There are places in the world where beauty gently taps you on the shoulder. And then there’s Montenegro, where it slaps you across the face and says LOOK AT ME!
We’ve been sailing this coastline for a few days now, and still – every headland, every shimmering bay, every ridiculously picturesque beach club perched on a rocky ledge – leaves us stunned. The stretch around Tivat is especially jaw-dropping. Think lush, pine-covered hills tumbling into deep blue water, fringed with stylish resorts, slick boardwalks, and beach clubs that practically demand you order a spritz and recline like you belong in a Bond film.
And then… there’s Tivat itself. Oh. My. Tivat.
It’s Monaco’s cool cousin. Less fuss, but all the flash. High-end boutiques, waterfront promenades, five-star seafood joints with chairs more expensive than some dinghies – well, at least our dinghy! We sat down for a lunch of seafood salad, and enjoyed people-watching millionaires from behind our sunglasses, pretending we totally belonged there.
But let’s be honest: today was also about business. Sometimes, a necessary part of our journey. We hit up three chandlers (yes, three – because one never has quite what you need), stocking up on vital supplies for the next few weeks at sea. Items included:
- New rope and a hefty chain, just in time for Cousin Khali and Cam’s visit. Now don’t let your mind wander… I was speaking strictly nautical! We’re prepping for some functional fitness, not Fifty Shades. We’ll be doing a lot of Mediterranean mooring in Croatia – anchoring off, then swimming ashore to tie the stern line to a rock. These two are CrossFit regulars – even squeezed in a workout during their Barcelona stopover – so we’re figuring they’ll be great assets to have along when we attempt our first stern ashore mooring.
- A dinghy ladder. This one may be officially for Mum and Dad, but let’s be honest – I’ll be first to use it when I try to hop back aboard after a swim.
- Deck cleaner, because Kora deserves to sparkle when the family rolls in.
- And a fresh pair of sailing gloves, since Doug’s last pair decided they were done with this life and sailed off solo last week while we were crossing the Adriatic. RIP.
We also did a big grocery haul, because we’re heading into anchorage mode for the next five nights. Fjords, here we come! Though there’ll be no shortage of dinghy missions or paddle boarding ashore as we explore the surreal wonderland of Kotor Bay.
But before we go… Let’s talk about the docking job!!!
Skipper Doug pulled Kora – a 40-foot (11.9 m) beauty – into a slip between an Azimut 80 and a Prestige X70. Translation? On the left … a sleek, ultra-modern 71.5-foot (21.8 m) French motor yacht, retailing for €4.5 million, looking like it belongs on the cover of Yachting Royalty Monthly. And on the right? About 82 feet (25 m) of Italian motor yacht luxury, this particular vessel going for a cool €4.6 million. Doug glided Kora in there, smooth as silk. Like we belonged!
But the evening took it to another level. While wandering the moonlit marina, we stumbled across the stunner herself: S/Y RIANA. Riana is 138 ft (42 m) of graceful sailing yacht perfection. Chartering at €59,000 per week in high season, plus expenses and VAT, because of course she does. We stood and stared, soaking in every bit of her beauty.
And so ended our glamorous day in Tivat. We plan to explore a little longer in the morning before setting sail around noon. Tomorrow, we set our sights on another jewel of Montenegro’s coastline: Kotor – a place with an entirely different vibe, where ancient stone walls and mountain shadows await.
