While Europe is suffering from the heat and crowds of tourists in the midst of the holiday season, there are still places where you can get away from it all. Why not take a less overused route than Greece, Italy or Spain, and explore the best beaches in Albania? You’ll be surprised by how many beautiful beaches there are with our Albania beach guide!
How to Get Around
The best way to explore Albania beaches is on a road trip, starting from Ksamil to the border with Montenegro, enjoying the unique nature of the country.
For the trip, it’s best to rent a car for 30 to 50 euros per day and travel at your own pace. Don’t try to see every beach in one trip! It’s better to choose the most beautiful ones and plan your overnight stay, also allowing time for random bays and beautiful stops along the way.
Ksamil: Instagrammable but Touristy
Ksamil is a small town on the southern coast of the country that features Albania’s most famous beach with a view of the islands, covered in lush greenery as a backdrop. Besides, you can explore them in a rented kayak.
Travel Tip: Are you looking for the secluded spots beyond the crowds? Lori Beach is a hidden gem, the calmest and quietest among Ksamil’s beaches.
Mirror Beach: Short Break After Ksamil
Mirror Beach, a compact beach protected by cliffs, is located a few kilometers north of Ksamil. The water here is amazingly clear, and ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
Travel Tip: The breathtaking Shpella e Pëllumbave cave is a special place of the surrounding coastline, being one of the most beautiful places in Albania. One more secluded place in just a few minutes’ ride is Pulëbardha beach, which has sun loungers and restaurants.
Saranda: Beach and Travel Hub
Saranda is a major tourist destination in the south. As for the beach, it’s clean and well-equipped, but still urban. The place is valuable not because of the beach, but because it’s an easy gateway to Greece.
Travel Tip: Saranda is your choice if you want to combine two countries in one trip, because you can take a ferry from Saranda directly to Corfu, and reach it within 35-70 minutes. What can be better than to have breakfast in Albania in the morning, and a few hours later eat moussaka and meze at a seaside taverna in Greece!
Bunec: Perfect Half a Day Getaway
Bunec Beach is a great idea for the stop after Saranda. The shoreline is divided into two parts by a mountain stream, on the other side of which is Lukova Beach. You may find a spectacular viewpoint above Bunec, accessible from the main road, not from the beach itself.
Travel Tip: Arrive after lunch and stay until sunset, as Bunec offers stunning views of the Ionian Sea.
Borsh: Wide Beach and Castle
The next stop on the route is Borsh, with a coastline stretching for approximately 7 kilometers and surrounded by green mountains and olive groves. The beach has typical resting areas with sun beds, cafés and bars, as well as stretches of wild beach, being suitable for all categories of travellers.
Travel Tip: You should dedicate some time to the old Borsh Castle and visit the historic Albanian village of Qeparo nearby. The village is an ancient stone settlement, safely kept till nowadays. It’s one of those places where time seems to pass more slowly. You’ll take your best photos with a panorama of Albania Riviera here!
Porto Palermo: A Cozy Bay and Historic Fortress
Porto Palermo is one of the most beautiful beaches in Albania. A former submarine base is located in the northern part of the bay. The entrance to the U-boat bunker is closed to tourists, but the cave with its enormous gate can be clearly seen from the road.
Travel Tip: Explore the Castle Ali Pasha Tepelena Porto Palermo and then have a walk along the shore to find rocky platforms for swimming.
Himarë: Albania Beyond the Guidebooks
Himarë can be a central stop for further exploration of numerous secluded beaches nearby. Let’s have a closer look at the main ones.
Filikuri: A Secluded Bay
Filikuri can be a place for your own exploration, because the descent to the water is challenging, so tourists rarely go there. But it’s still better to come here early in the morning. You can also get here by kayak, but you must first go to Potam.
Llaman: A Deep Blue Bay
The specific feature of Llaman is noticeably deeper water in comparison to the rest of the Albanian coast. The most interesting swimming spots with fish and sea urchins are closer to the cliffs!
Jale: Beach and Party
During the day, Jale is a small, beautiful bay, but its character radically changes in the evening, when young people come here to visit the bars and listen to music, turning it into an entire open party area.
Livadhi: A Large and Comfortable Beach
Livadhi has plenty of space, bars, and amenities, making it popular for locals, who come here with children. At the same time, you can walk from here to Aquarium Bay, a small natural swimming spot.
Travel Tip: Try local pancakes, prepared according to the traditional recipe with honey and white cheese.
Gjipe: Beach and Canyon
Gjipe Beach is one of Albania’s most spectacular beaches, located at the end of a deep canyon. The best way to get there is to rent a boat from Himara, or by hiking, because the trail is super rocky. Besides, part of the canyon is available for exploration.
Dhërmi, Palasa, and Drymades: Classic Beach Rest
People come to Dhërmi, Drymades, and Palasa for the vibrant nightlife and wild foam parties. Basically, it’s Albanian Ibiza. There’s also camping and volleyball courts.
Grama Bay: A Dedicated Day Adventure
Grama Bay, located on the Karaburun Peninsula, is not similar to any other Albanian beach. Grama Bay has many ancient caves with inscriptions from different historical periods, starting from the third century BC!
Travel Tip: The best option is to dedicate a day to a boat trip here, making sure to visit Dafina Bay. Bring a snorkeling mask, as the underwater world here is vibrant.
Vlorë: A Different Albania
Vlorë is a milestone on the way that marks the boundary between the Ionian and Adriatic Seas. High cliffs end in Vlora, being changed by long, sandy beaches. Must-see places of Vlora are Narta and Zvërnec Island, ideal for slow exploration.
Travel Tip: Be sure to reach Zvërnec Island, home to the famous St. Mary’s Monastery. A wooden pedestrian bridge approximately 270 meters long from the shore of Narta Lagoon is for your service.
Durrës, Currila, Kallmi, and Spille: A Northern Alternative to the Riviera
Durrës is a classic large urban resort with restaurants and hotels for any budget. If you prefer less crowded places, further north lies the more secluded Spille, a long sandy beach backed by a pine forest.
Travel Tip: If you have a couple of days in Durres, you should add Currila and Kallmi to your Albanian Riviera itinerary. Come here for a sunset with a glass of local wine.
Shëngjin and Velipojë: Almost Montenegro
Shëngjin is a logical place to end your Riviera trip or continue it to Montenegro. This large resort has a vibrant summer life, much like Velipojë, which is known for its wide sandy beach and open Adriatic Sea.
Takeaways
Exploring the Albanian Riviera beaches becomes much more enjoyable when you leave space for adventure and stop trying to find one perfect beach. Instead, you can rent a car, choose a few key spots, and leave space for adventure.
As we know, the best memories are often associated not with places on the map, but with random off-route stops, taken just because you noticed an incredibly blue sea between the trees. What’s especially nice is that you can explore the Albanian beaches until mid-October, when the weather is still sunny, but without summer heat.
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Read more about Albania here in Dispatches’ archives.
See more from Galyna here.
Galyna Rogovska is a travel expert with extensive experience in content creation. She is an enthusiastic globetrotter who has visited 25-plus countries, and an explorer with a passion for adventure.
