Mediterranean · Montenegro
Herceg Novi & the Luštica Blue Cave
Military wrecks, Yugoslav submarine tunnels and the Luštica Blue Cave
Herceg Novi sits on the Bay of Kotor, and its dive clubs work both the inner bay and the open Adriatic beyond it. The diving is a mix of military history and caves: the patrol boat PBR 512 in Zanjic bay, the wreck Tihani beside Mamula island, the former Yugoslav submarine tunnels, and the Blue Cave on the Luštica peninsula. Cave sites such as Jakubic cave and Poseidon City fill out the list.
About diving in Herceg Novi & the Luštica Blue Cave
The Herceg Novi clubs dive sites both inside Boka-Kotor Bay and on the open sea outside it, and the run to the main sites takes less than an hour. Dives are offered daily to certified divers, either individually or in groups, and night dives run as well. For newcomers, intro dives last 30 minutes and start from the shore or from the boat.
The underwater landscape is cut into grottoes, tunnels and caves. Zlatna vala is one of the largest underwater caves in Montenegro, 25 m long. The wrecks span the centuries: the Galija, an ancient ship built and sunk in the 16th century, lies at 33 m with parts of the ship, anchors and cannons still visible, and the Cetinje lies at 40 to 41 m. At Rose the seabed holds ancient anchors, cannonballs and pottery fragments.
Cape Dobrec and Cape Kobila suit beginners as well as experienced divers making their first dives in Montenegro, and the military tugboat Tunj, sunk in 2013, lies between 5 and 18 m. The other wrecks sit deeper: the Austro-Hungarian torpedo ship Golesnica, still in good condition, at 33 m, and Tihani at 40 m, which is recommended only for advanced divers.
Best time to dive Herceg Novi & the Luštica Blue Cave
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
The main season runs from May to October, when the sea is cleanest and warmest. July and August bring the warmest water, 25 to 26 °C, and the most comfortable conditions for newer divers. September stays warm and is much quieter, which is why experienced divers often pick it. From November to April tours still run, but the water cools to about 14 °C in January and February and visibility is lower.
Dive types & marine life
Lobsters and octopuses are common in the Jakubic grottoes, and crabs, octopus and cuttlefish live on the Tunj wreck.
- Wreck
- Cave & cavern
- Night
- Octopus & cuttlefish
Best dive sites in Herceg Novi & the Luštica Blue Cave
- 1
Blue Cave
Large cave on the Luštica peninsula, reached only by boat, its entrance open at the surface.
- 2
PBR 512
Patrol boat sunk in 1983 in Zanjic bay, resting on a sand floor at 24 m.
- 3
Tihani
The biggest wreck in Montenegro, lying next to Mamula island on the Dobrec peak.
- 4
Mermaid Hall
Pass-through cave shaped like a vertical corridor, lit by daylight; for experienced divers only.
- 5
Jakubic cave
A number of shallow grottoes, deepest point 18 m, full of lobsters and octopuses.
- 6
Higgins
Yugoslav torpedo boat sunk in 1974, 23.7 m long, lying at 30 to 35 m.
- 7
Poseidon City
A complex of caves at different depths, ringed by reef.
- 8
Submarines Tunnel
Former military tunnels where Yugoslav submarines were based.
Site guides
A sea cave whose mouth opens at the waterline, roomy enough for snorkellers
Wreck
A wooden Yugoslav torpedo boat lost off Rose for reasons never explained
Cave & cavern
Shallow grottoes full of lobsters and octopuses
Wreck
A patrol boat dragged into Zanjic bay after military target practice
Cave & cavern
A cluster of caves stacked at different depths inside a reef
Cave & cavern
Flooded tunnels that once hid the Yugoslav submarine fleet
Wreck
The biggest wreck in Montenegro, an Austro-Hungarian steamer by Mamula
How to get to Herceg Novi & the Luštica Blue Cave
Dubrovnik airport (Cilipi) in Croatia is about 40 minutes away by taxi, including the border crossing. There is no rail or ferry access into Herceg Novi, and a few dive operators work along the town's beach.
Questions divers ask
Can children dive at Herceg Novi?+
Yes. Children from 8 years old can dive in equipment designed for children, and an instructor accompanies the child throughout the dive.
Can the Blue Cave be dived at night?+
Yes. The cave is not deep, and after dark octopuses, small fish and other nocturnal creatures appear that are not seen on daytime dives.
Which Herceg Novi wreck is the most visited?+
PBR 512 in Zanjic bay, a patrol boat built in 1952, is one of the most visited wrecks in Montenegro and is still in excellent condition.
Sources
- Peoples Diving Club — Peoples Diving Club
- Diving Montenegro Herceg Novi, Tivat, Kotor, scuba tours — Adriatic Blue
- Wrecks - Diving Montenegro — Adriatic Blue
- Scuba diving in Montenegro — Visit Ada Bojana
- Herceg Novi — Wikivoyage
- Herceg-Novi Average Sea Temperatures — seatemperature.org
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