Budva and the open coast
Renting a boat in Budva
Budva sits four hours by sea from Marea's berth at Porto Montenegro, which is the fact most listings leave out. It does not mean you cannot have the boat in Budva — it means the pick-up is planned rather than booked for tomorrow morning. Guests are regularly boarded in Budva, and just as often dropped there in the evening and taken back aboard the next day.
How a Budva charter actually works
Three ways, and the honest one depends on where the boat is that week.
The first is a day charter that starts in Tivat and runs south. Eight hours gets you down the coast, into the water at Trašte or Plavi Horizont, past Sveti Stefan and back — but it is a long day and most of it is passage.
The second, and the one we would suggest, is boarding in Budva itself. That is arranged when you book, not on the day, because it depends on where Marea is scheduled that week. When it works, your charter starts where you already are and the whole day is coastline rather than transit.
The third is a multi-day charter where Budva is a stop rather than a destination. Guests get dropped in town for the evening, sleep ashore or aboard, and are picked up the next morning. On a week that costs nothing extra in time — it is simply where day five ends.
What is worth reaching from Budva
Sveti Stefan
The island hotel, which only still looks right from the water. Fifteen minutes south of Budva, and the reason most of our southern boat tours carry on past the town.
The beach past Sveti Stefan
No road reaches it, so everyone there arrived by water. This is the one guests remember.
Plavi Horizont
A wide sand bay on the Luštica side, sheltered and shallow. The best swimming stop between Budva and Tivat.
Trašte
Anchorage with a view back at Luštica Bay. Quiet on a weekday even in August.
Bigova
A fishing village with a restaurant that takes boats alongside. Lunch here is the reason to go slowly.
Sveti Nikola
The island off Budva itself — twenty minutes out and a different sea temperature from the town beaches.
Budva or the Bay of Kotor?
Guests staying in Budva often assume the bay is out of reach. It is not — but the two days are different.
| South from Budva | North into the bay | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | Open sea, islands, Sveti Stefan | Fjord, Perast, Kotor, oyster farms |
| Swimming | Warmer, more open water | Colder, sheltered, springs |
| Crowds | Busier in July and August | Quieter away from Kotor town |
| Best for | Sun and swimming | Places and history |
| From Budva | Immediate | Four hours each way — better as an overnight |
What it costs
| Duration | Price |
|---|---|
| 4 hours | €2,600 |
| 6 hours | €2,800 |
| 8 hours | €3,000 |
| 12 hours | €3,200 |
| 24 hours | €4,000 |
| 2–5 night | €3,400 / night |
| 7 nights | €21,000 |
Rates are for the whole yacht, captain and crew included, not per person.
7 nights
€21,000
The weekly rate works out at €3,000 a night against €3,400 on shorter voyages — €2,800 less across the seven.
- per night
- €3,000
- 7 nights
- −€2,800
Tell us where you are staying
If you are in Budva, say so — the pick-up point changes what we can offer and it is worth getting right before the date is set.
What people usually ask
Can we board the yacht in Budva?
Yes, arranged in advance. Marea's home berth is Porto Montenegro in Tivat, so boarding in Budva depends on where she is scheduled that week — it is agreed when you book rather than on the morning.
How long does it take to sail from Tivat to Budva?
About four hours each way along the coast. That is why a Budva day out of Tivat is mostly passage, and why we suggest either boarding in Budva or taking a charter with at least one night.
How much does it cost to rent a boat in Budva?
€2,600 for four hours and €3,000 for eight, for the whole 18-metre yacht with captain and steward, up to 16 guests. Nights aboard are €3,400.
Can you drop us in Budva in the evening?
Yes, and it is common. Guests are dropped in Budva for the night and taken back aboard the next day. It is planned in advance because it depends on the schedule.
Is Sveti Stefan worth seeing by boat?
From the water, yes — that is the angle the island was built for and the only one still available, since the hotel is closed to visitors. It is fifteen minutes south of Budva.