Getting Around on Montserrat

Getting Around on Montserrat

So you made it to Montserrat, congratulations! Now what?

Montserrat is very mountainous and there is so much to see throughout the island, so walking everywhere during your stay will probably not be an option. We would recommend you either rent a car or hire a taxi when you need it.

If you choose to hire a cab, fees average $20.00 USD from the airport to the south end of the island. The fares are set by the government and are available online. Some examples of set fees are:

Little Bay port to Cudjoe Head: $10.00 USD
Old Towne to Brades: $17.00 USD
The airport to Isles Bay: $26.00 USD

You can also flag down any bus (mini-van) which will take you anywhere along the main road with fares beginning at $1.25 USD. Keep an eye out for the mini-van with plates starting with “H”.

Road view from Hilltop Coffee House (16.776879, -62.210253)

Image credit: Montserrat Tourism

Taxi services are available throughout the island (16.790368, -62.198861)

Most rentals on Montserrat are Toyota Rav4’s (known as Jeep’s), or minivans. There are many options for vehicle rental companies. You can visit the Montserrat’s Tourism Authority for a listing of recommended businesses. In our visits, we have always utilized Jerette of Tip Top Enterprises and have always been very happy.

If you are renting a car, you must apply for a temporary drivers license either online, in-person at airport, or the police headquarters in Brades. The fee is $18.00 USD and is good for 3 months. Remember that in Montserrat, cars are driven on the left-side of the road and the steering wheels are on the right.

Once you are on the road, Montserrat is very easy to navigate. While the roads may zig-zag throughout the hills and ravines, there is really only one main road all the way from Lookout in the North to Isle Bay in the South. Some roads are very narrow, especially with an oncoming vehicle, and many do not have guardrails. It is for this reason that the Royal Montserrat Police Force enforces an island-wide 20 mph (32 km/h) speed limit.

A typical evening drive from Olveston House to Isle Bay (16.747612, -62.224199)

If you are staying on the south end towards Old Towne or Woodlands, you will find that as soon as you leave Brades in the North, traffic drops considerably. When returning to your villa in the evening, you may not even encounter another vehicle on the road.

Next step is where to stay on Montserrat.