Kotor / The verdict
Is a Bay of Kotor boat trip worth it?
Yes: every visitor logged who took a boat trip would do it again or recommends it, and the three-hour loop is EUR 35-40 on the operator sites checked. Expect a short island stop, a modest submarine tunnel and weather that can turn the day wet.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Kotor story
Kotor sits at the end of Europe's southernmost fjord, a grey-stone Venetian walled town pressed between black mountains and a mirror-calm bay. The old town is compact and medieval, cat-filled lanes winding past St Tryphon cathedral to the sea gate, and the city walls climb 1,350 steps to the Castle of San Giovanni for the best view on the Adriatic south of Dubrovnik.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Go
Yes: every visitor logged who took a boat trip would do it again or recommends it, and the three-hour loop is EUR 35-40 on the operator sites checked. Expect a short island stop, a modest submarine tunnel and weather that can turn the day wet.
Go if
- First-timers who want Our Lady of the Rocks, a submarine tunnel and the Blue Cave in one half-day
- Swimmers happy to float in open water at the Blue Cave
- Families: one group with children called the cave worth it even in a storm
- Solo travelers who want a day with no logistics: one called the full-day catamaran the highlight of her trip
Skip if
- You dislike getting wet: one group wore raincoats in a storm and another was splashed repeatedly on a speedboat
- You want time inside the church and museum on Our Lady of the Rocks: one visitor found 20 minutes short
- You expect to land on Mamula: it is now a hotel and was seen only from the water
- A storm is forecast for your only free day: one pre-booked tour went out into one
What it costs
- Kotor Blue Cave 3 h group tour: €35 (Per person; departs 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00 per the operator's page). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Kotor Blue Cave Our Lady of the Rocks only tour: €20 (Per person; 1.5 h). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Kotor Blue Cave private Blue Cave and Lady of the Rock tour: €240 (Per boat for up to 6 passengers; 3.5 h). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Montenegro Submarine shared Blue Cave tour, 3 h: €39.99 (Per person at the 20 percent discounted price shown on the page; the listed price is 49.99. Max 22 passengers). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Kotor Boat Tours Blue Cave and Lady of the Rocks: €40 (Per ticket for a 3 h group tour; the page also shows 35 as a special offer for 10 people). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 5 traveler reports (May 2025 to Jul 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- One group called the Blue Cave absolutely worth it even after a storm.
- A solo traveler named the full-day catamaran the highlight of her Montenegro trip.
- A small-boat captain was praised as friendly and full of stories about each stop.
- A speedboat passenger enjoyed the sharp turns and spray.
What people complain about
- Twenty minutes at Our Lady of the Rocks felt short for the church and museum.
- The submarine tunnel was called just a dark, cold tunnel.
- Mamula is only an outside view because it is now a hotel.
- Rain, spray and reflected light made for a wet day and difficult cave photos.
How to do it right
- Book a morning departure in hot weather, as one speedboat passenger advises.
- Wear swimwear under your clothes and bring a towel; a solo traveler says the swim stops are tempting even if you think you will not swim.
- Bring a layer for rain and spray: one group ended up in the boat's yellow raincoats.
- Book ahead in July and August, when a solo traveler says tours sell out; she found June and September quieter.
- One operator says that since 21 May 2026 motorized boats may not enter the Blue Cave: boats anchor 10 to 20 meters out and guests swim in with life jackets and kickboards provided.
The trap to avoid
Assuming every tour lands on Our Lady of the Rocks. One speedboat tour only circled the island while another gave about 20 minutes ashore, so ask what the stop includes before you book.
What to do instead
Why this verdict
A boat is the only way to reach the Blue Cave, the former submarine tunnels and the Mamula fortress, and the visitors logged here who took one were glad they did. A group caught in a storm and wearing yellow raincoats still called the cave absolutely worth it. A solo traveler named the full-day catamaran the highlight of her Montenegro trip. A speedboat passenger on a 10-seat boat enjoyed the thrills and spray and a lagoon stop near the cave.
The operator sites checked on 2026-10-09 ask EUR 35 to 40 per person for the three-hour loop, with a 1.5 hour island-only tour at EUR 20 on one of them. One visitor paid EUR 40 for a three-hour speedboat tour.
The complaints are about detail rather than value. Twenty minutes on Our Lady of the Rocks felt short to a visitor who wanted the church and museum. Another visitor called the submarine tunnel just a dark, cold tunnel, while a third found it slightly eerie but fascinating. Mamula is now a hotel, so it is an outside view only. Reflected light made cave photos hard for one visitor, and the weather decides how pleasant the day is.
There is one change to plan around. One operator says that since 21 May 2026 motorized boats may not enter the Blue Cave, so boats anchor 10 to 20 meters out and guests swim in with life jackets and kickboards. One visitor skipped the swim before that rule because sharing an enclosed space with a boat seemed stressful.
Timing and tickets
One operator lists departures at 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00. A speedboat passenger advises a morning tour in hot weather, and a solo traveler found June and September quieter than July and August, when she says tours sell out. Wear swimwear under your clothes and bring a towel. Prices above are the operators’ own, checked 2026-10-09, and discounts change, so confirm before you book.
Book or check times
Kotor Blue Cave toursKotor Boat ToursMontenegro Submarine and Speedboat ToursMontenegro Submarine: Blue Cave 2026 boat law notice
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Where to stay
Staying in Kotor?
Which area of Kotor to stay in, based on traveler reports. Search Kotor hotels on Expedia partner site
Questions
How much is a Bay of Kotor boat trip?
The three-hour Blue Cave loop was EUR 35 to 40 per person on three operator sites checked on 2026-10-09, with one operator showing a discounted EUR 39.99. A 1.5 hour island-only tour is EUR 20 and a private 3.5 hour tour is EUR 240 for up to six at one operator.
How long is the Our Lady of the Rocks stop?
One visitor on a small-boat tour got about 20 minutes and found it short for the church and museum. Another speedboat tour only circled the island.
Can you swim in the Blue Cave?
Yes. One operator says that since 21 May 2026 motorized boats no longer enter the cave, so boats anchor 10 to 20 meters out and guests swim in with life jackets and kickboards. One visitor, before that rule, skipped the swim because sharing an enclosed space with a boat seemed stressful.
Speedboat or catamaran?
A solo traveler took the seven-hour small-group catamaran and called it the highlight of her trip. She says the speedboat is bumpier with less space to spread out, and a speedboat passenger found the ride thrilling and wet.
Is the submarine tunnel stop worth seeing?
Opinions differ. One visitor called it just a dark, cold tunnel, while another found it slightly eerie with the temperature dropping inside.
When should I go?
A solo traveler says June and September are warm enough to swim with fewer tourists, and that July and August are busier and tours sell out.
Pack for it
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