Bay of Kotor · Montenegro
On the Luštica peninsula, reached only by boat, clear water over pale sand glows a bright turquoise.
On the way, you step onto a church island that sailors built stone by stone.
Is it worth half a day of your Montenegro trip?
Yes, if you want to see the Bay of Kotor from the water and a swim in a glowing sea cave appeals to you. The tour runs about three hours by speedboat from Kotor. It passes Perast and its two islets, stops at Our Lady of the Rocks, looks into a Yugoslav-era submarine tunnel, passes Mamula island and ends at the Blue Cave.
A swim of around half an hour. Under the current rules boats stay outside the cave, so guests swim in from the entrance wearing a life jacket from the boat. People who are not confident swimmers are not allowed into the water. If you only want to look, you will watch from the boat.
Nothing about the route is guaranteed. If the waves are high on the open water, the operator changes the route or offers another tour, and the cave is the stop most likely to be affected. Dolphins and similar sights are not part of what you are booking.
Confident swimmers, curious sightseers and anyone who wants Perast, the church islet and a swim in one morning or afternoon. It suits families with older children who swim well. It does not suit anyone prone to seasickness, wheelchair users or people with back problems.
What to know about the bay and the boat
The bay, stop by stop
The bay is long and winding, and the trip covers only its inner and outer reaches. Here is what each stop is, in a few sentences with sources, so the names on your booking page mean something.
Perast
Wikipedia places Perast on a cape between the Bay of Risan and the Bay of Kotor, below the hill of St Ilija, and says it grew rich under Venetian rule, with baroque palaces and churches. The boat passes the town from the water, so it is a view rather than a walk.
Our Lady of the Rocks
The islet was built up from rocks and sunken ships. A legend says seamen found an icon of the Virgin on a rock in 1452 and laid a stone after every safe voyage. The church was renovated in 1722, and a museum beside it holds votive paintings and a famous tapestry.
St George
Sveti Đorđe sits close to the church island and once belonged to Kotor. Wikipedia mentions a Benedictine monastery on a small island opposite Perast. Both islets are part of the World Heritage area, and the boat passes this one without landing.
Submarine tunnel
Three disused tunnels are cut into the rock on the northern coast of the Luštica peninsula. Showcaves says the Yugoslav Navy built them in the 1970s, so a submarine could enter underwater and surface inside, out of sight of air raids. The tour makes a short stop to look and take photos.
Mamula
A small round islet, about 200 metres across, almost filled by a fort that Wikipedia dates to 1853 and links to the Austro-Hungarian general Lazar Mamula. Italian forces used it as a camp in the Second World War, and it has been a resort since 2023. The boat passes by.
Blue Cave
On the Luštica peninsula, reached only by boat, a single chamber holds a few metres of clear seawater over pale sand. Showcaves says the blue light comes from sunlight in the water, and that the cave has two entrances. On this tour the stop lasts about half an hour and is built around a swim.
The operator may change the route, the order and the stops, so this list describes the places and not a fixed timetable.
From booking to the swim
Five steps between the booking calendar and the ride home. Anything that depends on your own date, such as the meeting point, is on your confirmation.
Book
The calendar offers a private boat, a small group of up to ten people and a standard group of up to thirty. The option also decides which of two starting points you use, so check the meeting point before you pay.
Meet
Plan to reach the meeting point well before departure. Late arrivals can lose their place, and that place is not refunded. In summer the roads into Kotor fill up, so allow extra time if you drive.
Sail
A licensed skipper and a local guide take you past Perast. The guide speaks English, and an audio guide covers seven more languages. The audio needs a phone with an internet connection.
Stops
Expect a stop of about twenty minutes at Our Lady of the Rocks, a shorter halt at the submarine tunnel and a pass by Mamula. Swimwear is not allowed in the church, so pack a cover-up.
Swim
The cave stop lasts about half an hour and is a swim for confident swimmers, with life jackets and snorkel masks where available. Afterwards the boat heads back across the bay to Kotor.
What the ticket is, and isn't
Eight short entries about what the booking holds, what it leaves out and who should think twice.
