Boat trips in Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor to Lake Skadar

With 293.5 km of coast, a bay hemmed in by mountains and Lake Skadar inland, Montenegro is a country you see best from a boat. The National Tourism Organisation puts the season at May to November and names Kotor and Budva as the two big departure points. Here’s what’s on offer from each, and how I’d pick.

Start with the Bay of Kotor

If you only do one trip, this is it. From the water the Bay of Kotor makes sense in a way the coast road never quite manages. The National Tourism Organisation suggests stopping at the man-made island of Our Lady of the Rocks, cruising into Tivat’s marina, swimming in the Blue Cave and walking through a former Yugoslav submarine tunnel more than 100 m long. It also claims Risan, Perast, Tivat and Herceg Novi never look better than from a boat, and I wouldn’t argue.

Many trips serve fresh fruit and local brandy, depending on the package. If it’s a party you’re after, a catamaran with music does the rounds of the bay for about €30 a head. I’d rather take a small boat early, before the queue forms on Perast’s jetty.

Kotor’s port handles around a thousand yachts a year, according to its own website, so expect traffic in summer. It isn’t the place for solitude in August, but the water is calm and sheltered.

From Herceg Novi to Žanjice and the Blue Cave

Boats leave Herceg Novi for Žanjice beach on the Luštica peninsula, the one the National Tourism Organisation says Tito kept as his private beach. The official listing gives departures about every ten minutes between 9:00 and 13:00, with returns from 17:00 to 20:00. From there trips carry on to the Blue Cave and the village of Rose, and on the way you pass the island fortress of Mamula.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Kotor before prices climb.

Budva and Sveti Nikola island

In Budva, trips leave from the marina by the old town. The classic stop is Sveti Nikola island, reached by boat from Slovenska beach or the old town for €3 to €4, according to the National Tourism Organisation. Longer outings push on towards Sveti Stefan, Petrovac, Bar or Ulcinj, with swimming stops in coves along the way.

Lake Skadar and the Crnojević river

It isn’t all salt water. On Lake Skadar, the usual trips go to Karuč, where Petar I Petrović Njegoš had his winter home, and up the Crnojević river, passing the fortress of Žabljak Crnojevića, stopping to swim by the islands of Lesendro or Dodoši and finishing at Kom monastery. Murići beach on the lakeshore lets you swim among water lilies. For me it’s the best inland boat trip in the country, and a welcome change of scene in midsummer.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Kotor before prices climb.

Your own boat or a group trip?

The National Tourism Organisation says there are private and group trips, by day and by night, and you can choose the kind of boat. Group trips are the cheapest, with prices varying by boat, group size and route. If you want to skipper yourself or spend several days aboard, you’re looking at yacht or catamaran charter, which I cover in the guide to sailing in Montenegro.