Country guides
Caribbean
Things to do in Montserrat
Bordered by beautiful black-sand beaches and crisscrossed by rugged hiking trails, Montserrat is a unique island getaway in the Caribbean that is both thrilling and serene. Most locals left immediately after a volcanic eruption in 1997, but people are slowly returning and the destination's tremendous toursim potential is being realised.
Today, intrepid travellers can enjoy Montserrat's trails and will find some daring spots for photo-ops around the Soufriere Hills Volcano. Verdant paths wind through endangered flora set among orchards, willows, and fascinating wildlife, all surrounded by some of the most pristine and quiet beaches in the Caribbean.
These are not the traditional bleached Caribbean beaches found in movies, as rather dense vegetation leads out to quiet stretches of dark sand dipping into choppy waves. Montserrat is also a diver's paradise, where coral bursting with colour lies beneath the water's surface.
Soufriere Hills Volcano
The Soufriere Hills Volcano is Montserrat's greatest tourist attraction and its most dangerous natural feature. After a long period of dormancy, the volcano erupted again in 1995 a…
Soufriere Hills Volcano
The Soufriere Hills Volcano is Montserrat's greatest tourist attraction and its most dangerous natural feature. After a long period of dormancy, the volcano erupted again in 1995 and has been erupting ever since, laying waste to the capital, Plymouth, and causing nearly two-thirds of the local population to evacuate the island.
Still, for visitors to Montserrat, Soufriere Hills offers an unforgettable glimpse of nature at its most powerful. Tourists can view the volcano from many sites, but the best ones include from the top of Jack Boy Hill, which overlooks the former site of the airport before it was buried, and from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, which provides some good interpretive information.
Beaches in Montserrat
The Soufriere Hills Volcano dominates Montserrat's topography and has given the island its signature black and grey-sand beaches, which make for surreal experiences. The best of th…
Beaches in Montserrat
The Soufriere Hills Volcano dominates Montserrat's topography and has given the island its signature black and grey-sand beaches, which make for surreal experiences. The best of these include Woodlands Beach (which has the blackest sand), Little Bay Beach (the best for swimming), and Lime Kiln Beach (which offers fantastic swimming and snorkelling opportunities). The island's only white-sand beach, Rendezvous Beach, is remote, and only accessible by boat or a tough trek.
Hikes in Montserrat
Montserrat may lack creature comforts such as gourmet eateries and trendy nightclubs, but it more than makes up for that in natural beauty. Lovers of the great outdoors will be in …
Hikes in Montserrat
Montserrat may lack creature comforts such as gourmet eateries and trendy nightclubs, but it more than makes up for that in natural beauty. Lovers of the great outdoors will be in heaven on an island that is crisscrossed by spectacular hiking trails, most of which begin in the Centre Hills and wind through areas of lush vegetation teeming with bird life. Visitors should keep an eye out for Montserrat's national bird (the Montserrat Oriole) and the national flower (the Heliconia).