Kotor: Boat Cruise with Blue Cave Swim and Submarine Base

The best part of this three-hour speedboat trip is its variety. You get old churches, wartime sites, abandoned submarine tunnels, seaside towns, and a swim in clear blue water without giving up a full day. The ride itself is part of the fun, with music, sea spray, and wide views across Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor.

I like the small-group feel and the guides’ personal touch. Captains such as Marko, Andre, Peter, and Marco have helped nervous swimmers, shared local history, adjusted the route for weather, and sometimes found a quieter cove for swimming. I also like the value: at $56, transportation, a bottle of water, snorkeling mask, and safety equipment are included.

The main consideration is the Blue Cave wording. You can enter for photos, but swimming inside may not be possible when boats crowd the entrance. The swim often takes place just outside the cave or in a nearby cove, which can actually offer clearer water and more room.

Key points to know before booking

• A fast route through the bay: See Perast, Tivat, Porto Montenegro, Herceg Novi, Mamula Island, and the submarine tunnels in about three hours.
• The Blue Cave stop is flexible: Expect a photo visit and swimming nearby, with the exact water stop shaped by boat traffic and sea conditions.
• History comes with the scenery: Your skipper explains Mamula’s wartime prison and the Yugoslav submarine tunnels.
• Our Lady of the Rocks costs extra: Church entry is €2 per person, and the stop lasts about 20 minutes.
• Small groups can make a big difference: Boats may carry up to 22 people, but some departures have had only six to eight passengers.
• Bring warmth as well as swimwear: Summer sun can be strong, but October trips can feel chilly on the open water.

What this Kotor speedboat cruise is really like

This is a high-energy sightseeing trip rather than a slow, quiet boat ride. You leave from the MontenegroGlobe office near Kamelija shopping center, a few minutes from Kotor’s old town and the Port of Kotor, then head out across the bay.

The boat has shade, a fridge, Wi-Fi, music, and seating for as many as 22 people. Actual group size can vary sharply. One October departure had just eight people on a boat built for 22, while other trips had groups of six. That extra space makes the ride more comfortable, especially when you need room to dry off after swimming.

Your English-speaking skipper is both driver and guide. The names vary by departure, but Marko, Andre, Peter, Marco, and Andreas have all led trips. The strongest guides do more than point at the sights. They check on nervous passengers, help people back aboard after the swim, explain local events, and adjust the order of stops when conditions make that sensible.

The boat moves quickly, so you cover a lot of ground. That speed is useful in a three-hour tour, but it also means wind and spray. Keep your sunglasses secure, and take a light coat outside the hottest months. In October, a midday departure was recommended because mornings on the water could be cold.

Our Lady of the Rocks and the fishing story behind it

The first major stop is Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island opposite Perast. Local fishermen built it up over centuries by sinking boats and placing rocks in the water. The result is one of the bay’s most memorable human-made sights.

You get about 20 minutes here for a visit and photographs. The island is small, so this is not a long wandering stop. You will have time to see the church exterior, absorb the setting, and decide if you want to pay the €2 entry fee.

Inside, the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks contains 68 paintings by Tripo Kokolja, a 17th-century Baroque artist from Perast. The extra fee is modest, but remember that it is not included in the tour price. If you prefer to stay outside, the church and island still make a strong photo stop, framed by steep mountains and the calm water of the bay.

The timing is useful for anyone who wants a quick introduction to the bay’s religious and maritime traditions. It is less satisfying if you want a detailed museum visit. This tour keeps moving, and the church is only one part of a packed route.

Mamula Island and a difficult wartime past

After the open-water run, the boat reaches Mamula Island near the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. Its fortress was built as a defensive structure, but the site later became a concentration camp under Italian control during World War II.

You stop for roughly 10 minutes, mainly to see the fortress from the water and take photographs. The short visit limits how much you can explore, but it gives the skipper a chance to explain why this small island carries such a grim story.

This is one of the most worthwhile history stops because the setting can look peaceful at first glance. The stone walls, sea, and low vegetation might suggest a simple coastal fort. The wartime use changes the mood. I appreciate that the tour does not treat the fortress as just another pretty photo background.

Do not expect a long guided walk through the structure. The boat remains offshore, and the focus is the view and the explanation. If your main goal is military history, you may want a separate land visit elsewhere. If you want a compact historical layer added to a scenic boat ride, Mamula works well.

Swimming near the Blue Cave

The Blue Cave is the trip’s main outdoor attraction. Sunlight enters through the cave opening and reflects off the rocks and water, creating the blue glow that gives the cave its name. The boat usually pauses so you can take pictures and see the color from the entrance.

The swimming part needs a clear explanation. The published description presents the stop as a Blue Cave swim, but conditions and boat traffic affect what happens. When several boats gather at the cave, you may enter briefly for photographs and then swim in the open water or at a quieter cove nearby. Some skippers have changed the order of the stops to reach the cave when it was less crowded.

That nearby water can be excellent. One route included a quieter swimming place with clear water and fish, and snorkeling masks were provided. Another departure had two swimming areas, with the first stop judged better for swimming than the cave itself. So I would book this for a swim near the Blue Cave, not as a promise that you will swim inside an empty cave.

You get about 25 minutes for swimming and snorkeling. Life-saving equipment is included, and skippers have provided life jackets to non-swimmers who wanted to enter the water. Guides have also helped people climb back onto the boat, an important detail because getting aboard from the water can be harder than expected.

Bring your own towel and swimwear. A camera is useful, but protect it carefully around the water. The snorkeling mask is supplied, and a bottle of water is included. Food and extra drinks are not.

