Do We Need to Rent a Car On Hawaii Or Is It Just Better to Take Taxis?

While planning your travel course around Hawaii, most especially when we talk about the four most visited islands of Oahu, Kauai, Hawaii, and Maui, transportation is one key thing you should consider.

And as far as transportation is concerned, shipping vehicle to Hawaii is the smartest choice you can make in terms of on-island transportation. Doing so will help you save a lot of cash and time while traveling to different spots in Hawaii. Besides, the process is not as complex as one would assume it is, though the process of shipping car from Hawaii to mainland is quite different.If that option is not possible, then you can choose between two options instead: either rent a car or take taxis all throughout the trip.

Renting a Car in Hawaii

There are a plethora of choices you can go over when planning your on-island transportation, though it’s highly recommended to rent a car rather than take taxis as it can be costly.

Rent-a-car services are highly in-demand in Hawaii, with the island’s visitors reaching nearly 10 million per year. Due to this, the biggest rental car companies in America have set up branches on the island. Also, the prices tend to be lower due to the rising number of competitors, something that is really advantageous to aspiring visitors.

However, during June and December, the prices tend to run extremely high due to demand as these months are the busiest months of the year. This is why it’s best to reserve your rental car as early as you can while prices are still low. This saves you from spending a lot of money and from competing with a large crowd.

Making an online reservation is the best choice you can make, and you wouldn’t even have to worry about wasting your money in case plans have changed as your reservation can be canceled.

If you want some reputable and trustworthy choices, you may check out HAWAII Magazine’s Readers Choice Awards 2015 as it includes a list of the best rental companies in Hawaii.

Requirements to Rent a Car

The first thing you need to know is that majority of American car rentals require you to be at least 21 years old to rent a car, and that the rental car is best placed under the name of a person between 25 and 70 years old.

This is because those under 25 years and beyond 70 may be faced with an extra surcharge per day.

Second, you need to have a major credit card under the name of your driver which will be charged before you can drive off the car. Usually, you will be charged with the rental cost plus an extra fee for authorization hold which runs from 15% of the total rental charge up to $300.

This will be refunded as soon as you return the car safely, but the process can take up to a week. You might need a hefty budget for this, so it would be in your best interest to contact the company about it.

There’s no need to have car insurance because car rentals do not require this. You have the freedom to choose whether you want to buy the company’s insurance at a daily charge. In some cases, however, your credit card company may provide one for you.

Most of the time, your credit card company would encourage you to take their service instead, so it would be best to talk to them about the details before signing the papers for your rental car.

Why Rent a Car

So why is it a better choice to rent a car instead of commuting through taxis?

The simplest and quickest answer is because it allows you to save some funds on your trip. As soon as you arrive at the airport, having a rental car means you won’t have to pay transportation fees to your hotel, especially if your chosen hotel does not offer free airport transfers.

Besides, Hawaii’s natural attractions like hikes, beaches, and waterfalls are all free, and without your own vehicle, you may spend a lot of time and money looking for a way to get there.

Although taxis and Uber offer 24-hour services, the costs can really add up depending on the places you want to visit. Moreover, there are the risks of getting stranded, especially in remote areas where taxis are scarce and it’s impossible to call for an Uber.

Another option aside from what’s mentioned is to pay for a guided tour. For this, it is best to have 2 to 3 tours per week as a daily tour could be very expensive.

Wrapping Things Up

To conclude, there may be a lot of on-island transportations to choose from in Hawaii, in case shipping vehicle to Hawaii isn’t possible. However, a lot of these can cost a lot if you aren’t wise enough.

For those tourists with little to no resources, the most convenient, least costly, and less time-consuming choice would be to reserve a rental car months before your planned date. However, do feel free to smartly weigh your choices to pick the best option for you.