Herceg Novi Boat Trips: Routes, Boats and Booking Decisions

What a Herceg Novi boat trip covers

Trips sold around Herceg Novi come in three shapes: bay runs towards the Perast islands, swim-and-cave outings on the open bay, and private charters where you agree the route with the skipper. The bay is deep and sheltered, so mornings are usually calm enough for a small open boat, while afternoon breeze can build chop on the wider stretches. Ask what the route actually passes rather than accepting a generic bay tour label.

The islands do not sit off the Herceg Novi waterfront: Our Lady of the Rocks (Gospa od Škrpjela) and St George (Sveti Đorđe) lie in the narrow part of the bay near Perast. A boat trip offered in the area leaves from Tivat and runs to the old town areas and the islands, rather than starting from Herceg Novi itself. That distance is the biggest factor in choosing a trip.

Operators working the bay advertise runs that take in both St George and Our Lady of the Rocks, the classic pairing for a first boat day here. Read what is included before comparing: some trips bundle a Perast landing and time ashore, others circle the islets and head straight for a swimming stop.

Where boats leave from in Herceg Novi

The old town sits at the foot of the slope, with the Clock Tower area and Nikola Đurković Square at its western entrance, and the waterfront runs below the main road in a long ribbon towards Igalo. Skiffs and small charter boats work from the quays and jetties along that shore, so the exact pick-up point matters more than an operator's name. A Herceg Novi map settles the walk before you book.

The Clock Tower, called Tora locally, stands where the western entrance door to the town once did, and the stairs beneath it lead up to the Square of Herceg Stjepan. Sightseeing tours traditionally start from this corner, which makes it a useful landmark if a skipper asks you to meet near the old town. Allow ten to fifteen minutes to walk from here to the further reaches of the seafront.

If you are staying in Igalo, boarding on that side often beats walking into the centre first, and the seafront path links the two so you can step off at one end and stroll back.

Shared group trips versus private hire

Shared trips suit solo travellers and couples: a fixed route with other passengers, paid per person, at the operator's pace and with the operator's swim stops. Private hire costs more in total but divides well across four to six people and lets you ask for a quieter cove, an earlier start or a longer island stop. The trade-off is certainty against flexibility.

Ask how many passengers the boat carries, not just the headline group size, because a small open boat fills fast in August and shade is limited. Confirm whether fuel, skipper, snorkelling gear and drinks sit inside the quoted figure, and get the total in euros in writing before any deposit.

The island run: St George and Our Lady of the Rocks

Boat access is the whole point of the island run: Our Lady of the Rocks sits on its own islet near Perast and St George occupies a wooded islet beside it, so neither is reached on foot. Check whether your trip lands on Our Lady of the Rocks or only passes it, because the church and its small museum are why most people make the journey.

If the islands are your priority and no Herceg Novi departure suits your day, look at a trip leaving from Tivat; one advertised option runs through the old town areas and out to the islets. The drive or bus from Herceg Novi adds time at each end, so weigh that against a shorter crossing.

Swim stops on the open bay

Bay departures often include a swimming stop, with the Miriste Lagoon and the Blue Cave named on tour descriptions leaving from Tivat. The Blue Cave rewards strong swimmers and calm water, and the light inside shifts through the morning. If swimming is the main draw, say so when booking, since an island run may not stop at all.

Bring water shoes for cave and pebble stops and a dry bag for phones, because spray comes into an open boat even on a flat day. Sea conditions decide the final call on any swim stop, so treat the advertised route as a plan rather than a promise.

How long to allow

A local swim run takes about half a day once you add boarding and the return leg, while an island run towards Perast and back fills most of a day. From Herceg Novi, the transfer to a Tivat or Kotor departure point plus the trip itself is the realistic full-day option. Do not stack a boat trip and a monastery visit into one tight morning.

Morning departures usually mean flatter water and softer light, while afternoons bring more breeze and more boats. Leave a buffer of at least an hour before any onward bus or flight, because return legs stretch when a swim stop runs long.

What to bring and how to prepare

Pack sun cream, a hat, a light long-sleeve layer and plenty of water; shade on small boats is scarce and sun off the water is stronger than the town suggests. Wear shoes you can take off or get wet for island landings and cave swims, and carry a towel plus cash in euros for a coffee ashore.

The historic core is compact but the seafront is long, so a boat day plus an old town walk needs comfortable footwear rather than a smart outfit. Fortresses and churches sit within a short radius of the water, so you can see a great deal on foot after stepping off.

Booking and meeting points

August weekends, cruise-ship days in the bay and public holidays fill shared boats quickly, so book a day or two ahead if your dates are fixed. Early-morning departures dodge both the heat and the busiest hours on the water, and late bookers should expect the larger group boats to be what remains.

Confirm the meeting point twice, at booking and again the evening before, using a landmark such as the Clock Tower or a named quay rather than a street number. Ask what happens if the weather turns and whether a deposit is refundable; any listing should state the meeting point clearly before you pay.

Combining a boat trip with the old town

A morning on the water leaves the afternoon free for the old town's monuments. The Kanli Kula and Forte Mare fortresses stand above the town and belong with the Clock Tower on any short circuit, so walk the seafront afterwards if you still have legs for it.

Savina Monastery lies about 2 km east of Herceg Novi among Mediterranean vegetation, with two churches, a treasury and the hilltop Church of St Sava above the lodgings. Its elevated position gives a wide view back over the bay and towards Lovćen, making it a fine late-afternoon stop after a boat morning.

For an indoor hour instead, the Mikhail Bulgakov Museum sits in the old town core with personal objects, manuscripts and theatre costumes connected to the writer, and it opened in September 2020. It pairs neatly with a short boat trip because both fit into one relaxed day.

Round the day off with dinner along the waterfront, or pick up picnic supplies from the market before boarding. A walk up to a viewpoint above the roofs gives the bay its best angle once the boats are in.

Which boat trip should you book?

For a first visit, book a shared bay trip that reaches the two islands off Perast and accept the longer day it brings; with only a morning, take a local swim run instead. If your group numbers four or more, price a private boat against per-person group tickets and let flexibility decide. Book a day or two ahead in August and confirm the meeting point the evening before.