Montserrat Travel Guide

Montserrat, coined the "Emerald Isle of the Caribbean," by Columbus because of its lush mountainous landscape is a British Crown Colony today populated by English-speaking citizens of Irish heritage. Located within close proximity of St. Kitts, Nevis and Antigua in the Lesser Antilles, small, (39 square miles) undeveloped Montserrat is a true find for avid scuba divers, mountain bikers and hikers. The climate and terrain vary throughout the island from cool, mountainous rainforests to dry, rolling plains with temperatures ranging from an average of 76°F in the winter to 88°F in the summer.

Although Montserrat is not streaming with white-sand beaches, its sands are mostly black, the island is an active traveler's delight. There are many biking and hiking trails to explore taking in the natural wonders of Montserrat. Scuba divers, travel to Montserrat for the virtually untouched, pristine coral reefs, many of which have yet to be discovered. Other watersports are also popular on the island.

Plymouth, Montserrat's capital, was quite picturesque with its narrow winding streets lined with brightly hued Georgian-style houses, but was destroyed by the volcano.

Unfortunately, Montserrat's claim to fame has most recently been the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano which became active in 1995. At one time the entire island had to be evacuated, but now has reopend with the exception of an "Exclusion Zone" which is off limits and illegal to visit except for the vulcanologists and others studying the volcanic activity. The North half of the island (Safe Zone) is once again the "Emerald Isle" reminiscence of days past.