We're going to st. Kitts next month, staying at the Marriott. Do you all think we need a car, or can we get by with taxi's???
Thanks

Hi, we were there last month, stayed at the Marriott, rented a car, so glad we did, there are lots of good restaurants nearby (we liked Mr. X's Shiggidy Shack, Marshall's and Serendipity -- that one's downtown). We found the driving pretty easy and it's quite a long way out on the peninsula to places like Turtle Beach, can't imagine what a cab would cost. Also, the Fort and Romney Manor which are both worth seeing are at least 45 minutes from the Marriott. However, the car rental process was not an easy one, even though we had reserved in advance. Arrived at the airport, waited at rental car counter for one hour, they still didn't have a car. They drove us to the Marriott, and then two hours later came back, picked up my husband and took him back to the airport to get the car. What a pain. There's a definite shortage of cars. Hopefully you will be luckier.

I spent a small fortune on taxis when I was in St. Kitts in December. You will have more freedom if you rent a car.

Visit www.myislands.myeyez.net

You will find links for various car rentals.

Have a great time and be sure to post a Trip Report when you return.

Really, only you can answer that question. If you plan on leaving the resort more than once a day rent a car. If you are the type of people who never leave the resort or only do it occasionally than take taxis. To put things in perspective, two r/t's (including tips) in a taxi in one day to almost anywhere on the island will cost you about the same or more than the daily fee for a rental car. Do the math based on your particular lifestyle and decide accordingly.

Definitely rent a car. It's been a few years since my trip but the memories are still great to look back on. We rented a car ahead of time from TDC, they seem to have a lot going on business-wise, on the island. They even picked us up at the Marriott when we arrived and brought us into town to the rental agency to get our car. Plus we just left the car at the hotel at the end of our vacation - very easy and casual. They do have a "share" agreement so you can use a car on Nevis for nothing extra. Plus on Nevis we just had to replace the gas we used! We parked our St.Kitts car at the marina for cheap all day rates.

We each got the temp driving license but my sister did much better with the right-hand drive, so I just navigated. If you've driven in the Caribbean you probably know it's very mellow, lots of goats, the occasional randomly parked vehicles and tooting of the horn to say hello.

We decided to go to Nevis on the spur of the moment one day, so not much research. We had a 5 pm ferry for the return and were stressed about getting around the island in time. What a laugh! It only took an hour. We would have seen much more had we known.

I sympathize with Eileen and the rental car drama. One morning in our hotel parking lot, we came across a hotel guest changing the flat tire on his rental from a national chain!

TDC rocks!

We were in SK in Jan / Feb for two weeks....we rented a car for the 7 days in between from TDC and swear by the decision to rent. If we were going for a week we would likely rent for 5 days or 4 as there is so much on the island to see and do and really it is best accessed via a rental.

We would get all over the island in a day - to Cockleshells beach for a swim and to roam around then on to Shipwreck for lunch and drinks - while my son napped in his car seat we would drive around the main highway and look at the coastal views...some times Mum and I would nip into a shop while DH and dad relaxed in the car listening to local radio...then we would go back to our place and the out again for dinner.

There is so much to do on foot in that area - P.J's, Mr.X's and all the beach bars, Sunset cafe etc...and being at the Marriott you are likely there for the decadence...but even if for a couple of days you might be as happy with the freedom to keep changing your mind and discovering new joys of St.Kitts that will be very much your own...plus you can always drive to the dock and park - jump on the ferry and then pick up a car in NEvis and drive around taht wee little island....stopping wherever!

Have a blast!

mpe thanks for asking the question. I'll be going to st. kitts next month also and we were debating the idea of renting a car. I definitely want to see the entire island so I guess renting is the way to go. For those that did rent, did you book in advance? I was thinking the end of June would not be as crowded as late winter or early spring. Anyone know where to check for cruise ship arrivals? I'd like to be somewhere else on the island when they arrive. Thanks to everyone for all the info.

Simplify, Yes we booked our car ahead of time with TDC. As for the cruise ships, I know I've seen that question before on these boards. I vaguely want to say Tues and Thur, but I'm not sure and we were there in '03. Maybe try a new post, there are some real experts on these boards who will pipe up I'm sure. Have a great time!

The cruise ships usually start sailing to the Caribbean in September. In the summer they go to Europe.

Regarding car rentals you should visit the forum at www.myislands.myeyez.net

There was a recent posting regarding car rentals. You should definitely book in advance if you are planning to be there during the Music Festival (June 21-24).

We rented through Avis over Thanksgiving weekend last November and we did not reserve in advance. They were a little more expensive than other rentals but the vehicle was in great shape and we were able to get airline miles for the rental. They picked us up at the hotel and drove us to the rental car office.

We rented a regular car upon their advice and found out that we never missed having a 4WD vehicle. The main roads were in excellent repair and the few secondary roads were still quite manageable with a low-clearance car.

While I would urge renting a car, I would also suggest that perhaps you wouldn't need it for your entire stay. The Marriott is in easy walking distance of off-site restaurants and the main tourist beach, South Frigate. You might want to settle in for a day or so and explore on foot before committing to a rental car. Just a thought.

For the cruise ship itinery go to /www.stkittstourism.kn/DiscoverStKitts/GetHere_CruiseShips.asp.

Does anyone know about getting the "drivers permit"?

The driver's permit is just a local driver's license that is good for three months on both st. Kitts & Nevis. The car rental place will charge you for it (not much, maybe around $15US?) and give it to you. Carry it in your purse or wallet.

This is probably a no-brainer, but it happened to a friend of mine. You must take your US driver's license to get a local license. Some folks (including my friend) apparently leave all forms of ID except their passport behind when they go on vacation, but if you want to drive you'll need the DL.

Most travelers agree that while not a necessity, renting a car is preferred over using taxis. Having a car at your disposal is more convenient than waiting for a taxi and may be less expensive.

When on foreign soil many tourists want to leave the driving to someone who is experienced and not have to worry about the possibility of getting into an accident after having a few too many drinks or if you're not used to driving on the left side of the road.

If you are spending a week on vacation you may end up taking one or possbly two taxi rides a day so this is something you should budget for.

Another thing to remember is that taxi drivers depend on travelers to make their living and they can make your vacation experience all the more enjoyable by pointing out different sites that you might have missed had you rented a car. They can also give you details about the islands history and recommend various restaurants.

If you are planning an extended trip to St. Kitts/Nevis than a car rental is recommended.

In St. Kitts I highly recommend Thenford Grey a knowledgeable and friendly guide.

His e-mail is [email protected]