Montenegro by boat, month by month: May to October
May is green and cool, August is hot and full, October is quiet and a little unpredictable. A month-by-month look at the sea, the crowds and the kind of trip that works best, in the Bay of Kotor and on the open coast.
HopABoat TeamTravel desk
A boat trip in June and a boat trip in late September can follow the same route and still feel like two different holidays. The season on the Montenegrin coast usually runs from May to October, and each month has its own character. This article goes through them one by one. It is a companion to our season overview, which also explains the local winds.
One caveat first: no two years are the same. Read what follows as a description of what is usual, not as a forecast.
The season at a glance
- May: green hills, cool sea, few boats out. Best for scenery.
- June: long days, a sea that warms quickly, stops that are still relaxed.
- July: full summer, everything running, harbours filling up.
- August: the warmest sea and the biggest crowds.
- September: warm sea, softer light, more space.
- October: quiet and unpredictable, with the last trips of the year.
May
The season opens gradually. Days are pleasantly warm, the hills around the bay are green and the highest peaks sometimes still carry a little snow. The sea is cool: for most people it is a quick dip, not a long swim. That makes May a month for the Bay of Kotor, for Perast, the islands and Kotor seen from the water, where the trip is remembered for the views anyway.
There are fewer departures than in summer, because not every owner has put the boat in the water yet. The weather can change within a day, so keep a spare date in reserve.
June
For many people this is the best compromise. The days are the longest of the year, the sea gets warmer week by week, and in the second half of the month most guests swim without thinking twice. Crowds grow towards the end of June, but the stops are still easygoing. It is a good moment for the Blue Cave, before boats start queuing at the entrance in high summer.
July
Summer in the full sense. Days are hot and mostly dry, the sea is warm and every kind of trip is running, from short tours of the bay to full days along the open coast. Harbours and popular coves fill up from mid-morning. Book a private boat or a weekend date several days ahead and, if you can, choose a morning departure.
August
The sea is at its warmest, and in shallow coves it can feel almost like a bath. It is also the busiest month: boats come and go all day at the well-known stops, and the best departure times are taken early. On the open coast a breeze from the sea usually picks up in the afternoon, so the ride back is bumpier.
Two things help: leaving early in the morning or late in the afternoon, and choosing less famous places. You will find a few ideas in our piece on quiet coves around Luštica.
September
The sea keeps its summer warmth for weeks, and the crowds thin out noticeably once the school year begins. Life on the coast slows down, skippers have more time, and the light is softer and kinder to photographs. Days are shorter, so full-day trips start earlier or are trimmed a little, and the first autumn rain can arrive towards the end of the month.
October
The end of the season. There are still plenty of fine days, and early in the month the sea is warm enough for determined swimmers. But spells of settled weather are shorter, and many owners finish for the year during the month. Choose the bay over the open sea, and do not tie the trip to one single date.
The bay and the open coast through the season
The Bay of Kotor is sheltered by mountains, so boats run there from the first week of the season to the last, including many days when nobody goes out to the open sea. In spring, after rain, the water in the inner bay can feel a little cooler, because streams and springs from the mountains run into it.
The open coast, from the outer side of Luštica past Budva and Bar to Ulcinj, depends on the swell. In May and October it is more common for a skipper to change the route or move the trip. In high summer mornings are usually calm and afternoons less so. The sandy shallows in the south warm up quickly, so the water near the shore there is often pleasant when it is still fresh elsewhere.
Why the shoulder season is worth it
- More room at every stop, from the islands off Perast to the swimming coves.
- It is easier to get the boat and the time you want, sometimes even at short notice.
- Less heat on board, which matters for small children and older guests.
- Owners have more time for you and for stories about the places you pass.
- Softer light and clearer air.
The price you pay is a cooler sea at the start of the season, shorter days at the end, and more dependence on the forecast. So put the boat trip early in your stay, where there is room to move it.
