Caribbean transport links improved

People planning holidays to the Caribbean can now make use of improved transport links between some of the islands.

The Montserrat tourist board announced that a fast ferry service connecting the island to neighbouring Antigua has been reintroduced following a hiatus of almost three and a half years.

Reinstated thanks to financial support from the UK Department for International Development, the ferry route is expected to open up the island of Montserrat to day-trip visitors from Antigua.

To start with, the crossing will be operated by a 107-passenger ship that will complete the 27-mile journey between the islands in one hour 20 minutes.

From January 1st, the service will be taken over by a larger ferry, which will be able to carry 149 people and make the crossing in an hour.

One of the main features of the island of Montserrat is the Soufriere Hills volcano, which erupted to devastating effect in 1995 and has a smoking summit that can be seen from many vantage points.

Montserrat is reportedly known as 'the emerald isle of the Caribbean', owing to its lush vegetation and its connections to Irish settlers of centuries ago.

Posted by Carrie, 09 December 2008 13:49

News tags

• Antigua