Montserrat and Great Exuma, Bahamas are hot destinations for 2004

Tuesday, January 6, 2004

WASHINGTON, USA: In its list of International Hot Spots 2004, the Washington Post includes Montserrat and Great Exuma, Bahamas among the choices for 10 hot international destinations in the new year. 

Montserrat 

Why go: In 1995, Montserrat went from being a posh Caribbean island reserved for the affluent to a mostly volcano-ravaged landscape that displaced more than half the island's population. However, the volcano sleeps now. Volcanophiles can tour the ruined regions, spy on the still-steaming volcano and relax on the parts of the island left unharmed. 

The details: Before the Soufriere Hills erupted, Montserrat was a ritzy place to vacation. But only the northern part of the island, with rain forests and black-sand beaches, survived unscathed. The southern half, including the capital of Plymouth, is now monochromatically caked in thick ash and mud, "a bit like an old sepia-tinted photo," said Gillian Norton, chief scientist at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. Most everything had to be rebuilt from scratch. And that's not about to attract the big spenders anytime soon. Translation: A previously pricey Caribbean island is now rather affordable. The island is accessible only via hour-long ferry service or 15-minute helicopter rides from Antigua, 27 miles to the northeast. Most volcano-ruined sections can be entered between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. only, by government regulations. 

Info: Montserrat Tourist Board, www.visitmontserrat.com; Montserrat Volcano Observatory, www.mvo.ms 

Great Exuma, Bahamas 

Why go: Now that U.S. travelers are realizing there's more to the 700-island country than the well-worn resorts of Nassau and Freeport, tourism experts say the Exumas are North America's next warm-your-toes destination. 

The details: Much of the 500-mile long Bahamian archipelago is pristine and untouched, with mainstream development isolated to the two towns for which the Bahamas are best known. But the Exumas are next on the growth list, thanks to the opening of the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay in January and a greater number of flights from the United States (the best connections are via Miami). Once you have one high-end hotel, others tend to follow, and already a number of boutique hotels and other properties have started jockeying for the best spots on the sand. 

Info: Bahamas Tourist Office, www.bahamas.com  

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