Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory in the eastern Caribbean that calls itself the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean, has lived alongside the Soufrière Hills volcano since 1995. Its eruptions buried the old capital, Plymouth, which now lies inside a zone closed to the public: visitors see it only on authorised tours or from the sea, and spend the rest of their stay on trails such as Soldier Ghaut or at Rendezvous, the island's only white-sand beach. Montserrat is not covered by Roam Like at Home, so a European SIM is billed at its operator's own roaming rates as soon as it picks up a signal.
Key facts for Montserrat
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Flow (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 911 or 999 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police
- Embassies: none; the Montserrat authorities help British nationals, and the US and Canada cover the island from Bridgetown, Barbados
Getting there: by air, for now
Every trip includes a stop in Antigua or St Maarten, from where small planes fly on to John A. Osborne Airport. There is currently no ferry service, so flying is the only way in. Short-notice cancellations and timetable changes are common, so leave a margin before any onward connection. In transit you must also meet the entry rules of Antigua or St Maarten.
Before you set off, complete the online Immigration and Customs Form, which opens 72 hours before travel, and save or print it to show on arrival. Your passport must be valid for your whole stay, British visitors can remain up to 180 days without a visa, and you need a yellow fever certificate if you come from a country with a risk of transmission. The embarkation tax charged on departure is normally included in the airfare.
The volcano zones and the midday sirens
Scientists at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory watch the Soufrière Hills 24 hours a day, and the island's hazard level system rates activity on a scale from 0 to 5. There has been no major activity since February 2010, the volcano is in a long pause, and the level currently stands at 1. Of the five exclusion zones, A, B, C, F and V, only zone V is in force: entering it requires permission from the authorities, and there is no public access to Plymouth. At sea, two further maritime zones, E and W, are closed to boats without permission, and skippers can pick up maps with GPS coordinates from the Montserrat Port Authority at Port Little Bay.
Sirens across the island are tested every day at midday. If they sound at any other time, tune straight to Radio Montserrat (ZJB) on FM 88.3 or 95.5 for alerts and scientific updates. Even in a pause the volcano can release ash and toxic gases, and with a south-to-north wind they can reach the 40% of the island that the eruptions do not directly affect. Ash falls sometimes ground flights, and people with asthma or other breathing problems may feel the dust, ash and sulphur dioxide.
Roads, rain and the Belham Valley
Driving requires a temporary visitor's licence, applied for online 72 hours before you travel and valid for three months; British drivers need a valid UK licence and must pay a fee. The legal top speed everywhere on the island is 20 mph, which local drivers do not respect, and the roads combine hairpin bends, steep drops and broken surfaces. Taxis have no meters, so settle the fare in local currency before the car moves.
The hurricane season officially lasts from 1 June to 30 November, although storms can come outside those months. Heavy rain regularly causes landslides and local flooding, most of all in the Belham Valley, where communities on the Isles Bay side are fairly often cut off for a day or so.
Health, cash and local customs
Good healthcare is in short supply: there is one small hospital, at Glendon, and four district health centres, and medical evacuations currently only take place in daylight. Specialist care can mean a trip to a neighbouring island, you may have to pay in advance, and dentists work privately, only in the evenings and at weekends. The two pharmacies, at the hospital and Lee's Pharmacy in Brades, sometimes run short, so pack enough of every prescription medicine. Dengue and Zika are present.
Bring the cash you will need: the few Bank of Montserrat cash machines only serve the bank's own customers, although US dollars are widely accepted and most large supermarkets, restaurants and hotels take major cards. Crime is low, but lock your room and keep bags out of parked cars. Swimwear is for the beach or the pool, drug penalties are severe, and some marine and animal specimens may not leave the island, so check with customs before buying any. Same-sex relationships are legal but same-sex marriage is not recognised, and this conservative society accepts same-sex couples while frowning on public displays of affection. Riptides and undertows are common.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM set up at home comes online as you touch down at John A. Osborne Airport. As every trip involves a connection, a Caribbean plan is the practical choice: it also covers Antigua and St Maarten, so you stay online while changing planes, and a World plan suits a longer journey. Keep your home SIM in the phone so that bank codes still arrive by text, with its data roaming off.
Consular protection: who to call in Montserrat
- Dial 911 or 999 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police.
- Because Montserrat is British territory, there is no British Embassy: the Montserrat authorities support British nationals, starting with the Royal Montserrat Police Service, and the Governor's Office does not provide consular services. The US Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, covers US citizens, and the High Commission of Canada in Bridgetown covers Canadians.
- Before you fly, look up in the Telcomia app which embassy or consulate is responsible for Montserrat for your passport, with its address and phone number.
- If you are an EU citizen and your own country has no embassy or consulate responsible for Montserrat, the mission of any other EU member state must assist you just as it would assist its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- English is the official language.
Questions travellers ask about Montserrat
Will my EU plan work in Montserrat?
Only at your operator's roaming rates. Montserrat is not covered by Roam Like at Home, so check what your tariff charges before you land.
Can I visit Plymouth?
Not on your own. The town lies inside zone V, which you may enter only with permission from the authorities, so go with an authorised tour.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Montserrat?
Flow, on 4G where available.
Is there a ferry from Antigua?
Not at present. There is currently no ferry service, so you have to fly in through Antigua or St Maarten.
The short version
Complete the immigration and customs form online within 72 hours of flying, install the eSIM before you leave, arrive with cash and enough medicine, stay out of zone V, know that the sirens are only a test at midday, allow for cancelled flights, and save 911 and 999.
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