Caribbean car hire

Lazy afternoons in shady hammocks, barefoot strolls in the sand, diving under the waves, late-night dancing to a unique rhythm… the Caribbean is everything a dream holiday in the sunshine should be. Book car rental in Caribbean destinations and these spicy islands will get even tastier.

Language: English, Creole, Spanish, French, Dutch | Currency: Multiple | Avg. Flight time: 9 to 10 hrs

Caribbean car rental is easy to find – the only tricky bit is deciding which island you’ll land on...

The Caribbean is made up of around 7,000 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 that each tropical paradise has to offer, you may wish to arrange a reliable rental car in order to reach stunning secluded beaches.

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 on to them - however the quality of the road surface is generally OK. 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 wet season and hurricane season.

When you pre-book car hire, Caribbean airports have plenty of car-rental offices from which you can collect your vehicle. Picking up your rental at the airport saves on the cost of resort transfers. Alternatively, many of the Caribbean’s towns and cities have car-rental offices that are located in handy downtown areas. Specify where you would like to collect from when you book your hire car.

To compare prices on car rental use TravelSupermarket’s search tool.

Decide on your dream island and then use TravelSupermarket to book your ideal break in this tropical paradise...

The Caribbean is home to more than 30 countries, a handful of languages, a diverse range of landscapes, too many activities to pack into a fortnight and a tasty menu of dazzling flavours - you’ll need a lie down on the sugar-soft sands just to recover from selecting your holiday destination!

Here are a few ideas to whet the appetite, as well as places to see when you book car hire in any of these zesty destinations.

A trip to Pilar Beach, situated on Cuba's Cay 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 10 beaches in the world recently and is accessible by rental car.

Further north, Antigua has 365 beautiful beaches - one to discover for each day of the year.

Car hire in St Lucia allows you to break free from your resort and visit a festival or step foot on the emerald-green peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton.

Book car rental in Grenada and tour the island’s incredible beaches, such as Grand Anse Beach. The lakes and waterfalls of the interior are also accessible when you have your own car.

Other top destinations include Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Martinique, Aruba, and the Dominican Republic, among many more. The best way to savour the distinct charms of each unique destination is to book car hire, tour at leisure, and create a set of unforgettable holiday memories.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.