Montserrat - Facts

Montserrat FAQs

Pre-Arrival Boat: Pre-register with SailClear. See Clearance for full details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: Visas are not required by nationals from a number of countries. Most visitors are allowed to stay for up to 90 days. See Immigration for more details.
Where can I enter? There is one Port of Entry, which is Little Bay. See Clearance for additional details.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? There is no charge for Customs and Immigration. There are Port taxes and overtime fees outside of M-F work hours. See Fees for more details.
What security concerns should I know about? Montserrat is a very safe island. Use the normal Caribbean precautions. See Security for more information.

Montserrat Facts for Sailors

• Montserrat is situated in the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles chain of island in the West Indies.
• It is a British Overseas Territory (BOT) in the Caribbean, governed by a locally elected Premier and Parliament.  The residents are British citizens.
• The population of 4,600 (2019 census) is of mixed African-Irish descent.
• English is the official language.
• Currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD).
• It is a useful navigation mark for yachts plying between Antigua and Guadeloupe. There is no natural harbor but there are a few sheltered bays on the north-west coast with Old Road Bay, Bunkum Bay, Little Bay, and Rendezvous Bay being the major ones. However, winter swells can make anchorage untenable at certain times.
• Following the dramatic eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano in 1995, the southern two-thirds of the island was devastated, including the capital, Plymouth.
• There is an Exclusion Zone around the southern part of the island. This zone extends some way out to sea from Trants Bay in the east around the southern coast to Barton Bay in the west. There is considerable shoaling in the Old Road Bay and Plymouth areas, which will continue to extend for several years.
• It is important to check the current volcanic situation on the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) website and avoid entering the current exclusion zones without specific authority. There has been no significant volcanic activity in recent years.
• The northern part of the island was untouched and is an attractive and verdant land. Peaceful, quiet and uncrowded.
• For information about supplies, see the Yachting Essentials section.