- ★ 4.7 / 53,800+ reviews
- 3 hoursGroup speedboat tour
- Swim inside15–30 min in the cave
- 4 stopsCave · church · tunnels · fortress
- Free cancellationUp to 24h before
What a Kotor Blue Cave Tour Covers — and Whether It's Worth Your Morning
The Blue Cave (Plava Špilja) is a natural sea cave on the Luštica Peninsula, near the entrance to the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. There's no road in — you reach it only by boat, usually on a speedboat tour from Kotor. It glows because sunlight enters the opening and reflects off the white seabed, turning the water an intense, almost fluorescent blue on sunny days.
Is it worth it? For most first-time visitors to Kotor, yes. It's one of Montenegro's most popular excursions — and the pull isn't only the cave but the 3–4 hour boat trip around it, passing Our Lady of the Rocks, the Yugoslav-era submarine tunnels, Mamula Island fortress and the dramatic walls of the bay, with a swim stop along the way. The cave is the highlight; the whole excursion is what people remember. It's especially worth it if you've never done a Bay of Kotor boat tour before.
Worth it if…
- You enjoy boat trips and coastal scenery
- You like swimming in clear, open water
- It's your first time in Kotor
- You want the cave plus Our Lady of the Rocks and the submarine tunnels
Maybe skip it if…
- You get seasick easily
- You're visiting in peak summer and dislike crowds
- You're expecting a huge cavern — it's actually quite small
- The forecast is grey; the blue glow needs strong sun
Kotor Blue Cave Tour Itinerary: 3 Hours, 5 Stops, One Speedboat
From Park Slobode in Kotor to the Blue Cave, Our Lady of the Rocks, the submarine tunnels and Mamula — what happens, stop by stop.
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Meet in Kotor at City Park
Tours start at City Park (Park Slobode), about 200 metres from the Old Town's Main Gate and a short walk from the cruise pier. Arrive at least 30 minutes early; if you come off a cruise ship, turn left after security and head for the park, where the skipper waits at the seaside information desk.
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Cruise the Bay of Kotor
The speedboat heads out across the UNESCO-listed Boka Bay, passing the baroque town of Perast and the bay's steep limestone walls before threading the Verige Strait — the bay's narrowest point at about 340 metres — into open water. Many travellers rate the ride itself as a highlight.
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Stop at Our Lady of the Rocks
You pause at Our Lady of the Rocks, a man-made islet off Perast built up by sailors dropping stones after safe voyages since 1452. Its 17th-century church and small museum carry a low separate entry fee (often a few euros) paid on the islet if you go in.
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Swim inside the Blue Cave
At the Luštica cliffs the boat enters the cave through its larger opening, sea and tide permitting, for a 15–30 minute swim and snorkel in the glowing blue water. On busy or choppy days the skipper may stop just outside the entrance instead — the colour still shows from the water.
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Submarine tunnels & Mamula, then back to Kotor
On the way back you ride through the Yugoslav-era submarine tunnels carved into the coast and pass Mamula island, an 1853 fortress later used as a WWII prison. The boat then returns across the bay to City Park, roughly three hours after setting off.
The Blue Cave Tour We Recommend Booking First
The most-booked Blue Cave tour from Kotor — best balance of price, reviews and the full bundle of stops.
Kotor: The #1 Rated Blue Cave & Our Lady of the Rocks Tour
Why we recommend it: with 3,800+ reviews at 4.7 stars, this is the most-booked Blue Cave tour from Kotor — a small-group speedboat run that bundles the cave swim, Our Lady of the Rocks, the submarine tunnels and Mamula, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Run by Montenegro Submarine & Speed Boat Tours, it covers every Boka Bay highlight in one outing: the glowing cave swim, the islet church, the Cold War tunnels and the open-water dash through the Verige Strait. It is the easiest way to do the cave without renting a car or chasing taxi boats.
- Swim inside the Blue Cave, sea conditions permitting
- Our Lady of the Rocks and Perast views
- Submarine tunnels and Mamula island fortress
- Small-group speedboat with a licensed skipper
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Meet at City Park (Park Slobode), a short walk from Kotor's Old Town. Check live dates and book on the right.
Kotor Blue Cave Speedboat Tours: Swim Inside, Small Groups, Four Stops
The glowing swim, the open-water ride, the islet church and the submarine tunnels — what sets a Blue Cave speedboat tour apart.
You can actually jump in
This is the bit Capri and Croatia won't let you do. The boat slips inside and you swim and snorkel in the chamber for 15–30 minutes — reviewers keep describing it as floating inside a sapphire, with the light coming up from below.
