Want to know the best beaches in Albania for your trip? In this guide, we’ve shared our favourites with tips on choosing the best for your travel style, base, day trips, and budget.
It was talk of an Italy of the 1970s which drew us toward Albania in the first place.
Wild, natural coves and isolated stretches nestled in the foothills of lush, green mountains, with water the shade of blue you dream about on dark wintry nights at home.
Comparisons with its neighbour across the Adriatic, as well as the Greek islands, are often made by travellers, with the selling points being that the beaches of Albania are less known, less crowded, and far more affordable for travellers.
For many of you, it may also be the beaches of Albania - rather than its mountains and history - which pushed the country right up to the top of your travel plans.
In search of the most beautiful and enjoyable, we dedicated six days of our two-week road trip to beach-hopping north to south down the coastline.
What we found delivered on parts of the promise, but various developments in infrastructure and popularity led to quite a different experience on the ‘Albanian Riviera’ than we expected.
Understanding those differences in advance is key to making the most of your own trip there.
The good news is that the Albanian coastline really is stunning, and there's something for everyone: gorgeous remote coves at the end of a dusty road and sprawling holiday resorts packed with parasols’ some that can't be reached without your own car or a long walk from the bus stop and others only accessible by boat; those for backpackers and wild campers, and those catering to families or the wealthier local set.
The bad news is Albania’s beaches can no longer be lazily promoted as an off-the-beaten-track discovery or ‘cheap holiday’ pick. In peak summer, many of the best are crowded and dominated by private beach clubs which can charge more than Italy or Greece, with free beach cut down to a sliver. Indeed, some travellers will be surprised to learn just how exclusive and pricey parts of the Albanian Riviera are, and the reasons underpinning that.
Some have changed so much in the last five years, that what you’ve seen and read online may no longer be relevant.
Their evolution and growing popularity is both understandable and inevitable, but it's not something to cause undue concern or make you change your plans entirely. Instead, it's heads up that a beach holiday in Albania requires a bit more context, planning, and discernment to get it right for your trip, travel style, and budget.
In this post, as well as sharing our totally subjective take on the best beaches in Albania, that's exactly what we're going to help you with. We've listed all our personal favourites as well as the advice we wish we'd known beforehand, alongside the essential details on the amenities, accommodation, and transport connections you can expect at each.
With it, you'll be able to pick the best beaches for your trip - and know which to skip - and give yourself the best possible experience of this unquestionably beautiful coastline.
This our guide to the best beaches in Albania.
A Guide to Discovering the Best Beaches in Albania
Albania Beaches | The Essentials
Where To Find The BEst Beaches
Albania is embraced by the Adriatic Sea to the north and the Ionian Sea to the south.
The very best beaches are found in the southern section, generally known as the ‘Albanian Riviera’ (Bregu to the locals) or the ‘Albanian Ionian Sea Coast’. Strict geographic definitions vary, but for ease we’ll say this starts at the city of Vlorë in the north and ends at Butrint National Park in the south.
There are large sandy beaches in the north, particularly and around the city of Durres, but those don’t have the signature blues and landscapes most of you will be hoping for.
The majority of Albania's southern beaches, coves, and bays aren’t covered by soft, powdery golden sand, but rather fine stone or pebble. You shouldn’t be put off by that fact, as some of the pebble is so fine that it’s practically sand, and most are still comfortable to lay your towel down for a few hours.
When To Go
As with the rest of Europe’s beach destinations, peak summer season is July - August.
Many locals understandably take their summer holiday on the coast here and this level of domestic tourism, coupled with increasing number of foreign tourists each year, means that it’s now more important than ever to anticipate the busier beaches and impact summer holiday crowds have on prices and enjoyability.
We explain more about the best time to visit in 23 Things To Know Before You Visit Albania but, for the coast you will notice a big difference if you visit outwith those peak months.
WHERE to stay for the best albanian beaches
In terms of where to stay on the Albanian Riviera, several beach towns and resorts offer a good range of accommodation for all budgets, and are ideally situated for day trips to the remote bays that have no accommodation on or near them.
The most common picks are Himarë, Drymades, Dhermi, Jale, Borsch,Sarandë and Ksamil, but some offer more in terms of vibe, restaurants, value, and accommodation choice than others. We’ve shared hotel, hostel and Airbnb picks for each, as well as more advice, in the specific explainer for each beach.
