There are two questions I’m invariably asked when the subject of Montserrat comes up. “Where the hell is it and how did you come to be there?” The first answer is simple. Montserrat is a lush, green, mountainous tropical island, approximately 39 square miles (well, probably now a little larger, due to its re-awakened volcano), lying in the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands, a twenty minute hop from Antigua.
Sarah Dickinson and her husband
And the second? Like the Beatles Producer, the late Sir George Martin, my husband John, and I found the island quite by chance. We were recovering from a near-fatal car crash, from which John had saved my life….Montserrat sounded just the place to mend our broken bodies and bruised souls. And so it has proved to be, despite the fact that the volcano, which re-awoke after 400 years, put a stop to our ambitious project to complete Isles Bay Plantation, a development of luxury Caribbean style villas.
But, as they say on island – ‘Montserrat still home, still nice, still paradise’. And this is why:
CAR HORNS AND SMILES
Montserratians are warm, friendly and welcoming. When you first arrive, you’ll think you’re driving erratically, as everyone toots their horn at you. In fact, it’s a form of greeting, as is ‘goodnight’, which really means ‘hello’. You’ll soon get used to it.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE – but it really is safe to drink.
Coming deep from volcanic springs, this is the sweetest water in the Caribbean, clean and clear. No need to waste money on bottled water, and you’re saving the planet by not using plastic.
EVERY SHADE OF GREEN
Whether you’re a hiker, botanist, ornithologist, or like horse riding, a trip through the tropical forests is a must. ‘Jack & the Beanstalk vines’, hundreds of different types of trees and wild mangos.
365 DAYS OF SUNSHINE
Not that blistering southern European sunshine (biased, me?). Most days the sky is broken by fleeting clouds, which sometimes thoughtfully water the ground before you get up for your first swim.
NO NEED TO BOOK A SUNLOUNGER
Montserrat is still one of nature’s closely guarded secrets, which means its many soft brown sand beaches are seldom crowded. You might fall into conversation with a fisherman or dig out your snorkel and flippers and swim to rocks nearby and watch the many multi-coloured striped fish.
GET UP CLOSE TO A LIVE VOLCANO
Be taken, with a Police escort, into the buried city of Plymouth – Montserrat’s mini-Pompeii and look up at the volcano. Or maybe go by helicopter trip and get a 3-D view right over it.
LIMIN’ IN THE RUM SHOPS
There’s none of that ‘you’re not welcome here’, in Montserrat’s many tiny rum shops and bars. Just walk in and within minutes you’ll be one of the crowd. My favourite tipple is Mountgay rum. Go on, try it!
DANCE UNTIL YOU DROP
The best times for street-to-street dancing are either Christmas or the third week in March which celebrates St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th. There’s a fascinating history behind this celebration. For now, all you need to know is that you don’t need a partner to dance until you drop.
SWIMMING WITH TURTLES
The female turtles start coming ashore to lay their eggs from late July, August. If you’re lucky, you’ll see them from the shore or boat and maybe even get to swim with them. The eggs start hatching in September. As they say in America, this is truly an ‘awesome’ experience.
I GO TO COME BACK
Montserratians never say ‘goodbye’, rather ‘I go to come back,’ which is what you’ll surely do if you visit this little piece of paradise.
SARAH DICKINSON’s book “PLENTY MANGO – Postcards from the Caribbean”, illustrated by JOHN RENTON, published by Tamarind Press, is available from Amazon.co.uk/Amazon.com in either paperback, Kindle, Audible or iTunes.