Kamenjak Cape and Ceja Island Boat Trip with Cave Swim Medulin

Cape Kamenjak and the cave swim

After about fifty minutes of cruising, the boat reaches Cape Kamenjak, the protected southern tip of Istria. Its coast is a wild line of limestone cliffs, rocky coves and very clear water, with sea caves cut into the rock. One of them, in the Golumbera area on the Premantura side, is the setting for the highlight of the day: a swim into an underwater cave.

A crew member swims with you for safety, and the light inside the cave turns the water bright blue and green. Bring a mask or snorkelling gear if you have it to see the fish and the rock formations below. Kamenjak is also a nature lover's corner, with rare orchids in spring and fossil traces on its shores, so the cruise along the cape is a sight in itself.

The Porer lighthouse

From Kamenjak the boat continues to Porer, a tiny islet off the cape crowned by a tall stone lighthouse built in the nineteenth century under Austrian rule. The lighthouse still guides ships around the tip of Istria, and the keeper's house at its base makes it one of the most picturesque sights on the Istrian coast.

The boat slows near the islet for photos from every side while the guide explains why this lonely rock was so important for the busy shipping lanes to Pula, Rijeka and Trieste. It is a short stop, but on a clear day the views from here over the open sea and back to the mainland are some of the widest of the trip.

Grilled lunch on board

Lunch is cooked on the boat's grill as you cruise slowly or rest at anchor near Kamenjak. You choose between tuna steak, fish, meat or a vegetarian dish, each served with cabbage salad and ciabatta bread, and soft drinks and water are included during the whole trip.

Eating in the shade of the deck with the coast of Kamenjak in view is one of the simple pleasures of a day at sea in Istria. Tell us your choice when you book if you prefer the vegetarian dish. Because the trip is long, you may also bring your own snacks; there is more food and coffee for sale on Ceja Island later in the afternoon.

Ceja Island

Ceja is one of the small islands of the Medulin archipelago, a low island of pine shade, rocks and pebble coves surrounded by clear, shallow water. The boat moors here for about two hours, which is the longest stop of the trip and the time to swim, snorkel or simply relax in the sun.

The island has a restaurant and a café, so you can buy another snack or a coffee; note that only cash is accepted on Ceja. Families like the gentle water near the shore, and swimmers can explore the rocky edges where fish gather. It is a peaceful finish before the boat heads back past the Premantura peninsula for a short photo stop.

Medulin, Premantura and the archipelago

The trip starts and ends in Medulin harbour, the busy heart of this family resort in southern Istria. As you leave you have a panoramic view of Medulin's archipelago, a chain of small islands sheltering the town's wide, shallow bay, and of the Premantura peninsula stretching south towards Kamenjak.

On the way back the boat pauses near Premantura, the last village before the cape, for a ten-minute photo stop. Seen from the sea, the whole area shows why so many visitors base themselves here: calm water, green islands and wild nature within a short boat ride. If you are wondering what to do in Medulin for a full day, this trip covers the highlights.