Kotor: Blue Cave, Žanjic Beach Speedboat Tour

The best part of this four-hour speedboat trip is the mix of open water, old stone fortifications, a sea cave, and a proper beach stop. You are not stuck looking at Kotor Bay from shore. You bounce across it, stop to swim, and get a quick taste of several very different places.

I like the easy walk from Kotor’s old town to the meeting point, and I like that the price includes a bottle of water, snorkel mask, and safety gear. The main catch is the pace. With many stops packed into four hours, the Blue Cave visit may feel rushed, and one past booking was shortened to three hours.

Key points to know before booking

• The Blue Cave is the main prize: You can swim in its clear blue water, but the boat may not linger inside for long.
• Our Lady of the Rocks includes a €2 entry fee: The islet is reached early in the trip and gets about 20 minutes.
• Žanjic Beach gives you the longest break: You have about one hour for swimming, sun, or a restaurant lunch.
• The speedboat makes the route possible: Expect wind, spray, bouncing over waves, and quick transfers between stops.
• Marko and Andrea are named guides: The tour runs in English, with music part of at least one past outing.
• The $76 price is fair for a busy half-day: It works best if you value several sights and swimming over a slow, relaxed cruise.

A fast start from central Kotor

You meet MontenegroGlobe near the Kamelija shopping center, about a two-minute walk from Kotor’s old town or the Port of Kotor. Follow the main road to the company’s office. The meeting point is convenient, but pay attention to the actual boarding place, since one past booking found the boat farther along than expected.

Once aboard, the tour begins with a 20-minute speedboat ride. This is open-air travel, not a quiet harbor launch. You will feel the wind, hear the engine, and bounce over the water when conditions are lively. Bring sunglasses, swimwear, sunscreen, and a towel. Towels are not supplied, and you will want one after the cave or beach swim.

The boat ride is part of the fun, but it affects comfort. If you prefer a calm, shaded trip with long commentary, this may not be your ideal outing. If you like moving quickly and seeing a lot in a short time, the speedboat is a useful way to cover the outer Bay of Kotor.

Our Lady of the Rocks and its local legend

The first major stop is Our Lady of the Rocks, the small artificial islet opposite Perast. You get about 20 minutes to walk around. The island is famous for the story of two local sailors who found an icon of Madonna and the Child here, leading to the creation of the church and the island shrine.

The stop gives the trip a cultural anchor before the swimming begins. You can see the church, look across the water toward Perast, and take in the contrast between the bright sea and the old stone buildings. The visit is short, so think of it as a compact introduction rather than a full museum visit.

Entry costs €2 per person and is not included in the tour price. Bring a little cash or be ready to pay separately. If seeing the interior is important to you, use the stop efficiently. The tour schedule leaves limited time for lingering.

Mamula Island and the old fortress walls

After another 30-minute boat ride, the route passes Mamula Island, also called Lastavica. The boat makes a photo stop of about 10 minutes rather than offering a long island visit. The round fortress walls are the feature to watch for, with the old Austro-Hungarian structure surrounded by water.

This is a good example of what the tour does well: it lets you see places that would be difficult to fit into an independent half-day plan. It also shows the limits of the format. You get a view and a short pause, not a detailed walk through the fortress.

Have your camera ready before the boat reaches the island. The stop moves quickly, and the guide may keep the boat on a tight schedule. The scenery is strongest from the water, where the full outline of the fort and its position in the bay are easy to grasp.

The Blue Cave: beautiful, but keep your expectations clear

The Blue Cave is the emotional center of the trip. Sunlight enters through the water and gives the cave a blue glow. The water is described as warm and clear, and the boat carries snorkel masks so you can look beneath the surface.

The usual stop allows about 25 minutes for swimming and snorkeling. You may get into the water near or inside the cave, depending on sea conditions and the boat’s handling. The key point is that this is not guaranteed to be a long swim inside the cave. A past account describes the boat passing through quickly, then anchoring outside for swimming. That person had hoped to spend more time inside and felt the cave visit was too brief.

I would book this tour if you want the chance to swim in the Blue Cave, but I would not book it on the assumption that you will spend most of the 25 minutes inside it. The conditions, boat traffic, timing, and guide’s judgment all matter. If the boat passes through quickly, you may still swim in the same clear water nearby, but the experience is different from calmly floating inside the blue chamber.

This is also the one place where the tour’s quick pace matters most. Have your swimwear on before departure, keep your camera ready, and listen for instructions. You may have only a short window to take pictures before the boat moves on.

One hour at Žanjic Beach

After the cave, the boat reaches Žanjic Beach for about an hour. This is the most generous stop and gives you a chance to slow down. You can swim again, sit in the sun, or choose lunch at one of the local restaurants.

The choice matters because the tour does not include food or drinks beyond the bottle of water. A restaurant meal uses part of your beach time, while bringing no food leaves you with a simpler stop focused on swimming and sun. The information provided does not specify a set lunch or restaurant reservation, so plan to choose for yourself once you arrive.

Žanjic is the best place to recover from the speedboat ride. You have time to dry off, eat, and enjoy the shore without watching the clock every few minutes. Still, one hour passes quickly if you want both lunch and a swim. I would decide in advance which matters more.

