Montserrat’s landscape is of mysterious and startling contrasts. Zoom in and discover the people, history and wildlife that make this island hum. Today it is an Island half covered with lush green vegetation in the north, contrasted with the stark debacle of volcanic activity on its southern side.

Montserrat was declared a natural park in 1987 to protect the massif, (high mountaintop) the geological characteristics of which make it unique in the world.

Originally nicknamed 'The Emerald of the Caribbean' due to its similarities to coastal Ireland it was given its name Montserrat after the Virgin of Montserrat in Spain.

HISTORY

Its approximate 5000 residents are a milieu of immigrants (since the eruptions) from Dominica, Jamaica, Guyana, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

This makes for an interesting blend of cultures and languages that promote a certain warmth to the increasing number of tourists visiting since the opening of their new airport into their relocated capital called New Town.

As can be imagined, visitors are given a glimpse of the wonder of the volcano and its disastrous tracks left behind, as well as bathe in their beautiful volcanic black sand beaches while enjoying the peacefulness of the greenery in the north.