Tips · United States
Renting a Car in Guam: Is It Worth It, and What to Prepare
Skip the car in Tumon, but rent one for the south coast and the northern tip. How to pick rental days, check licence rules and plan a drive in Guam.
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The short answer: optional in Tumon, handy for the rest of the island
Tumon, the heart of Guam, has its hotels and main street lined up along the beach, so you can get around on foot. Tourist shuttle buses (trolleys) loop the malls and main sights for about $3 a ride, and some hotels and malls run free or low-cost shuttles of their own.
For far-flung spots like the south coast drive or Ritidian Beach at the island's northern tip, though, the guide names a rental car as the easiest option. The south, with its relaxed villages and coastal scenery, is an area where you'll want a car.
So instead of asking "do I need a car?", ask "is there somewhere I want to drive to?" If everything on your list is in Tumon or Tamuning, walking and shuttles are enough. If the south or the northern tip is on the plan, a car makes that day much easier.
Pick up at the airport, or rent only for driving days?
A.B. Won Pat Guam International Airport (GUM) is close to the hotel area: pick up a car and you're in Tumon in about 10-15 minutes. The guide calls this the easiest option if you plan to explore the island. Hotel pickups and taxis take about the same time, though, so decide from your plan whether you need a car from day one.
In the guide's sample itinerary, the rental-car day is Day 2, the south coast drive. Day 1 (Tumon Beach and sunset at Two Lovers Point) and Day 4 (malls, outlets and the hotel pool) stay around Tumon. Note that Two Lovers Point is a lookout with an entry fee.
Prices vary by car, season and company, so check when you book. As a cost guide, a trip with a beach resort, restaurants and a rental car runs about $300-400 per person per day, while a budget hotel, food courts and the shuttle bus come to about $150-200. Choosing your rental days around the plan makes costs easier to control.
- Rent for the whole stay: if you want to roam freely, pick up at the airport
- Rent for driving days only: stay in Tumon and use a car for the south or the northern tip
- Don't rent: if you'll stay within Tumon and Tamuning on foot, by shuttle bus or by taxi
Before you drive: licence, driving side and safety
Guam drives on the right. If you're used to driving on the left, take extra care at junctions and when pulling out; either way, keep to the speed limits and drive unhurriedly on roads you don't know.
The guide says to bring your home licence and passport, and to check with the rental company and official information on other requirements such as an International Driving Permit. As a US territory, Guam also has its own entry requirements, so check official US and Guam government sources before you go.
Don't leave valuables in the car. It's easy to leave bags on the seat when you hop out at a beach or lookout, and it's a point the guide makes specifically for drivers.
- Home driving licence and passport
- International Driving Permit: check with the rental company and official information
- Drive on the right and follow speed limits
- Never leave valuables in the car
A day by car: the south coast drive
This is the day the guide plans around a rental car: a scenic loop past old villages, fort ruins and coastal lookouts. Allow half a day to a full day. The south is quiet village and coastal country, good for taking your time.
In the guide's plan, the drive ends with Chamorro barbecue for dinner: meat or chicken marinated in a soy-based sauce, grilled over charcoal and served with red rice.
The midday sun is intense. Keep a hat, water and sunscreen in the car for when you get out at the lookouts.
- Stops: old villages, fort ruins, coastal lookouts
- Time: half a day to a full day
- Dinner: Chamorro barbecue with red rice
- Bring: hat, water, sunscreen
If you have a car: Ritidian Beach at the northern tip
Ritidian Beach is a quiet, beautiful beach at the island's northern tip. It feels very different from Tumon Beach with its hotels and malls, which makes it a good use of a day with a car.
It's a protected area with set opening hours and occasional closures, so check official information before you set off and avoid a wasted drive. Stay out of the water when waves are high.
Guam's waters have plenty of coral and rocks, so water shoes help. Check beach signs and local advice too.
Add Hagåtña and the night market
Hagåtña, Guam's capital, has Plaza de España, a plaza and cathedral from the Spanish colonial era, plus local markets. In the guide's plan, Day 3 starts with snorkeling at Ypao Beach Park and visits Plaza de España in the afternoon.
The Chamorro night market in Hagåtña runs once a week in the evening, with local food and performances. Check the day and hours locally. If your rental day falls on market night, getting there and back in the evening is one less thing to arrange.
Hagåtña has fewer beach resorts than Tumon but more history and local feel, so it works well as a drive out from a Tumon base.
Pick-up checklist at the airport
The guide doesn't cover parking, fuel or tolls in Guam. Ask about these at the counter when you collect the car, and see the general car rental checklist for insurance, deposits, fuel policies and returns.
Typhoons can occur and sometimes cancel flights. Watch for airline alerts, read your travel insurance terms on delays and cancellations, and if your dates change, check your rental booking too.
- Home licence and passport; International Driving Permit requirement checked
- Booking details (car type, dates, price) confirmed
- Ask staff about parking and refuelling at pick-up
- Remember: drive on the right, follow speed limits
- Going to Ritidian Beach? Check official information on opening first
- No valuables left in the car
Plan your Guam trip
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FAQ
Do I really need a rental car in Guam?
If you stay in Tumon, you can get around on foot and by tourist shuttle bus (about $3 a ride). For far spots like the south coast drive or Ritidian Beach, a rental car is the easiest option.
Do I need an International Driving Permit in Guam?
The guide says to bring your home licence and passport, and to check with the rental company and official information on requirements such as an International Driving Permit. Confirm before you travel.
Which side of the road does Guam drive on?
The right. Follow the speed limits and don't leave valuables in the car.
How long does the south coast drive take?
It's a loop past old villages, fort ruins and coastal lookouts. Allow half a day to a full day.
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