Blue Cave Closed? Weather & Best Time to Visit 2026

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The cave entrance is about 1.5 metres high and 2.4 to 2.5 metres wide. Small wooden tenders duck through it one at a time. When the sea isn't calm there, usually with the southerly jugo and the swell it drags in, the tenders don't go. The call is made at Mezuporat on Biševo by the concession that runs the cave, not by your skipper, and it often comes the same morning.

Nobody can promise you an open cave. What you can control is the month, the hour, and how much room your plans leave for a second try.

The quick answer

The cave closes in swell, usually with the southerly jugo, and the decision is made on Biševo, often that morning. July and August see the fewest closures; May and October the most. Best light is about 11:00 to 12:00 on a sunny day. If it's shut, Split tours swap in another stop and you don't pay the cash cave ticket.

A wooden tender ducking under the low rock entrance of the Blue Cave — The entrance is about head height when you sit. Swell makes it impossible.

Why does the Blue Cave close?

Because of swell at the low entrance, mostly with the southerly jugo wind. The concession on Biševo decides, sometimes at an hour's notice.

The jugo is a warm south to south-easterly wind. It builds a swell along the length of the Adriatic that lasts for hours after the wind drops, as the sailing magazine Yacht explains, and Croatia's weather service DHMZ forecasts it well. That's the trap: a day can look calm in Split while leftover swell still rolls into Biševo.

Day Trips' listing puts it plainly: the cave may close when the southern jugo blows. Speed Line, Toto Travel and Gray Line all write the same caveat into their small print.

How often is the Blue Cave closed?

Rarely in July, more often in May and October. Nobody publishes a closure count.

The hvar.com Blue Cave guide, written by an operator that runs the trip, says closures are rare in July and common enough in May and October to plan around. Guest reviews back that up: two October 2026 reviews of Valiant's tour mention a skipped cave. Salty Experience's listing has reviews from closed days too.

The cave itself doesn't post daily status online. The Komiža tourist board lists its phone number, +385 91 463 3330, which is the most direct way to ask.

Speedboats waiting in a small rocky cove on Biševo while people change boats — Mezuporat, where the concession makes the call each day.

When is the best month to visit the Blue Cave?

Early to mid September: warm sea, fewer boats than August and, from 11 September, the cheaper EUR 18 ticket. July is the safest bet for an open cave.

Sea temperature and rain days are 1991 to 2020 averages for Split (climate data); queues and closures from hvar.com.

Month	Sea	Rain days	Adult ticket	Queues and closures
April	13.8 °C	10.4	EUR 18	Few tours run; cool for swimming
May	17.3 °C	9.4	EUR 18	Lightest queues; closures more common
June	21.1 °C	7.8	EUR 18, then 24 from 20 Jun	Queues build from late June
July	23.2 °C	5.1	EUR 24	Closures rare; busy, waits of an hour
August	23.6 °C	4.6	EUR 24	Busiest; up to 90 min in the last fortnight
September	21.7 °C	8.2	EUR 24, then 18 from 11 Sep	The best compromise
October	19.3 °C	9.3	EUR 18	Quieter; closures more common; season ends 31 Oct

If you only get one chance, July gives the best odds of an open cave and a flat sea. If you can live with a bit more risk, September is the better trip. The 2027 season post has early booking advice for next year.

What time of day is best for the Blue Cave?

Late morning, roughly 11:00 to 12:00, on a sunny day. Cloud and low sun dull the blue.

The glow comes from sunlight entering through an underwater opening and reflecting off the white floor, so it depends on the sun's height. Wikipedia gives 11:00 to 12:00, hvar.com 11:00 to 13:00, and the Komiža tourist board a wider 10:00 to 14:00 depending on season.

You don't choose the hour on a Split tour. Every operator makes the cave its first stop, and your slot depends on the queue at Mezuporat. A sunny day matters more than the exact minute.

Wooden boat with visitors inside the glowing blue cave — Late-morning sun gives the deepest blue.

How do you know if the Blue Cave is open today?

Your crew finds out from Mezuporat, often that morning. Check the DHMZ marine forecast the day before for southerly wind.

The day before: look at the DHMZ marine forecast, issued in Split, for south-easterly (jugo) wind and the sea state. Strong jugo the day before can leave swell behind.
The night before: Valiant and Speed Line confirm your time by WhatsApp. Ask about the cave then.
On the day: the skipper hears from Biševo. Sometimes the answer only comes on the way out.

If the whole tour is cancelled for weather, every operator here offers a new date or a full refund.

What happens to your tour if the Blue Cave is closed?

The tour runs anyway with another stop instead. The tour price isn't refunded, but you don't pay the cash cave ticket.

Speed Line says its captain tries to offer an alternative; Day Trips switches to an alternative island-hopping route; Toto Travel visits other places. A closed cave isn't a weather cancellation, so it doesn't trigger the refund.

Guests on those days are often surprisingly positive. One October 2026 guest wrote that "Luka offered us several interesting and fantastic alternatives." On Day Trips, where the ticket is in the price, ask how a closed cave is handled; Full Suitcase notes that reputable operators refund the cave part.

Book a tour that keeps a good day going even without the cave: Komiža, Stiniva, Budikovac and Hvar.

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Should you book the Blue Cave early in your stay?

Yes. Book it for your first or second day in Split, so a cancelled or closed day leaves room to try again.

Every tour has free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so booking early costs nothing. If the sea turns on your date, you can move it. Hvar.com notes that rescheduling is easier in June and September than in August, when boats fill up.

On the last day of a trip there's no second chance. Don't put the Blue Cave there.

Blue Cave, Hvar & 5 Islands by Speed Line

Same five-island loop, a captain who looks for an alternative when the cave shuts, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

★ 4.9 · 10.5 hours · from $90

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Is the Blue Cave open in October and in winter?

Open until 31 October, at the EUR 18 rate. From November to March there are no scheduled visits.

The season runs from about April to October. October brings a warm sea (around 19 °C on average), quieter queues and the cheaper ticket, but more closures and shorter days. Gray Line's boats leave at 8:00 in October. The last weeks of 2026 are covered in the October 2026 post.

Frequently asked questions

What is the jugo wind?

A warm south to south-easterly wind on the Adriatic. It brings cloud and rain and builds a swell that can last for hours after the wind drops, which is what closes the Blue Cave.

Can you swim into the Blue Cave when it is closed?

No. Swimming in the cave is never allowed, and the only access is by the licensed tenders from Biševo.

Is the Blue Cave better in the morning or the afternoon?

Late morning, roughly 11:00 to 12:00, when the sun is high enough to light the cave from below.

Do I get a refund if the Blue Cave is closed?

Not for the tour, which runs with another stop. You don't pay the cash cave ticket. If the whole tour is cancelled for weather, you get a new date or a refund.

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