Tropical Vacation Destination While Avoiding ZIKA Risk

[avengedkevinfold]

My wife and I plan to try for our second child in the next year. Therefore we need to avoid this ZIKA virus.

We live in California. I'd love to go to Bonaire or Turks and Caicos again but it seems the ZIKA threat would be too high. We've been to Hawaii too many times. We've been to Fiji and loved it. We'd love to do Roatan but again, zika risk. My wife wants warm water diving. Where else can we go to do some good diving and avoid the the ZIKA virus risks?

A few ideas that come to mind that might avoid ZIKA risk.
Cabo San Lucas or La Paz with whale sharks?
Where else?

We plan on going time frame of Jan - April.

Thanks in advance!

 

[KathyV]

This would not work for your timeframe because the water would be cold, but if you decide to travel later in the summer then you might consider Bermuda. I have never been there and I have heard that wreck dives are the biggest attraction but so far there have been no locally-transmitted cases of Zika on Bermuda. Also, the Aedes aegypti mosquito (the main vector of the Zika virus) is not native to Bermuda - so it is unlikely to become a problem there.

 

[Steve_C]

Bermuda may not be tropical but it does have clear water and fish life and wrecks. Compared to Claifornia the water will be warmer.

 

[Steve_C]

I have not dove in Bermuda but did do some snorkeling there in late Spring. Was without a wetsuit. I was comfortable.

 

[KathyV]

I recently went out to dinner with a group of friends including some young women of child-bearing age and they were bemoaning the lack of warm tropical vacation destinations because of concerns about Zika, but Bermuda was mentioned as a good location and an alternative to the Caribbean destinations and there have been no locally-transmitted cases there.

@Storker has also recently been investigating diving options in the Canary Islands, but again I think the water may be rather cold during the winter months, here is the link:
Diving Gran Canaria

There have NOT been any local cases of Zika in the Carnary islands:
Gran Canaria Info - The Canary Islands: Zika & Disease-Free Despite The Heat

Another possibility is the Red Sea, there have been no local cases of Zika in Egypt yet although the Aedes aegypti mosquito does occur in northern Egypt. That is beautiful diving and right now the prices are very low and the Aggressor Fleet is offering Red Sea liveaboard specials for only $1300 during the month of April, see the link below. Many people travel to Egypt safely but others have understandable safety concerns that are unrelated to Zika; it's too bad.
Aggressor Fleet - The Ultimate in LiveAboards

 

[Rhone Man]

I like Bermuda as a place, but wouldn't want to visit as a tourist.

Cooler weather aside, it is just stupidly expensive. And it drives me crazy how they nickel and dime you for every little thing when you stay in hotels in Bermuda.

 

[Damselfish]

You might try to find a liveaboard in a lower risk location. Mosquitoes don't travel very far and I've never found them to be a problem on a boat. Obviously you have to get to and from the boat and that is a window of risk. But if you choose a lower risk destination (ideally a place where the airport - or at least the departure area where you will spend the most time - is enclosed and air-conditioned rather than an open-air affair) and really focus on avoiding bites during the bit of time you're on land with treated clothing and plenty of good bug spray, that might work for you.

 

[diversteve]

I'm not sure I believe this 100% given the motivation behind the people providing the data - also this is April 2016 data.

Mexico updates map of locations of Zika cases: Travel Weekly

Here's the places I generally wouldn't go in your situation. Not much left. All Countries and Territiories

 

[bmorescuba]

What about the Philippines? I don't see them on the Zika list. Of course, plenty of other tropical diseases available, but most of them have vaccinations. Might be a good time to go before Duterte wrecks US relations beyond repair.

 

[Kharon]

No local transmission of Zika, Chikungunya, or Dengue in the Keys. According to CDC it's not an issue there. There is a big difference between having reported cases from travel and having local transmission.