Transportation

Walking from our villa is a challenge so you’ll need transportation. Driving is an adventure so most of our guests use our driver!

Driving in St Lucia

✦  On the left (“British”) side of the roads
✦  Driver sits on the right side of the vehicle (opposite of US)
✦  Most roads are unnamed and unmarked
✦  Most homes and stores don’t have street addresses
✦  Roads are narrow, often with steep ditches for drainage
✦  Roads may be only one lane wide in places, such as the roads from Soufriere to the villa
✦  Road hazards, such as stopped vehicles, pedestrians, dogs, chickens, goats and cattle, are common
✦  There are very few straight sections of roads as the roads follow the contours of the mountains and have frequent hairpin curves
✦  Very few safety barriers on the edge of drop-offs

Transportation Options

Driver service

Most of our guests use Junior, a local driver that partners with us. Just like a taxi driver, he provides the vehicle and drives you around. But he is much more than just a driver – he’s a tour guide, an itinerary advisor, a reservation-maker, a luggage and shopping assistant, and a deterrent to persistent vendors.

Our driver has set prices for trips and zones. You may pay cash or set up a line of credit with us and we’ll pay him for you from that.

Driving yourself around

If you think you want to rent a vehicle and drive yourself around, we urge you to first read the guide below on whether to rent or hire a driver.  Our vehicle recommendations are in the “Renting a vehicle” document. 

You may bring an international driver’s license or get a St. Lucian driving permit through the rental company (about $20 US). 

We suggest you hire our driver for your airport pickup. Most car rental companies will deliver the vehicle to the villa at no extra cost.

Rent a vehicle and drive yourself if… Hire a driver/taxi if…
You seek adventure – you LOVE off-roading! You want to just relax
Your group can fit in a small vehicle Your group needs a larger vehicle
You want to explore independently You prefer having a tour guide
You don’t mind stopping to ask for directions for roads that are so small they are not on Google Maps (like our road) You don’t like driving in unfamiliar places where the roads don’t have street addresses, and the idea of being lost in a foreign country sounds intimidating
You are going to be out and about every day You want to spend a lot of time at the villa
One person will be the designated driver and will abstain from drinking then driving No one wants the responsibility of being the designated driver
You prefer to make your plans for the day while you eat breakfast (or lunch….) You like to plan ahead on what you’ll do and when
Anyone driving will be between the ages of 25 and 65 The driver is under 25 or over 65 (more difficult/expensive for those age groups)
You are comfortable driving on the left-hand side of the road You have not driven on the left side of the road and you don’t look forward to it!
Your whole group will be on the same schedule You want the flexibility of splitting up for at least part of the time
You are comfortable maneuvering through tight spaces You are worried every time you pull into your garage that you’ll side-swipe the doo
You are great at parallel parking The last time you parallel-parked was during your driving test
You want to know your full transportation costs prior to arrival and pay via credit card in St Lucia You are willing to pay the driver in cash or pay us (the owners) for the driver with a credit card
You want to explore every inch of the island, including the furthest points Most of what you want to do is within a short drive of the villa