Exploring the Bay of Kotor by boat is one of the most memorable experiences you can have in Montenegro. It was our 4-year-old’s top priority to ride on a speedboat! Of course, we didn’t want to disappoint him, so we booked this Kotor Boat Tour. It was, surprisingly, a very family-friendly Kotor boat tour and an enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Also, we paid for this trip ourselves, so this is a completely honest Kotor boat tour review of our experience!
I’m going to be bold and say this is the best boat tour in Kotor for families with kids. In this complete review, I’ll be sharing what to expect from this Kotor boat tour, plus tips to enjoy it with kids. So let’s dive in! (Yes, you can literally dive in if you’re brave enough – more on that below!)
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
OUR FULL GUIDE TO KOTOR, MONTENEGRO
A PERFECT MONTENEGRO ITINERARY
TIPS FOR VISITING MONTENEGRO
OR READ ABOUT OTHER PLACES IN MONTENEGRO WE VISITED:
TIVAT – BUDVA – LAKE SKADAR – NIKSIC – TARA CANYON – DURMITOR NATIONAL PARK – ZABLJAK
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links however, all opinions are my own, and the products are things I have purchased with my own money. There is no additional cost to you, but using one of my links helps me to run my blog!
How to Choose Your Kotor Boat Tour
Exploring Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor coastline by boat is a popular activity when visiting Kotor. There are lots of different options available, so how do you know which are the best boat trips from Kotor?
We chose this one from Hawaii Boat Tours as it seemed to be the best price for the itinerary, and it also had great reviews. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience and would highly recommend it as the best Kotor boat tour with kids.
CLICK HERE FOR THE EXACT TOUR WE BOOKED.
Review & What to Expect from Hawaii Tours: the Best Kotor Boat Tour for Families
This is a 3-hour boat tour starting from Kotor. You’ll sail out to the beautiful Blue Caves, a tunnel that was used to hide submarines during World War 2 and the small island Our Lady of the Rocks, which is home to a famous Koror church.
I was slightly concerned that 3 hours on a boat with two little kids would be a disaster (our boys are 4 years old and 14 months old), however, it ended up being a perfect afternoon.
Turns out, the sound of the engine and the rocking of the boat is the perfect way to get a baby to sleep. Our baby ended up sleeping most of the way there and back, waking up to enjoy the views!
Our 4-year-old was kept entertained by his camera and binoculars, plus a few snacks. He was also allowed to sit in the driver’s seat and “drive” the speedboat, which made his trip!
GETTING READY FOR OUR KOTOR BOAT TOUR | MAP OF THE ROUTE | OUR SON “DRIVING” THE SPEEDBOAT
The boat starts by sailing out for about an hour to the blue caves, pausing a couple of times so the skipper can point out interesting places. Johnny Depp’s € 12 million mansion and Mamula Island, which was used as a prison in WW2 and has since been converted into a luxury hotel. Check it out HERE, it is fancy!
JOHNNY DEPPS MANTION | HE THINKS IT THE BEST KOTOR BOAT TOUR FOR SURE! | VIEW OF MAMULA ISLAND
At the blue caves, you can stop and swim/leap off the rocks if you want. The water was quite cold, so I stayed in the boat with the boys, and my husband swam. If you climb the rocks, they’re quite sharp, so pack water shoes for kids! The caves didn’t look that blue to the eye, but through the camera, they looked unreal!
VIEW OF THE BLUE CAVES | MY HUSBAND SWIMMING IN THE SEA
On the way back, on this Kotor boat tour, you stop at the submarine tunnel and Our Lady of the Rock. Our skipper advised that the island is beautiful from the outside, but the church is not worth the fee to go inside.
You then sail past the beautiful old town of Perast before sailing back to Kotor.
THE SUBMARINE TUNNELS | VIEW OF OUR LADY OF THE ROCKS CHURCH | VIEW OF PEREST
Tips to Enjoy this family-friendly Kotor boat tour with kids
Pack Plenty of Food and Drinks
As always, pack plenty of drinks and snacks, especially for children. This is a 3-hour boat trip, and there’s nothing worse than angry children (or a hangry Dad!)
What to Wear
When we went on our Kotor boat tour, it was a warm day, but it was still quite windy on the boat. I’d recommend a coat or windbreaker, especially for little ones.
I’d packed towels to use after swimming, but it was also handy to wrap around the kids to keep them warm.
If your kids are older than mine and plan to jump from the rock, make sure to pack swimwear (or wear it under your clothes). I’d also recommend water shoes.
Time Your Kotor Boat Tour Well
As I mentioned, this is a 3-hour boat tour. Our 4-year-old loved it and found the time went very quickly. Our baby spent most of the time sleeping; if he hadn’t slept, it could have been a long time for him. Use your judgment on your children and their attention span, and possibly plan it for nap time if needed.
If you’re not sure if your kids can handle 3 hours, something like THIS might be more suitable.
Where to Sit
Our skipper advised us to sit at the back of the boat as it’s a bit less choppy and windy for kids. This was perfect as it felt like we had a private family boat tour of Kotor. Everyone else opted to sit in the front.
LINKING TO THE EXACT KOTOR BOAT TOUR WE BOOKED AGAIN HERE.
Thank you so much for reading our review of the best Kotor boat tour with kids. We hope we’ve helped you to plan your boat trip and you have the best time!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
OUR FULL GUIDE TO KOTOR, MONTENEGRO
A PERFECT MONTENEGRO ITINERARY
TIPS FOR VISITING MONTENEGRO
OR READ ABOUT OTHER PLACES IN MONTENEGRO WE VISITED:
TIVAT – BUDVA – LAKE SKADAR – NIKSIC – TARA CANYON – DURMITOR NATIONAL PARK – ZABLJAK
Happy exploring,
Pingback: KOTOR MONTENEGRO WITH LITTLE KIDS - Alex Jessica Mills