Montserrat

Known as ‘the Emerald isle of the Caribbean’, the tiny island of Montserrat is a lush and green island just 101 sq km in size. What is so unique about Montserrat today is that it is home to one of the most active volcanoes in the West Indies. In July 1995, the Soufriere Hills Volcano located on the southern end of the island erupted and as a result, the capital and main town on Montserrat, Plymouth was covered in volcanic ash and subsequently abandoned.

After the eruption of 1995, Plymouth became a ghost town as most residents were evacuated, many settling in nearby Antigua. At this point tourism to the island was also halted as much of the area nearest to the Soufriere Hills Volcano was declared an Exclusion Zone. The area after it was made a daily light entry zone, which means this area can be visited only during the daylight and the northern end of the island formed a safe zone. Today this safe zone is inhabited by a few thousand natives and scientists who are now studying the volcano and its eruption patterns.

Unfortunately in June 1997, the Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted again causing a number of deaths as well. Two months after this, a superheated pyroclastic flow destroyed what was left of the town of Plymouth. The Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted again in 2003 and if you do plan on visiting Montserrat, you will get the opportunity to see molten red volcanic rocks fall down the mountainside at night, albeit at a safe distance.

Today, life on the northern end of the island has returned to normal even though the Soufriere Hills Volcano does let off some steam from time to time. Tourism on the island is restricted to the safe zone only, but offers a wonderful quiet vacation destination especially for those who are interested in nature. The people of Montserrat are warm, welcoming and friendly, making vacationing here ideal for those who want a getaway off the beaten path.