Montserrat is the most singular destination in the Leeward Islands: a small volcanic island known internationally as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean, whose southern third was buried under lava following the 1995 eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano. What remains is both haunting and beautiful, a landscape of lush northern hills and black sand beaches framed by the still-active volcanic plume rising from the exclusion zone to the south.
At the 100,000 euro per week level, a privately crewed motor yacht in the 40 to 46 metre range makes Montserrat the base and anchor point of a Leeward Islands circuit, combining the unique experience of the island with the more established anchorages at Nevis, Antigua and St Barts within a comfortable seven-night window.
Anchoring off Little Bay in the north of Montserrat, the yacht tender accesses the island main settlement and the ferry dock. A four-wheel-drive tour through the northern zone includes the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, which provides a briefing on the current volcanic activity and a view towards the exclusion zone from a safe vantage point. The Plymouth ghost town, buried under fifteen metres of volcanic ash, is visible from the recommended viewpoint on a clear day.
The advance provisioning allowance at this level adds approximately 30,000 euros for fuel, marina fees and provisioning across the circuit, most of which is handled through the marinas at Gustavia, Falmouth Harbour and Bas-du-Fort.
