Montserrat

Long known as the Caribbean’s Emerald Isle for its Irish heritage and lush rainforests, Montserrat welcomes visitors with a green shamrock-shaped stamp in their passport. In fact Montserrat is the only Caribbean island that observes St. Patrick’s Day as an official holiday, with musical concerts, masquerades and other traditional activities.

The volcano is the star attraction, most easily viewed from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. The ruins of Plymouth are today a ghost town under a blanket of ash. Access to the former capital is prohibited; however tours can be arranged through a certified tour operator or taxi driver.

Volcanic activity is currently at its lowest level and Montserrat’s northern third remains a safe. The Soufriere Hills Volcano monitored round-the-clock by a team of scientists that keep the island’s current 4,900 residents aware of Mother Nature’s inner rumblings. In summary, Montserrat makes for an unusual holiday.

Montserrat also offers many of the Caribbean’s traditional activities. Most of the beaches are of the black sand variety, but tawny Rendezvous Bay can be reached by a trail over a bluff or by hiring a boat. Lime Kiln Bay is a prime snorkeling location, and there’s also good diving. An expanding network of hiking trails accesses rainforests, old banana plantations and views from sea cliffs. Local forest rangers help visitors spot the threatened Montserrat oriole, the national bird, and other rare species.

Airports / Gateways / Flying times

Airport: John A Osborne Airport.

Gateways/Flying Times: There are no direct flights from UK; however, Air France, British Airways, BMI, Condor, and Virgin Atlantic provide services to Antigua with connecting flights on FlyMontserrat and SVG Air.
Antigua: 20 minutes.

Ferry
There's year-round ferry service between Little Bay and Antigua's Bryson’s Pier at Heritage Quay in St. John's, though the schedule changes depending on weather and sea conditions. The 90 minute trip takes place Wednesday–Sunday. The fare is EC$150 each way. Call Ferry Agent Roosevelt Jemmotte (664/496–9912) on Montserrat or Jennifer Burke (268/788–9786) in Antigua for more info. Also check the Tourism Division’s website for schedule updates.

Climate

Winter and summer temperatures average between 24 and 32 Celsius (76 to 88° F). with constant breezes from the sea and mountains. The annual rainfall is about 1,250-2,000 mm or 50-80 inches, well distributed throughout the year, with a wetter season from July to November.

Dining

There are a handful of full service restaurants and a number of small welcoming eateries that serve hot tasty meals using locally grown produce and herbs – anything from lobster burgers, freshly grilled fish and saltfish (salted cod) with ground provision to pastas and fresh salads. If you really want to ‘go local’, ask for a sample of Goat Water, the traditional national dish, a thick tasty stew with chunks of goat meat, eaten hot with a crusty bread roll.

Language

English is the official language, which is often spoken with an Irish brogue, a heritage left by the early Irish settlers.

Nightlife

There are some small nightclubs and a host of roadside bars, better known as “rum shops”, where people gather informally to hang out or “lime”, have a drink and perhaps relax over a game of dominoes, especially on Friday nights. With limited evening culture. There is no closing time and most bars stay open “until…”
Salem, St. John’s, Cudjoe Head, Davy Hill and Festival Village in Little Bay are home to many of these bars.

Sightseeing

Volcano Watching: The magnificent (and still active) Soufriere Hills Volcano is the island’s stellar attraction, and the only live volcano in the Caribbean that you can observe at close quarters in safety. After centuries of lying dormant the volcano rumbled to life in 1995 and buried the capital of Plymouth lying in its foothills, reducing the once-vibrant city to a deserted shell – the Caribbean’s own version of a modern day Pompeii.

Diving/Snorkeling: For snorkelers and divers, the coral reefs on Montserrat’s North West Coast offer a variety of tropical fish and other exotic undersea life. Among the more spectacular dive sites are Little Redonda, a rock that reaches the surface from a depth of about 80 feet; the Pinnacles on the northeast corner of the island; and Yellow Hole, south of the Pinnacles, where there is the wreck of the 19th century steel schooner which sank in 1886.

Nature and Adventure: The lush, forest Centre Hills is renowned for its biological diversity. The moist rainforest is home to many species of wildlife and most of the 34 species of resident land birds and migrant songbirds that inhabit the area. Birdwatchers will delight in a chance to spot Montserrat’s rare national bird, the Montserrat oriole, as well as the forest thrush; the shy bridled quail dove, the mangrove cuckoo, the trembler and purple throated carib. Other regional endemic species that may be found are the mountain chicken, which is actually a type of frog, and the harmless galliwasp, which is half-snake, half-lizard.

Hiking: There are numerous hiking trails through the lush vegetation that offer stunning views of land, sea and coastline.

Where to stay

Find your perfect accommodation

Visit the official tourist board website