From Bay of Kotor: Blue Cave Private Speedboat Tour

The best part of this private speedboat tour is its range. In four hours, you move from the stone villages of Kotor Bay to abandoned military tunnels, a former prison island, a glowing sea cave, and a beach where you can swim or simply dry off in the sun. It packs a lot into half a day without leaving you tied to a large group.

I like the freedom of a private boat, especially when the skipper can adjust the pace for your group. I also like the mix of history and time in the water: Mamula Island and the submarine tunnels give the ride some substance, while the Blue Cave and Žanjic Beach keep it fun. The main consideration is the speedboat itself. Bigger waves can make the ride lively, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Key points to know before booking

• Private boat for up to six people: The $483 group price works out to about $80.50 each when six people share it.
• Blue Cave swimming stop: You get about 25 minutes for swimming and snorkeling in the cave’s blue-lit water.
• Three unusual historical stops: See Our Lady of the Rocks, former Yugoslav submarine tunnels, and Mamula Island’s Austro-Hungarian fortress.
• A real choice at Žanjic Beach: Spend 45 minutes swimming and sunbathing, eat at a local restaurant, or try the optional 6-meter cliff jump.
• Skippers set the tone: Marko and Nikolai have been praised for being friendly, flexible, and attentive on past trips.
• Bring your own beach basics: Swimwear, towel, sunglasses, sun hat, and camera are all useful. Drinks and snorkeling masks are provided.

Why this four-hour boat trip works

Kotor Bay is easy to admire from the shore, but the water gives you a different view. The steep coast, small ports, church islands, and old military sites make more sense when you pass them by boat. A speedboat also lets you reach the open-water attractions near the bay’s entrance in a short time.

This is not a slow sightseeing cruise. You will spend a fair part of the four hours moving between stops, with music playing and the boat cutting across the bay. That makes the trip lively, but it also means the ride can feel bouncy when the sea picks up. One past group saw dolphins near the boat, though you should treat that as luck, not part of the scheduled experience.

The private format is the main reason to consider this outing. You can decide how long to linger at a photo stop and how much time to give the swimming areas. You are still working within the planned four-hour route, but you are not sharing every moment with a busload of people.

The listed price is $483 for the whole boat, up to six people. For a full group, that is a reasonable way to get a private half-day on the water. For two people, it becomes a much bigger spend, so the value depends on how much you want privacy and flexibility. Drinks, snacks, transport, a snorkeling mask, travel insurance, and onboard Wi-Fi are included. The €2 entry fee for Our Lady of the Rocks is extra, and lunch at Žanjic Beach is also your own expense.

Starting near Kamelija shopping center in Kotor

You meet at the MontenegroGlobe office, close to the Kamelija shopping center and a few minutes from Kotor’s Old Town and port. Look for the office with illuminated advertising along the main road. This is a useful meeting point if you are staying in central Kotor, but parking can be difficult in summer, so do not leave arrival until the last minute.

The tour begins with a speedboat ride of about 20 minutes. Use this first stretch to settle in, take photos, and listen to the skipper’s introduction. The boat includes free Wi-Fi, drinks, snacks, and music, so the journey is designed to feel like part sightseeing ride and part easygoing beach outing.

The English-speaking guide is also your skipper. Past trips have featured Marko and Nikolai, both praised for friendly communication, humor, and a willingness to tailor the day. Names can vary by departure, but you can expect the guide to explain the main sights as you go rather than provide a long formal lecture.

Our Lady of the Rocks and Perast in 20 minutes

The first major stop is Our Lady of the Rocks, the famous artificial island opposite Perast. The church and island sit in one of the most photogenic parts of Kotor Bay, surrounded by calm water and framed by steep mountains.

You have about 20 minutes here for a visit and photos. You can pay €2 per person to enter the church museum, or spend your time looking around the island and browsing the small shops. That short stop is enough to get a feel for the place, but not enough for a detailed museum visit if you want to read everything carefully.

The island’s artificial construction is part of what makes it interesting. It is not simply an old church sitting on a natural outcrop. Its position in the bay also gives you a fine view back toward Perast, a compact seaside town with stone buildings and a long waterfront.

I would treat this as a quick orientation stop, not the central purpose of the trip. If the church museum matters to you, bring the €2 entry fee and move briskly. If you mainly want photographs and time on the water, the stop does the job without taking too much time from the cave and beach.

Abandoned submarine tunnels near Kotor

After another boat ride, you stop at the entrances to former submarine tunnels built by the Yugoslav Army. The visit lasts about five minutes and is mainly for photographs.

The tunnels are cut into the coast and are easy to miss if you are not looking for them. From the boat, you get a quick look at the dark openings and a reminder that the bay was once part of a guarded military network. This is a brief stop, so do not expect to walk far inside or receive a long site visit.

Its value comes from the contrast with the churches and beaches elsewhere on the route. Kotor Bay is not only a pretty setting. It also has a modern military past, and these concrete openings show that side in a direct, visual way.

Mamula Island and its fortress

Mamula Island is the most serious historical stop. A circular Austro-Hungarian fortress surrounds the island, and the site was later used as a concentration camp during World War II. Your skipper explains the island’s past as you look around.

The planned stop is about ten minutes, with time for photographs and a short stroll. That is enough to see the fortress setting and hear its basic story, but it is not a full museum visit. The site’s history is difficult, and the atmosphere is very different from the cheerful music and swimming stops.

I appreciate having this pause in the program. It gives the day a stronger sense of place and prevents the route from becoming only a series of pretty water views. At the same time, the short visit means the information will stay fairly broad. If you want a detailed account of the camp or the military architecture, you will need to do separate research.

