The Caribbean is made up over around 7000 little islands and coves located in the Caribbean Sea in the Gulf of Mexico. The main Caribbean islands such as Cuba, Barbados and Antigua vary greatly in size but to see the best of each tropical paradise has to offer, you may wish to arrange a reliable rental car in order to reach stunning secluded beaches.
A trip to Pilar Beach, situated on Cuba's Cayo Guillermo is a must see, this beach is completely unspoilt and miles away from the hotel resorts on Cayo Guillermo. A hire car would be particularly handy for this beach as it is around half an hour away from Cayo Guillermo's hotels.
If you are staying in Barbados be sure to visit Crane Beach, this beach has been voted among the top ten beaches in the world recently, and it is accessible by rental car. Further north, Antigua has 365 beautiful beaches - one to discover for each day of the year.
It is often best to arrange your car rental as far in advance as possible, not only will you get a cheaper deal but you will also have peace of mind that you will be able to travel around easily on arrival into the Caribbean.
Caribbean roads can throw up some unexpected obstacles, sometimes cattle are permitted to wander into the roads however the quality of the road surface is generally quite good. While each island has its own driving laws, the following general rules are worth noting:
• On most Caribbean islands, driving follows the English system - on the left-hand side of the road.
• Depending on the island, your own driver's license will be valid, or you may have to purchase a temporary driving permit for a small fee. These are available from your car rental company.
• Don't be shocked to hear impromptu horn honking, this is just a friendly Caribbean way of greeting fellow drivers.
The temperatures are relatively consistent between the Caribbean islands and the best time to visit is from mid December to mid April. If you visit in these months you will be outside of both the wet season and hurricane season.
