13 Eco-Friendly Mosquito Repellents for Rarotonga & the Cook Islands

We've used their insect repellent sticks for a few of our South Pacific travels, but we couldn't justify the amount of plastic packaging of Murphy's Naturals to keep on purchasing them... Until they released their effective formula in a tin!

The combination of lemongrass, cedarwood, peppermint and rosemary is usually a good win for keeping mosquitos at bay for a couple of hours. What's more, it smells great!

Check out Murphy's Naturals Mosquito Repellent Balm on Amazon.

Our top pick for those who can pick it up in New Zealand before heading to Cook Islands, Raw Nature Bug Repellent, not only works but it comes in a cardboard tube, getting extra eco-points from us!

The citronella, cedarwood and rosemary combo smells delicious (but awful to the mosquitos, but that's the point!) The shea butter with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties combined with New Zealand manuka oil rolls on effortlessly. Look out for this brand in New Zealand pharmacies and Farmers.

Keeps mosquitos at bay; check! No nasty chemicals; check! Plastic-free; check! Badger Anti-Bug Balm is a good all-rounder for protecting yourself against mosquitoes in Cooks Islands, especially for those coming from the US where it's easier to source.

The organic and natural mosquito repellent is based on citronella, cedar and lemongrass. Badger also offers sprays in aluminium bottles (although have plastic lids) and balm sticks.

Check out Badger Anti-Bug Balm on Amazon.

One of the leaders of the DEET-free insect repellent market is REPEL and for good reason. The environmentally-friendly spray with lemon and eucalyptus extract not only effectively keeps mosquitos at bay, but smells pretty good too.

Plus, the formula is non-greasy, meaning no stains on your holiday clothes – which, by the way, if you don’t know what to pack, see our Full Cook Islands Packing List.

Learn more about REPEL Insect Repellent Spray on Amazon.

Swap spray for a natural cream with this “No-Bite-Me” Insect Repellent Cream by SallyeAnder. No nasties are present in the ingredients of this eco-friendly mosquito repellent, with active ingredients including eugenol, cedar oil, rosemary oil, lemongrass oil, and more.

The repellent is free from paraben, DEET and alcohol and is safe for kids and infants. You might also want to match this with the 5 Best Sunscreens for Kids and Babies.

Check out the SallyeAnder No-Bite-MeCream on Amazon.

Compact to use when travelling and useful to diffuse at your bure, the Outdoor Essential Oil by TerraShield is a natural repellent for unwanted bugs, including mosquitos. The essential oil uses natural ingredients, such as ylang-ylang, cedarwood, catnip, lemon eucalyptus, vanilla bean absolute and more.

A few drops on your arms, legs and neck is usually enough to keep the bugs at bay for a few hours.

Find out more about TerraShield Outdoor Essential Oil on Amazon.

As easy as taking your morning or evening shower, Insect Repellent Soap is well worth considering. Just replace your normal soap or body wash with a soap bar made with citronella and lemongrass.

We recommend the Insect Repellent Bar from Blue Moon Elise, which is available on Amazon.

Ok, so any clothing protects the covered parts of your body from mosquito bites, but what about repelling mosquitoes away from your body altogether to spare your exposed hands and ears? Meet clothing made with insect-repellent technology!

Combining UV and insect protection, clothing with patented technologies like “No Fly Zone” and “Bug’s Away”. The clothes typically keep their bug-repellent capabilities for around 50-60 washes.

A recommended insect-repellent clothing brand is ExOfficio, which does both men's insect-repellent apparel and women's insect apparel on Amazon.

A good one for the kids, natural mosquito repellent stickers are as easy to use as simply sticking one of the stickers to the little one’s T-shirt, shorts or bag. The active ingredients in these clever stickers include citronella and lemon. Of course, the stickers are DEET-free.

Check out Natural Mosquito Repellent Stickers from Mosquito Guard on Amazon.

Each bracelet, on top of being colourfully fashionable, provides 15 continuous days of protection. Infused with powerful citronella, rosemary, geranium, mint and more, these Para’Kito Bracelets only require you to change the active pellets once every 15 days.

As soon as your bracelet stops smelling, just pop in a new pellet and you’re back protected. Keep in mind that once opened, the 15 days kick in, so using the bracelet for a few days now and a few days later won’t work…

Check out the Para’Kito Bracelets on Amazon.

Using natural ingredients like geranium oil, these insect repellent wipes are not our top choice because of all of the packaging but at least they are an alternative option for natural insect repellent for Cook Islands should you need it.

Each wipe is individually sealed to lock in the active ingredients until opened, when all you need to do is wipe the areas you want to protect. Wipes typically give around six hours of protection.

For more health products to pack for Cook Islands, see What Medication to Pack in Your First Aid Kit for Cook Islands.

Check out La Fresh Mosquito Repellent Wipes on Amazon.

If you run out of spray in the Cook Islands, never fear! There are two natural insect repellent brands that the locals use that are very effective: Monoi Tiki Tahiti, found in pharmacies, gift stores and surf stores, and Te ARA sold at the Te Ara Museum in Muri.

Ultimately, there are alternative methods to prevent mosquito bites without relying on insect repellents and similar products. Wearing long-sleeved clothing, avoiding the wet season and choosing accommodation with mosquito nets are all alternative precautions to take.

It's worth checking out our 10 Ways to Avoid Mosquito Bites in the Cook Islands for more options!