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DRIVING
IN DOMINICA
To drive in Dominica, you need a temporary
(3 month) Dominica driver's permit, which costs EC$30.00 (approx. US$12.00,
€10.00 or £6.00). This may be obtained on your arrival at Melville
Hall Airport or from any police station and may also be issued by most
vehicle rental companies. It is necessary for you to bring along
your current valid driver's licence, issued in your country of residence,
on which this permit can then be issued.
Driving is on the left, as it is in the
United Kingdom from where Dominica gained independence in 1978. 28 years
later, however, there are only a handful of British made vehicles to be
seen on our roads, most being of Japanese manufacture, with the most popular
business and family vehicles being 4 weel drive jeeps. Though the island
is a mere 29 miles by 16 miles 'as the crow flies', distance here is deceptive
and the island feels much larger. Due to the mountainous terrain, roads
are mostly winding and indirect. To drive along the west coast from Capuccine
in the north to Scotts Head in the south, for instance, takes in excess
of 2 hours. Melville Hall Airport, where most of our visitors arrive, is
located in the north east, and it is about an eighty minute drive accross
the island to the capital Roseau in the south west.
| new
Penville road in the north |
Whilst the local, private, minibus transport
service is cheap to use and frequent during the day along the west coast
between Roseau and Portsmouth, these stop running at 10.00pm and on other
routes can often require a long wait. Island bus tours are available from
Roseau, though these are aimed more at the cruise-ship visitors, who's
time on Dominica is restricted to 7 or 8 hours.
Most of our visitors find that hiring a vehicle
is the best way to explore and enjoy this beautiful and diverse island.
Some of our roads, however, are not always in the best of shape, sometimes
narrow, steep or pot-holed. The word 'challenging' I have heard used by
some visitors to describe them. That said, we have been facilitating visitors
to Dominica for almost 10 years, of which about 75% are from North America
and most do, in fact, opt to hire a vehicle for the duration of their stay.
This we actively encourage. So far, none of our clients have been involved
in any serious accidents. If you drive with caution and at modest speed,
there should be little cause for concern. Very popular are the Suzuki 4
wheel drive jeeps. |
VEHICLE
HIRE
| Note:-
the pre booking of rental vehicles (along with a carefully selected
choice of activities we recommend) is just part of the personal service
we extend only to our clients who book their holiday accommodation
in Dominica through our free island-wide booking service. No cruise-shippers
please. |
Updated September
2006 to include a greater selection of options from additional suppliers
|
With freedom of movement, you may explore
the many attractions scatterred around the island at your leisure and may
even opt to stay at different locations. Having a vehicle at your disposal
when you arrive at Melville Hall can save you $'s on transfer costs (Melville
Hall to Roseau takes about 80 minutes by road and taxi charges are per person).
We have the flexibility to arrange your
vehicle hire from a wide selection of local suppliers, though traditionally
we favour the suppliers below, which we have found to be reliable and competitively
priced.
Our roads are not the straight flat wide
roads you may be accustomed to if visiting from North America. Because
of our rugged terraine, many of our roads are steep, winding, often narrow
and not always in the best of condition. Before making your selection,
please consider why we consider it more appropriate to hire a 4x4 jeep
rather than a conventional sedan car.
1) larger wheels are better suited
to cope with rough road surfaces or potholes.
2) you have a higher ground clearance.
3) you sit higher off the ground
and therefore have better visibility when driving and sightseeing.
4) 4 wheel drive may be useful to
get you out of any difficulty.
All rates displayed below are in US$ &
include unlimited mileage.
We require only a 10%
or 15% deposit to reserve your vehicle:-
Rates displayed below for this company include
free
delivery to Melville Hall Airport in
the north east of the island, but do not
include CDW insurance cover, which is optional - US$10 per day for cars,
US$12 per day for jeeps. This limits collision damage excess charges
to a maximum of US$1,100.00.
Cell phone rental: US$1.50 per day
Vehicles unless otherwise stated have
air
conditioning and radio/cd player. Some
are manual transmission, some automatic. None
are left hand drive.
Rates below are in US$
and are subject to 15% VAT
Please note that these
rates may be subject to increase during 3 peak periods -
15 Oct - 20 Nov, 15
Dec - 20 Jan, 15 Feb - 20 March
| Vehicle |
1 Day |
2-6 Days |
7-15 Days |
| 5 Door Toyota Corolla |
40.00 |
35.00 |
32.00 |
| 5 Door Lancer |
40.00 |
35.00 |
32.00 |
| 3 Door / Hard Top / 4WD Suzuki Sidekick |
45.00 |
37.00 |
35.00 |
| 5 Door / Hard Top / 4WD Suzuki Sidekick |
55.00 |
46.00 |
44.00 |
| 3 Door / 4WD Suzuki Grand Vitara |
60.00 |
56.00 |
52.00 |
| 5 Door / 4WD SuzukiGrand Vitara |
65.00 |
60.00 |
56.00 |
| 7 Seater / 4WD Mitsubishi Pajero |
80.00 |
72.00 |
68.00 |
| Double Cab / 4WD L200 Pick-Up |
65.00 |
56.00 |
52.00 |
| 5 Door / 4WD Toyota Hilux Surf |
60.00 |
56.00 |
52.00 |
| Double cab / 4WD Nissan Frontier |
55.00 |
46.00 |
44.00 |
| 5 Door / 3.3L V6/ 4WD Nissan Pathfinder |
100.00 |
95.00 |
90.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
We require only a 10%
deposit to reserve your vehicle
 |
< Click
here to reserve your
vehicle |
For clients of Nature Island Destinations
only, rates displayed below for this company include
free
delivery to Melville Hall Airport or to any
other location in Dominica.