Swimming in the Blue Cave for 25 minutes

The Blue Cave is the trip’s headline stop. Light entering through the cave opening gives the water a blue glow, and you can swim and snorkel inside for about 25 minutes.

You should bring a towel and swimwear, but a snorkeling mask is included. The time is long enough for a proper swim if you get into the water promptly. It is not a full beach session, so do not expect to linger once you are back on the boat.

The cave is best understood as a natural light show that you experience from the water. The effect depends on daylight and conditions, and the cave can be busy at popular times. Still, the chance to swim in the blue-lit water is much more memorable than viewing it from a distant lookout.

This is also where the private format helps. Your group can get organized without waiting for dozens of people to take turns. The skipper can guide you through the practical part of the stop, while you focus on swimming, snorkeling, and photos. Keep your camera secure and remember that wet hands and moving water are a bad combination for phones.

Žanjic Beach, swimming, lunch, and the 6-meter jump

The final major stop is Žanjic Beach, where you have about 45 minutes. This is your chance to slow down after the fast crossings and choose how active you want to be.

The beach is made of pebbles, so water shoes may be useful if you have them, though they are not listed as required equipment. You can swim, sunbathe, walk along the shore, or have lunch at a local restaurant. Food is not included, so bring money if you want to eat.

For a more adventurous finish, you can jump from a cliff about six meters above the sea. This is optional, and you should only do it if you are comfortable with the height, the water, and the conditions on the day. The tour information does not promise that every person will jump, and there is no reason to feel pressured. Žanjic works just as well as a quiet place to sit by the water.

The 45-minute stop is useful but not generous. If you want lunch, swimming, and the cliff jump, you will need to plan your time. I would choose one main activity and treat the others as extras.

The ride back to Kotor

The return ride takes about 40 minutes, giving you a longer stretch to enjoy the bay without a scheduled stop. You can use the Wi-Fi, listen to music, finish the included drinks and snacks, or simply watch the coast pass by.

The speedboat can make this return feel quick, but the ride may be rough if the sea is choppy. One past skipper was specifically praised for handling larger waves well. That is reassuring, though sea conditions are never fully predictable.

If you are prone to motion sickness, consider bringing whatever remedy you normally use and sit where you feel most stable. The tour is built around a motorboat, not a quiet sailboat, so you should book it for movement and excitement rather than silence.

What is included and what you should bring

The tour includes:

• Transport by speedboat
• Drinks and snacks
• Snorkeling mask
• Travel insurance
• Free onboard Wi-Fi
• An English-speaking live guide

You should bring sunglasses, a sun hat, swimwear, a towel, and a camera. The instructions list both a sun hat and hat, but one good hat is enough. Secure it well, since a speedboat ride creates plenty of wind.

Alcohol and drugs are not allowed, and bikes are not suitable for the activity. The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or people over 95 years old. Those limits matter because the boat, beach, swimming, and cliff-jump options all require a degree of mobility.

The meeting office is near central Kotor, but summer parking is limited. If you are driving, allow extra time. If you are walking from the Old Town or port, the location is only a few minutes away according to the meeting instructions.

Who will enjoy this private speedboat tour

I would choose this trip if you want to combine active swimming with major sights and have only half a day available. It suits couples, families with older children, and small groups of friends who want their own boat and a flexible skipper.

Families should note that the day includes fast boat travel, open water, a cave swim, and an optional cliff jump. The guide can be attentive and helpful, but you remain responsible for deciding what feels safe for your group.

History-minded visitors will enjoy the submarine tunnels and Mamula more than someone seeking only beaches. The route gives you a useful introduction to the bay’s religious, military, and wartime past, though each historical stop is short.

I would think twice if you dislike speed, get seasick easily, need step-free access, or want a long, unhurried beach day. This is a busy four-hour outing. It rewards energy and curiosity, not a slow resort pace.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if your group can fill most of the six seats and you want a lively, flexible day on the water. The strongest reasons are the private boat, the Blue Cave swim, the chance to set your pace, and the unusual combination of Mamula, submarine tunnels, and Žanjic Beach.

The price is harder to justify for only one or two people, especially once you add lunch and the €2 island entry fee. Still, the private setting can be worth it if you value control over the schedule and do not want to join a large boat.

For most suitable groups, I would book it on a clear-weather day, bring proper sun protection, and decide in advance how much time you want for swimming versus lunch. Treat the cliff jump as an optional bonus, not the point of the trip. If that balance sounds right, this is a strong way to see the outer reaches of Kotor Bay without giving up time in the water.

FAQ

How long is the Blue Cave private speedboat tour?

The tour lasts four hours, including the boat rides and stops at Our Lady of the Rocks, the submarine tunnels, Mamula Island, the Blue Cave, and Žanjic Beach.

How much does the private tour cost?

The price is $483 per group of up to six people. A full group would pay about $80.50 per person.

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet at the MontenegroGlobe tour agency near Kamelija shopping center, a few minutes from Kotor Old Town and the port. Look for the office with illuminated advertising along the main road.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The activity includes a live English-speaking tour guide.

Is swimming included?

Yes. You can swim and snorkel in the Blue Cave, and you can also swim at Žanjic Beach. A snorkeling mask is included.

Is lunch included?

No. You can choose to eat at a local restaurant at Žanjic Beach, but lunch is not included in the tour price.

Is entry to Our Lady of the Rocks included?

No. Entry costs €2 per person. You can also choose to spend the stop viewing the island and browsing its shops.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.