Once famous as the island retreat of rock stars, then thrust into world headlines by an epic natural disaster, the Caribbean island of Montserrat has had a dramatic and sometimes tragic history. What doesn’t make headlines, however, is the stunning beauty of an island that is still thriving, and the wonderful warmth and joy of its charming residents.

When most people hear of trips to Montserrat, the first image that comes to mind is the 1995 eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano, which forced the evacuation of two-thirds of the island’s population, and devastated a corner of the island, including the capital city of Plymouth. Today, the volcano is still erupting on a much a smaller scale, and is constantly monitored. Part of the south of the island is still a volcano exclusion zone, and the former capital remains abandoned and buried under feet of ash.

However, the rebuilding has begun outside the exclusion zone, with a new capital city being built at Little Bay, and Montserrat vacations go on, surrounded by joy, rich scenery, and picturesque coasts and rainforests.

The island was given the name Santa Maria de Montserrat by Christopher Columbus on his second trip to the New World in 1493. Today, its nickname is the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean, because of its strong resemblance to the rugged, lush and green coastline of Ireland, which was the homeland of many Montserrat residents. Today, a highlight of Montserrat tourism is that it is one of only two places in the world that sets St. Patrick’s Day as a public holiday.

In its long history, Montserrat was claimed or settled by Arawak and Carib tribes, Spain, Britain, the Irish, Africans, and the French. In the 1980s, the island rose to international fame when Beatles producer George Martin opened state-of-the-art recording studios on the island, attracting musicians from around the world who came and spent months in the beauty and peace of Montserrat luxury.

Duran Duran recorded their hit album Rio in Montserrat in 1982. Dire Straits recorded Brothers in Arms here. Elton John recorded three albums on the island. The Police, Paul McCartney, Rush, the Rolling Stones, and Black Sabbath were some of the dozens of artists who put this island on the international map, and made the word “Montserrat” synonymous with rock star wealth and creativity.

Today, Montserrat travel is rebounding, and quietly reclaiming its enchanting hold on visitors from around the world. More than half of the island was untouched by the volcano. A new airport was opened by Britain’s Princess Anne in 2005, and new docking facilities are open in the eventual new capital of Little Bay.

A Montserrat villa rental offers something unique and wonderful that is quickly disappearing in many of the bigger, more populated islands in the Caribbean; a true and unspoiled tropical escape. The island has a small population, still fewer than 10,000 people. Cruise ships and tour companies have not yet returned to the island, so on a Montserrat vacation, there are no crowds jamming the streets when a ship is port, and no hoards of camera-toting tourists at every island attraction.

The crowds and ships will return one day, but until then, visitors get a lovely, peaceful island to themselves. A trip to Montserrat offers rare tropical scenery, with unique plants and flowers seen nowhere else in the world. Its offshore coral reefs and coastal caves are well worth exploring for their stunning array of colorful wildlife, and beauty.

The population is mad for cricket and has a FIFA Affiliated Football Team which has twice competed in the World Cup. Of course, St. Patrick’s Day in March is a don’t miss event on the island, with a unique blend of Irish, Caribbean and African traditions celebrating this joyous holiday.

Montserrat vacations also offer something that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, which is the rare opportunity to witness the power of the volcano from a safe distance. Helicopters tours of the abandoned capital provide a safe, eerie and breathtaking view of the devastation, and a fascinating glimpse at the raw force of nature. There are also several places on the island where visitors can get a clear view of the mild eruptions still ongoing from the Soufriere Hills volcano.

Visit Montserrat now, and enjoy the tropical peace and beauty, before the crowds return to this unique island that will relax your soul, spark a lifetime of memories, and put a song in your heart.