Bonaire Transport::: Car Rentals

Renting a car on Bonaire is popular for a variety of reasons e.g the lack of public transport, the freedom to go shore diving all over the island and the intrigue of historical sites as well natural areas such as Washington-Slaagbai Park (requires off road car rentals). There are a range of Bonaire car rentals that will cater to your needs with pick ups, jeeps, road cars, etc. The staple car rental would have to be the Toyota Hilux pick up trucks which are tough cookies and therefore welcome on Bonaire where pot holes and sea salt are unforgiving. They also make a wonderful "buddy" to divers and will take tanks and equipment in the back and wait until you return without complaining! (That terrible joke is for the scuba divers reading this!)

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If you're planning on driving a rental car on Bonaire you're going to need a valid drivers license and be at least 21 to 25 years old which will depend on the car rental company. On top of this they will usually require a deposit or your credit card as insurance. If you're planning on getting a cheap car rental it would be wise to remember that road conditions are poor, the sea salt erodes fast and Bonaire is a small island so spare parts are hard to come by. In many cases your car rental may be missing its seat belt (the first thing to erode especially when divers drive in their wetsuits) or may just be a little like riding an unruly horse! So fork out a little extra if you're looking for comfort or "Western" standards.

Once you obtain a car rental its important to familiarize yourself with the traffic signs (these can be found on a free map of Bonaire given out at car rentals, accommodations, dive shops, etc). Being familiar with the Bonaire car rentals 'Do's and Don'ts' and traffic rules would also be of benefit:

• Driving is on the right hand side. Most Europeans, North Americans and South Americans should be smiling at this point.
• The speed limit in "urban" areas is 40km/h (25Mph) and outside of town its 60km/h (37 Mph), unless otherwise posted.
• All traffic entering from the right has 'right of way' and all traffic making a left turn has to stop for oncoming traffic.
• Be careful in rainy weather as roads become extremely slippery (long dry, dusty periods followed by rain causes slippery surface).
• Be aware of one way roads since they are common on Bonaire.
• Look out for unforeseen elements such as goats, donkies, abnormally deep potholes, etc.

On a final note it is advisable to follow this advice to avoid petty crime: check your spare tire is secured, never lock your car rental, do not leave valuables in the car rental and do not fill up the tank all the way!

Bonaire Car Rentals: