Hi--

I'm hoping someone could offer an opinion.... please ......I just booked a trip to St Lucia for 8 days.... leaving next Saturday. I'm fast and furiously pulling together info and the reviews online have been very helpful in getting my bearings.

My last decision to make at this point is whether to get a rental car for the week. Because we're staying in Gros Inlet and flying into UVF, it's a costly taxi ride ( my travel package could also offer the airport transfers for an additional $116 USD.)

My mom and I are traveling together.... we love exploring... and we're both very capable drivers (I can handle the streets of Manhattan with ease). I think a car rental runs about $450 for the 8 days....

So my question is this--- do you think it's worth it to spend the extra money and have a little flexibility with the car (versus the alternative of using taxi services to get into town, to beach sites, etc?) And-- is it relatively safe, easy driving?

I'd appreciate any advice from the forum-- thanks so much!!

Yes, I recommend that you rent a car. You'll have much more freedom and will see more of the island. With a car you can skip the tours and drive yourself.

I recommend you avoid driving at night at least until you have driven the same road in daylight. Pull to the side to let locals pass you especially the local bus minivans.


If you like snorkeling you could drive to the same beaches/ snorkeling areas that the expensive catamaran tours take you to (like Anse Chastanet or Ti Kaye) but you can go when the bay is not full of tour groups.
Explore the volcano, hot springs, waterfalls, hike the Pitons and zip line much more easily with your own transport.

I think cruise ships arrive in St.Lucia Oct through May so a car would also let you escape the cruise crowd.

If you intend to spend most of your time on the beach at your resort drinking Pitons rather than hiking them then a car is unnecessary but I think you'd miss out on seeing more of such a beautiful island.

We almost always rent a car in the Caribbean and have done so in St Lucia couple times. Roads are not always in great condition, some roads are unmade eg the road to Anse Chastenet and Ti Kaye. Jeep would be advisable due to the potholes. The drive from UVF to Gros Ilet is a long one, quite windy in places, there are few if any road signs directing you out of the airport. Cars are right hand drive and they drive on the left, can recommend local firm Cool Breeze car rental. If you are ok with that then yes a car provides much more freedom to come and go as you please.

Here's a different view. We have been to St.Lucia over a dozen times and have only once hired a car, for one day - an experience I found very uncomfortable and would never repeat. Here are the reasons. While St. Lucia is a wonderful island there are very little tourist locations to visit, and those can be done so much better with an organised outing, by bus or by boat. Driving on your own is unfulfilling. There are few pubic beaches, really only two roads on the whole island and if you venture into any of the town to park you'll be surrounded by people, mostly good friendly folk, but all after your money! If you're staying in Rodney Bay you'll have everything you need within walking distance, including Pigeon island. As this is your first trip, I'd take an island tour with a car or bus, and a boat trip to include the sulphur springs and tropical gardens. You'll see most of the island on the bus from the airport, and the best way to visit Castries market is by taxi.

Apologies for the unfortunate typo - they are of course public beaches. It's not that sort of an island!!