Montserrat

Long known as the Caribbean’s Emerald Isle for its Irish heritage and lush rainforests, Montserrat welcomes visitors with a green shamrock-shaped stamp in their passport. In fact Montserrat is the only Caribbean island that observes St. Patrick’s Day as an official holiday, with musical concerts, masquerades and other traditional activities.

The volcano is the star attraction, most easily viewed from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. The ruins of Plymouth are today a ghost town under a blanket of ash. Access to the former capital is prohibited; however tours can be arranged through a certified tour operator or taxi driver.

Volcanic activity is currently at its lowest level and Montserrat’s northern third remains a safe. The Soufriere Hills Volcano monitored round-the-clock by a team of scientists that keep the island’s current 4,900 residents aware of Mother Nature’s inner rumblings. In summary, Montserrat makes for an unusual holiday.

Montserrat also offers many of the Caribbean’s traditional activities. Most of the beaches are of the black sand variety, but tawny Rendezvous Bay can be reached by hiring a boat or by hiking. Lime Kiln Bay is a prime snorkeling location, and there’s also good diving. An expanding network of hiking trails accesses rainforests, old banana plantations and views from sea cliffs. Local forest rangers help visitors spot the threatened Montserrat Oriole, the national bird, and other rare species.