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Travel and Leisure: I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

I took the best bug sprays and repellents camping across the country from Wyoming to Maine. These are my top picks.

Travel and Leisure: I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

Last updated:
September 23, 2024
|  5 min read

Travel and Leisure: I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

Travel and Leisure: I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

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I took the best bug sprays and repellents camping across the country from Wyoming to Maine. These are my top picks.

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Travel and Leisure: I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

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I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

Bug spray can easily be forgotten when you’re camping, hiking, or even lounging in the backyard, but it’s really one of those items you should be sure to stick in your bag before every outdoor adventure.

While serving in the Peace Corps in Indonesia, I took anti-malarial medication every night for two years. When I left Indonesia, I continued to travel around the pacific and take medications. I thought since I was taking anti-malarials, I didn’t need to also apply bug spray. That was until I returned home to Chicago and started feeling tired, achy, and feverish with headaches that required me to lie down in the dark for hours. Every other day, the symptoms would disappear and I would feel fine. It took two weeks of this on-and-off pattern before I was rushed to urgent care and was quickly informed that this pattern is malaria’s calling card.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Taylor Fox.

Travel and Leisure: I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

Bug spray can easily be forgotten when you’re camping, hiking, or even lounging in the backyard, but it’s really one of those items you should be sure to stick in your bag before every outdoor adventure.

While serving in the Peace Corps in Indonesia, I took anti-malarial medication every night for two years. When I left Indonesia, I continued to travel around the pacific and take medications. I thought since I was taking anti-malarials, I didn’t need to also apply bug spray. That was until I returned home to Chicago and started feeling tired, achy, and feverish with headaches that required me to lie down in the dark for hours. Every other day, the symptoms would disappear and I would feel fine. It took two weeks of this on-and-off pattern before I was rushed to urgent care and was quickly informed that this pattern is malaria’s calling card.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Taylor Fox.

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Commerce Outdoor Gear Editor
Taylor Fox
Taylor Fox is the Commerce Outdoor Gear Editor at Travel + Leisure where she tests, researches, and writes about travel products.
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Travel and Leisure: I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

I Had Malaria, and These Are the Bug Repellents I No Longer Travel Without

Bug spray can easily be forgotten when you’re camping, hiking, or even lounging in the backyard, but it’s really one of those items you should be sure to stick in your bag before every outdoor adventure.

While serving in the Peace Corps in Indonesia, I took anti-malarial medication every night for two years. When I left Indonesia, I continued to travel around the pacific and take medications. I thought since I was taking anti-malarials, I didn’t need to also apply bug spray. That was until I returned home to Chicago and started feeling tired, achy, and feverish with headaches that required me to lie down in the dark for hours. Every other day, the symptoms would disappear and I would feel fine. It took two weeks of this on-and-off pattern before I was rushed to urgent care and was quickly informed that this pattern is malaria’s calling card.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Taylor Fox.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Commerce Outdoor Gear Editor
Taylor Fox
Taylor Fox is the Commerce Outdoor Gear Editor at Travel + Leisure where she tests, researches, and writes about travel products.
Media Mentions
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