Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
32
Tips
Renting a Car 101
All the major car r ental companies maintain k iosks within
walking distance of the airpor t terminal on Grand Cayman,
although some visit ors find it easier t o take a taxi t o their
hotel and arrange for their car to be delivered there.
All major companies suggest that car rentals be reserved
at least 6 to 36 hours
in advance
of arrival in the C aymans.
In midwinter you should r eserve days in advanc e because
of heavy demand.
There is definit e age “discrimination” in the C ayman
Islands. Always check the age r equirement with the r ental
agency bef ore c ementing a deal . A t A vis y ou can be 21
years old, but at Hertz, for example, you must be 25. Budget
also requires that you be 25 years old and—get this—defi-
nitely not beyond 75 years of age.
2
The British tradition of
driving on the left
is followed in the Cay-
man Islands. A driving permit is mandator y if you rent a car. All car
rental companies are required by law to issue this permit and collect
the fee of US$7.50. P ermits, which ar e valid for 6 months, ar e also
issued at the G eorge Town Police Station on Elgin Avenue (
&
345/
949-4222
).
Prices of car r entals depend on the season, with the highest rates
charged from mid-December to mid-A pril. In the off season, prices
are often reduced by around 35%. Several car rental companies oper-
ate on the island, including
Avis
(
&
800/331-1212
in the U.S., or
345/949-2468 on Grand Cayman; www.avis.com);
Budget
(
&
800/
527-0700
in the U.S., or 345/949-5605 on G rand Cayman; www .
budgetcayman.com);
Cayman Auto Rentals,
135 N. Chur ch St. in
George Town (
&
345/949-1013;
www.caymanautorentals.com.ky);
Hertz
(
&
800/654-3001
in the U.S., or 345/949-2280 on G rand
Cayman; www.hertz.com); and
Thrifty
(
&
800-THRIFTY
[847-
4389] in the U.S., or 345/949-6640 on Grand Cayman; www.thrifty.
com). Avis, Budget, and Cayman A uto Rentals require that r eserva-
tions be made betw een 6 and 36 hours befor e pickup . F or mor e
information, see “Airline, Hotel & Car Rental Websites,” p. 191.
The speed limit is 48kmph (30 mph) in built-up ar eas such as
George Town and along Seven Mile Beach, or 64kmph (40 mph) on
most other island r oads. The highest speed limit on the island is in
