{"id":6041,"date":"2023-12-06T08:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T06:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/car-rental-in-saint-barth-the-best-way-to-get-around-the-island-of-saint-barthelemy\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T16:16:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T14:16:59","slug":"car-rental-in-saint-barth-the-best-way-to-get-around-the-island-of-saint-barthelemy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/car-rental-in-saint-barth-the-best-way-to-get-around-the-island-of-saint-barthelemy\/","title":{"rendered":"Car rental at Saint Barts: the best way to get around the island of Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Caribbean island of Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy covers an area of just under 21 square kilometers. A main road covers most of the island\u2019s coastline. To explore the island, car hire is essential, as there is no public transport. Renting a car is therefore the best choice. <\/p>\n\n

You could of course rely on the island\u2019s few cabs, but even a short journey can quickly become expensive, not to mention that they\u2019re not always available when you need them. That said, if you don\u2019t want to drive during your vacation, you could also opt for a private car service. <\/p>\n\n

Let\u2019s take a look at the best types of vehicle to book to get around Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy. If you like adventure and lighter vehicles, you might also consider renting a motorcycle, scooter or ATV instead of a car to get around. It\u2019s also a great way to discover the hidden corners of this French West Indies<\/a> paradise. We\u2019ll talk about that in this article. <\/p>\n\n

What do you need to rent a car in Saint-Barth?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n
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A valid driver\u2019s license from your home country is all you need to drive in Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy (provided you are over 18). It is strongly recommended that you reserve your vehicle in advance to ensure availability. <\/p>\n\n

To be sure of getting the right model, use a local rental company rather than a franchise of a national company or a travel aggregator like Kayak.<\/p>\n\n

We recommend Hertz, Toploc or Maurice car rental\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

If you\u2019re visiting Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy during the December vacations, you should be aware that most rental companies require a minimum booking of 10 days. They may also impose penalties if you cancel 30 days or less before arrival. <\/p>\n\n

Why choose a private car rental at the airport or in Gustavia?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n
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Renting a car offers you by far the most freedom and flexibility. Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy\u2019s small size, combined with a well-maintained road network, makes it very easy to get around by car. <\/p>\n\n

The main road starts from the capital Gustavia. It then passes the airport and follows the coast to Toiny, allowing you to pass most of the island\u2019s villages and discover its most beautiful beaches. <\/p>\n\n

We advise you to choose a small car, as the island\u2019s roads are often narrow and windy (parking spaces can be tight). Whenever possible, opt for a four-wheel drive vehicle, as the island has some very steep hills that you\u2019ll need to climb on your travels. <\/p>\n\n

The most popular small vehicles for getting around the island are the Mini Moke. Quite simply, it\u2019s Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy\u2019s most iconic car, as is the Mini Cooper. But there are plenty of other options, including the Suzuki Jimny, Kia Picanto and K-Roc. <\/p>\n\n

Depending on the time of year and the model chosen, car rentals range from around \u20ac40 to over \u20ac150 per day. In Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy, rental companies require a minimum seven-day reservation to benefit from a weekly rate, which reduces the average price per day. <\/p>\n\n

Is it a good idea to book a scooter, motorcycle or quad bike instead of a rental car at Saint Barts? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n

To get around Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy, we clearly recommend renting a car rather than a motorcycle, scooter or off-road vehicle.<\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s not always easy to get around on the island\u2019s narrow, winding roads. And it\u2019s much more dangerous on two wheels than in a car. However, it\u2019s quite possible, and scooters in particular are very popular on local roads. <\/p>\n\n

Rates for motorcycles or scooters vary, but are often between \u20ac25 and \u20ac40 per day.<\/p>\n\n

Is there a bike rental agency on Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n

There are no real bicycle rental facilities on Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy. If you want to cycle on the island, you\u2019ll need to bring your own. If you can\u2019t find any bikes to rent, it\u2019s not by chance. <\/p>\n\n

The island\u2019s roads are very narrow, with no relief lanes or cycle paths. So there\u2019s not much room for bikes. The island\u2019s steep terrain when driving around the island is quite a deterrent!!!! <\/p>\n\n

Some tips for driving your rental car in Saint Barthelemy<\/span><\/h2>\n\n
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Driving in Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy is easy enough, but you still need to choose the right vehicle. Smaller cars are preferable, as the island\u2019s roads are all narrow two-lane tracks. <\/p>\n\n

The advantage: short journeys, as Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy\u2019s dimensions are such that it\u2019s unlikely you\u2019ll have to drive more than 20 or 30 minutes between two destinations.<\/p>\n\n

In Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy, don\u2019t forget that we drive on the right-hand side of the road, in compliance with the French highway code.<\/p>\n\n

Most rental cars are equipped with automatic gearboxes, but manual gearboxes are available on request. Given the island\u2019s terrain, automatic gearboxes are the best choice here. <\/p>\n\n

On the main island, the speed limit is 50 km\/h. Some roads are limited to 30 km\/h. <\/p>\n\n

But you\u2019ll soon realize that, given the terrain and the nature of the roads, you\u2019ll find it hard to go any faster. You\u2019re on vacation in a dream location, so adopt the rhythm of your Caribbean adventure, slow down and enjoy the view! <\/p>\n\n

The scenery is quite impressive from most points on the island. On the main coastal road, you\u2019ll pass St Beach, Lorient Beach, Marigot Beach and the \u201cC\u00f4te Sauvage\u201d at Toiny. Although there is no roadside parking on Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy, most beaches have small parking areas where you can stop and admire the view. <\/p>\n\n

Surprisingly, there are no traffic lights on Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy. Intersections are marked by stop or rotary signs to manage right-of-way. And be careful, as soon as you leave the capital Gustavia, there are no more traffic signs. So it\u2019s essential to have a good map or GPS. <\/p>\n\n

Another important note: keep an eye on your fuel gauge! Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy has only two service stations: one at Gustaf III airport and the other at L\u2019Orient. Both stations are closed on Sundays. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Caribbean island of Saint-Barth\u00e9lemy covers an area of just under 21 square kilometers. A main road covers most of the island\u2019s coastline. To explore the island, car hire is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[172,159],"tags":[],"powerkit_post_featured":[],"class_list":["post-6041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-barts","category-travel-tips"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/vitaly-sacred-GKY92xMR9os-unsplash.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6041"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6041\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20878,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6041\/revisions\/20878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6041"},{"taxonomy":"powerkit_post_featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.prestigevillarental.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/powerkit_post_featured?post=6041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}