They do not
include CDW insurance cover, which costs just US$7.00 per day when ordering through Nature Island Destinations.
Deposit required: US$500.00.
Child seats available: US$2.00 per
day
Cell phone rental: US$1.50 per day
Vehicles unless otherwise stated have
air
conditioning and radio/cd player. Some
are manual transmission, some automatic - please
state your preference when making your request. None are left hand
drive.
Rates below are in US$
and are subject to 15% VAT updated January
2007
Please note that these
rates may be subject to change during certain peak periods
e.g. Carnival, Independence
and Christmas
| Car Group |
Car Type |
1 - 6 Days |
1 Week |
|
| ECONOMY |
none currently available |
|
|
|
| FULL SIZE |
Toyota Corolla |
40.00 |
265.00 |
|
| EXECUTIVE CAR |
none currently available |
|
|
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 3 - DOOR |
Suzuki Escudo |
43.00 |
275.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 5 - DOOR |
Suzuki Escudo |
53.00 |
350.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 5 - DOOR |
Suzuki Grand Vitara |
60.00 |
390.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 3 - DOOR |
Mitsubishi IO |
50.00 |
325.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 5 - DOOR |
Mitsubishi IO |
60.00 |
390.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 5 - DOOR 7 SEATER |
Mitsubishi Pajero |
65.00 |
425.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 DOUBLE CAB PICKUP |
Mitsubishi L200 |
60.00 |
390.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 3 - DOOR |
Toyota Rav 4 |
50.00 |
325.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 5 - DOOR |
Toyota Rav 4 |
60.00 |
390.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 5 - DOOR |
Honda CR-V |
60.00 |
390.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 EXECUTIVE JEEP 5- DOOR |
Nissan Pathfinder |
90.00 |
590.00 |
|
| HARD TOP 4 x 4 JEEP 5 - DOOR |
Daihatsu Terious |
55.00 |
370.00 |
|
| LUXURY MINI VAN 8 SEATER |
Toyota Lite Ace |
65.00 |
425.00 |
|
|
We require only a 15%
deposit to reserve your vehicle
 |
< Click
here to reserve your
vehicle |
GARRAWAY RENT-A-CAR
Rates offered by this company are inclusive
of third party insurance cover,
which includes passenger liability.
Optional CDW (collision damage waver) is
also available @ US$10.00 per day.
Deposit required to
cover insurance Excess: $500.00
Rates available to clients of Nature Island
Destinations for delivery of vehicles to and collection from
Melville
Hall Airport in the north east of the island are very reasonable
-
1-3 days US$30, 4-6 days US$20. This service
is free for a hire period exceeding 6 days.
Cell phone rental: US$1.50 per day
Cars are all the same price and unless otherwise
stated are automatic, have
air
conditioning, power steering and radio.
None are left hand drive.
Rates below are in US$
and are subject to 15% VAT updated
January 2007
CATEGORY 1 Nissans
- Sunny or station wagon, Toyotas - Cresta, Corolla or station wagon.
| 1 day...........$50.00 |
2-6 days.....$45.00 |
7-30 days..$39.00 |
30 days+....$32.00 |
CATEGORY 2 Suzuki
Esdcudo 3 door 4x4 hardtop jeep.
| 1 day...........$65.00 |
2-6 days....$55.00 |
7-30 days...$45.00 |
30 days+....$40.00 |
CATEGORY 3 Suzuki
Esdcudo 5 door 4x4 hardtop jeep.
| 1 day............$70.00 |
2-6 days.....$80.00 |
7-30 days..$72.00 |
30 days+....$45.00 |
CATEGORY 4
Mitsubishi
Pajero 7 seater diesel.
| 1 day...........$86.00 |
2-6 days....$55.00 |
7-30 days...$45.00 |
30 days+....$66.00 |
There is a small charge for delivery
to & pick up from Melville Hall Airport if you require a
vehicle for less than 7 days |
We require only a 10%
deposit to reserve your vehicle
 |
< Click
here to reserve your
vehicle |
 |
a subsidiary
of main dealership |
 |
Rates displayed below for this company are very
competitive and include free delivery to
Melville Hall Airport in the north east of the island.
CDW insurance cover
is optional at US$10 per day.
A deposit is required of US$1,125.00 to
cover collision damage excess charges, which is normally done via a pre-authorisation
on credit card.
