Car Rentals in Australia South Pacific

The Australia South Pacific region is a vast expanse of the world where six groups of island nations are connected by the Pacific Ocean. In this part of the world your best bet for getting around is the freedom and flexibility provided by Australia South Pacific car rentals. Australia is huge but sparsely populated, requiring travel over great distances in between major attractions. On the smaller islands, where buses are infrequent and unreliable, and roads are unsafe for pedestrians or bicycles, there is no efficient way to travel other than by the use of an Australia South Pacific rent a car.

Options for Australian car rental agencies include Apex, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, and Thrifty, with offices throughout major cities and most major airports, such as Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. New Zealand car rentals are also easily accessible from airports at Christchurch and Auckland, and throughout the country.  Options in the smaller islands of the South Pacific are often limited to only one or two major chains and a few privately owned companies, but prices are generally considerably cheaper there than the rest of the world.

Australia South Pacific car rentals require a valid international driver's license or a current local license. Some companies require the driver to be over the age of 25 while others have lower minimum age requirements, such as 18 or 21. Check with your specific Australia South Pacific rent a car agency to verify age and license requirements as well as local driving laws. Most of Australia and the islands of the South Pacific are former British colonies and therefore everyone drives on the left side of the road. Distances and speeds are specified in kilometers and fuel is sold by the liter. In US territories such as Guam and American Samoa, driving laws tend to be similar to those in the west. Drivers stick to the right hand side of the road, and anyone with a US driver's license is covered there as well.

Australia and New Zealand generally have well-maintained paved roads and highways linking major cities and tourist destinations. In rural areas or on less developed islands, be prepared for scarce opportunities to refuel, and rough dirt roads. Permits may also be required to travel through certain remote locations such as the Australian Outback. Make sure to choose a rental company that offers comprehensive travel coverage in case you run out of gas or are involved in an accident. Consider renting a 4x4 if you plan to do much travel outside of urban areas and double check your insurance coverage before you set out.