Kotor: Private Blue Cave + All destinations inside Kotor Bay

The Blue Cave is the star here. You reach it by speedboat, then have time to swim, snorkel, and try a cliff jump in clear water. Along the way, the tour packs in Our Lady of the Rocks, WWII submarine tunnels, Mamula Island, and fine views across the Bay of Kotor.

I like the efficient route and the fact that this is a private boat for up to six people. I also like the skipper-photographer setup. Guides Marks and Aljosa Milosev were singled out for careful explanations, strong driving, and excellent photos and videos.

The trade-off is simple: three hours is a tight schedule. You see many places, but most stops are brief, and the open speedboat can feel brisk or wet. Arrive at least 30 minutes early, and bring a towel, sunglasses, and a charged phone.

Key Points at a Glance

• Blue Cave swim: Spend about 25 minutes in the famous cave, with snorkeling masks and life jackets provided.
• A private small-group boat: The price is $330 for up to six people, making the cost more reasonable when shared.
• Seven distinct sights: See Our Lady of the Rocks, submarine tunnels, Mamula Island, Blue Cave, Porto Novi, Porto Montenegro, and Perast.
• History mixed with water time: The tour pairs churches and wartime sites with swimming and scenic boat rides.
• Skipper as photographer: Your guide can help create photos and videos during the trip.
• Fast, tightly timed route: Expect about 140 minutes of boat travel and roughly 65 minutes at stops.

A Fast Introduction to the Bay of Kotor

This tour gives you a quick but ambitious look at the bay and the coast beyond it. From the city park near Kotor’s port, your skipper points the boat toward Our Lady of the Rocks, then continues to former submarine tunnels, Mamula Island, and Blue Cave.

You are not simply taking a scenic cruise. The outing mixes sightseeing, short walks, wartime stories, swimming, snorkeling, and views of high-end marinas. That variety is its main strength. You can see a lot in half a day without spending the whole day on a boat.

The boat leaves from a convenient spot about 200 meters from Kotor’s Old Town main gate. That matters if you are staying inside the old city or arriving near the port. The exact starting point is associated with Hawaii Boat Tours Kotor, and there are two listed starting-location options, so confirm the meeting point when booking.

The price is $330 per private group of up to six. For one or two people, that is a costly outing. For six, it works out to $55 per person, which is fair for a private speedboat, fuel, guide, insurance, taxes, equipment, and photography. You are paying for privacy and a tightly planned route rather than a long, leisurely cruise.

Leaving Kotor by Speedboat

The first ride lasts about 20 minutes. That gives you a quick change from Kotor’s waterfront to the wider bay, though it is worth remembering that a speedboat ride is part of the attraction and part of the compromise.

You get views while moving, but not much time to settle into one scene. If you want a quiet, slow boat ride with long pauses for contemplation, this is not that kind of trip. If you want to cover ground and feel the wind off the water, the pace works well.

Music and Wi-Fi are included, along with raincoats if the weather turns. Those extras are useful, but the main comfort items are your own towel, sunglasses, and phone. Arrive 30 minutes early so the skipper can get everyone seated safely and start on time.

Our Lady of the Rocks: Church, Island, and Views

After the first boat ride, you spend about 20 minutes at Our Lady of the Rocks in the Perast area. This small island is known for its church and its position in the middle of the bay, where the water and surrounding mountains make an excellent setting for photographs.

You have time to walk around and take in the views. The stop is short, so you should treat it as an introduction rather than a full cultural visit. If you want to study the church in detail, ask the skipper how much time is available before you leave the boat.

This is one of the more peaceful parts of the trip. It also helps explain why the Bay of Kotor is more than a collection of pretty waterfront towns. Religious buildings, small islands, old settlements, and working waterways all sit close together.

The nearby town of Perast receives a panoramic look later in the route. You should not expect a long independent visit there during this three-hour outing. The schedule gives you a taste of its Baroque architecture and waterfront setting, not a full town tour.

The Former Submarine Tunnel

A 30-minute speedboat run brings you to a former WWII submarine tunnel. You spend about 10 minutes there with a guided explanation from the skipper.

This is a good stop for anyone who likes places that feel more real than polished. The tunnel is a reminder that the bay has been used for military purposes as well as trade, transport, and tourism. Its appeal comes from the setting and the stories attached to it, not from a long museum-style visit.

Ten minutes is enough to enter the site and hear the main points, but do not expect a detailed historical lecture. Marks is described as taking time to explain things carefully, and Aljosa Milosev is noted for both his captaincy and his friendly manner. The quality of the stop will depend partly on your skipper and how much discussion your group wants.

This is also one of the places where sensible footwear helps. The supplied information does not specify the ground conditions, so I would avoid flip-flops if you have a choice.

Mamula Island and Its Wartime Past

The next speedboat leg takes about 20 minutes. Mamula Island is scheduled as a 10-minute photo stop, not a full landing and walking tour.

Mamula is known for its former WWII prison, and the skipper shares stories about the island’s past. The location gives you a striking contrast: open sea, stone fortifications, and a place tied to a painful period of history.

Because this is a photo stop, you should set your expectations correctly. You will see the island from the boat and hear about it, but the tour does not promise an extended visit ashore. That limitation is understandable on a three-hour route, though it may disappoint you if Mamula is your main interest.

I like the decision to include the island even briefly. It adds weight to a day that could otherwise be only churches, marinas, and swimming. Just remember that a short stop can introduce a place without explaining every part of it.

Blue Cave: The Main Water Stop

From Mamula, the boat reaches Blue Cave in about 10 minutes. You have approximately 25 minutes at the cave, making this the longest active stop on the itinerary.

