Boka Bay Day Cruise with Blue Cave Swim from Budva

Tivat and the start of the Boka Bay cruise

Your day begins with a bus ride from the Budva Riviera over the hills to Tivat, a sunny town on the middle shore of Boka Bay. Before boarding, you have free time to stroll along the palm-lined promenade and the modern marina, built on the site of a former naval shipyard, where large yachts line up beneath the mountains.

Boka Bay, known locally as Boka Kotorska, is often described as the southernmost fjord in Europe, although it is in fact a drowned river canyon. Its four interconnected basins are surrounded by steep limestone mountains rising straight from the water. A Boka Bay cruise from Budva is the easiest way to see the whole inlet in one day, without driving its winding coastal road.

The Blue Cave and Zanjice Beach

The first stop is on the Lustica peninsula, near the entrance to the bay. The Blue Cave is a sea cave reached through a low arch in the cliffs; sunlight entering from outside is reflected by the white seabed, turning the water inside an extraordinary glowing blue. Swimming here is one of the most memorable moments of a summer in Montenegro.

You can choose to visit the Blue Cave and swim in its turquoise water, which has a separate entry fee paid in cash, or relax on Zanjice Beach, a pebbly cove with clear water and pine trees behind it. Nearby you also see the small round island of Mamula with its nineteenth-century fortress guarding the mouth of the bay. Bring swimwear, a towel and sunscreen.

Herceg Novi Old Town

The cruise continues to Herceg Novi, at the western entrance of Boka Bay, a town of stairways, flowering gardens and fortresses climbing a green hillside. Founded in the fourteenth century, it changed hands between Bosnian, Ottoman, Venetian and Austrian rulers, and each left its mark, from the Kanli Kula fortress to the clock tower that guards the entrance to the old town.

During your free time you can climb the steps into the old town, walk along the seafront promenade or sit at a cafe by the water. Herceg Novi is known for its mild climate and its gardens full of mimosa and subtropical plants. For many visitors this is a pleasant surprise, as it is less crowded than Kotor.

The Verige Strait and Perast

After Herceg Novi, the boat sails through the Verige Strait, the narrowest point of Boka Bay, only about three hundred metres wide. Its name means 'chains', and tradition says chains were once stretched across it to protect the inner bay from enemy ships. Beyond the strait the mountains close in and the scenery becomes even more dramatic.

The boat then passes in front of Perast, a small baroque town of stone palaces and churches built by wealthy sea captains when it was a proud maritime centre under Venice. Its tall bell tower of St Nicholas rises above the waterfront. Seen from the sea, Perast is one of the most beautiful sights in Montenegro, and a highlight for anyone searching for a Perast boat tour.

Our Lady of the Rocks

Just off Perast lie two small islands: the natural, cypress-covered island of St George, and Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island built up over centuries by sailors who sank old ships and dropped stones on a reef where, according to legend, an icon of the Virgin Mary was found in the fifteenth century. Every year in July, local people still row out to add stones in a procession called the Fasinada.

The boat stops here so you can walk around the island and visit the blue-domed church, rebuilt in the seventeenth century, with its paintings and a small museum of votive offerings from sailors. Entry to the church and museum is paid separately on site. Our Lady of the Rocks is one of Montenegro's most famous landmarks and a highlight of any Boka Bay boat trip.

Kotor Old Town

The cruise ends at Kotor, at the innermost corner of the bay, where a walled medieval town sits at the foot of a sheer mountain. Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fortifications that zigzag up the slope to the fortress of St John, a twelfth-century Romanesque cathedral dedicated to St Tryphon, and a maze of marble-paved lanes and squares.

During your free time you can wander the old town, visit its churches and museums, or simply enjoy a coffee in one of its squares. A small town tourist tax is paid separately. Many travellers plan a Kotor day trip from Budva on its own, so arriving by sea and then returning by bus is an ideal way to combine it with the rest of the bay.