Blue Cave boat trip from Kotor: times, the swim and what they don’t tell you
The Blue Cave (Plava špilja) is on the Luštica peninsula, at the mouth of the bay, and can only be reached by boat. The classic trip leaves from Kotor harbour, lasts three hours and combines the cave with Mamula fortress and the islet of Our Lady of the Rocks. €50, 9/10 from 166 reviews. And one warning worth reading before you pay.
How the trip goes
- Departure from Kotor harbour, at Park Slobode 1, at the time you choose: 9:00, 12:00 or 15:00 (not every day has all three).
- Blue Cave: a 20-minute swim in the turquoise water. Entry to the cave is free.
- Mamula island (Lastavica), with its fortress that was once a prison: seen from the boat, no landing.
- Our Lady of the Rocks: 20 minutes on the man-made islet off Perast. The church entrance, €5 per person, not included.
- Back to Kotor, three hours after leaving.
The guide speaks English; the boat carries QR codes with recorded commentary in Spanish. No pets. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The swim is short, and sometimes not inside
It is the most repeated point across the 166 reviews, even among those giving a 10. Verbatim (translated):
- “A pity that the part where you visit the blue cave and can swim is very, very short.”
- “We went into the blue cave just at the start and turned round. We didn’t swim inside the cave. The boat stopped quite far from it and we swam there.”
- “The swimming time feels short, we couldn’t explore the cave from the inside.”
What lies behind it: the cave is a mouth open to the sea, and with a swell the boat does not go in. That is the skipper’s call, for safety. To maximise your chances: a calm-sea day (check the wind), the 9:00 departure (fewer boats and less wind than the afternoon) and your swimsuit on from Kotor, because the 20 minutes start on arrival.
The boat does not wait
Another review, from someone coming from Budva: “We had the activity booked for 12:00; we left Budva (30 minutes away) at 9:45 and arrived tight, two minutes before, and the boat had already left.” If you are coming from outside Kotor, allow for parking and the walk to Park Slobode, and arrive with a quarter of an hour to spare.
What about a private boat?
For €150 per boat (not per person) there is a private version of the same route: Blue Cave with snorkelling, Mamula and also the submarine tunnel used as a hideout in the Second World War, departing at the time you choose (9:00, 12:00 or 15:00). For four or more people it works out similar to the shared boat, and you set the time in the cave. 9.2/10 from 24 reviews.
Details read on the operator’s (Limitless Speed Boat Kotor) Civitatis listing on 6 September 2026, reviews included. The valid price and conditions are always those in the booking process.