This is where you can swim and use the provided snorkeling masks. The water is described as crystal-clear, and the cave provides the setting for the tour’s most memorable photographs. You may also try a cliff jump, but only if you feel comfortable and the skipper confirms that conditions are safe.

The cave stop is valuable because it gives you time to do something rather than simply look at something. Still, 25 minutes passes quickly once you have put on a life jacket, gathered your belongings, taken photos, and entered the water. If swimming is your priority, get ready promptly.

Bring your own towel. Life jackets and snorkeling masks are supplied, and raincoats are available, but the equipment list does not include towels. A charged phone is also useful for photos, though you should protect it around the water.

The boat’s photographer-skippers are a real advantage here. Marks is praised for producing many attractive photos and videos, while Aljosa is noted for his musical talent and polite service. Ask before the swim how photos will be handled so you know what to expect.

The Long Ride Back Through the Bay

After Blue Cave, the return speedboat ride lasts about 50 minutes. This is the longest single ride of the day, but it is also when the tour shifts into panoramic viewing.

You pass views of Porto Novi, a major luxury marina development, and Porto Montenegro, one of the Adriatic’s best-known yacht resorts. These stops are panoramic only. You are not scheduled to get off and explore the marinas.

That distinction matters. The marina views show a modern side of Montenegro, with large yachts, polished waterfront spaces, and expensive new development. They are interesting contrasts to the island church, military tunnel, and old town architecture earlier in the trip. But if you prefer traditional villages and historic streets, these views will be less important to you.

A 50-minute ride can feel long after swimming, especially if the water is choppy or the weather changes. The included music and the boat’s scenery help, but I would bring sunglasses and a light layer. Raincoats are included, though they are better viewed as practical backup than as a substitute for checking the forecast.

Perast From the Water

The tour finishes with a panoramic view of Perast, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for Baroque architecture and its waterfront position. The schedule does not list a separate walking stop in town, so plan to see Perast from the boat rather than explore its lanes.

That is a useful way to finish. After the open water at Blue Cave and the broad views near the marinas, Perast brings the focus back to historic buildings and the character of the bay. You can photograph the shoreline and get a sense of how compact the old settlement is.

If Perast is high on your list, consider returning independently for a longer visit on another day. This boat trip shows you the town, but it does not replace time on foot.

What the $330 Private Price Really Buys

The $330 rate covers a group of up to six, not each person. That makes the price easiest to justify for families or friends traveling together. At full capacity, the cost is $55 per person before any optional personal spending, and you avoid sharing the boat with strangers.

The package includes an English-speaking licensed skipper, professional photography from the skipper, music, Wi-Fi, insurance, fuel, taxes, snorkeling masks, life jackets, and raincoats. Fuel is especially relevant for a route with several long speedboat legs, including the 50-minute return ride.

You are also paying for the skipper’s local navigation and the ability to combine stops that would be harder to connect independently. The route includes both sides of the experience: the cultural sights around the inner bay and the Blue Cave area farther out.

The value is weaker for a solo visitor or couple unless privacy is a top priority. A shared excursion might cost less, but this particular experience is built around a private group. For six people who want swimming, photos, and many sights in a short window, the arithmetic is much better.

Who Will Enjoy This Trip Most

I would recommend this tour to you if you want variety and do not have a full day. It suits active couples, families with older children, and small groups who want to control the boat environment.

You will get the most from it if you enjoy:

• Swimming and snorkeling as much as sightseeing
• Short historical explanations rather than long museum visits
• Fast boat rides and outdoor conditions
• Taking photographs throughout the day
• Seeing famous places without spending hours at each one

The trip may be less suitable if you have limited mobility, dislike speedboats, or want extended time in Perast or at Mamula Island. The supplier also lists weight restrictions, including a maximum of 287 pounds or 130 kilograms and another maximum of 243 pounds or 110 kilograms. Because those figures conflict, you should confirm the applicable limit before booking.

The tour is listed in English with a live guide. It is a private group experience, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure. You can also reserve and pay later, which helps if your schedule in Kotor is still shifting.

Is This Kotor Bay Tour Worth Booking?

Book it if you want a compact private sampler of the bay with a genuine water adventure at the center. The combination of Blue Cave, Our Lady of the Rocks, the submarine tunnel, Mamula, Perast, and the two marina views gives you a broad picture of the area in only three hours.

I would especially choose it for a group of four to six. That is where the $330 price makes the strongest sense, and the private format lets you enjoy the boat without a crowd. The skipper-photographer role is another plus, particularly if you want photos and videos without asking a stranger to take them.

Skip it if you want slow travel. The stops are short, Perast is panoramic rather than a full walking visit, and Mamula is a photo stop. For a quick, active introduction to the Bay of Kotor, though, this is a well-packed choice. Just arrive early, bring a towel, and save your energy for Blue Cave.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at the city park near Kotor’s port, about 200 meters from the main gate of Kotor Old Town. Hawaii Boat Tours Kotor is listed as the tour location, with two starting-location options shown.

How long is the experience?

The tour lasts three hours. The listed route includes speedboat travel and stops at Our Lady of the Rocks, the former submarine tunnel, Mamula Island, Blue Cave, and panoramic locations around the bay.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. The boat is reserved for a private group of up to six people.

What is included in the $330 price?

The price includes a licensed English-speaking skipper and guide, professional photography from the skipper, music, Wi-Fi, insurance, taxes, fuel, snorkeling masks, life jackets, and raincoats.

Can I swim at Blue Cave?

Yes. The Blue Cave stop allows time for swimming and snorkeling, and snorkeling masks and life jackets are provided. Cliff jumping is also listed as an activity.

Do I need to bring a towel?

Yes. You should bring a towel, sunglasses, and a charged smartphone. Towels are not listed among the included equipment.

How early should I arrive?

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The tour has a live English-speaking guide and skipper.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is also available.