The full run or the short trip?
| Question | The Blue Cave run | The Perast trip |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About three hours. | About two hours. |
| Stops | Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, a submarine tunnel, Mamula and the Blue Cave. | Our Lady of the Rocks and the old town of Perast. |
| Swimming | A swim of about half an hour at the Blue Cave, for confident swimmers. | No swim stop on the route. |
| The sea | Runs out to the bay's mouth, where open-water waves can change the plan. | Stays in the inner bay, near the shore. |
| Dress | A cover-up is needed to enter the church on the islet. | The same rule applies at the church. |
| Best for | Swimmers who want the cave and the tunnel as well as the islet. | Visitors who want the famous islet and a walk in Perast in less time. |
Water, stone and rock
Kotor's old town below the mountains, the church islet, the cave water, a fort on Mamula and the narrows of the Verige Strait.
On the water and beyond
The Blue Cave run comes first. After it come the short trip to Perast, a full day on the bay with a long swim stop, and a day in the mountains north of Kotor.
A speedboat from Kotor past Perast to Our Lady of the Rocks, a former submarine tunnel, Mamula island and a swim stop at the Blue Cave.
A two-hour speedboat trip to the church islet and the old town of Perast, with no swim stop and no run out to the bay's mouth.
A cruise on a larger wooden ship from Tivat or Kotor, with a stop at the church islet, a swim near a beach or the cave, and a visit to Herceg Novi.
A coach day from Kotor to Durmitor National Park and the Tara canyon, ending at the monastery of Ostrog, for a day away from the water.
More bookings around Kotor
Starting point, clothes and weather
Two starting points are offered, and the one you get depends on the option you book. Your confirmation names the meeting point. Kotor's old town stands at the head of the inner bay, and Wikipedia describes its walls and its cathedral as the core of the World Heritage site.
Wear comfortable shoes and clothes you can swim in. Bring a cover-up, because swimwear is not allowed in the church on Our Lady of the Rocks, and shoulders and knees need to be covered there.
A sun hat, sunscreen, a towel, swimwear, some cash for the optional church entry and a phone with data for the audio guide. Large bags and oversize luggage are not allowed on board.
In summer the roads into Kotor are busy and parking is hard to find. If you drive, start early. Arrive at the meeting point well before departure, because late arrivals can lose their place.
Tours run in the rain and raincoats are provided. If the sea is rough on the open water, the route changes or an alternative tour is offered, so keep your plans loose.
Wikipedia says the Bora, a cold downslope wind, blows in winter and the jugo, a warm humid wind, brings heavy rain, mostly in autumn and spring. Both can change what the water is like.
More to read
FAQ
Yes, for visitors who want the bay from the water and a swim in a glowing sea cave. It is about three hours by speedboat and stops at a church islet, a former submarine tunnel and the cave. It is less suited to anyone who dislikes small boats or open water.
Yes, the cave stop is built around a swim of about half an hour, and life jackets are on board. Guests who are not proficient swimmers are not allowed into the water. Waves or crowding can change what the swim is like on the day.
Under the current rules boats stay outside and guests swim in from the entrance. Photos online from earlier years show boats inside, so do not expect that picture. Whatever the conditions, the skipper decides how close the boat goes.
Wear swimwear under comfortable clothes and bring a cover-up. Swimwear is not allowed in the church on Our Lady of the Rocks, and shoulders and knees need to be covered. A towel, sunscreen and a sun hat are worth packing.
The operator changes the route or offers an alternative tour if the waves on the open water are too high. The cave is the stop most likely to change. Keep your day flexible, and do not book a tight connection straight after.
They can join the boat, but they cannot go into the water at the cave, because guests who are not proficient swimmers are not allowed in. They still see the church islet, the tunnel and the fort. If swimming is the point, pick a different trip.
The tour is not suitable for pregnant women, people with back problems, wheelchair users, people over 118 kilograms or people prone to seasickness. If any of that applies, consider a shorter trip, or a day on land.
No. The stop on the islet is optional, and entry to the church and museum is an extra paid in cash there. Swimwear is not allowed inside, so keep a cover-up in your bag. Tips for the crew are also optional.
Your confirmation names the meeting point for your option, because two starting points exist. In summer the roads into Kotor fill up and parking is hard to find, so leave early. Arrive well before departure, as late arrivals can lose their place.
No. This site is independent: it does not run the boats, the church on the islet or its museum, and it has no affiliation with any of them. Boat tours are booked with GetYourGuide, whose page opens when you press a booking button.
Prices show in the currency you select, and the amount already contains taxes and fees.