How to Avoid Catching Malaria While Surfing the Tropics

"I took Larium anti-malarial medication while surfing G-Land in Indonesia. They gave me hallucinations and I got no sleep my first night there," says Timmy Reyes, O'Neill Surf Team rider.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Long Pants
• Long-sleeved Shirts
• Sports Sunglasses
• Mosquito Netting
• Sunscreen
• Backpacks
• Surf Leashes
• Surf Waxes
• Surfboard Bags
• Surfboard Ding Repair Kits
• Surfboards
• Surfing Trunks

1. Go to your county medical center and request a list of recommended vaccinations and preventive medicine for your destination.

2. Take your medication on schedule and make sure you don't miss days.

3. Avoid hanging out next to areas where there's lots of still water. Mosquitos - the carriers of malaria - breed in such areas.

4. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants in the evenings to give you extra coverage.

5. Sleep inside a mosquito net.

6. Complete your full cycle of medication, even if you've returned home to a malaria-free zone.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your medication early in the day and after a meal.
• A common side effect of anti-malarial medication is hallucinations, usually in the form of vivid dreams at night. "One night I took my pills before bed and had a dream that I was in the jungle with no light. I was being chased by a tiger and was scared to death. It just so happens that in the jungle surrounding G-Land, that is a likely real-life scenario," says Timmy.
• Consult a physician prior to taking anti-malarial medication. Common side effects are nausea, dizziness, headache and hallucinations.
• If you get sick, see a doctor immediately and be sure to mention the country you were in and any shots or medications you've had recently.
• Even if you take anti-malarial medication, you run the risk of catching malaria. There are many medication-resistant strains.

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