We chose two costal bases - Himarë and Ksamil - with three nights in each town. The rationale - well established from lots of previous road trips - was that it would be better to explore from a base rather than having to pack + unpack several times. As Albania’s best beaches are also quite clustered together and often less than a 20-minute drive apart, from those two it was also pretty easy to beach hop to a few to pick out the best one for the day, or have a taster of each for a few hours.
It’s equally possible to choose accommodation backing onto a more remote beach or resort, but we absolutely recommend having a rental car if that’s your plan.
We’ve shared more specific recommendations for those beaches we think are the best picks for a few nights of holiday relaxation in a gorgeous setting or those to use a base for day trips. For our long-time readers looking to choose which base to prioritise, we’re pretty sure you’ll prefer the vibe of Himarë and its nearby beaches over Ksamil.
Understand Private Beach Clubs
If you've spent a summer in Italy, you'll be prepared for the biggest, most divisive and most important feature of the Albanian coastline.
Many of you will be familiar with pictures of rows of tightly packed sun-loungers paired with bright, colourful umbrellas, all laid out with hypnotically perfect precision and repetition - that's a beach club, and they are very common in Albania.
Private businesses, you have pay for an umbrella and sun beds in order to enter that area of beach and enjoy their facilities. There's often a restaurant or bar attached, service, and you’re usually not permitted to bring in your own food + drink.
They are sometimes very basic, affordable, and only cover a small section of a beach, but in some of Albania's best beaches they dominate the space available and cost more than you'd expect; in our July 2023 trip, you could find a few for €10-€15 but €20-35 was more common. At some of the fancier beach clubs, you’re talking €50 for two beds in the best spot and up to €120 for their VIP option!
(that’s not a typo - and any drinks and food consumed are charged in addition)
As we've written in the 'The Art of The Italian Lido', it took us a few years to get used to beach clubs and understand the benefits they have; when you're looking for comfortable full day out at the beach with facilities and service, they're actually great.
However, in Albania, their coverage on some popular beaches is far too dense and widespread, to the extent that little to no free, public sections of beach remain for those preferring to just lay their towel down somewhere - and it can be a real challenge to find where it is.
In Ksamil, for example, it’s 100% coverage and you should forget about finding anywhere to go that's not a beach club. The town’s surrounding bays are unfortunately overwhelmed by them as well, with the clubs taking up 90-95% of the available area. Certain wild, natural beaches in this list would undoubtedly be much better if they had no clubs on them, but the cultural trend seems to be toward more clubs and some previously popular beaches being turned into private resorts.
Understanding Albania’s beach club culture and how they operate in advance is pivotal and will save you a good deal of shock, befuddlement, and irritation.
We think you need to factor in at least one beach club day into your trip and budget, more if you’re heading there for a specific beach hopping holiday. Depending on the beach, the club, and the sun bed line and type you choose, expect to pay €10 to €50 for two sun beds and an umbrella in July-August. Prices in the ‘shoulder season’ months of May-late June and then September, will be lower generally. We’ve shared examples of costs throughout, with some in the local currency and some in Euro.
In peak summer, the best clubs will have most of their beds booked out in advance, and you won’t get a good spot in high season if you don’t do that too or turn up at 9am. Some of the beach clubs in Albania are so exclusive and focused on wealthy locals, that they won’t accept your reservation or will claim to have never received it if you don’t fit the bill on arrival. Some cater to a younger crowd, some are more family-friendly, and some are perfectly no-frills.
Annoyingly, despite the prices charged, many don’t offer facilities or services to match with some of the surliest employees you’ll encounter, no card payments accepted, and no showers or bathrooms for clients. The first and second row of sunbeds is always the most expensive, with prices cheaper the further back you go. If you’re planning for some serious beach time, it’s also worth knowing some hotels have specified areas reserved for their guests, with your bed + umbrella included in your price, and it’s a good idea in a place like Dhermi to factor this in when choosing your accommodation.
Lastly, the rate for a sun bed is the same irrespective of how long you plan to occupy it i.e. don’t expect a discount if you turn up just for the morning or afternoon. This is most frustrating if you’re doing a beach hop day, and planning on only a few hours at each beach where the free, public sections are limited. Of course, your negotiation ability depends on time of year, crowds, the club, and your charm.
