Would you rent a car on these islands?

[MrsJed]

We will be on the Victory out of San Juan and have stops at Barbados, St. Kitts and St. Lucia. I would like to rent a car on one of the islands but not sure what one would be the best.

 

I think they all drive on the left and all have a special license to get.

 

How are the roads, traffic, etc.

 

Any info would be great and thanks so much,

Michelle

[Aplmac]

We will be on the Victory out of San Juan and have stops at Barbados, St. Kitts and St. Lucia.

I would like to rent a car on one of the islands

but not sure what one would be the best. ===> St.Kitts.

 

I think they all drive on the left

and all have a special license to get. ===> Temp driving permit from local Police,

but car renter guy will organise that for you

 

How are the roads, traffic, etc.

Roads are narrow compared to what you're accustomed to.

Have you ever driven on the left before?? :confused:

If not, that may warrant a re-think

- but then again, maybe you're a good,sharp driver on the left?

 

 

St.Kitts would be a good one ..to rent on that island.

I say so because population and car density is low.

Lots of open roads, little traffic, but roads are narrow and in some places winding.

This is the third world.

Don't expect American standards of anything, okay?

 

Barbados (I live here..) I would suggest you not rent a car.

Our roads are also narrow -and thick with vehicles. :cool:

Can you say Traffic?

Unless you are well accustomed to driving on the left

I would suggest you reconsider driving in Barbados.

Then again, if you've been here before and have some idea of the layout of the island

AND you intend to stay out of the larger city and suburban areas, it may be a go

but only you can judge that.

 

St.Lucia is probably somewhere between what laid-back St.Kitts is

and what Busy Barbados is

although more towards the St.Kitts end of things.

I'm considering renting on St.Lucia, but then I've driven on the left all my life

and know the island/s fairly well

-had an Uncle who lived in St.Lucia, and I've driven there several times before.

That's a whole different 'picture' to yours, I suspect.. :)

 

 

___________________________________

In a nutshell, and in my humble opinion

S.Kitts = very possible Yes

St.Lucia = maybe/yes

Barbados... = maybe not/no.

[michellejed]

Thanks for the reply!

 

I have never driven on the left and am a tad worried about traffic so may reconsider.

 

We like to take a car and stop when we want and see the things most dont care about like going to the College and churches and also just to stop and take pictures of flowers or a secluded strip of beach. So the tours don't do much for us.

 

Is there public transportation around the island that might be a better option.

 

Thanks again for all the info!

Loved the banana trees!!

Michelle

[phoenix_dream]

We had very bad luck renting a car on Barbados. Couldn't find a 'major' car rental firm we were familiar with so took advice from these boards. The car had virtually no brakes - and there are parts of the island that are very hilly. Also, roads are not in great shape, and they are not well-marked. We said never again.

 

St. Lucia has alot of very mountainous roads. I would never rent a car there for that reason.

 

St. Kitts is a place I have only been to once and of the three I would pick that one (but wouldn't necessarily recommend it either - it is a pretty undeveloped island)

[SMSACE6]

I wouldnt even consider it. As already said driving on the left, and if you are not used to that, you are alread at a disadvantage. Yes roads are mostly narrow, and winding. Ive not been there since 1998, but in those days, automatic cars rented at a hefty premium.

 

Back in the days I went to Barbados, I always found that one could find a taxi driver, and tell him/her where you wanted to go, and you could negotiate a fair price. I recommend doing that.:)

 

Im talking Barbados here, from personal experience, but I would say the same for the other islands too.

[Aplmac]

Here's a few pics to show you what you might expect in St.Kitts.

 

 

 

 

 

A view from the ship showing the Western part of town -Basseterre- you can see some roads in the distance

 

 

 

You'll be docking here

 

 

 

A road in the town

These pics aren't much

but I hope they'll be of some use to you

 

.

[michellejed]

Thanks all for the replies! Thanks also for the pics, I think we will pass on the driving our selves and just see about a taxi. :)

[phoenix_dream]

For future reference, there are islands I would rent a car on. These include St. Maarten (although traffic is a bear) and Aruba. Both have good roads, driving on the right if I recall correctly, and are easy to navigate. Same is true for Curacao, and I think Grand Cayman as well although we have never rented one on that particular island and that one is probably drive on the left.