The Soufrière Hills Volcano

The Soufrière Hills Volcano, in the south of Montserrat, transformed the island forever. After lying dormant for centuries, it roared to life in 1995, and a series of devastating eruptions over the following years buried the capital, Plymouth, and much of the south under ash and pyroclastic flows, forcing the evacuation of the majority of the population and leaving a large exclusion zone off-limits to this day. Now more settled but still active and closely monitored, the volcano can be viewed safely from lookouts in the north and from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, whose exhibits tell the dramatic, sobering story of the eruption and its ongoing science.

What you actually see

• The volcano - the still-active peak that reshaped the island.
• The observatory - the exhibits on the eruption and its science.
• The lookouts - the safe viewpoints over the volcano and zone.
• The exclusion zone - the buried south, viewed from a distance.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, for the clearest views of the volcano, which is often cloud-covered; the Montserrat Volcano Observatory offers the best introduction and viewpoints, and access to parts of the exclusion zone, when permitted, is only by guided tour or permit given the ongoing risk. Always follow official guidance on the volcano's status.

Honest expectations

The volcano remains genuinely active and closely monitored, so the exclusion zone is off-limits or accessible only by permit and guided tour, and its story is one of real tragedy and upheaval that displaced most of the island's people, to be approached with respect. Views can be obscured by cloud. As a dramatic and sobering opportunity to witness, safely, the power of an active volcano that reshaped an island and buried a town, though, along with the excellent observatory, it is a genuinely remarkable and moving sight.

Nearby

The buried capital Plymouth, the safe north and the beaches are within reach.