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Blue Cave Kotor Boat Tours
Blue Cave Kotor boat tours cost from $43 per person and run 3 to 5 hours, with a swim inside the glowing cave plus stops at Our Lady of the Rocks and a submarine tunnel. The cave sits at the tip of the Luštica peninsula, reachable only by boat from Kotor, Tivat or Budva.
Quick answer Blue Cave Kotor tours at a glance
A Blue Cave Kotor boat tour costs from $43 per person and lasts about 3 hours. You ride a speedboat across the Bay of Kotor, swim near the glowing cave for around 20 minutes, and stop at Our Lady of the Rocks and a wartime submarine tunnel on the way back.
Key takeaways
- Compare all kotor shore excursions before you book
- Tours run between 8am and 6pm with the best cave light between 11am and 2pm
- Expect 3 to 5 hours on the water
- The bay can be choppy, so pack a light jacket
Blue Cave Kotor Tours
Every tour here leaves from Kotor, includes the Blue Cave and Our Lady of the Rocks, and offers free cancellation 24 hours ahead unless noted. They differ in length, pace and price. The first two are classic 3-hour speedboat runs. The third stretches to 4 hours and adds Old Town Perast. The fourth is a 5-hour kayak and snorkel trip that also departs from Tivat.
from $43
Most reviewed
Blue Cave, Submarine Base and Lady of the Rocks Tour
Adds a 10-minute visit inside the former submarine tunnel and a Mamula pass-by to the standard Blue Cave and Lady of the Rocks run.
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from $61
Blue Cave Swim, Lady of the Rocks and Submarine Tunnels
A 3-hour group speedboat with an engine-free Blue Cave swim, a submarine tunnel entry and a 20-minute island stop at Our Lady of the Rocks.
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from $66
Longest swim
4-Hour Blue Cave, Swimming and Perast Boat Tour
A four-hour, eight-person speedboat loop from Kotor covering Perast, the submarine tunnel, Mamula and a 40-minute Blue Cave swim with drinks and entrance tickets included.
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from $134.15
Blue Cave Kayak and Snorkel Trip from Kotor or Tivat
A five hour small-group kayak and snorkel trip to the Blue Cave from Kotor or Tivat, capped at 12 paddlers.
Check AvailabilityHow do the Blue Cave Kotor tours compare?
Prices run from $43 for the shortest 3-hour speedboat trip to $134.15 for the 5-hour kayak and snorkel adventure.
The table below puts every tour here side by side. Pick by budget, time in port and how active you want the day to be.
Side by side
All four include the Blue Cave and Our Lady of the Rocks. The two 3-hour trips are the quickest way to see everything if your ship docks for half a day. The 4-hour option adds time ashore in Perast.
The kayak trip suits travellers who want a workout and a smaller group.
| Tour | Price | Length | Included | Group feel | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cave, Submarine Base, and Lady of the Rocks Tour | $43 per person | 3 hours | Blue Cave swim, submarine base, Our Lady of the Rocks, skipper-guide | Standard speedboat group | First-timers who want the classic route at the lowest price |
| Blue Cave Swim, Lady of the Rocks & Submarine Tunnels | $61 per person | 3 hours | Blue Cave swim, submarine tunnels, Our Lady of the Rocks | Standard speedboat group | Swimmers who want more time in the water |
| Best from Kotor: 4-Hour Blue Cave, Swimming & Old Town Perast Tour | $66 per person | 4 hours | Blue Cave swim, Perast old town, Our Lady of the Rocks | Small group | Travellers with a longer port stay who want Perast too |
| Blue Cave Kayak & Snorkel Adventure from Kotor / Tivat | $134.15 per person | 5 hours | Kayaking, snorkelling, Blue Cave | Small active group | Fit travellers who prefer paddles to engines and can cancel 6 days ahead if needed |
Cancellation rules
The first three tours come with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. The kayak trip is stricter and refunds only if you cancel 6 days ahead, so book it only when your cruise plans are fixed.
Tourist boats at the entrance to the Blue Cave on the Luštica peninsula coast. Photo: BarbaIv, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
What does a Blue Cave tour day look like?
A typical trip is a fast speedboat crossing of the bay, a 20-minute swim at the cave mouth, then stops at Our Lady of the Rocks, a submarine tunnel and often Mamula island.
