Best Time to Visit Plymouth

Dry season: December to April

This is the easy stretch. Days are warm but not heavy, and the sea breeze makes the afternoons comfortable. February and March are the driest months, with the most sun. It rains on only 8 or 9 days in March, and the showers are usually short.

Plymouth was the old capital, and it was buried by ash from the Soufrière Hills volcano in the 1990s. It sits inside the exclusion zone, so you can't just wander in. You see it from the Garibaldi Hill viewpoint or on a boat trip along the coast. Clear mornings give the best views of the volcano and the ash-covered town. If you hike, the dry months are also best for the Silver Hills and Centre Hills trails, when paths are less slippery.

Mid-year: May to July

It's hotter and stickier now, and rain falls on about half the days. Most of it comes as quick downpours, then the sun is back. You'll still get good beach hours at Rendezvous Bay, the island's rare white-sand beach, and the crowds stay thin. This suits you if you want quiet and lower prices more than perfect skies.

Rainy season: August to October

Be honest with yourself about this one. October is the wettest month, with 143 mm, and it rains on 20 days in both August and October. It's also the warmest part of the year, and the air feels thick. This is hurricane season in the Caribbean, so keep your plans flexible and check the forecast before you fly. Hiking gets muddy, and boat trips can be cancelled when the sea turns rough.

The upside is peace. Hotels and guesthouses in the safe zone are quiet, and you'll often have a beach to yourself.

Events and crowds

Montserrat is small and never feels packed. High season runs from December to April, when North American and UK visitors escape winter, so flights and rooms fill up first.

The big date is St Patrick's Week in mid-March. Montserrat is the only Caribbean island besides Ireland with a public holiday for St Patrick's Day, and the week mixes Irish heritage with African history. It's the busiest time to visit. Christmas brings the Montserrat Festival, with calypso, street parades and jump-ups (open-air parties) running through the New Year.

If you want the best mix of weather and atmosphere, aim for March. If you want calm and don't mind showers, try June.