A little more
Montserrat.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Montserrat: what to know before you go

Montserrat is a small, mountainous British Overseas Territory in the Leeward Islands, south-west of Antigua. Since 1995 the Soufrière Hills volcano has reshaped the island, burying the old capital of Plymouth and leaving the south as an exclusion zone. Today it is a quiet, friendly place for hikers, divers and anyone curious about living alongside an active volcano, with limited but personal tourism facilities.

Where to go

• Soufrière Hills volcano. The volcano that awoke in 1995 still dominates the south of the island, its slopes scarred by pyroclastic flows.
• Montserrat Volcano Observatory. Scientists here monitor the volcano around the clock.
• Plymouth and the exclusion zone. The former capital lies partly buried under volcanic ash and mudflows.
• Jack Boy Hill. A viewing area on the east of the island looking over the old airport, buried by volcanic flows, and the devastated eastern slopes of the volcano.

Best time to visit

The dry season from about December to April is the most pleasant time to visit, with sunny weather and calmer seas for the ferry crossing and diving. The St Patrick's festival in March is the island's busiest and most festive period, along with the end-of-year festival around Christmas and New Year.

Staying online in Montserrat

Mobile coverage is generally good in the inhabited north and centre of the island, around Brades, Little Bay and along the main roads, with 4G available. In steep valleys, on hiking trails in the Centre Hills and near the exclusion zone, coverage can be weak. Wi-Fi is offered by most guesthouses and some restaurants. Because Montserrat is small, phones on the western coast may sometimes pick up networks from nearby islands. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land in Antigua or Montserrat.