Are you considering a Caribbean vacation filled with peace and tranquility on the Emerald Isle of Montserrat?
Then continue reading as we provide all the details on how to travel to the island.
Montserrat is a British overseas territory consisting of only 39 square miles. It is often confused with the mountain Montserrat which is located 50km Northwest of Barcelona in Spain.
It has a population of about 5,000 inhabitants as many persons migrated after the volcanic eruption in 1995.
In this guide, we cover the two options of getting to Montserrat as well as travel tips to help make your stay on the island memorable.
How To Get To Montserrat Via Ferry Service
At the time of publication, there is no ferry service available between Montserrat and Antigua.
Prior to the pandemic, a ferry service named Jayden Sun provided service twice weekly to and from Montserrat.
In October, 2022, Island Escape Ferry which is a service based in Antigua performed a trial run to Little Bay.
The ferry has a seating capacity of 150 passengers. Feel free to visit their Facebook page as they provide regular updates on their services as there are plans in the pipeline to rollout soon.
Currently, Island Escape Ferry provides service three days a week being Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to the island of Barbuda.
The service departs downtown St John 7 am and departs Barbuda at 4pm.
Bookings can be made via phone on 12687366607 or via their website http://www.islandescapeferry.com.
Typically, the ferry ride from Antigua to Montserrat is about 90 minutes.
How To Get To Montserrat Via Aircraft
If you are traveling to Montserrat from other Caribbean islands and major cities, you must fly into the the V C Bird International Airport in Antigua.
In the section below we will address what international airlines provide direct and non stop service to Antigua.
There are two regional airlines that provide direct flights from Antigua to the John A Osborne Airport in Montserrat.
These companies are Fly Montserrat and BMN SVG Airways and the flying time is only about twenty minutes.
A return trip on BMN SVG Airways is USD $392.55 tax included. The luggage regulations are one checked item which should not exceed 44lbs and one hang luggage which should not surpass 13lbs.
Bookings can be made via their website https://flysvgair.com and also by phone on 12685628033 or 12685637183.
BMN SVG Airways also provides service between the Grenadine islands of St Vincent.
They also provide interisland connection between Carriacou and mainland Grenada.
The other airline service is Fly Montserrat which provides daily non-stop flights. The price of varies from flight to flight but you can check online to see the current prices.
Carry-ons bags must sit below the seat as there are no overhead bins.
The weight should be less than ten pounds. The first checked bag should be less than fifty pounds. Extra checked bag is charged at a rate of USD$50.
Bookings can be done online at https://www.flymontserrat.com. For queries and concerns, you can email [email protected]
International Flights To Antigua
There are several airlines providing direct and non-stop service weekly from major international cities in the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Canada and Europe.
Air Canada and Sunwing provides direct service from Montreal and Toronto in Canada.
Alternatively, American Airlines, jet Blue, WestJet, Tradewind Aviation, Frontier Airlines, United and Delta provides transportation from numerous cities across the USA.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have weekly flights from the UK.
Caribbean nationals and regional travelers can find both direct and connecting flights via Liat, WinAir, InterCaribbean and Caribbean Airlines.
Is There A Ferry Service To Antigua
In December, 2022, L’Express Des Isles resumed its high speed ferry charter services to Antigua.
The company L’Express Des Isles has a long standing history of superior services between the French Caribbean and thus is ideally for persons who may be considering island hopping to Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia and Dominica.
This provides an adventurous way for persons to connect to Montserrat across other Caribbean islands.
Montserrat Travel Basics
A unique feature of Montserrat is that it is only island that celebrates St Patrick’s Day as a public holiday in the Caribbean annually on March 17th.
The festival is a two week long activity which includes several concerts, street parades and pub crawls.
This is largely due to the Irish heritage of the populace which dates back to slavery.
Along the same lines as Ireland, Montserrat is fondly referred to as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean.
Locals are descendants of Irish individuals who were indentured servants, merchants and plantation owners.
Rendezvous beach is the only white sand spot on the island which is accessible by hiking or by kayak.
Despite being a British overseas territory, Montserrat shares the Eastern Caribbean Dollar as its official currency with seven other regional counterparts.
Nonetheless, US dollars are widely accepted by businesses on the island. When dealing with vendors and small businesses, it is better to have notes of smaller denominations.
Final Thoughts
Montserrat is a hidden gem and is ideal for persons who want to experience the Caribbean in a destination that is uncrowded.
The island is perfect for persons who want to get away from the hustle and bustle to rest and rejuvenate in a calm and serene environment.
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