General: Montserrat

I have traveled out to Montserrat 4 times over the last years, as part of my PhD work. I have found a friendly and resilient population on a beautiful island which has been hit by several tragedies, the latest being the volcanic eruption. The island is recovering and is still a wonderful place to visit.

BEFORE THE ERUPTION

The island is named after a monastery in Spain, as the hills of the island reminded Columbus of ...
...people around 1632 and still keeps it links with Ireland. It is known as the Emerald Isle, and the stamp for your passport is very pretty, in the shape of a shamrock!

Before the eruption, the island was a paradise which was home to around 15000 people. The majority of which lived in the capital city of Plymouth, which is to the west of the Soufriere Hills in the south of the island. The city was very busy, as photos show and filled ... more

I have traveled out to Montserrat 4 times over the last years, as part of my PhD work. I have found a friendly and resilient population on a beautiful island which has been hit by several tragedies, the latest being the volcanic eruption. The island is recovering and is still a wonderful place to visit.

BEFORE THE ERUPTION

The island is named after a monastery in Spain, as the hills of the island reminded Columbus of this place. It was first settled by Catholic Irish people around 1632 and still keeps it links with Ireland. It is known as the Emerald Isle, and the stamp for your passport is very pretty, in the shape of a shamrock!

Before the eruption, the island was a paradise which was home to around 15000 people. The majority of which lived in the capital city of Plymouth, which is to the west of the Soufriere Hills in the south of the island. The city was very busy, as photos show and filled with bars, churches and a special meeting place by the Evergreen Tree.

The island was also famous for its recording studios, which are just north of the Belham Valley. Here Elton John and The Police recorded music, Dire Straits recorded Brothers in Arms and Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder recorded Ebony and Ivory.

Local man Danny (of Jumpin Jaks - see below) has many memories of Sting and Dire Straits. He tought Sting and Mark Knopfler to windsurf and the Dire Straits song, The Walk of Life, is inspired by him!

NOW:

Nowadays, things are a little different; the south of the island is an exclusion zone because of the risk of volcanic activity, the populations is now only 3500 and the majority of the population lives in the northern part of the island. The people of Montserrat are resilient though, and the island is just as beautiful to visit.

The north of the island is being developed into housing, a new ferry terminal, a heliport and new government buildings. The capital of Plymouth used to house the port and the government buildings, but it is now buried in many metres of pyroclastic flow and mudflow deposits. In some areas you can sit on the roofs of the buildings, as the eaves are at ground level.

The airport was on the east side of the island, but this was hit by pyroclastic flows in June 1997. Luckily the airport had Plymouth had been evacuated before the pyroclastic flows hit. A lot has been lost due to the volcanic crisis, but the phoenix is rising from the ashes.

GETTING THERE:

The simplest way to get to Montserrat is to go via Antigua. I flew to the international V.C. Bird airport from Gatwick, which depending on the time of year can cost from around £350 for a return flight. To get to Montserrat you can then travel either by ferry or by helicopter.

The ferry costs EC100 ($38) one way from Heritage Quay, Antigua to Little Bay, Montserrat. The journey takes just over an hour, depending on the seas and currents. The ferry is a catamaran with an air conditioned cabin which shows a video for the trip, usually a cartoon film! It is much more fun to ride on the top deck, where you can sit under a covered area, or stand on the uncovered areas and watch the sea and islands. You can often see flying fish on the journey over, and some people have even seen porpoises!

The helicopter is a little more expensive, EC150 ($57). It goes from V.C. Bird airport to the heliport on the north of Montserrat. It takes just 20 minutes and carries only 8 passengers. I have traveled this way once and loved every minute of it. If you have a window seat, you can look down onto the sea and even spot the reefs from the air!

At present, the helicopter and the ferry are heavily subsidized, but they are building an airstrip on the northern part of the island, which should be in use in around a year. It will then be possible to arrive using light aircraft and small passenger jets.

WHERE TO STAY

There are 3 different options as to where you could stay on the island; you could rent a villa, stay at a guest house, or at a hotel.

The villas on the island are very beautiful, and if you have a large party are more reasonably priced. You can hire a villa from $600 per week, which would hold around 4 people. The prices increase with the size of villa and amenities. I have stayed at villas that will hold around 7-8 people, have a good kitchen, a swimming pool and a maid 3 times a week. We paid approximately $1000 per week, which works out around $125 per person.

At the villas, you can cater for yourself, which can work out much cheaper, expeically for a group. There are plenty of supermarkets, but the food is a little more expensive than you would pay in Britain. This is because most of the food has to be imported, as the major farming areas were on the the slopes of the volcano.

I haven't stayed at any guest houses, but they are usually small family run places, where rooms cost from $50 per night.

There are 2 hotels on the island, the tropical Mansion Suite and the Vue Pointe. The Tropical Mansion Suites charge from $89 per night, but I stayed at the Vue Pointe on my last visit and found it very pleasant. The hotel is being refurbished gradually, as it has suffered damage during the early part of the eruption. It has its own pool, bar, restaurant and shop, which can be used by guests and visitors alike.

