Once a forgotten and unmapped territory, Blue Cave in Croatia gained stardom after being featured in the iconic TV reality show ‘Game of Thrones.
Blue Cave is also known as Blue Grotto or Modra Spilja and is located on Bisevo Island. It is an enchanting landmark in the Adriatic Sea that shrouds many mesmerizing treasures. The Bisevo Island is a constituent of the Komiza island series.
Many travel agencies in Croatia offer Blue Cave tours from Split, packages which include visiting other significant markers in the area and engaging in activities like snorkeling, swimming, and traveling to Central Dalmatia’s pristine remote beaches.
If you are planning to take a trip to Blue Cave to discover its magical beauty and behold the captivating blue wonder, shining dazzlingly with a blue iridescence, then it is suggested that you peruse this comprehensive factual guide.
This article will enlighten you on what to expect and the aspects to consider before booking the tour.
Everything You should know about the Blue Cave
What exactly is the Blue Cave?
Blue Cave is an extraordinary geomorphological wonder located in the bay of Balun on Bisevo Island. This island is 5 miles from Komiza and about 111 miles from Split.
This island is in the Adriatic Sea which encloses the waterlogged Blue Cave. The Bisevo Island is from the series of Komiza Trio islands amongst which Vis and Sveti Andrija are the other two.
When the sunlight strikes the ocean, it illumines the interior of the cave with an eerie silver-blue light. This hypnotizing blue aura is cast when the sunlight enters through a narrow crack in the arched roof and mirrors of the limestone seabed.
These limestones reflect the light and generate a prismatic blue glow which causes an aqua halo to be created around the cave. Bisevo Island is a deserted place and only a few fishermen reside here to capture the opportunity to hunt for rare species of fish.
Structure and geography
Bisevo Island is shrouded by limestones and cliffs. As time elapsed, the ocean waves caused erosion of the limestone rock which triggered the formation of Blue Cave on Bisevo Island. Besides the Blue Cave, Monk Seal Cave, Benedictine monastery ruins, and Saint Sylvester church are also significant markers perched on this island.
The cave is quite minuscule featuring a depth of 10-12m, a height of 15m, and a length of 24m. The entrance is quite narrow featuring a height of 1.5m and a width of 2.5 m.
The cave has distinct widths in different areas and in some zones, the cave begins to shrink narrower in its width.
History
Before it was discovered by Baron Eugen Von Ransonet in 1884, diving through the crevice in the roof of the cave was the only way through which the island could be accessed.
The Austrian explorer Baron not only channeled the unexplored territory around the Blue Cave and blasted an opening in the cave with dynamite thus allowing easy access to all but also spread the word about its discovery.
And since then, Blue Cave became one of the most popular destination spots, enticing 100,000 visitors every summer.
When you should visit the Blue Cave in Croatia
May and September are deemed to be the best months to visit Blue Cave. At this time the usually turbulent and rough Adriatic Sea is calm and pacified.
Since there are no stringent rules for visiting the magical site of the cave, tourists can visit it on their own at any time of the year.
But if you want to hire the services of travel agencies to visit Blue Cave, then the tours from Split to Bisevo Island are only available between April and November. Apart from these months, traveling in the Adriatic Sea is dangerous because of the storms creating turbulence in the waters.
If you want to travel with other tourists and feel safe traveling with a big group to this remote island, May and September are the ideal months. However, if you can’t stand long queues and heavy crowds, then book a package in April or October.
Ways to get to the Blue Cave
There are two primary methods to reach the Blue Cave:
• Organized tour
• Private tour
Tourists usually prefer visiting the cave with organized group tours as it saves them quite a few bucks and curtails the hassle of planning extravagantly. However, private tours also have their privileges.
Organized tours
Blue Cave can be easily reached by booking an organized tour from the neighboring islands of Bisevo or Croatian harbor cities like Split, Trogir, Vis, Omis, and Makarska.
The tours led by the agencies in Split or Trogir integrate visiting other popular Croatian islands in addition to visiting Blue Cave. This is because Bisevo is an isolated island on the Croatian coast, and it takes about long hours to reach it from Split or Trogir even if you are traveling by speedboat.
The cost of traveling so far to spend a mere 15 minutes inside the cave can be too hard to digest for many, which is why the itineraries include enthralling stopovers to give you a fair value for your money spent.
The advantages of booking an organized tour are aplenty:
• You can get acquainted with people hailing from different nationalities
• Services are accessible at affordable prices.
• Multiple destinations are covered in a single tour package.
• Professionals guiding the tour give you a sense of relief and protection, especially when traveling to an isolated spot.
• Entrance tickets are also provided by the agency.
Private tours
Planning a private tour can be a daunting challenge but if you plan it right, the euphoria experienced at the end of the tour on achieving everything on your own like a pro cannot is unrivaled.
Things to keep in consideration when booking a package to visit the Blue Cave
It is best to verify all the crucial factors and analyze all the aspects of the tour to prepare yourself accordingly. Some of the features which need your extra attention are:
Research is recommended
There are an umpteen number of travel agencies booking day-to-day tours to Blue Cave and other blissful and entrancing landmarks, so it’s best to carry out extensive research before booking a tour.
Compare the prices, and the itinerary, and peruse the customer reviews to get a better idea about everything.
Advanced booking
It is always a wise approach to book in advance for Blue Cave rather than jump for a sudden departure.
Advanced booking grants you plenty of time to make necessary arrangements for your trip. You can either pay a visit directly to the local Blue Cave Tour provider in the Split center.
Or you can browse this website and pay online for the blue cave group tour from Split. It is recommended to reserve your tour package two days prior to your travel.
Packing astutely
Before going on a trip, doing some homework is always good.
There are some essential things you want to check before your trip.
Ensure that you pack all the important belongings in a waterproof bag or pouch. Keep limited stuff with you. Refrain from carrying any useless stuff because the journey is long and tiresome and carrying the bags can be too exhausting.
If kids are accompanying you, pack carefully and sensibly so as not to miss out on the important items.
The absence of restaurants on Bisevo prerequisites packing dry refreshments and water. However, you will be able to find food and snacks at destination stops along the way, so it won’t be much of a problem for you.
It is common to feel seasick on the boat, so pack the medications along.
Keep your swim gear and change of clothes too.
The velocity of the speedboat is high, and the wind is strong. It is recommended to pack a windbreaker too.
Pack a hat, a pair of sunglasses, and sunscreen too.
Things to pay attention to once you reach the Blue Cave
Visiting the Blue Cave between 11 am to 12 am is the recommended option because the dazzling sunlight reflects, and the mystic aura is the most powerful at this time inside the Blue Cave.
Once you are inside the cave, turn off the flash before snapping the photos. Don’t get too absorbed in capturing the images and selfies. Look in the water, feel the air, savor the moments, and let go of yourself. The beauty of the outwardly natural display needs to be absorbed by the soul completely to fulfill the worth of the entire travel.
It is prohibited to swim inside the cave so prevent from trying to do so.
Final Thoughts
The voyage towards the Blue Cave is unforgettable and one of the most cherished memories for many travelers. Imagine sailing at full throttle in a speedboat, the strong wind brushing your face hard with gusto, the aqua landscape unfurling more blue vistas and the touch of the Adriatic Sea healing your nerves and unwinding your mind.
The zest of the adventure and the enthusiasm of meeting with one of the most mesmerizing natural wonders spices your adrenaline boost.
And once inside the Blue Cave, the transcendental halo, and the mystical breathtaking experience, even if it is only for mere 15 minutes, is a moment that stamps an indelible impression in your mind.