The speedboat is half the fun
Punching out of the calm bay through the 340-metre Verige Strait into the open Adriatic is a thrill on its own. Plenty of travellers come back saying the ride rivalled the cave.
Four stops, one short morning
You get the cave, Our Lady of the Rocks, the Cold War submarine tunnels and Mamula fortress in a single 3-hour run — a proper day on the water without losing the whole day to it.
Still calmer than the famous ones
Montenegro's cave sees far fewer boats than Capri's Blue Grotto or Croatia's Biševo. Take the early-morning departure and you can have the chamber almost to yourself before the midday rush.
Kotor Blue Cave: UNESCO Bay, a 340-Metre Strait and a 15-Minute Swim
From the UNESCO-listed Bay of Kotor to Mamula fortress and the cave swim — the numbers behind the tour.
- 1979Bay of Kotor named a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- 340 mVerige Strait at its narrowest point
- 15–30 minTypical swim time inside the cave
- 1853Year Mamula island fortress was built
Inside the Blue Cave & Across the Bay of Kotor
Scroll or drag to browse the cave, the Adriatic coastline and the Boka Bay route.
Kotor Blue Cave Tour: What's Included and What's Not
There's no entrance fee for the cave itself — you pay for the boat. Here's what a standard group tour does and doesn't cover.
Included
- Small-group speedboat with a licensed skipper
- Life jackets for all passengers, child sizes available
- Bottled water on board
- Swim and snorkel stop at the Blue Cave, sea permitting
- Boka Bay cruise past Perast and the Verige Strait
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Not included
- Our Lady of the Rocks church/museum entry (a small fee paid on the islet)
- Hotel pickup, on most standard group tours
- Food and drinks beyond the water provided
- Towels and snorkel gear, unless the operator states otherwise
- Gratuities for the skipper
Which Kotor Blue Cave Tour Is Right for You?
Four ways to reach the cave, from cheapest to most flexible — transport is handled either way, so there's no rental car or parking to worry about.
Shared group speedboat
What most people should book. About €30–€57 per person, the most popular choice, and it covers the lot — cave swim, Our Lady of the Rocks, the tunnels and Mamula — in three hours. Easy to book, free to cancel, and the best value on the water.
Private boat
Roughly €270–€400+ for the boat. Worth it for families or small groups who want fewer people on board, a flexible pace, and the option to time your cave entry around the crowds.
Local taxi boat
From €5–€15 per person from Žanjice or Herceg Novi for a short hop to the cave and back. Best if you want maximum cave time for the least money, but you skip the full Boka Bay cruise and the bundled stops.
Cruise shore excursion
Sold on board for convenience, but usually pricier than booking direct. With Kotor's meeting point a short walk from the pier, many cruise passengers book independently and keep a buffer before all-aboard.
Blue Cave Montenegro vs Croatia vs Capri: Where Can You Actually Swim?
Swimming, access, crowds and cost across Montenegro's Plava Špilja, Croatia's Biševo cave and Capri's Blue Grotto — the short answer per criterion.
| Criterion | Montenegro (Kotor) | Croatia (Biševo) | Capri (Italy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can you swim inside? | Yes — swim & snorkel | No (prohibited) | No (fines for swimming) |
| How you visit | Swim from your boat, 15–30 min | Boat passes through, ~10–15 min | Lie flat in a rowboat, ~5 min |
| Access | ~45–70 min speedboat from Kotor | Ferry to Vis, then boat (3+ hrs) | Boat/bus then rowboat transfer |
| Crowds | Moderate, lightest of the three | Heavy in summer, long queues | Heaviest, waits up to ~2 hours |
| Entrance fee | None (pay for the boat) | Separate cave ticket | €18 total at the cave |
Short version: if you want to actually swim in glowing blue water with manageable crowds, Montenegro's Blue Cave from Kotor is the best of the three.
What Travellers Consistently Say About the Blue Cave Tour
Rating reflects 3,800+ verified GetYourGuide reviews of the featured tour as of June 2026. Below are the themes reviewers raise most.
The glowing swim
Reviewers describe floating in the cave's blue light as the trip's surreal centrepiece — best on sunny, calm days when the colour is most vivid.
Theme · The caveThe speedboat ride
The open-water dash through the bay and the Verige Strait comes up again and again — many say the ride and the Boka Bay scenery rival the cave itself.
Theme · The journeyThe skipper
Friendly, knowledgeable local skippers who handle the boat well and read the sea conditions are the single most-praised factor in strong reviews.
