Kotor: Blue Cave, Žanjic Beach Speedboat Tour

The best part of this Kotor boat trip is the Blue Cave, where sunlight filters through the water and gives the cave its famous blue glow. I like the mix of fast open-water riding and historic stops, especially Our Lady of the Rocks and the old submarine tunnel. You also get a real hour at Žanjic Beach instead of spending every minute tied to the boat.

The main catch is pace. The Blue Cave stop lasts about 25 minutes, and one account describes the boat passing through quickly before anchoring outside for swimming. If swimming inside the cave is your main reason for booking, ask the guide about the exact plan before departure. Guides including Marko and Andrea have been praised for being friendly, but the tour is conducted in English only.

Key points to know before booking

• The Blue Cave stop is brief: You get about 25 minutes for the cave and swimming, so the experience can feel rushed.
• Our Lady of the Rocks includes a walk ashore: Allow €2 for the entry fee if you want to visit the islet’s church.
• Žanjic Beach gives you the longest break: You have about one hour for swimming, sun, or lunch at a local restaurant.
• The boat ride is part of the attraction: Expect open-air speedboat travel, wind, spray, and a lively ride over the bay.
• The tour includes useful basics: Boat transport, bottled water, snorkeling equipment, and life-saving gear are provided.
• The meeting point is convenient: MontenegroGlobe is near Kamelija shopping center, about two minutes from Kotor’s old town or port.

Why this four-hour boat trip works

Kotor’s bay is easy to admire from shore, but the water gives you a different view of the mountain walls, small islands, beaches, and military remains. This trip covers a lot in four hours, using a speedboat to connect places that would take much longer by land.

I like the route because it does not rely on one attraction alone. You get a religious monument, a fortress island, a former submarine facility, a sea cave, and a beach break. That variety makes the $76 price easier to justify, particularly if you want a compact introduction to the bay rather than a slow, all-day cruise.

You should also know what kind of outing this is. It is not a quiet sightseeing boat with long guided talks. The emphasis is on movement, photo stops, short visits, and time in the water. You will spend much of the trip seated in an open speedboat, with the wind and spray adding to the fun.

A current rating of 4.6 from 30 ratings suggests that the basic formula works well for many people. The strongest praise centers on friendly guides and the speedboat outing itself. The weaker experiences focus on rushed timing, limited swimming, and an occasional shortened departure, so confirm your start time and full four-hour schedule at the meeting point.

Starting near Kotor’s old town

The tour begins at MontenegroGlobe, close to Kamelija shopping center. It is about a two-minute walk from Kotor’s old town or the Port of Kotor, making it a practical choice if you are staying inside the historic center or arriving by cruise ship.

Follow the main road to find the office. The stated meeting point and the actual boarding place can feel slightly different, so arrive early rather than cutting it close. One booking account describes needing to walk farther back toward the boat after reaching the meeting point. That is a small issue, but it matters when a speedboat leaves at a fixed time.

The boat journey begins with about 20 minutes of travel. This is not dead time. You get your first taste of the open bay, and the boat’s speed gives the morning or afternoon a lively start. Bring sunglasses and secure anything loose, since the ride is open to the air.

Life-saving equipment is supplied, and the operator provides a bottle of water. There is no mention of hotel pickup, so plan to reach MontenegroGlobe under your own arrangements.

Our Lady of the Rocks and a €2 decision

The first major stop is Our Lady of the Rocks, a small man-made islet near Perast. The local story centers on two residents who found an icon of Madonna and the Child at this spot. The island’s church and the icon give the stop a clear cultural focus, rather than making it just another photo stop in the bay.

You have about 20 minutes to walk around the islet. That is enough for a quick look and photographs, but not a long visit. The €2 entry fee for Our Lady of the Rocks is not included, so carry a little cash if you want to go inside.

I like this pause because it breaks up the boat ride with a short walk on solid ground. The islet is small, and the stop is more about seeing the setting and its religious importance than spending hours inside a museum.

The short timing also means you should make a quick choice. If entering the church matters to you, be ready to pay the fee and go in without delay. If you prefer the outside views, you can use the time to look back toward Perast and the surrounding bay.

After leaving, the boat runs for around 30 minutes. This is one of the longer stretches of open-water travel on the route, and it helps explain why the tour can visit several sites in only four hours.

Mamula Island and its Austro-Hungarian walls

Mamula Island is reached after the longer speedboat ride. The island is surrounded by the walls of an old Austro-Hungarian fortress, giving it a stark military character that contrasts with the bright water and beaches around it.

The scheduled visit is a photo stop and pass-by of about 10 minutes. Do not expect a long walk around the fortress or a full interior visit. From the boat, you get the shape of the fort, its stone walls, and its position at the entrance to the bay.

That short stop suits the overall design of the tour. You see several important points without giving up the Blue Cave and beach time. Still, anyone who wants detailed military history or a proper fortress tour will find this too brief.

The guide speaks English, and the tone appears to be informal rather than lecture-heavy. Marko has received particular praise for being available and helpful, while Andrea has been described as friendly and attentive during the ride. Music may also be part of the boat atmosphere, depending on the guide and departure.

Entering the Blue Cave near Montenegro

From Mamula, the boat takes about 10 minutes to reach the Blue Cave. This is the signature stop, and it is easy to understand why. Sunlight reaches through the water and lights the cave with a blue tone, while the clear sea gives you a chance to swim and use the supplied snorkel mask.

The planned stop is about 25 minutes for swimming and snorkeling. You may get a look inside the cave, then a chance to enter the water. Life-saving gear is available, but you should still be comfortable around open water and getting in and out of a boat.