Know Your Free Beach
When we say ‘free beach’ we mean those areas where you’re able lay your own towel or chair down. All of our favourite beaches in and around Himarë have ample space for this, whilst many in and around Ksamil only offer a sliver.
For the avoidance of doubt, you can walk in front, through, and past the clubs’ sun beds to access the sea or elsewhere on the beach - and some will have bars / restaurants open to the public as well - but you can’t simply plonk yourself down in them or in front of them.
For those backpacking on a tight budget, or who simply prefer this approach, knowing whether a beach ih in Albania actually has free, public sections available is important; thankfully there are several gems for you in this post and we’ve made it clear which are the best options for ‘non-beach club’ patrons.
It planning a full day on the free, public beach area at some of the most popular in summer, it’s a good idea to turn up early to get yourself a place.
Camping & Jeeps
Next, and on the seemingly contradictory end of the scale given what we've just said, wild camping is permitted in Albania, and you'll often see tents set up on the free, public sections of beach.
Locals also like to drive 4x4s and campervans on to certain beaches for the day.
This is a great idea in theory, but there are drawbacks for other visitors when more remote, small coves are taken up by a handful of unsightly tents, or too many vehicles are parked up on limited public beach areas. However, for some travellers, the ability to sleep in beautiful spots for free will be very very welcome - please just make sure you are responsible and leave no trace.
Whilst we’re here, we should also mention that topless sunbathing isn’t done in Albania.
Accessibility + Transport
Lastly, whilst some of Albania’s best beaches are accessible by public transport or on foot from towns, several are only possible to reach with your own rental car, a boat, or a decent walk along a bumpy, dusty road from the car park or main road.
Not all will be feasible for travellers with limited mobility or accessibility requirements.
If you’re renting a car, you will be able to reach all of the beaches we’ve listed here but several require a bumpy ride along a narrow, dusty downhill road. For a couple of our favourite remote ones, you’ll have to do a bit of walking from the car park.
Parking is sometimes free for everyone or the clients of a beach club, hotel, or restaurant, but the only option at many will be a private car park charging up to 500 lek for the day. In 7 Things To Know Before Driving in Albania, we’ve got more advice.
Otherwise, the public bus network is quite regular and well connected along the coast, and will drop you off in or near most of our favourite beaches. However, for the remote ones, you’ll have to walk a decent distance in the sunshine from the main road drop-off point. We’ve included advice where we can for bus connections for specific beaches, but feel free to share your costs + routes in the comments to help out travellers like you!
In terms of the boat trips, these are very popular in Himarë and Sarandë, and are the only way to access Grama Bay and Krorëza; however, many of these tours acts as more of a ‘sightseeing’ trip to look at each for ten minutes before having a couple of hours on a single beach, so you have to choose carefully.
Top Tip // If you’re based here for a holiday or want the freedom to discover the more remote beaches, you’ll need your own wheels. We rarely go direct when hiring our road trip vehicles, instead preferring to use two popular rental aggregators to compare costs and find the best deal. The two companies we use are AutoEurope and RentalCars - both of which we have had excellent experiences with.
Read our Two-Week Albania Itinerary for more inspiration for your road trip or our Essential Guide To Driving in Albania
MAP OF THE BEST BEACHES IN albania
If you scroll down, you’ll find in-depth descriptions of our favourite beaches in Albania (including ideal bases from which to explore them and how to get there), but for a quick guide that’s useful when trying to plot out your itinerary, we’ve created this little map.
Note that the city beaches of Durrës, Vlorë and Sarandë did not make it onto our list.
We’ll now shut up and get to the beaches, plotted north to south.
PalasëS & Drymades Beaches
This long stretch of neighbouring beaches is the first you’ll encounter after the unforgettable and unmissable bum-clenching drive down the Llogara Pass (Google Maps)
Quite wild and open in parts, and actually a little difficult to differentiate one from the other, they’re composed of coarse sand and small pebbles. Large swathes are designated ‘free beach’ which means they’re a very popular choice for those that prefer to avoid the clubs, but the duo aren’t our favourites in this part of the coast.
The further to the right you go toward Palasës (maps), the more isolated it is, but one important thing to note is the amount of building works currently taking place behind and at the end of it. This meant our impressions of Palasës were mixed, but an Albanian reader let us know that it’s actually one of their favourites, so we assume that this may be a new thing; hopefully it will improve in the future but we’re putting our on money on the likelihood of the wild appeal being gradually erased as the luxury villas of Green Coast and others are completed. Do let us know in the comments how it pans out…
Drymades Beach (maps), which has a larger number of beach clubs, hotels, and restaurants also looks like it’s tipping toward a higher-end resort market, would be perfectly fine for a day but we personally wouldn’t recommend it as a base over several others nearby.
