Montserrat Leads Lonely Planet’s Regional Travel Picks for 2027

Montserrat has been named among Lonely Planet’s 50 best places and travel experiences for 2027, appearing first on the publication’s list of recommended places in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

The recognition has since gained wider international attention through CNN, which featured Montserrat in its coverage of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 selections. The CNN report has also been distributed through the network’s international affiliates and Spanish-language coverage, significantly extending the potential reach of the island’s inclusion.

Montserrat is one of four places selected from the region, alongside Bariloche and Argentina’s lake district, Granada in Nicaragua and Bocas del Toro in Panama. Although Montserrat appears first in the regional category, Lonely Planet presents the selections as a curated list rather than a numerical ranking.

The global travel publisher describes Montserrat as “best for a volcano-carved hideaway”, highlighting an island that remains overlooked by many international travellers despite its distinctive landscape, cuisine and history.

“Montserrat is a quiet Caribbean island that most travellers overlook, but once you arrive, you’ll wonder how it stayed off your radar for so long,” the feature says. “With emerald peaks, black sand beaches, award-winning dining and a volcano-sculpted landscape with stories to tell, this destination leaves you feeling like you’ve uncovered something rare. Come for the quiet, stay for the stories written into the landscape.”

The Montserrat recommendation was written by Discover Montserrat Editor Nerissa Golden, a Montserratian writer and communications and marketing professional. Golden was also commissioned to produce Lonely Planet’s new eight-minute guide to the island, with photography by documentary photographer Nancy Borowick.

Published on September 20, the guide introduces travellers to Montserrat’s beaches, volcanic landscape, accommodation, history and outdoor experiences. It provides practical information to help visitors plan their trip and forms part of Lonely Planet’s supporting content for its Best in Travel 2027 selections.

CNN travel writer Maureen O’Hare reported that the complete list was selected by Lonely Planet’s global community of travel experts. The 50 selections include both destinations and specific experiences across six regions.

Lonely Planet Senior Vice-President of Content and Executive Editor Nitya Chambers told CNN the recommendations were intended to encourage travellers to consider different types of journeys.

“You want to push yourself to do something that you might not have considered doing, and then you come back a new person,” Chambers said.

Other recommendations in Montserrat’s regional category include taking a Galápagos expedition cruise in Ecuador, dancing tango in Buenos Aires, visiting Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest and taking a polar plunge in Antarctica.

The Lonely Planet recognition and subsequent CNN coverage give Montserrat valuable international exposure as travellers increasingly seek quieter and less-crowded alternatives to heavily visited destinations. It also presents the island’s volcanic story as one element of a broader tourism offering that includes hiking, snorkelling, black-sand beaches, local cuisine, cultural heritage and opportunities to explore a landscape continuing to recover and evolve.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 list, the accompanying Guide to the Caribbean Island of Montserrat and CNN’s coverage of the selections are available online.