Here is the important practical point: the Blue Cave experience may not mean a long stationary swim inside the cave. One account describes the boat passing through quickly, then anchoring outside so the group could swim. If you picture several relaxed minutes floating beneath the cave roof, that may not be what you receive.

I would treat the cave as a short visual highlight, not a guaranteed extended swim session. Conditions, boat traffic, safety decisions, and the group schedule can affect how long the boat remains inside. Ask the guide before setting out: Will we stop inside the cave, and how much time is planned for swimming there?

The water is described as warm and clear, which makes this the most active part of the trip. Bring swimwear under your clothes and use sunscreen before departure. Towels are not provided, so pack one in a small bag that can handle spray.

Žanjic Beach gives you a proper pause

After the cave, the boat takes about 10 minutes to Žanjic Beach. This is the most relaxed section of the route, with roughly one hour for free time.

You can swim again, sit in the sun, or choose lunch at one of the beach restaurants. Lunch is not included in the $76 price, and additional drinks are also extra. The choice is useful because it lets you set your own pace after the faster boat sections.

I like having a full hour here. A short beach stop can feel like another item to check off, but 60 minutes gives you time to dry off, eat, or simply enjoy the coast without immediately being called back aboard.

Do not count on a full resort-style beach day. The tour still has to return to Kotor, and the beach is one section of a larger route. If lunch is important, keep an eye on the time and remember that restaurant service can use much of the break.

For the best value, I would bring water and a towel, then decide at the beach whether buying lunch is worth it. The included bottle is helpful but will not replace every drink you may want during four hours outdoors.

The submarine tunnel on the way back

The return journey includes a brief photo stop at a former submarine tunnel. The boat spends about five minutes there, enough to see the opening and understand how the facility was concealed along the coast.

This is a quick glimpse rather than a visit. You will not get an extended walk through the tunnel based on the stated schedule. Its value comes from adding another layer to the route: after a church island and a fortress, you see a piece of naval infrastructure.

The final speedboat ride takes about 30 minutes back to MontenegroGlobe. By then, you will have spent a good portion of the afternoon or morning on the water, so the return ride may feel like a pleasant wind-down or a tiring stretch, depending on your comfort with the open boat.

Is $76 a fair price?

At $76 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see one part of Kotor Bay, but it covers a lot. The price includes boat transport, a bottle of water, a snorkel mask, and life-saving gear. It does not include the €2 Our Lady of the Rocks entry fee, lunch, extra drinks, or a towel.

The strongest value comes from the number of places reached in four hours. A slower boat would likely spend more time in transit, while a land-based plan would not easily combine the Blue Cave, Mamula Island, Žanjic Beach, and the submarine tunnel.

The trade-off is depth. You pay for range, not long visits. Our Lady of the Rocks gets 20 minutes, Mamula about 10 minutes, the Blue Cave about 25 minutes, and the submarine tunnel about five minutes. Žanjic Beach receives the generous one-hour break.

I would call the price reasonable for an active first look at the coast, especially if you want swimming and a speedboat ride in the same booking. I would look elsewhere if your priority is detailed history, a slow meal, or a long Blue Cave swim.

What to bring for the open boat

Keep your packing simple and practical:

• Swimwear, ideally worn beneath your clothes
• Towel, since none is supplied
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• A small bag for personal items
• Cash for the €2 island entry fee and possible beach purchases

Smoking, bikes, and pets are not allowed. The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users, and people over 95 are excluded. The operator may cancel for bad weather, heavy rain, or too few bookings, so keep some flexibility in your Kotor plans.

The English-only format is clear and important. If you need a guide in another language, this is not the right choice. The guide’s role appears focused on keeping the route moving and helping with the stops, with Marko and Andrea receiving especially positive comments for their friendly manner.

Who will enjoy this Kotor speedboat tour?

I would recommend it to you if you want a busy half-day on the water, enjoy swimming, and prefer seeing several coastal sights rather than spending an entire afternoon at one place. It also suits cruise visitors who need a compact outing close to the port.

Families and active couples may like the simple rhythm: ride, walk, take photographs, swim, eat, and return. You should be comfortable with a fast boat, outdoor exposure, and short stops.

I would hesitate to recommend it if you need step-free access, want a non-English tour, dislike spray and wind, or expect a long, quiet visit at each site. The Blue Cave is the deciding factor. If your booking depends on swimming inside it for an extended period, clarify the plan first.

Should you book the Blue Cave and Žanjic Beach trip?

Book this MontenegroGlobe tour if you want maximum variety in four hours. Our Lady of the Rocks, Mamula, the Blue Cave, Žanjic Beach, and the submarine tunnel create a strong route, and the speedboat makes it possible without giving up the beach break.

Book with realistic expectations about timing. The cave visit can be quick, the historical stops are mostly brief, and lunch costs extra. For many people, the friendly English-speaking guide, lively ride, clear water, and one-hour beach pause will make the $76 worthwhile. For a dedicated Blue Cave swimmer or history fan, a slower specialist trip would be a better match.

FAQ

How long is the Kotor Blue Cave and Žanjic Beach tour?

The activity lasts four hours, including the speedboat travel and stops around Kotor Bay.

Where does the tour begin?

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

Which language is spoken on the tour?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is swimming included?

Yes. The route includes swimming and snorkeling at the Blue Cave, plus another swim opportunity at Žanjic Beach.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

A snorkel mask is included. You need to bring your own swimwear and towel.

Is lunch included in the price?

No. At Žanjic Beach, you can buy lunch at one of the restaurants, but food and additional drinks cost extra.

Is there an entry fee at Our Lady of the Rocks?

Yes. The entry fee is €2 per person and is not included.

Can the tour be canceled?

The activity may be canceled because of bad weather, heavy rain, or an insufficient number of bookings. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.