Driving Tips in Guadeloupe - Sixt rent a car

Please make sure you have read through our guide before you start driving in Guadeloupe.

• Drive on the right hand side of the road.
• All occupants of the vehicle must wear a seat belt.
• Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to travel in the front of the vehicle.
• The use of a mobile phone whilst driving is illegal unless you use a hands free set.
• Drink driving laws allow a blood-alcohol level of 0.05%.
• On multi-lane roads, the left lane is for passing.
• Traffic on main roads (with the yellow diamond signs) has the right of way to incoming traffic.
• At roundabouts, traffic in the circle has the right of way.

The standard speed limits are:

• Motorways: 90kph to 110kph
• Rural areas: 70kph to 80kph
• Built-up areas: 50kph

Here are the tips on what equipment you need when driving in Guadeloupe:

• Full UK driver’s licence
• Make sure you have GPS and local road maps of the area that you are driving in.

Most of the roads in Guadeloupe are maintained and in fairly good condition.

In Basse-Terre, where the terrain is less developed, roads can become mountainous and have sharp turns that can make driving dangerous. Night time driving should be avoided, particularly in these mountainous areas, as roads may not be lit or marked.

Be prepared to pay tolls around paths leading to the sea. Prices vary but are never too expensive.

Do not park your car under palm trees, as falling coconuts can damage the vehicle. There are car parks in most towns and cities.

There is parking at nearly all hotels as well as at major sites. Traffic is rarely a problem in the cities but can get congested along the coastal roads.

Large petrol stations accept credit cards but small vendors do not.

Winding roads are common in Guadeloupe.

Road signs follow the European conventions; directions and information signs are in French.

Sixt has 5 branches in Guadeloupe including one at the Guadeloupe Pointe-à-Pitre airport.

Now you have read our tips for driving in Guadeloupe why not check out some of the other great destinations we have covered, these include Cayman Islands, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Dominican Republic.

* Please note: All information was correct at the time of publication.