Type of Beach | A mix of coarse sand and small-medium pebbles.
Parking | If you arrive early in the day or in the off-season you’ll likely be able to find dusty roadside parking right next to the beach, and we recommend this free spot for the biggest free beach section of Drymades (maps)
If not, your only option will be one of several paid parking areas, often attached to beach clubs. Note that some will insist that if you use their parking, that you’ll need to pay for their umbrellas/sun loungers too so be sure to clarify this before settling in.
Accessibility | Super accessible as only a short flat walk from wherever you park, to wherever you set up on the sand.
Facilities | Large sections of free beach but a number of beach clubs. Most charge in the region of €20-30, but newer, fancier ones are in the €50 range. A collection of restaurants line the opposite side of the road, and there’s a few mini markets.
Stay | If staying at either beach, you need a rental car and to really love your accommodation. Hildon Eco Hotel and Abonora Drymades both caught our eye.
There are also quite a few Airbnbs available - check them out here.
Things to Know // You’ll also find a lot of camper and 4x4 vehicles on the sand during the peak summer season. Do not attempt to drive on to this beach if you don’t have the appropriate vehicle as we saw one regular car get stuck!
Keep Reading // 13 Wonderful Things To Do in Albania (published soon)
Dhermi Beach
Located at the foothills of the eponymous historic village, Dhermi Beach has grown to become one of the region’s most well known beach resorts with countless clubs, restaurants, and hotels along the 2+ kilometre long stretch of sand.
There’s no denying that it’s pretty here, with sparkling, clear water and some of the nicest sections of free beach and beach club we saw along the whole coast, and it didn’t feel overly cramped or congested either.
It may be too developed and '‘holiday resort-y’ in parts to be the best base for some, but we think this is a great shout if you’re looking for a vacation destination or a day trip beach.
Type of Beach | Dhermi beach is super long and offers a mix of small pebbles and coarse sand, with several free, public sections. Note it’s also referred to as Dhërmiu Beach and Plazhi I Dhërmiut.
Parking | For your GPS, make sure to the put in the specific beach location (maps) rather than the old Dhermï village up the hill (maps)
There are an abundance of private parking facilities charging around 400 lek for the day and, unless you arrive super early or off-season, it’s worth paying this for the convenience. Many of the beach clubs include free parking areas for their guests and, if you’re planning to pay for a bed + umbrella, it’s worth selecting a club that includes a space.
It appears to be free to park on the tarmac road that leads down the hill to the beach (maps), but we were moved on by the passing police on a busy Saturday, despite other cars already being parked up. It’s possible this was because it was super busy and they wanted to keep more of the road free, rather than not being permitted year-round.
Continue down that hill toward the beach, and there’s a small area of free parking and turning space on the flat, whilst the narrow road continues toward some hotels, limited free roadside parking, and some private beach club parking (maps). We would specifically recommend day-trippers arriving in peak summer or weekends to avoid going beyond the small area to turn at the bottom or to chance their luck by continuing onward to look for a free space; it becomes completely gridlocked and very challenging to navigate. The chance of your rental vehicle suffering an accidental knock or scratch is eye-wateringly high!
Accessibility | This is an easily accessible beach with most of the car parks located just behind the hotels and restaurants that line the beach, or up the hill.
Facilities | There are an abundance of hotels, beach clubs, shops and restaurants along Dhermi Beach, with several decent-sized sections of free beach in good areas; these are clearly marked / reserved with signage.
If arriving for the day, we’d head toward the southernmost section where the crowds thinned out and it had a more secluded feel, with the most incredible water. Some of the beach club areas here are reserved for hotel guests, but the colourful Nanostax - which for some reason we can’t find on Google Maps - is a good shout for day trippers.
If you’re not watching the pennies, then consider the Rosè by Havana beach club / bar (maps). It’s accessed by the small wooden walkway at the end of the beach and hidden in its own little cove.
Good Base | If you’re looking for a fly and flop holiday destination in Albania, we think Dhermi Beach is one of the best options. The beach itself is really great, several hotels provide free beds and umbrellas, there’s ample free beach, and you’ll never struggle for somewhere to eat.