The rooms are like little cottages and are spread over the grounds. I shared with another student, in a twin room, which had its own bath and shower, fridge, TV and table and chairs. We paid $80 per night, inclusive of breakfast and dinner. The usual charge is around $100 per night.

The rooms were clean and well-maintained. They were cleaned daily and the only complaint I had was that the mattresses were foam, not normal mattresses. We were the only people having these types of mattresses, which I assumed was due to the rush to get enough beds for the big influx of people for the conference.

The food was, good, although a little limiting for vegetarians. Some times we had spinach lasagna and macaroni cheese, others only mashed potato. There were usually 2 meat dishes though, and I was the only one having this problem.

The hotel is owned by the Osbournes, and Carol Osbourne makes you feel welcome and at home. She always addresses you by name and is very helpful for any requests you may have. If there are any faults with the room, or facilities they are repaired very quickly. The next day, or if they are not urgent in the next few days.

TRANSPORT

Despite the small size of the island, approximately 8km by 18km at the widest points, the roads are windy and hilly, and transport is necessary. The 3 main modes of transport on the island are car, taxi and bus.

Cars can be hired from the local companies, which hire everything from minibuses to jeeps. The cost of an 8 man minibus is from $60 per day. The prices vary around that depending on the size of vehicle and how long it is hired for. Obviously you will get a better deal if you hire a smaller vehicle for a longer time period.

Taxis are easily arranged and from the Vue Pointe to the ferry terminal we paid EC50 for 4 people ($19). You are advised to agree you price before you use the taxi, and whether that price is in EC or US dollars.

There is a local bus service that runs around the island. It is relatively cheap and is used by many of the locals. I have never had the opportunity to use it while I was there, but have been told it is as regular as would be expected.

EATING OUT

There are limited places to eat out on the island, but the options are growing. If you do not wish to eat at the hotel, there are lots of smaller places to eat, such as;

Jumpin Jaks, a bar and eatery by the beach in Belham Valley. Its speciality is fish, caught by the owner Danny, and cooked by his wife Margaret. The place is also known as Danny and Margarets. The food is good and prices are comparable to Britain.

Jaquis Pizza Place, a small pizza place which serves a range of pizzas and other food. The pizzas are good value for money, and you can eat outside or in.

The Attic, a new place that I didn't try this visit, but other members of the conference did, and said it was very pleasant. At lunch you could eat sandwiches or rotis, and they were good.

There are other small places to eat, which I haven't tried yet. Places that sell rotis and sandwiches to passers by.

I have been advised by one of the Scientists out there, that Gourmet Gardens is an excellent dinner location, but I haven't tried it myself yet.

For a more fancy meal out, Ziggys is the place to go. You need to book in advance as there are not many places, but the food is very good quality and there is an excellent chocolate dessert!

TO DO

Montserrat is not as busy as many of the other Caribbean Islands, but there is still plenty to do.

There are many beautiful beaches, where the beautiful blue Caribbean sea laps at the edges. It is a very warm sea and is great for swimming and snorkeling. There are beaches all along the coast, the best are Woodland, Little Bay and Carr's Bay along the west coast.

For the fitter people, there is plenty of walking in the Silver Hills to the north and the Centre Hills. The Silver Hills can be quite dry, but contain farms, animals and remains from the old plantations. The Centre Hills are very lush and have been described as a rain forest. The walking can be steep, but there are paths cutting through the forests and lots of animals can be seen, including the rare Montserrat Oriole. In these forests you can find mangos, limes, oranges and guavas, which can be picked from the trees.

Montserrat has wonderful wildlife which can be seen from your window, or by the pool. I have seen huge toads, hummingbirds, crabs scuttling across the paths, and iguanas running across the lawn! I would advise taking mosquito repellant for the more unpleasant inhabitants of the island!

For those who enjoy fishing, Danny from Jumpin Jaks also takes visitors to the island on fishing trips. For myself, it is the scuba diving on the reefs which captivates me. The local dive company is Seawolf, run by a wonderful German character and his wife. He also doubles up as the island vet!

There are many beautiful reefs to dive, some from the beach and some are a little further out, requiring a boat journey. I have seen puffer fish, turtles, octopus and many different fish of many different sizes, shapes and colours. My favourite are the little triangle shaped black spotted fish with very fast twirling side fins!

The cost of a guided dive is $40, and lasts as long as you have a safe air supply. I have dived up to 1hr 15min before and have never been rushed out of the water.

You can also tour the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO), which is moving to a new location soon. There the staff will show you around the observatory and explain their work and what the volcano does. It is a fascinating insight to their work and how they protect the island. Even if you are staying in Antigua, you can take a daytrip to Montserrat which includes a tour of the MVO and views of the volcano.

