Pain de Sucre, Terre-de-Haut, Les Saintes, Guadeloupe (Textor)
The decision whether or not to rent a car in the Caribbean is not an easy one. Your decision will be contingent on all sorts of things—the state of public transportation and taxis, your proximity to beaches and other sights, the quality of the roads, your level of familiarity with local driving conventions, your confidence as a driver, and, lastly and most importantly, your travel style.
There are many spots in the Caribbean where a rental car is all but unnecessary. You're not going to need a car if you've planned an urban getaway to places like Old San Juan, Miami's South Beach, and Santo Domingo. Similarly, there are many smaller islands and areas with concentrated services where a rental car would feel more like a hassle than an advantage.
For exploring types planning to cover more ground, a rental car will facilitate essential, much-needed mobility.
koucou has partnered with AutoEurope to offer online booking of cars in several Caribbean territories. AutoEurope is a consolidator, and is a great site for locating the most inexpensive rental options among large car rental companies.
It's of note that the Caribbean is full of very small local car rental agencies that won't show up in most guidebooks or official tourist board web sites. Whether or not you decide to grace these smaller local companies with your business is of course a personal decision. Many travelers will prefer the security offered by an international car rental company, while others will be fine with forgoing insurance. If you do decide to go the independent route and frequent a local car rental agency, we advise checking in with a trusted local or your hotel proprietor first.