Best value
Manual
Since 1990 Bugibba · St. Paul's Bay · Malta
Malta, entirely on your own terms.
Self-drive hire cars from a family that has looked after visitors on this island for thirty-five years. Insurance in the price, keys in your hand, no counter-side surprises.
Rated 4.9 by our guestsGoogle & TripAdvisor reviews
- Insurance included
- Unlimited mileage
- Pay at pickup
Check availability
Cars free
The fleet
Small, sure-footed cars built for these roads.
Maltese lanes are narrow and village parking is tight. Every car we keep is chosen to be easy to place, cheap to fuel and comfortable enough for a day out to Gozo.
Manual
Automatic
Automatic
Automatic
Most booked
Automatic
35
years on this islandStarted as a Bugibba souvenir shop in 1990. Still family-run.
Why Islander
The price we quote is the price you pay.
We are not a franchise desk with a script. You are handed the keys by the same people who maintain the cars, and if something goes wrong on the road you call us directly.
Everything is in the rate
Comprehensive insurance, unlimited mileage and local taxes are quoted up front. No fuel-service charge, no airport levy bolted on at handover.
Photographed at handover
Every car is walked around and photographed with you before you leave and again when you return, so the condition of the vehicle is never a matter of opinion.
Late flight? Still sorted
The office runs 09:30 to 17:30, but arrivals rarely do. Message us and we will arrange collection outside hours, plus 24/7 drop-off whenever you leave.
Right in the middle of it
We sit in Bugibba among the DB San Antonio, DoubleTree by Hilton, Santana, Euroclub and dozens of apartments — most guests walk to us in a few minutes.
1990Family-run since
6Vehicle classes
€20Lowest daily rate
4.9★Average guest rating
24/7Drop-off & transfers
Beyond the car
One island. One phone number.
Islander began as a shop looking after visitors, and that is still the job. Whatever the trip needs, it can be arranged by the same team that hands you the keys.
Airport transfers & cabs
A driver waiting in arrivals with your name, help with the bags, and a direct run to your hotel or apartment. Up to four passengers per cab; five to sixteen seaters when pre-booked. Return trips are discounted.
Book a transferMobility scooter hire
Comfortable, easy-to-handle scooters delivered to your accommodation so the promenade, the market and the seafront stay open to everyone. Daily and weekly rates.
See optionsScooters & quad bikes
Two wheels for the coast road, four for the tracks above Mellieħa. Helmets and unlimited mileage come as standard; scooters need an A1 licence, quads a standard car licence.
Ride detailsWedding & classic cars
Genuine vintage cars, properly kept and chauffeur-driven, for weddings, anniversaries, photo shoots — and our sunset rides, something new to the islands.
Special occasionsPlaces to stay
Apartments and rooms a short walk from our door, matched to your dates and budget. Handy when you would rather book the car and the bed in one conversation.
Find a stayExcursions & day trips
Gozo crossings, harbour cruises, the Blue Grotto, Comino. We book the ones we would send our own family on, and tell you honestly which to skip.
Browse trips
How it works
Three steps, no small print.
01
Tell us your dates
Send your dates and roughly what you need. We reply with a real total — insurance and mileage included — usually within the hour.
02
Collect the keys
Bring your licence and a card for the deposit. We walk around the car together, photograph it, and point out the parking spots worth knowing.
03
Go and enjoy Malta
Drive as far as you like. Return whenever your flight dictates — the after-hours drop-off is there when the office is shut.
Explore
Everything worth seeing is under an hour away.
Malta is twenty-seven kilometres end to end. With a car outside your door, a morning in Mdina and an afternoon swim at Għajn Tuffieħa are the same day — no timetables, no waiting in the sun for a bus.
Valletta
35 min · the fortress capital
Mdina & Rabat
30 min · the silent city
Gozo
25 min to the ferry at Ċirkewwa
Blue Grotto
45 min · south coast caves
Marsaxlokk
40 min · Sunday fish market
Dingli Cliffs
40 min · sunset over the seaLocation photography via Wikimedia Commons — Valletta by TerryDOtt (CC BY 4.0), Mdina by pudina (CC BY 3.0), Gozo by Syced (CC0), Blue Grotto by Chris Brown (CC BY 2.0), Marsaxlokk by Tony Hisgett (CC BY 2.0), Dingli Cliffs by Thyes (public domain).
Guest reviews
Thirty-five years of people coming back.
Straightforward from start to finish. The price quoted was exactly what we paid, the car was spotless, and the staff took time to show us where to park in Valletta. Would not book anywhere else in Malta.
AP
Anna P.Google review
Our flight landed late and they still met us without a fuss. Fair price, no pressure to add extras, and they answered every question about driving here. Genuinely helpful people.
RÇ
Redon Ç.Google review
Third year running we have hired from Islander. Same friendly faces, same honest pricing, and the little automatic is perfect for the village streets. That says everything.
GN
GnansGoogle review
Good to know
Questions we get every week.
What do I need to bring to collect a car?
A valid driving licence and a credit or debit card in the main driver's name for the security deposit pre-authorisation. Drivers must be between 21 and 75 years old and fit to drive.
Is insurance really included?
Yes. Comprehensive insurance is part of the daily rate, along with unlimited mileage. We will explain the excess and the optional reduction clearly before you sign anything.
My flight lands after you close. What then?
The Bugibba office runs 09:30–17:30, but we arrange collections outside those hours all the time. Message us on WhatsApp (+356 77770052) or email [email protected] and we will sort it. Returns can always be made by 24/7 drop-off.
Can you deliver the car to my hotel or the airport?
We can. Delivery to hotels and apartments around St. Paul's Bay, Qawra and Bugibba is straightforward, and airport delivery or a chauffeured transfer can be arranged when you book.
Which side of the road does Malta drive on?
The left, as in the UK and Ireland. Roads are narrow and roundabouts are frequent, which is exactly why our fleet is made up of small, easy-to-place cars. We will happily talk you through the routes before you set off.
Are automatics available?
Four of our six models are automatic — the Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, Hyundai i20 and Toyota Yaris. They book out quickest in summer, so reserve early if that matters to you.
Your car is waiting in Bugibba.
Send us your dates and we will come back with a straight price — everything in, nothing hidden.