The beach stop also gives you a second chance to swim if the Blue Cave visit feels too short. That makes the itinerary more forgiving. Even if the cave is rushed, you still have a proper break in the water later.

A quick look at the submarine tunnel

On the way back toward Kotor, the speedboat stops for about five minutes near a former submarine tunnel. The tunnel is cut into the shore and was once used to hide submarines. It is a photo stop, not a walk-through visit.

Five minutes is enough to point a camera into the dark opening and hear a little context from the guide, but not enough for a long exploration. Treat it as a final visual surprise rather than a separate attraction. It adds another layer to the route, shifting from nature and beaches to military history.

The boat then takes about 30 minutes to return to MontenegroGlobe. You arrive back near the same central Kotor area where the tour began.

What the $76 price gets you

At $76 per person, the tour is priced as an active half-day outing rather than a simple boat transfer. You are paying for a speedboat route that connects Kotor, Our Lady of the Rocks, Mamula, the Blue Cave, Žanjic Beach, and the submarine tunnel in four hours.

Included items are:

• Boat transportation
• A bottle of water
• Snorkel mask
• Life-saving gear
• An English-speaking live guide

You pay separately for drinks, towels, lunch, and the €2 entry fee at Our Lady of the Rocks. The extra costs are modest, but they can add up if you eat at the beach and buy drinks. Bring sunscreen and a towel, since neither is supplied.

The value is strongest if you want variety. In one outing, you see a religious islet, a fortress, a natural cave, a beach, and a military tunnel. You also avoid arranging separate boats or figuring out the route yourself.

The value is weaker if you want slow sightseeing. The schedule is tight, and the time at Our Lady of the Rocks, Mamula, the Blue Cave, and the submarine tunnel is limited. One dated account describes a four-hour booking being reduced to three hours because of other scheduled trips, with part of the payment returned. That appears to be an exception rather than the stated plan, but it is worth confirming the expected duration on the day.

Guides, language, and the feel of the outing

The tour is conducted in English. Guides named for this experience include Marko and Andrea. Past outings with Marko are described as friendly and helpful, while Andrea is associated with an outing that included music during the ride.

Do not expect a multilingual tour. If you are not comfortable following instructions and short explanations in English, the experience may be less satisfying. The boat setting also makes long speeches unlikely. The guide’s main job is to keep the route moving, explain the sights, and help passengers manage the swim stops.

Music may be part of the ride, depending on the guide and boat. That can suit a lively speedboat trip, but it is another reason this is not a quiet historical tour. You get atmosphere and motion, with only brief periods for sightseeing.

The published overall rating is 4.6 from 30 reviews, with especially strong praise for the guides and the speedboat outing itself. The weaker points center on timing, the short Blue Cave visit, and one shortened departure. I would use that pattern to set your expectations: the core concept works well, but the exact feel depends on how tightly the guide runs the clock.

Who should book this Kotor boat trip?

I would recommend it to you if you have only a short time in Kotor and want to combine sightseeing with swimming. It suits active couples, friends, and families with older children who are comfortable on a fast boat and can get in and out of the water.

It is also a good choice if you want to see beyond the old town without committing to a full-day excursion. The route gives you several distinct stops, and the beach break prevents the day from becoming one long stretch of boat travel.

I would think twice if the Blue Cave is your single reason for booking. You may get the blue water and a swim, but you should be ready for a quick pass through the cave and a longer swim outside it. I would also choose another type of outing if you need wheelchair access, since the activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.

The tour is not suitable for people over 95, and pets and bikes are not allowed. Bad weather or heavy rain can cancel the activity, as can failure to reach the minimum group size. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Kotor plans are still shifting.

My call on the Blue Cave and Žanjic Beach tour

Book this tour if you want a lively sampler of the Bay of Kotor with a real beach break and the chance to swim in the Blue Cave. The $76 price is reasonable for the amount of ground covered, especially since transport, water, snorkel gear, and safety equipment are included.

Do not book it expecting a leisurely cave visit or a long fortress tour. The trip is built around movement, quick photo stops, and short swims. Bring a towel, wear your swimsuit under your clothes, keep the €2 island fee in mind, and ask at the start how much time is planned inside the Blue Cave. With those expectations, this is a spirited and efficient way to get out on the water from Kotor.

FAQ

How long does the Kotor Blue Cave tour last?

The scheduled duration is four hours. One past booking was shortened to three hours, with part of the payment returned.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet at MontenegroGlobe near the Kamelija shopping center. It is about a two-minute walk from Kotor’s old town or the Port of Kotor.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is swimming included?

Yes. Swimming is scheduled at the Blue Cave and Žanjic Beach. Snorkel masks and life-saving gear are included.

Is lunch included?

No. You can choose to eat at a restaurant at Žanjic Beach, but food and additional drinks cost extra.

Do I need to pay to enter Our Lady of the Rocks?

Yes. The entry fee is €2 per person and is not included in the tour price.

What should I bring?

Bring sunglasses, swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen. Towels are not provided.

Can the tour be canceled?

Yes. Bad weather, heavy rain, or failure to meet the minimum group size can lead to cancellation.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.