Car rental is not cheap in Barbados (from US$350/week upwards, depending on the time of year, type of vehicle and amount of insurance included), which is why you should first think about whether having a car is really necessary. Petrol prices (4.1BD$/litre) are similar to those in Europe, but a lot more expensive than in the US. On the plus side, given that Barbados is a small island, distances are short, so fuel consumption will be small.

Driving is on the left-hand side of the road, so cars are right-hand drive. Nearly all vehicles are automatic, with a/c. Although there are some steep and/or pot-holed roads in some parts of Barbados, a 2WD vehicle will get you almost everywhere. A popular budget rental for tootling round the beaches is a mini moke (pictured above) – a glorified open-sided golf cart – lovely and breezy, though not ideal when it rains.

Drivers generally need to be over 21 (and over 25 for some firms) and will need to purchase a temporary Barbados driving licence (US$5 for a two-month permit; US$50 for a one-year permit), which the car rental firm can organise on arrival. You will still need to bring your national driving licence.