Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory located in the Caribbean Sea with the nearest countries, including St. Kitts and Nevis to the North West, Antigua and Barbuda to the North East, and Guadeloupe to the South East. With a total area of only 39.4 square miles, It’s home to around 5,215 people. Since an unfortunate volcanic eruption in 1995, many have fled this country and its Capital, Brades, has almost 1000 population. When it comes to natural beauty, Montserrat brags about pristine islands, Bird watching sanctuary, and mountainous with an active volcano in the South of the island.
Soufriere Hills Volcano
This gorgeous island has been shaped by the eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano and has grown into an amazing island afterward. 1995 was the year when the Soufriere Hills volcano exploded and destroyed the capital city of Plymouth and the southern part of the island. Nowadays, visitors and residents alike are not allowed to enter the southern half of the island since it’s declared an exclusion zone with highly restricted access to certain individuals. With local transport, you can reach the nearby Montserrat Volcano Observatory. Though you can’t get close to Soufriere Hills, you can enjoy mesmerizing views from a distance.
Irish Heritage
It’s a fact that many residents of Montserrat share a common bond with the Irish people since Ireland is their ancestral home. Travelers often refer to this tiny Caribbean island as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean due to its lush, green seaside that is similar to Ireland. People here love to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, which is celebrated to commemorate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. Generally, residents feel proud of their Irish heritage and the culture of the Irish in general. You will even find local crafters making lace doilies that are attributed to Ireland, which you can buy as souvenirs at the Little Bay Ferry Terminal.
Unique Animals
Montserrat is home to pretty unusual wildlife, also including some endangered species. There you can find mountain chickens, which are species of frog. These chickens are about 2 pounds and have been living here for 12 years. Furthermore, this island has a thriving community of the yellow-shouldered volcano bat. These unusual bats are feared to be extinct after the 1995’s volcanic eruption, but luckily the bat species is still finding its way back from the brink. Forest rangers offer private bird-watching and hiking tours to center hills.
Black-sand Beaches
Montserrat is a beautiful Caribbean island with awe-inspiring natural resources, such as its black sand beaches, incredible hiking trails, cliffs, and caves. But, what makes Montserrat so unique is its black-sand beaches. You will be surprised to walk over black sand, which you can’t find anywhere else in the world. On Montserrat, you will find all beaches with black sand except the one on Rendezvous Beach. With the help of locals, you can make your way to one of many black-sand beaches. You can also opt to walk from the ferry terminal to Little Bay Beach. Little Bay Beach is a well-renowned beach catering to tourists for calm waves along with plenty of the restaurants and bars of Marine Village. Several black-sand beaches are ideal for swimming, such as Isle’s Bay and Woodlands Beach.
Renowned Britishers legacy
Many well-known Britishers have set up shop on this little isle of the Caribbean over the years. During the 1970s, Sir George Martin ( Beatles Producer) started AIR Montserrat, a recording studio. Over the years, AIR Montserrat invited a number of artists like Dire Straits, Paul McCartney, The Police, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and many others. However, the studio had to close after 1989 when a devastating Hurricane struck the island. Even today, some taxi drivers will take you to the studio to tell the stories of the world’s most powerful British musicians.