One of our top picks would be Palladium which has reserved sunbeds exclusively for guests at the gorgeous, southernmost section of the beach but Alevra is another popular and highly-rated choice.
You can check out the all the Airbnbs apartments and stays on Dhermi beach here.
If planning a stay, note that several hotels and guesthouses are situated up the hill from the beach, and therefore require a short walk down and an uphill walk back. This shouldn’t be an issue for many of you though, and the Elysium Hotel even offers golf-car shuttles down/up for guests.
Gjipe Beach
Whilst Gjipe is in no way an off-the-beaten-path destination, the fact that you have to park up and then walk a fair distance along a dusty road to reach it does keep a loose lid on overall visitor numbers and allows you to have a slightly more wild beach day.
For this reason, Gjipe is definitely one of our favourite beaches in Albania.
Type of Beach | A relatively small cove of coarse sand towards the sea and small pebbles as you head further away. Majority is free beach with no beach clubs.
Parking | You can find Gjipe beach here on Google Maps.
From the main road, follow the signs and you’ll turn onto a good condition single-track paved road. There are passing places but they’re quite spread out, so go slow and be aware that you may need to reverse at various times in order to let others by (we had to reverse a ridiculous distance at one point when departing). There are also large buses using this road.
After a few minutes’ drive you’ll reach a large dusty carpark (maps) which seems to be split across several owners - you’ll usually be approached by whoever owns your section upon exiting the car. If it’s busy, they’ll direct you to a space.
Parking for between 0 and 12 hours cost 300 lek (cash only), with overnight rates available for camper vans or those planning to pitch a tent down on the beach.
If you have a 4WD and wish to camp on the beach, you can drive down to it but note that the road is in very poor condition and we would not advise this for any rental cars.
In terms of arriving here by bus, I’m afraid we don’t know the best option apart from getting dropped off on the main road by the Himarë - Sarande service and walking all the way, so let us know in the comments if there’s a better way.
Accessibility | From the carpark it is an enjoyable 20-30 minute walk along a dusty road down to the beach. Due to this, Gjipe beach is not recommended for those with poor mobility or those with lots of young children. Keep an eye out for a couple of bunkers and viewpoints along the way!
Facilities | There are three or four restaurants at the back of beach, that also sell takeaway drinks and snacks. The vast majority of the beach is public and free and, due to the lack of shade, we’d recommend bring your own sunshade if settling in for the day. There are semi-permanent umbrellas you can rent here (unsure on the price, sorry), but whilst we saw stacks of sunbeds at the back of the beach nobody was using them. Thankfully beach clubs aren’t really a concept that has been adopted down here!
There’s also kayak rental for €10/hour if you wish to explore the various caves and small bays.
Good Base | There are no hotels, hostels or guesthouses on Gjipe, with overnights stays only possible if you’re camping. There’s the Gjipe Eco Campground if you prefer that over wild camping, which offers basic facilities and charges €4 for a pitch as well as tents for rent. Note that you’ll have to carry your stuff down the road from the parking if opting to stay on Gjipe overnight.
Top Tip // If you arrive at the beach in low season or early in the morning, walk to the far end where you’ll find the perfect little nook of a cove for a more secluded beach day!
Jale Beach
Driving a few minutes off the main highway, the hidden resort of Jale beach emerges like a summer mirage; line after parallel line of perfect thatched parasols following the curve of a sandy bay.
The water is divine, and given the beach’s location within a bay, super calm and clear.
An important thing to note is that this beach is a little more geared towards a younger crowd, with most bars and beach clubs competing to be heard with loud music and sometimes live DJs; ideal if you love a party atmosphere, less so if you want a relaxing day at the beach.
Type of Beach | Another busy resort beach like Dhermi, but its location within a relatively small, curved cove means Jale Beach has a slightly more intimate, exclusive feel to it.
For those that don’t plan on using the lidos, it’s important to note that there is only a small section of free beach available.
Parking | Find Jale Beach / Plazhi I Jalës here on Google Maps, and you’ll reach it after a drive down a winding road.
Free on-street parking is available in the general vicinity but is very likely to be unavailable if arriving after 10 am in summer. There are however several private carparks charging 500 lek per day, and the Soleil Hotel complex offers free parking for guests.
Accessibility | Very accessible.
