Taxi vs rental car

bushz · Post by **bushz** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 11:41 am

I am thinking of making my first trip to STJ and was wondering if I should rent a car or use the taxis' to get around. I plan on staying in Cruz bay close to town and will be able to walk there, but I will need transportation to the the beaches. Would it be cheaper to get a taxi to the beaches for the six days I will be there?

Thanks Gary

theshopper3 · Post by **theshopper3** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:36 pm

Bushz,
I am surprised you have no replies as of yet. This is normally a hot topic.

I have done the no car trip 3 times so yes it can be done very easily and cost effecient. Once was with two couples. In my oppinion yes it is much cheaper than renting a vehicle .
With that being said, it does limit you to the beaches, as well as the amazing things to see around the Island. One beach I would not take a chance going to is Maho unless you confirm with the Taxi to come back & pick you up at a set time, we did get sort of stuck out there,but did finally manage to get back to town.

The Shopper

Xislandgirl · Post by **Xislandgirl** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:37 pm

How many people are you traveling with?
Will you be bringing chairs, and a cooler, and snorkel gear to the beach?
What beaches are must do's?

Taxis are per person and you may have a hard time with all of your gear in the back of a safaria truck, and taxis will not go to all beaches.

It really depends on how you vacation? For me, there is no way I would vacation on STJ without a Jeep, but that is based on how I travel.

hoosierdaddy · Post by **hoosierdaddy** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:12 pm

It would be cheaper to taxi but not as fun. Renting a car gives you freedom. We like to put the cooler in the back with the chairs and any other gear we have and go where we want when we want.

Lovermont · Post by **Lovermont** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:17 pm

Not sure if you've checked out the taxi fee schedule. That may help you make up your mind. Consider also, that you won't be able to get beyond Coral Bay if you stick to taxis.
http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/sj/sjtaxi.shtml

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:23 pm

You won't be able to get back to Cruz Bay from many of the beaches if you take a taxi. Also, you will have to wait for a taxi to fill up before you can go back to town...it's not a regular individual taxi where you get on it and leave...you could wait a half hour for more people to get on board.

Kevino · Post by **Kevino** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:43 pm

Rent a car! It's is the best advice you will get. See all the island and do it on your time and schedule. Have fun.

michigan girls · Post by **michigan girls** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:43 pm

Xislandgirl wrote:For me, there is no way I would vacation on STJ without a Jeep, but that is based on how I travel.

Ditto. Especially after reading the comment about "don't go to Maho" if you use taxis

I cannot imagine a St John trip without at least one Maho day. Plus, there are so many great things in the Coral Bay area you would miss - Aqua Bistro, Salt Pond, Miss Lucy's.

If you can swing it financially, get a Jeep - at least for part of your stay if it's a stretch.

Bigcheeze · Post by **Bigcheeze** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:47 am

Rent a Jeep. Your sense of freedom, adventure and relaxation will be tenfold in comparison.

michigancouple · Post by **michigancouple** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:45 am

Hi there! While I partially agree with some of the previous posts, I think that most of them are from people who always rent a jeep. We stay in Cruz Bay and do not rent a car. And while I know we miss out on some of the adventure a jeep allows, let me take a minute and give my opinion of using taxi's only.

The guys at the taxi stand are always very accommodating. They quickly recognize that we are staying locally vs. coming in on a ferry for a day trip. We DO bring along our cooler and beach chairs. They've never once said anything about it. They DO take us to whichever beach we request. They DO NOT make us wait until the taxi fills. As we approach the taxi area in the morning they smile and ask where we'd like to go today. We always are very gracious and give them a tip to show our appreciation. We enjoy having drinks at the beach and do not have to worry about driving back to Cruz Bay at the end of a "fun" day.

We went out to Maho this year for the day. When we were finished we simply stood by the road for no longer than 5 minutes until a taxi came along and picked us up. I'm sure that being there in high season helps with the frequency of taxis. I figure even if we spend $30-$40 a day on taxis that we still come out significantly ahead of a rental rate.

Additionally, we always meet and have fun chatting with the other passengers. Some are staying on island and some are cruise shippers. It's cool to see the excitment on their face when they see the beaches along the twists and turns of the road!

We are just the 2 of us and I suppose with a family or more than 2 people the cost would obviously add up more quickly, but the taxi only gig works out great for us! ENJOY!!

ColumbiaSCTraveler · Post by **ColumbiaSCTraveler** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 11:48 am

We're definitely in the "rent a jeep" camp. It's awesome being able to wake up every morning and say, "Which beach today?" and then hop in the jeep and GO! Yes, it's pricier, but in our opinion, DEFINITELY WORTH the freedom and choice it brings.

Regardless, you'll have SO MUCH FUN, so do what's right for you!

dreamshark · Post by **dreamshark** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 12:39 pm

@michigancouple, thanks for posting the "other side" of the jeep/taxi question. I think you are spot on that most of the people who reply to this question are people who always rent a jeep.

I guess I'd encourage people who are making multiple trips to St. John to rent a jeep eventually, because there are certainly parts of the island you miss out on without a vehicle. But there's more than enough for a wonderful trip within taxi range.

There is something very carefree about hopping into a taxi and enjoying the view without having to deal with driving or parking or passing up drinks. I hadn't thought of this until you mentioned it, but talking to the taxi drivers every day gives you the chance to meet some island residents besides Euro-American expats.

We spent a week at Maho Bay Camps with no car and it was the most carefree vacation ever. We also did a split vacation - 3 days at Cinnamon Bay Campground with no car, then a jeep and a villa. That worked really well too. I've been thinking about trying a last-minute cheapo CruzBay trip someday, maybe on my own, and it's good to hear how well that can work out.

Need2GetAway · Post by **Need2GetAway** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:38 pm

Perhaps because I have a friend whose kid was killed in a "taxi" accident in the Caribbean, I look at those pick up trucks with the awnings as potential death traps. I think we all have the idea that we're safe because everyone is doing it, or because we don't know of any accidents, but it sure doesn't look safe to me!

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