Here is how the hours usually unfold, based on the routes these tours follow.
The route
Tours depart from Kotor and cross the bay, often passing former World War I and World War II caves where troops once switched boats without being seen. The Blue Cave swim lasts around 20 minutes. On the return leg you stop at Our Lady of the Rocks island, take photos at Mamula island and nose into a former submarine base or tunnels.
Some routes add Zanjice Beach.
Timings
Blue Cave tours operate between 8am and 6pm. The best light inside the cave falls between 11am and 2pm, when the sun is high and the blue glow is strongest. Midday departures give the best colour in your photos.
What is included and what costs extra?
The tours include the skipper-guide, the boat ride, the cave swim stop and the island stops, with snorkelling masks and life jackets on the speedboat trips.
Budget for the tour price first, then a few small extras on the day.
Included
On the 3-hour speedboat trips you get an English-speaking skipper-guide, snorkelling masks and life jackets, plus the stops at Our Lady of the Rocks and the submarine base or tunnels. The kayak trip includes kayaking and snorkelling gear.
Costs outside the tour price
The cave has an entrance fee. Food, drinks and tips are also not part of the tour prices listed above. If you book a tour that starts from a different point, allow for a taxi to the departure jetty.
Is Blue Cave Kotor worth it?
Yes, for most visitors it is worth it, because the glowing cave, Our Lady of the Rocks and the submarine tunnels pack three sights into a single 3-hour trip from as little as $43.
The cave is one of the signature sights of the bay and the tours are short enough to fit any port day.
Why it earns its spot
The cave gets its colour from sunlight reflecting off the white sand on the seabed, so the whole chamber glows blue. The Adriatic inside is about 5 meters deep and the cave is 9 meters high, which leaves room for boats to enter. You swim by the cave for around 20 minutes.
A popular Kotor tour on this route has collected 3,398 reviews, which tells you how many travellers rate the day highly.
When it is not worth it
Skip it if you hate boats or cold water. It is very cold on the water even in summer, and the bay can be choppy. July and August are hugely popular, so try to visit outside those months if you can for thinner crowds.
How do you reach the Blue Cave and where do tours leave from?
The cave is reachable only by boat, with no roads or hiking trails, and regular tours depart from Kotor, Tivat and Budva.
Your departure town changes the length and price of the day.
Kotor as the base
Kotor is the handiest departure point for cruise passengers, because the boats leave right by the old town. Every tour here on this page start from Kotor, apart from the kayak trip which also offers Tivat. From Tivat or Budva the crossing is different but the cave is the same destination.
Other departure towns
Regular boat tours also run from Tivat and Budva. If you are staying in Budva or Herceg Novi rather than Kotor, booking from your own town saves the drive, though tour choices may be thinner than in Kotor.
Can you swim inside the Blue Cave and does it ever close?
Yes, you swim by the cave mouth for around 20 minutes, but visits depend on sea conditions and boats can be turned away when the bay is rough.
Waves and swell decide whether boats can safely enter, so build some flexibility into your plans.
Swimming
Swimming happens at the cave mouth while the boat holds position. The water glows blue around you and snorkel masks are provided on the speedboat tours. The water is cold even on warm days, so get in briskly and enjoy it.
Closures and rough seas
The waters of the Bay of Kotor can be choppy, and when swell builds skippers cancel the cave entry or the whole trip for safety. Book a tour with free cancellation 24 hours ahead so you are not out of pocket if the weather turns. A traveller asking why a Blue Grotto is closed is usually seeing the same rule at work, waves rather than any fixed season closure.
Who are these tours good for and who should skip them?
They suit almost everyone with basic mobility, from kids to seniors, because the speedboats are easy to board and the swim stop is optional.
The right tour depends on your fitness, your sea legs and your time ashore.
Good fit
Families and older travellers do well on the 3-hour speedboat trips. Life jackets are provided and the swimming is optional. The 4-hour trip suits anyone with a longer port day who also wants Perast.
Travellers often ask if kids and seniors can join, and the answer is yes on all the boat tours.
