Have you rented a car in Tortola?

[showdog]

We are thinking about renting a car in Tortola. Has anyone done this? Can you please share your experience? We will be going at the end of May on the Zuiderdam and thought this would be a good way to see the island.


Any advice on things to see and do and road conditions would be greatly appreciated. We usually rent a car while in St. Martin and St. Thomas.

Thank you

[MI-DI]

Showdog...We spent 4 days there Oct. 04.....Would recommend a 4WD vehicle...IF you are a beach person Smuggler's Cove is beautiful...Its at the end of maybe a mile of really bad road but worth the trip..nothing there but one local selling cold drinks. Overall roads are very hilly with many hair pin turns.

[showdog]

So you're saying that you have to get a jeep type vehicle instead of a car? Are the roads pretty bumpy or are they paved pretty good?

[anngie]

We rented a small economy car from Jerry's in Tortola. Good experience with Jerry's. He seems to have a lot of cousins. Everywhere we stopped, someone claimed to be his cousin when they saw our car tag.
http://www.jerrysrental.com/
The main roads are ok. Some of the mountain roads are pretty bad. Make sure the brakes are working good. When you go up a steep mountain you have to come back down and some of the roads don't have rails on the sides.
I spent a lot of time with my eyes closed.:eek: I was not driving. I was in the back seat.

[showdog]

I'm ok as long as the road is paved. Last year when we rented a jeep in St. John we went over a road on the top of the mountain that was not really a road and it was very scary. We had to drive over giant boulders/rocks.

I guess that's my main question about Tortola. How are the roads?

[MI-DI]

HI showdog...Actually most roads are pretty good .paved with a few pot holes. The reason I suggested 4WD was if it should rain, the roads can be very slick...also you won't be limited to paved roads.We had a little Chevy Tracker (automatic) from Hertz and it worked great....Anyhow its a great island ...You will enjoy it...MIDI

[showdog]

I think we would like to drive to Smuggler's Cove. I wonder if the road is flat and bumpy or if it is pretty steep and scary? I don't mind if it's just a gravel road or a sand road that is a little bumpy.

[MI-DI]

road is dirt and very rocky ...you will have to creep along for maybe a mile or so...no bad hills...MI-DI

[JaniceB]

Are there any beaches with a bar/restaurant that would be nice to sit and watch the sunset from?

[MI-DI]

What time does your ship leave ???..MI-DI

[Esme]

road is dirt and very rocky ...you will have to creep along for maybe a mile or so...no bad hills...MI-DI

If that's the road our friend took us along as we drove to a beach to snorkel it was TERRIBLE. It's a wonder the bottom didn't fall out of her car. :p Finally arrived at the beach only to find that the red flags were out warning of the undertow, so we never did get to snorkel. :(

[showdog]

We get in at 8 am and leave at 6 pm. I posted this same question on Princess and I'm getting some different answers there. It's funny how you can get totally different opinions. One person there said they rented a car back in November and would never do it again.

[MI-DI]

Showdog...Yes its a lousy road ...we had 4WD....went nice and slow..no problem...we saw no flags..dont know who would put them up as there are no life guards...snorkeling on one side was very nice..middle of beach was nothing but sand...no undertow the day we were there. overall one of the nicest beaches we have ever been to and we have been to many.!!!!!! If your ship leaves at 6 I dont think you will see any susets from the beach...MI-DI

[JaniceB]

MI-DI

The Zaandam leaves at 11pm. We should have plenty of time to watch the sunset and get back to the ship. We will be there in March.

Janice

[LindaKE]

Personally, I wouldn't want to drive on those roads. They were very narrow, and VERY curvy. The locals drive too fast for those roads. When they come to a curve, they just sound their horn and keep going at the same speed. While we were there earlier this month, one of the safari buses rolled over at the top of the mountain. The driver tried to back up to let another one by and a tire went off the pavement. Three passengers were hurt, though none seriously. If we ever go to that island again, I'll stay very close to the ship.

[showdog]

I wonder though if this means that I would rather not let someone else do the driving after hearing that experience but drive myself and just go really really slow?