It’s much easier to explore the British Virgin Islands at your own pace with a car rental. Whether you plan to stay in Tortola, Virgin Gorda, or other islands, a car will let you easily travel from place to place at your own leisure. If you want to explore the more remote and off-the-beaten-path beaches and other areas, renting a car is worth the added cost. While getting to some of these places might be easy by taxi, getting picked up after is a whole different story.
Is It Worth Renting A Car In The British Virgin Islands?
Yes, it’s worth getting a car if you plan to stay on islands like Tortola, Anegada, and Virgin Gorda. The larger and developed islands have plenty of things to do, and the landmarks aren’t always close to each other. While Anegada is smaller, its terrain is mostly flat and the best beaches, like Loblolly Bay and Cow Wreck Beach, often require a vehicle to reach. The rides can also be scenic and a whole adventure on their own.
While you can always rely on taxis to drive you around, they aren’t super cheap, so costs can build up. But the real downside is that taxis won’t always be available to pick you up at certain places unless you prearrange it. This can put a real time limit on the activities you want to do and require you to plan ahead of time. Part of the fun of vacation is being able to do things freely and take time to enjoy the Caribbean atmosphere at a relaxed pace.
We recommend getting a 4x4 vehicle, since the terrain isn’t always smooth and some roads are unpaved. Areas like Smugglers Cove and Brewer's Bay in Tortola or Savannah Bay in Virgin Gorda are a must-see, but the road there can be challenging with potholes and uneven and rough terrain. This is why you commonly see a lot of jeep rentals being advertised, and it’s definitely the type of vehicle we recommend you rent. Apart from the terrain, there are some tricky switchbacks, but nothing too dangerous. We’d also recommend you get car insurance, either through your credit card or by buying it from the rental company.
Top Car Rental Companies
1. Expedia
Expedia is a convenient way to book a car rental in the British Virgin Islands. They work with top brands and offer negotiated discounts on nearly every car type, from luxury to compact, as well as Jeeps. There are multiple pick-up locations on the different islands, with the most popular being Road Town in Tortola and Virgin Gorda. We’ve used them to book a car when visiting Virgin Gorda, and the process was overall pretty straightforward, as the car came from Enterprise.
2. Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has three locations in the British Virgin Islands: Terrance B Lettsome Airport (EIS) on Beef Island, Road Town Maria's by the Sea Hotel in Tortola, and at the Hazel Point Building in Virgin Gorda. Its three locations across the islands make it easy to coordinate multiple rentals as you move island to island. In terms of vehicles, you can rent Jeep Wranglers to smaller Toyota Corollas.
3. Discover Cars
Discover Cars operates on a model similar to Expedia's, working with major car rental brands like Avis, Sixt, and Alamo to offer you great deals on cars. The platform makes it easy to compare prices and find the exact car model you’re looking for. What we like about it is that you don’t always have to pay upfront, which makes it convenient if you’re worried about changes to your travel plans. Toyotas seem to be the popular model that most people rent from them, but they also offer the Jeep Wrangler, which we always recommend to make it easy to get around the islands.