06/08/2023 - Montenegro and Kotor Bay

We pulled into Montenegro early in the morning to a very beautiful coastal area. We weren't sure what to expect but it was gorgeous. We looked out on the town from the balcony as we pulled in and anchored in the protected bay. We went to the Lido for breakfast as usual, and then headed to the theater to wait for our HAL excursion - Speed Boats to the Blue Caves. This is a tender port but since we are on a HAL excursion it was really no problem for us to get a tender as soon as our group was called. We arrived on shore and met with our guide who took us on a walk to the dock where the speed boats were launched from. The walk was short and we ended up at a dock where the group was split into 2 boats for the rest of the day.

As we left the harbor we were able to look back on the ship from our speed boat with the mountains behind. It's a stunningly beautiful view.

View of the ship and the mountains from the speedboat

View of the other side of town from the speedboat - this seemed to me most of the residential area

On our speed boat excursion to the Blue Caves outside of Kotor Bay Montenegro. This is the furthest south fjord in the world. Was very beautiful with lots of boats.

As we got further from the town we saw and island in the bay with a church. There was an opportunity to visit the island and church but not on our tour. It's a Roman Catholic church called Our Lady of the Rock. It is on an artificial island made from rocks and by sinking old and seized ships loaded with rocks. There is a second Islet in the bay called Sveti Đorđe Island which is the home of a Benedictine Monastery

Sveti Đorđe Island and Monastery

Our Lady of the Rock

As we proceeded further from the town and out into the open water we came across some man made caves that were carved into the mountains during WWII to hide boats.

We also saw many tour boats, shuttles and provate boats of all sorts and sizes, it was really gorgeous.

Man Made cave to hide boats during WWII

Open water and the sail boats on the way to the Blue Caves

We headed out to the Adriatic Sea and just at the mouth of Kotor Bay on the Adriatic Sea we saw this hotel - looks like a beautiful place to stay

Hotel on the Adriatic Sea

Next we found the Blue Caves. On approach they didn't seem large enough to enter but when we got close we were able to go inside in the boat and we were given the opportunity to swim in the water, which the locals said was cold. Conrad took them up on the opportunity to swim and actually found the water warm and pleasant.

Inside one of the caves

Approaching one of the caves

Inside the caves

Conrad swimming just outside of the caves

Inside of the caves

Inside of the caves

Conrad swimming outside of the caves

After we left the Blue Caves were went to a small resort called Forte Rose Ranch for a lunch stop on your own. The boat pulled into a very small beach area with lounge chairs and umbrellas where we grabbed a couple of loungers to sit and relax and have a drink. The waiters were overwhelmed with the boats docking but we did get some sodas. There was a restaurant up a set of steep stone steps, with a restroom and then beyond that on the other side a larger beach area. We decided to just sit and watch the boats come and go with our sodas. We reallly enjoy spotting yachts when we travel especially in the Mediterranean and Europe. A small yacht pulled up to the dock where we were sitting and the occupants (a man and a woman) made a big show of docking, and disembarking for some lunch at the restaurant. We googled the yacht to find that it's a rental.

Little area where we sat and enjoyed the afternoon

View from our chairs at Forte Rose Ranch

Shawn enjoying some shade and a soda

After the break we boarded the boats again to head back to the dock in town and the ship.

View of the town as we pulled in

View of the town as we pulled in

Conrad's water show sole came apart as we arrived back at the dock so we went into the area of the town where there were shops were but it was really a tourist area with souvenirs and not much else. There was a small area of the town with outdoor seating and food establishments and since we hadn't eaten lunch we stopped at a pizza place to have lunch and a cold soda. There were cigaretter smokers almost everywhere so it was less enjoyable than it could have been but we had a nice table under an umbrella and enjoyed some very tasty food. We headed back to the ship, along the way to the ship from town you descend via an escalator to cross under a very busy street and then ascend via escalator on the other side, it was an interesting solution and worked quite well.

Once back on the ship we relaxed until Dinner time in the MDR and then went back to the room. The view from the verandah was really pretty and we very much enjoyed this stop on the cruise.

Kotor Bay

View of the town from the ship

Evening pulling out of Montenegro

View of the town from the ship

View of the town from the ship

View of the town from the ship

Smoke Stacks against the sky