The Yugoslav submarine tunnels

The former submarine tunnels are one of the tour’s most unusual sights. The Yugoslav Army built these narrow coastal entrances to shelter submarines, leaving a reminder of the area’s military past hidden along the shore.

The boat stops for only about five minutes, so this is a photo and explanation stop rather than an underground visit. You will see the dark opening from the water and hear how the tunnels were used. That short pause is enough to make the structure interesting without slowing the whole trip.

I like the contrast here. The same outing moves from a 15th-century artificial island to a World War II prison fortress and then to Cold War military infrastructure. You are not simply looking at beaches. You are seeing how people used this complicated coast for faith, defense, detention, and naval operations.

Perast, Tivat, Porto Montenegro, and Herceg Novi from the water

Much of the pleasure comes between the formal stops. From the boat, you pass coastal towns and waterfronts including Perast, Tivat, Porto Montenegro, and Herceg Novi.

Perast is especially photogenic, with old stone buildings and church towers set against the mountains. Tivat gives you a different view of the bay, while Porto Montenegro is associated with its polished marina setting. Herceg Novi adds another coastal town to the route before the boat turns back toward Kotor.

The water-level view helps you understand the shape of the bay. Roads and town streets can make the shore feel separate, but from a speedboat you see the settlements, mountains, islands, and open water as one connected setting.

This is also where the boat’s speed earns its keep. You can cover the outer bay and return to Kotor in roughly three hours. A slower boat might offer more time for each village, but it would be harder to include the Blue Cave, Mamula, submarine tunnels, and Our Lady of the Rocks in one short outing.

Is $56 a fair price?

At $56 per person, I consider this good value if you want both sightseeing and time in the water. The fare covers boat transportation, a bottle of water, snorkeling mask, and safety equipment. You are also paying for a skipper who handles the route and gives historical context while you move between sites.

The value is strongest for a first visit to Kotor. You see several major bay sights in one booking, and the speedboat avoids the slow pace of a large sightseeing vessel. The small groups reported on some departures make the price more appealing because you may have more room and easier access to the guide.

There are extra costs. Church entry at Our Lady of the Rocks is €2 per person. Food and additional drinks are not included, so eat beforehand or bring what you need if the operator allows it. The tour provides water, but not a meal.

I would not choose this trip if you want extended time at each location. Twenty minutes on the artificial island, 10 minutes near Mamula, and five minutes at the submarine tunnels are enough for a taste, not a full visit. The price buys range and convenience rather than lengthy exploration.

Timing, weather, and practical comfort

The tour lasts about three hours, with starting times depending on availability. Morning departures can be pleasant in hot weather, while an October midday start may be more comfortable because the open water feels cold earlier in the day.

Weather matters. High waves can change the feel of the ride, and poor weather can cause cancellation. One storm forced a skipper to shelter the group at a beach, provide raincoats, and extend the outing. That is a good sign about how a careful captain may handle changing conditions, but you should still avoid scheduling this as the one activity you cannot miss.

The meeting point is MontenegroGlobe near Kamelija shopping center, close to Kotor’s old town and port. Parking in Kotor is notoriously difficult, so arriving by car takes planning. If you are staying near the water, ask the operator about pickup possibilities, since some departures have collected people from hotel jetties or nearby villages, though that should not be assumed for every booking.

Wear swimwear under light clothing, pack a towel and sunglasses, and bring a coat outside the hottest part of summer. The boat has shade, but shade does not replace warm clothing on a breezy autumn ride.

This is not suitable for wheelchair users or people over 95. Pets and bicycles are not allowed.

Who will enjoy this trip most?

I would choose this cruise if you have one or two days in Kotor and want a broad view of the bay without spending a whole day on the water. It suits couples, solo visitors, families with older children, and anyone who likes a mix of scenery, local stories, and a short swim.

Solo passengers can fit in easily, especially when the boat has open seats. The relaxed setting and shared swim stop make it easy to meet people without the trip feeling like a party boat.

It also suits nervous swimmers better than the wording might suggest. Life jackets are available, and several captains have taken time to check that passengers felt safe. Still, this is a speedboat trip, and the water stop is optional. You can enjoy the sights without swimming.

I would look elsewhere if you need step-free access, a long museum visit, a quiet luxury cruise, or a guaranteed swim inside the Blue Cave. The boat ride can be lively, with music and fast stretches, so it is not designed as a silent nature outing.

Should you book the Kotor Blue Cave cruise?

I would book it for the combination of speed, history, and swimming. At $56, it covers a lot of ground, and the strongest captains add real value by choosing quieter water, helping less confident swimmers, and explaining the sites rather than simply driving past them.

Book with realistic expectations about the Blue Cave. Think of it as a cave visit plus a swim in nearby clear water, not a guaranteed private swim inside the cave. If you bring a light jacket, accept the short stops, and keep some flexibility for weather, this is an efficient and enjoyable way to see the outer Bay of Kotor.

FAQ

Where does the boat tour start?

Meet at the MontenegroGlobe agency near Kamelija shopping center, a few minutes from Kotor’s old town and the Port of Kotor.

How long does the cruise last?

The cruise lasts three hours.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is swimming included?

Yes. The tour includes a swimming stop near the Blue Cave, along with snorkeling. Boat traffic and conditions may mean you swim outside the cave or at a nearby cove rather than inside the cave itself.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. A snorkeling mask is included.

Is a church ticket included?

No. Entry to the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks costs €2 per person.

What should I bring?

Bring sunglasses, swimwear, a towel, and a camera. A light coat is also useful in cooler weather, especially in October.

Can the tour be cancelled?

Yes. The tour can be cancelled because of poor weather or if the minimum number of participants is not reached. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users. It is also not suitable for people over 95 years old.