Vehicles unless otherwise stated have
air
conditioning and radio/cd or cassette player.
Some are manual transmission, some automatic.
None are left hand drive.
| Rates below are in US$
and are subject to 15% VAT
last updated 29
November 2006 |
PEAK
PERIOD
RATES |
Feb 15 - 28 (CARNIVAL)
Oct 15 - Nov 06
(WCMF)
Dec 19 - Jan 08
(XMAS) |
|
|
| Vehicle |
1-6 Days |
7 Days + |
1-6
Days |
7
Days + |
| Suzuki Grand Vitara 5 door 4X4 (2006) |
$64.00 |
$61.00 |
$75.00 |
$68.00 |
| Suzuki Grand Vitara 5 door4X4 (2004/5) |
$60.00 |
$58.00 |
$67.00 |
$64.00 |
| Suzuki Grand Vitara 3 door 4X4 |
$47.00 |
$43.00 |
$53.00 |
$47.00 |
| Suzuki 7 seater 4X4 SUV |
$63.00 |
$60.00 |
$70.00 |
$66.00 |
| Suzuki Escudo 5 door 4X4 |
$47.00 |
$43.00 |
$53.00 |
$47.00 |
| Suzuki Escudo 3 door 4X4 |
$39.00 |
$35.00 |
$44.00 |
$38.50 |
| Suzuki Jimmy |
$39.00 |
$35.00 |
$44.00 |
$38.50 |
| Nissan Frontier DX 5 door 4x4 & 4x2 |
$57.00 |
$54.00 |
$64.00 |
$59.00 |
| Nissan Pathfinder 5 seater 4x4 luxury vehicle |
$63.00 |
$60.00 |
$71.00 |
$66.00 |
| Nissan Terrano 5 seater 4x4 |
$51.00 |
$44.00 |
$57.00 |
$50.00 |
| mid-size car - Nissan Almera/ Cefiro |
$34.00 |
$32.00 |
$38.00 |
$35.00 |
| compact car - Nissan Bluebird |
$32.00 |
$30.00 |
$36.00 |
$33.00 |
| economy car - Nissan Sentra |
$28.00 |
$24.50 |
$31.00 |
$27.00 |
|
We require only a 10%
deposit to reserve your vehicle
 |
< Click
here to reserve your
vehicle |
A new supplier,
summer 2006.
For clients of Nature Island Destinations,
rates displayed below for this company include
free
delivery to all
ports of entry.
Insurance:
Rates do
not include CDW insurance cover, which is
optional -
US$10
per day limits collision damage excess charges to a maximum of US$1,100.00
US$20
per day limits collision damage excess charges to a maximum of US$500.00
Insurance
cover includes passenger liability.
Age restriction is limited
to 21 years and over. Ages 21 - 24 years incur an additional insurance
surcharge.
A security deposit is required
of US$1,100 or US$500 to cover excess on collision damage waiver, which
is done via a pre-authorisation on credit card.
Cell
phones & child seats are complimentary.
All vehicles have
air
conditioning, central locking, radio & cd player.
Some are manual transmission, most are
automatic.
None are left hand drive.
Rates below are in US$
and are subject to 15% VAT
(this company became
VAT registered, effective 1st April 2007) |
PEAK
PERIOD
RATES |
for rentals beginning
Feb 9-23 (CARNIVAL) |
|
|
| Vehicle |
1 or 2 Days |
3-6 Days |
7-21 Days |
1-7
Days |
8
Days + |
| 3 Door hard top 4WD Suzuki Sidekick |
45.00 |
37.00 |
35.00 |
45.00 |
42.00 |
| 5 Door hard top 4WD Suzuki Sidekick |
55.00 |
46.00 |
44.00 |
55.00 |
51.00 |
| 3 Door 4WD Mitsubishi Pajero |
60.00 |
54.00 |
50.00 |
60.00 |
56.00 |
| 5 Door 4WD Mitsubishi Pajero |
70.00 |
60.00 |
55.00 |
70.00 |
66.00 |
| Cars - Mazda 323, Toyota Carina or Corso |
40.00 |
35.00 |
32.00 |
40.00 |
45.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
You may request a quote for periods in excess
of 1 month. |
We require only a 10%
deposit to reserve your vehicle
 |
< Click
here to reserve your
vehicle |
|
 
We accept payment by credit card
|
|
.
|
Where to Stay in Dominica
|
examples of private, furnished
accommodation available for short term holiday rental
most of the above offer attractive
discounts for extended stays. Click on image for rates, details
|
Other pages available on this website
Home : Introduction
to Dominica : Getting to
Dominica : Scuba +
whale-watch : What to do + see
: Birdwatching + Botany
Morne Trois Pitons National
Park : Rainforest Aerial
Tram : Nature Island Destinations
Guestbook : Carnival
: Pirates2 filmed here
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to book or for further information
contact
us by email or tel: (767) 449 6233
Nature Island Destinations Ltd.
P.O. Box 1639, Roseau,
Commonwealth of Dominica,
West Indies
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