Theme · The crewAn honest note on timing
The happiest reviews come from sunny mid-morning departures; lower ratings cluster on grey or choppy days when the glow is muted and the cave stop is short.
Theme · ExpectationsKotor Blue Cave Tour Logistics: Timing, Meeting Point, Bags & Weather
Duration, where to meet in Kotor, the best hours for the glow, what to pack and the weather rules — what to know before the meeting point.
Duration & cave time
The standard tour runs about 3 hours; actual time inside the Blue Cave is short, usually 15–30 minutes. If maximising cave time matters, choose a private or small-group boat and ask the operator directly.
Where to meet
Most Kotor tours leave from City Park (Park Slobode), about 200 metres from the Old Town's Main Gate and a short walk from the cruise pier. Arrive 20–30 minutes early; summer traffic and roadworks can cause delays.
Best time to visit
June to September for warm water; a sunny day between roughly 10:30am and 1pm for the strongest glow; an early-morning departure for fewer boats. Peak colour and peak crowds overlap, so pick your priority.
What to bring
Swimwear under your clothes (no changing facilities on board), a towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, a light jacket for the wind at speed, water shoes and a waterproof phone case. Skip large bags — boat space is limited.
Families & accessibility
Tours are popular with families; licensed boats carry child-sized life jackets, and non-swimmers can float in a vest. The open-sea ride can be bumpy — sit toward the rear for a smoother trip. Confirm specifics for infants or mobility needs with the operator.
Weather & cancellation
Rough seas, strong south wind or high tide can block cave entry or cancel the cave portion. Book a tour with free 24-hour and weather cancellation; good operators rebook or refund and substitute extra beach or tunnel time.
What Could Disappoint on a Blue Cave Tour? 8 Honest Caveats
Weather, crowds, short cave time and the real day cost — what we wish more booking pages said upfront.
The blue glow depends on the sun
On overcast days the chamber looks like an ordinary cavern. The colour needs direct sun, ideally high overhead between 10:30am and 1pm. Check the forecast and treat a grey day as a scenic boat ride, not a glowing swim.
Boats can't always enter the cave
In rough sea, high tide or strong south wind (the jugo), captains keep boats out of the cave entirely. Choose a tour with a free weather-cancellation policy so a blocked cave doesn't cost you the fare.
Time inside the cave is short
Despite a 3-hour tour, you usually spend only 15–30 minutes at the cave. The rest is cruising and the other stops. If a long swim is your priority, book a private boat and confirm cave time in advance.
July and August midday get crowded
At peak times 20 or more boats can jockey for position at the cave. Shoulder season and early or late departures are dramatically quieter; midday gives the best light but the most company.
The ride is windy, wet and bumpy
The open-Adriatic stretch can splash and jolt. Stow phones in a dry bag, bring a light jacket, and if you're prone to seasickness, sit at the rear and take a tablet before departure.
Some tours swim outside the cave
On busy or choppy days, some fast speedboat tours stop in front of the cave and let you swim there rather than inside. If swimming inside matters, ask the operator how they handle crowded conditions.
The real cost is more than the ticket
The group fare covers the boat. Budget a little extra for the Our Lady of the Rocks church entry, any food and drinks, and a tip for the skipper. The cave itself has no entrance fee.
Cruise passengers need a buffer
The meeting point is a short walk from the tender pier, but a 3-hour tour leaves little room for delays. Book the earliest departure, stick to the 3-hour option, and confirm an on-time return before you reserve.
Kotor Blue Cave Tour FAQ
What is the Blue Cave in Kotor, and why does it glow blue?
Can you swim inside the Kotor Blue Cave?
Is the Kotor Blue Cave tour worth it?
When is the best time to visit the Blue Cave in Montenegro?
How much does a Kotor Blue Cave tour cost?
How long is the tour, and how long do you spend at the cave?
Group tour or private boat: which should you book?
Blue Cave Montenegro vs Capri vs Croatia: what's the difference?
What does the tour include besides the cave?
Will I get seasick, and is it suitable for children?
What should you bring on a Blue Cave tour?
What happens if the weather is bad, and should you book ahead?
More Kotor Blue Cave Tours Worth Comparing
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Highest rated
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Pickup included
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A Blue Cave and Boka Bay speedboat tour that adds pickup and complimentary drinks on board — handy if you'd rather not make your own way to the meeting point.
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Small-group speedboat
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A speedboat tour to the Blue Cave and Our Lady of the Rocks with strong reviews and a small group — a close alternative to our top pick.
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