you sleep!
This is in particular with budget hotels. They may say they have mosquito nets, but sometimes they may be ineffective because they don’t keep the mosquitoes out!
Some rooms may also effectively keep out mosquitoes out of the room. So there may be times you feel comfortable without the added protection.
But the more of a budget backpacker you are, the greater of a chance that you’ll end up in a room in which there are ways for mosquitoes to enter your room. Even if you’re not a budget backpacker, there’s a chance you could end up letting a mosquito in when you open and close your door.
So keep these things in mind when deciding whether or not you want to bring a mosquito net from home.
Can you buy mosquito nets in India?
They are available in India, but this is another one of those things that you may be better off bringing from home so you can make sure it works and so you can trust the quality. And it can just be easier to bring it from home so you don’t have to be on a hunt for it on your first days in India.
Packing a mosquito net from home
Here are some mosquito nets to have a look at.
Some guesthouses and hotels may have a hook that’s designed for mosquito nets to be set up. But in other rooms, you might have to get a bit creative in the way you set it up. It can be a good idea to bring along some tape with you to help you out in some situations. You may also consider testing it out at home before you leave for India.
Depending on the type of net you have, make sure that it drapes fully and is closed off on all sides of the bed as well. If you’ll be sleeping with the fan on, make sure the fan doesn’t cause the net to fly up at the bottom. Cheap beach clips like these can help to keep them down. And you can use the clips to dry your laundry if you handwash your clothes in India too.
Like a hotel-provided mosquito net, it’s worth checking your mosquito net periodically to make sure that no gaping holes have developed. If so, good thing you have that tape! 😉
Keep other bugs out with your mosquito net
I have had the very unfortunate experience of waking up with a cockroach in my bed in India. 🙁 I turned on the light because I felt something crawling on me. 🙁 I discovered a cockroach. 🙁 A mosquito net would have very likely kept this cockroach out of my bed!
More things to prevent mosquito bites
So a mosquito net can help with prevention at night while you sleep.
When you’re awake, around sunset and evening can be when you have the greatest risk for being bit by mosquitoes. So if you plan on being out at these times, you may consider bringing along your insect repellent of choice as well.
Some of your options to keep the mosquitoes away:
- Bug repellent wipes for travel
- Travel size bug spray
- Bug repellent cream or lotion
- For a more natural prevention technique, you may also try these essential oils. (But also take regular bug spray just in case the essential oils don’t work for you.)
Wearing long clothing is better than bearing your skin, but there’s the potential that mosquitoes can also bite through your clothing. This makes loose long clothing a slightly better option.
If you choose not to use a mosquito net when you sleep and find that mosquitoes do make their way into your room, it could be better to sleep with long clothes or a light blanket covering your whole body.
All it takes is one mosquito bite
There’s a chance that even if you get bit by a mosquito 100 times, you don’t end up with malaria or dengue fever. But all it takes is ONE bite for a mosquito to deliver misery to your life!
So consider taking at least some sort of precautions!
Best guidebook for planning a trip around India
For planning your trip to India, consider getting this ultimate India guidebook.
It can make planning how to get from one place to another easier. The book will list how to get to nearby destinations, what your best transportation options are, and how much you can expect to pay to get there.
You’ll get restaurant recommendations to lessen the chance of food poisoning in India. (Here’s how to treat traveler’s diarrhea naturally though!)
It will also tell you the best hotels for different budgets and the best places for street shopping. You’ll also get an idea of estimated prices for activities, rickshaws, and hiring guides in each city. This means that you can feel better knowing that you won’t get ripped off and pay too much!
You can get both the book and e-book as a bundle here.
Even though they have the same information, they can both be helpful for different reasons. You can flip through the book to make general plans at home or in your guesthouse in India. When you’re on the road, rather than take the big book with you when you’re out and about, you can scroll through the e-book on your phone.
I’m now an affiliate for Lonely Planet because I believe Lonely Planet India guidebooks are really one of the best books for planning travel to India.
It makes it easier to plan the best trip to India ever!
GOOD LUCK PREVENTING MOSQUITO BITES IN INDIA!
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🐠 Here are things you must consider packing!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling