Glowing electric-blue water inside the Blue Cave on Montenegro's Lustica Peninsula
Blue Cave Montenegro · Plava Špilja · 2026 Guide

Blue Cave Montenegro: The Complete Guide to the Kotor Blue Cave Tour

Montenegro's Blue Cave is the easiest, fastest glowing sea cave to reach from a major cruise port — about 40–60 minutes by speedboat from Kotor, versus 3+ hours of ferries to Croatia's rival cave. And it's the one big "blue cave" where you can still swim inside.

4.7/5 from 3,800+ reviews of the most-booked tour

Reachable only by boat Swim inside permitted
  • ~18 kmFrom Kotor (40–60 min by boat)
  • ~300 m²Cave floor area
  • €30–45Typical group tour, per adult
  • May–OctBest season to visit
  • Swim insidePermitted — anchor & swim in
Where it is & what makes it special

The Blue Cave (Plava Špilja): Location and What Makes It Unique

The Blue Cave — Plava Špilja in Montenegrin — is carved into the limestone cliffs of the Luštica Peninsula, on the open-sea side near the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, in the Herceg Novi municipality. It sits about 18 km (around 40–60 minutes by fast boat) from Kotor Old Town, at GPS coordinates of roughly 42.374° N, 18.596° E. There's no road in — the cliffs drop straight into the sea, so the cave can only be reached by boat.

The cave has two entrances — a smaller opening on the south side and a larger one on the southwest side, once big enough for small boats to enter. The interior floor area is about 300 square metres, the sea inside is roughly 3–5 metres deep, and the vault rises about 9 metres above the water. It was formed over millennia by waves eroding the porous Luštica limestone.

What sets it apart from the famous Croatian and Maltese blue grottoes: it's far less crowded, far easier to reach from Kotor, and — uniquely among the big three — you can still swim inside. The water in the chamber is noticeably warmer and calmer than the open sea just outside. If you only have one morning in Boka Bay, this is the experience most first-time visitors remember.

Book the Blue Cave from Kotor

A Top-Booked Blue Cave & Submarine Base Tour

One of the most-reviewed Blue Cave speedboat tours from Kotor — the cave swim, the Cold War submarine base, Our Lady of the Rocks and a pass by Mamula in a single trip. Check live dates and prices below.

Pоwered by GetYourGuide
Why it glows & when to go

The Science of the Blue Light — and the Best Time to See It

The glow is refracted sunlight, not bioluminescence. Sun, calm seas and the right hour are everything.

The glow

Refracted, reflected sunlight

When the sun hits the water at a sharp angle, blue wavelengths reflect off the white seabed and limestone and flood the chamber with iridescent blue. It needs direct sun — a cloudy or windy day means a muted cave or a cancelled stop.

Best hours

Roughly 09:00–13:00

The strongest blue shows on sunny mornings when the sun is high; afternoon light leans greener and softer. An early departure also means the smallest crowds before the midday boats arrive.

Best months

May–October, with a sweet spot

July–August is warmest and busiest; the shoulder months (late April–May and September–October) bring calmer crowds and still-swimmable seas. June and September are the happy medium.

The weather rule

The Jugo wind cancels stops

When the southerly Jugo wind blows, boats may skip the cave entirely. Book ahead in peak season and choose an operator with a free weather-cancellation policy so a blocked cave doesn't cost you the fare.

Our top pick

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.

Best-reviewed Kotor Blue Cave tour · 3,800+ reviews Free cancellation
Best-reviewed Kotor Blue Cave tour · 3,800+ reviews

Kotor: The #1 Rated Blue Cave & Our Lady of the Rocks Tour

From $52 ★ 4.7 (3,800+ reviews) ~3 hours Free 24-hour cancellation

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 reaches the Blue Cave in 40–60 minutes and 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.

  • 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.

Pоwered by GetYourGuide
The typical boat tour route from Kotor

A Standard Blue Cave Tour: 3 Hours, Four Stops

The signature trip is a 3-hour speedboat tour from Park Slobode, a few minutes from the cruise terminal. Here's what it covers.

  1. Our Lady of the Rocks (Gospa od Škrpjela)

    A man-made islet off Perast, built up over centuries by sailors dropping stones after every safe voyage. The baroque church holds 68 paintings by 17th-century Perast master Tripo Kokolja and over 2,500 silver votive tablets, plus a famous tapestry woven by Jacinta Kunić-Mijović over 25 years. Entry ~€3; modest dress required.

  2. Submarine tunnels

    Cold-War shelters near Rose village, built by the Yugoslav Navy in the 1960s–70s to hide submarines from NATO spy planes. Three tunnels exist; boats can enter, and you can even swim inside.

  3. Mamula Island

    A circular 1853 Austro-Hungarian fortress at the bay entrance, used as a WWII Italian concentration camp and now controversially redeveloped as a luxury hotel (Banyan Tree). Passed close for photos.

  4. The Blue Cave — the swim stop

    The highlight. Since May 2025, motorized boats anchor outside and guests swim in with provided life jackets, usually for 20–30 minutes in the glowing blue water.

What changed in 2025

The 2025 Boat-Entry Rule — and Why It Made the Cave Better

A Montenegro regulation that took effect in May 2025 prohibits motorized vessels from entering the Blue Cave. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs said the rule was introduced to "protect the safety of swimmers and visitors, as well as reduce the risk of maritime accidents in an area with a high tourist load."

In practice, tour boats now anchor 10–20 metres from the entrance and guests swim into the chamber. Far from spoiling the experience, it has made it quieter and cleaner — removing engine noise and exhaust fumes from the small cavern. You still get the full swim; you just enter under your own power with a life jacket.

Non-swimmers and families

Life jackets are provided and all stops can be enjoyed without swimming. Licensed boats carry child-sized vests, and the cave swim is short and supervised — but the open-sea ride is breezy and bumpy, so bring a light jacket and sit toward the rear if you're prone to seasickness.

The three "Blue Caves" compared

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.

CriterionMontenegro (Kotor)Croatia (Biševo)Capri (Italy)
Can you swim inside?Yes — swim & snorkelNo (prohibited)No (fines for swimming)
How you visitAnchor outside, swim in, 20–30 minBoat passes through, ~10–15 minLie flat in a rowboat, ~5 min
Access~40–60 min speedboat from KotorFerry to Vis, then boat (3+ hrs)Boat/bus then rowboat transfer
CrowdsModerate, lightest of the threeHeavy in summer, long queuesHeaviest, waits up to ~2 hours
Entrance feeNone (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. Planning a wider day on the water? See our full guide to Kotor Bay boat tours & excursions.

If review scores matter most

The Highest-Rated Blue Cave Boat Tour

A Blue Cave and Our Lady of the Rocks group boat tour with one of the very best ratings on the route — a strong pick if you weight reviews above all. Check live prices and dates below.

Pоwered by GetYourGuide
Plan your visit

Practical Visitor Information for the Blue Cave

Prices, departure point, timing, what to bring and the weather rules — sorted before you reach the meeting point.

Price

Group speedboat tours run from about €30–45 per adult; private charters from roughly €90+. There's no separate entrance fee for the cave — you pay for the boat.

Departure point

Park Slobode (Kotor city park), about 200 m from the Old Town's Sea Gate and a short walk from the cruise terminal.

Best time of day

The 09:00 morning departure for the peak blue glow and the smallest crowds. Peak colour and peak crowds overlap, so an early start wins.

Best season

June and September are the sweet spot — warm, calm and less crowded than July–August.

What to bring

Swimwear under your clothes, towel, sunscreen, a light jacket (cold at speed), a waterproof phone pouch, and a modest cover-up for the church.

Booking & weather

Book 48+ hours ahead in July–August and choose free 24-hour cancellation. Not wheelchair accessible — boat boarding is required.

Common questions

Blue Cave Montenegro FAQ

Can you still swim inside the Blue Cave Montenegro after the 2025 rule?
Yes. Since May 2025, motorized boats may no longer drive into the chamber, so tour boats anchor 10–20 metres outside the entrance and guests swim in with provided life jackets. Swimming inside is still permitted and is the main reason to come — unlike Croatia's Biševo cave (swimming banned) and Capri's Blue Grotto (no swimming). The change has actually made the experience quieter and cleaner by removing engine noise and fumes from the cavern.
How far is the Blue Cave from Kotor, and how do you get there?
The Blue Cave (Plava Špilja) sits on the open-sea side of the Luštica Peninsula, about 18 km from Kotor Old Town — roughly 40–60 minutes away by speedboat. There's no road access, so the only way to reach it is by boat, usually on a 3-hour group speedboat tour from Park Slobode, a short walk from Kotor's Old Town and cruise terminal.
Blue Cave Montenegro vs Croatia (Biševo): which is better?
Both glow with refracted blue light, but Montenegro's cave is far easier to reach (a 40–60 minute speedboat hop from a cruise port versus 3+ hours of ferries to Biševo off Vis), it's larger and less crowded, and uniquely among the famous blue caves you can still swim inside it. Croatia's Modra Špilja is smaller — its entrance is just 1.5 metres high — and swimming is banned. For most travellers based around Kotor, Montenegro's Blue Cave is the better choice.
How long do you actually spend in the cave?
On a standard 3-hour tour, the swim stop at the Blue Cave is usually 20–30 minutes; the rest is the open-water ride and the other stops (Our Lady of the Rocks, the submarine tunnels and Mamula). If a long swim is your priority, book a private or small-group boat and confirm cave time with the operator in advance.
Worth adding to your itinerary

Other Experiences You Might Enjoy

The Blue Cave pairs naturally with the rest of Boka Bay. If you have more time around Kotor, add a wander through the baroque town of Perast, a stop at Our Lady of the Rocks, a panoramic pass of Mamula Island, or a full Bay of Kotor boat tour across the UNESCO-listed bay. Many visitors also combine a cave swim with a beach stop at Žanjice or a day trip to Perast and the submarine tunnels in Montenegro.

Book your day on the water

Ready to Swim the Blue Cave Montenegro?

For most visitors, the best choice is a 3-hour small-group speedboat tour from Kotor that includes the Blue Cave, Our Lady of the Rocks, the submarine tunnels and Mamula island. Choose a sunny day, check the cancellation policy, and book ahead in July and August.

  • ★ 4.7 / 5 from 3,800+ reviews
  • Swim inside the cave, sea conditions permitting
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Check Availability

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