We recommend that you rent a car when you visit Grand Cayman. The local taxis are expensive and Uber isn’t allowed to operate in the Cayman Islands.
What are the benefits of renting a car in Cayman?
The main benefit of renting a car is that you have the ability to travel to any part of Grand Cayman.
If you don’t have your own car, then there are many parts of the island that you won’t be able to see. Public transport isn’t great in Grand Cayman, and buses don’t go to all areas.
Taxis and buses are not very reliable, meaning that you will spend less time waiting if you have your own vehicle.
Are there any public buses in Grand Cayman?
Yes, there are public buses in Grand Cayman.
If you are staying in a hotel or condo along Seven Mile Beach, then there will be buses passing by every few minutes.
If you are staying in other areas of Grand Cayman, then you potentially will need to wait up to 15-minutes for a bus to arrive.
The public buses in Grand Cayman do not go to all areas of the island. This means that you will not be able to explore the entire island if you are relying solely on buses.
If you are staying on the east-side of Grand Cayman, then the buses are much less frequent and unreliable. You 100% should rent a car if you are staying on the east-side of Grand Cayman.
What are the taxis like in Grand Cayman?
The taxis are expensive in Grand Cayman.
There are many taxis waiting at the airport in Grand Cayman. You can take a taxi from the airport to your hotel or condo without needing to reserve one before-hand.
If you plan to stay at your hotel for the majority of your vacation, then you might be ok relying on taxis.
However, if you want to explore the island and do lots of activities, then you should definitely rent your own car.
If you are staying on the east-side of Grand Cayman, then getting a taxi to the west-side is very expensive (over $100 USD each way). The majority of activities, shops and restaurants are located on the west-side of Grand Cayman near Seven Mile Beach.
Renting a car is much more cost-effective and convenient compared to using the local taxis.
Can you use Uber or Lyft in Grand Cayman?
Due to government regulation, Uber & Lyft are not legally allowed to operate in the Cayman Islands.
You can check out our article here where we explain why the Cayman government doesn’t allow Uber or Lyft.
Where can you rent a car in Grand Cayman?
Renting a car in Grand Cayman is easy.
There are multiple car rental offices located at the airport. You can walk to them from the airport within 1-minute.
Below are some car rental companies that are located at the Grand Cayman airport:
SaveMore Rent-A-Car (recommended option)
Final thoughts
If you are vacationing to Grand Cayman, then you should rent a car.
You will save money by not having to pay expensive taxi fares. Also, you will be able to explore the island in a way that you could never do using public buses or taxis.
If you are looking for things to do during your vacation, then check out our article where we discuss the top 25 things to do in Grand Cayman.