Evening entertainment is limited mainly to bars, of which there are many on the island. My personal favourites is Gary Moores, where many of the observatory staff spend a quiet evening. The surrounding area contains a number of bars, and there is also the choice of going to Jumpin Jaks, or the Bitter End bar in Little Bay. The Bitter End Bar is named because they had to move further and further north during the eruption, but they are still going. The domino championships are held there, which the Montserratians take very seriously!

For me, one of the most exciting and awe inspiring activities in watching the volcano. It can be seen from the Vue Pointe Hotel, and from high points on Garibaldi Hill on the west of the island and Jack Boy Hill on the east of the island. These are all safe viewing areas at the moment, but you should be aware of any changes in the size of the exclusion zone. Any areas you cannot enter are usually blocked by locked gates.

The view from Jack Boy Hill is across the eastern side of the volcano, where most of the activity is taking place. You can watch rockfalls and small pyroclastic flows roll down the sides of the active volcano. Garibaldi Hill gives a view across the half buried town of Plymouth, from there you can see some activity and the devastating effects of the volcanic crisis.

THE VOLCANO

The volcano is what most people think of when Montserrat is mentioned. The volcanic crisis has been going on since 1995 and is still having a huge effect on the people and island of Montserrat.

The volcano is still very active, it grows a huge lava dome, which occasionally collapses with a huge eruption cloud and lots of rockfalls and pyroclastic flows. Mostly the activity is small rockfalls and pyroclastic flows, and in some time periods has done nothing at all.

The southern part of the island is in an exclusion zone, which is not entered without the permission of the MVO. There is a daytime entry zone, which can be entered when the observatory is staffed, but this can be closed at any time. The reason for these precautions is that the risk of death of serious injury from the volcano in this zone is very high. There has been only one occasion where people have died and this was in 1997.

Some farmers had returned to their fields on the northern flank of the volcano against the advice of the scientists. On June 25 there was a dome collapse and a surge cloud came out of the valley and flowed over the fields into Belham Valley. 19 people died.

The British Government Policy is that there are to be no more deaths and the observatory staff take this very seriously. They work long hours and get up for alarms 24 hours a day to make sure that the island is safe. Having met and worked with some of these people, I have great respect for both the British Scientists and the local staff, who work to advise the local government on the volcanic crisis.

After all the deeply serious stuff, I must add that the island is safe to live on and visit, if you stay out of restricted areas. Families live on the island and experience very little inconvenience from the volcano. The only thing you may experience is a little ash dusting when the wind is blowing the wrong way!

WEATHER

The weather on Montserrat is very hot most of the time, around 30 degrees C. Even in winter, the temperature does not drop by more than a few degrees. I have scuba dived in a swimsuit and t-shirt in March! I would advise plenty of suncream of a high factor and cool loose fitting clothes. The wettest time of the year is between June and September, where the area is prone to storms.

THE PEOPLE

The people of Montserrat are wonderful and friendly. They have found their way through some very hard times and are still there. They are rebuilding their little island slowly but surely. They are always happy to chat in the bars and ask how your visit is. They will suggest places for you to visit and leave you with a wonderful feeling of welcome.

The way of life on the island is laid back and slow. In the heat, it feels like just the right speed! Cars stop in the road to talk to their friends, car horns beep in greeting to each other, and the only 2 speeds on the road are very fast or very slow!

FAREWELL

This last visit to Montserrat was probably my last linked to my PhD. I left with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes. The volcano has directed my life over the past 2 years, and the beauty and shape of it is etched into my mind. I will continue working on it for probably the next 2 years.

The island has provided a harbour from the storms of life for me. I have arrived on Montserrat during some very difficult times in my life, and the peace of the island has returned me healed and ready to deal with life again.

Even if I never visit Montserrat again, it will always remain in my heart and I will have wonderful memories of the people and shelter it has provided during the storms of my life.

WHY VISIT MONTSERRAT

Although travel to the Caribbean is expensive, I would recommend that if you do have an opportunity to travel there, that Montserrat is the place you should visit. It may not have the same range of facilities as some of the other islands, but it has the peace and tranquility with the activities available.

It is also overly touristy, as many of the other islands are. I find Antigua very unpleasant at times, because everything and everyone is aimed at getting money from me. In Antigua I am offered a taxi if I am seen walking, in Montserrat I am offered a lift.

VOLCANO UPDATE

At the moment, the volcano has become more active. The lava dome is growing towards the north west. This means that some of the places I have described have now been evacuated.

The Vue Pointe Hotel and Jumpin Jaks are in the new exclusion zone and 300 people have been evacuated from their homes again.

My thoughts are with the people of Old Towne and Belham Valley and I wish a safe ending to this part of the crisis and a speedy return to their homes.

LATEST UPDATE

The enlarged exclusion zone is still in place and there has been a large dome collapse to the north/north-east of the volcano. The collapse scar is filling up quickly and the situation is still very dangerous for the people of Montserrat. 

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