Skip it if
Skip the kayak trip if you are not reasonably fit, since 5 hours of paddling is a real workout, and its 6-day cancellation window is unforgiving if your cruise changes. Skip all cave trips if rough seas worry you or if cold water on the crossing would spoil the day.
What should you bring on a Blue Cave tour?
Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, euro cash for the island church ticket and drinks, and a light jacket because it is cold on the water.
There is little shade on a speedboat and the wind chill catches people out.
Packing list
Wear your swimwear under your clothes to save time at the cave. Pack a light jacket even in midsummer, since the ride across the bay is cold and wet. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a strap for them, plus cash in small notes for the cave entrance fee and any drinks.
Waterproof your phone or leave it stowed during the swim.
Timing your photos
Book a departure that puts you at the cave between 11am and 2pm for the strongest blue light. Morning trips are calmer and cooler, afternoon trips risk a fuller cave and busier islands.
How do you choose between the tours?
Choose the $43 or $61 3-hour trip for the classic route, the $66 4-hour trip if you also want Perast, and the $134.15 kayak trip if you want an active day.
Four simple rules cover most bookings.
Match the tour to your day
Short port stop of half a day. Take Blue Cave, Submarine Base, and Lady of the Rocks Tour at $43 or Blue Cave Swim, Lady of the Rocks & Submarine Tunnels at $61, both 3 hours. Longer stay and you fancy a wander.
Best from Kotor: 4-Hour Blue Cave, Swimming & Old Town Perast Tour at $66 adds Perast. Want effort over comfort. Blue Cave Kayak & Snorkel Adventure from Kotor / Tivat at $134.15, 5 hours, small group.
Ratings sit at 4.7 to 4.8 across all four, so let price and itinerary decide rather than review scores.
Other Blue Cave questions
Blue Cave Montenegro and the Blue Cave of Croatia are different caves in different countries, so do not mix them up when comparing prices online. There is no road or trail to the Montenegro cave, so any map pin that suggests you can walk there is wrong. Tickets are bought with your tour, not separately at a gate.
What is a must see in Kotor, Montenegro?
The Blue Cave paired with Our Lady of the Rocks is a must see in Kotor, and both fit into one boat trip from the old town jetty.
If you only have one port day, the water sights come first.
Top sights by boat
The Blue Cave gives you the glowing swim, Our Lady of the Rocks gives you the island church photo, and the submarine base or tunnels give you a slice of wartime history. All three appear on every tour on this page. Book the departure that lands you at the cave near midday for the best light.
On land
Save any spare hours in Kotor for the walled old town next to the jetty, so you walk off the boat straight into the sights instead of commuting.
The courtyard of the fortress on Mamula island, a common stop on boat trips out of the Bay of Kotor. Photo: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Blue Cave Kotor FAQ
Is Blue Cave Kotor worth it?
Yes. From $43 per person you get the glowing cave, Our Lady of the Rocks and a submarine tunnel in about 3 hours, and tours on this route carry thousands of reviews. Compare them on kotor shore excursions.
How much is the Blue Cave entrance fee?
The boat price covers the Blue Cave swim stop. The cash you need is for the Our Lady of the Rocks church ticket on some boats: $5.54 (€5) on the Blue Cave, Submarine Base and Lady of the Rocks Speedboat Tour. Bring small cash and confirm the sum with your skipper when you board.
What is a must see in Kotor, Montenegro?
The Blue Cave with Our Lady of the Rocks on a single boat trip is the standout, and both fit a half-day port visit.
Why is the Blue Grotto closed?
Closures come from sea conditions. The bay can be choppy and swell stops boats from entering safely, so skippers cancel the cave stop until it calms.
How long are the tours?
Tours run 3 to 5 hours. The speedboat trips are 3 hours, the Perast trip is 4 hours and the kayak adventure is 5 hours.
Can you swim inside the Blue Cave?
You swim by the cave mouth for around 20 minutes with snorkel masks provided on the speedboat trips. The water is cold, so bring a towel.
Is this a good activity for kids or seniors?
Yes on the boat tours. Life jackets are provided, the swim is optional and boarding is straightforward. The 5-hour kayak trip is the one to avoid for young children and seniors.
Is the cave always open for visits?
No. Tours operate between 8am and 6pm in season, but rough seas can close the cave on any given day, so book a trip with free cancellation 24 hours ahead.
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