Facilities | There several hotels, restaurants, bars and beach clubs running along and behind Jale Beach. As mentioned, the demographic trends quite young and sun beds are in the €10-30 range.
Good Base | Due to its own beach and proximity to a couple of really cool, rustic nearby bays, Jale is a good shout for an alternative base to Himarë.
Unfortunately however there are actually very few accommodation options along the seafront, and those that do exist aren’t nearly as luxurious as their advertising imagery may suggest. For example Soleil Hotel, touted as the main option if you’re looking for luxury, has really quite dreadful reviews - Folie Marine Beach Hotel Club is a better alternative.
If you don’t care for high-end accommodation and just want to have immediate access to a beautiful beach, consider instead opting for Social Camping JAL which offers basic but comfortable cabins and space to pitch your own tent.
Guma Beach
A short drive or walk from Jale, you’ll find a pair of our secluded favourites right next to each other. Despite their proximity, there’s a couple of differences to note and a major point on access, so we’ve listed them separately for you.
First up is Guma / Playa Ksabni.
Type of Beach | A tiny cove of largish pebbles that’s public and relatively secluded, but can feel less so if there are 4WDs and vans parked up on the small area of beach (seriously, just park it up the road and walk down guys!) or too many tents set up.
Parking | You can find Guma beach here on Google Maps.
From Jale, it’s about an easy enough 30-minute walk from the beach.
To access it by car, your best bet is to drive to Jale and take the turning along an uneven narrow track to reach this small cleared area of dirt (maps); it may not look like a carpark if there are no other cars, but we assure you it is! It’s free and there’s room for 20 or so well-parked vehicles, or 10 badly parked ones.
From there, it’s a 5-minute walk along the dusty road to Guma.
If you continue driving, there is a much smaller area for parking closer to the beach, but this involves driving along a section of dirt road that is in very bad condition and we would highly recommend against doing so unless you have a high clearance 4x4 vehicle. In a rental car, it’s just asking for trouble and we unfortunately saw one chap who had attempted this in a small Fiat and got a punctured petrol tank for his efforts.
Due to the nature of the access road, limited passing places and parking, it may be easier and quicker on summer weekends to roadside park near the turn-off in Jale then walk down, rather than having to turn back or get gridlocked.
Accessibility | If you have limited mobility, it will be necessary to go to the car park we recommend and walk down. Note that the trail is a little uneven.
Facilities | There’s a cool little restaurant on the beach that offers up cold drinks, beers and fresh fish all day, every day in summer. For €30 you can get two fish, chips and a large salad. Apart from that, you’ll need to bring everything with you.
Stay | There’s no a accommodation on or beside the beach, so you are best to stay in Jale or visit on a day trip from Himarë or Dhermi.
Aquarium Beach
Visiting Albania in peak summer, it can often feel like the entire country is at the beach with you.
Paired with the love of beach clubs and facilities can make the atmosphere of some feel a little divorced from the spectacular, natural beauty that abounds along this section of coast.
It’s rare to find a small, hidden away cove in Albania that you can walk to, rather than only access by boat, but little Aquarium is the perfect exception.
Type of Beach | A combination of sand and small pebbles, it’s really quite tiny so has a wonderfully intimate feeling. There are also rocks you can commandeer if the sand is too packed.
Park | You can find Aquarium Beach here on Google Maps.
Simply follow the same instructions as above for Guma, but walk a little further along the dusty road to arrive at Aquarium!
Facilities | Gloriously, absolutely none. Bring everything with you if here for the day, although you could nip back to Guma Beach for lunch.
Top Tip // Given the limited size, if you have your heart set on Aquarium Beach, we’d recommend getting there early to grab a great spot - and don’t forget your umbrella.
Check out our Albania itinerary to help plan your own!
Himarë
As mentioned, we were based in Himarë (maps) for three nights as we felt it was ideally situated to explore this section of coastline, and that was the right decision; all of the beaches mentioned above were a short drive from there.
A small coastal town with a beach, rather than a beach with a bit of modern development growing around it, it’s undoubtedly still a place where much life revolves around the summer season. However, the long stretch of free public beach is excellent, the range of accommodation will suit various budgets, and the atmosphere is enjoyable too.
There are fancier hotels and holiday resorts on the beaches we mentioned earlier, but for our travel style and budget, Himarë was a good fit, and we think it’ll be the preferred option for a number of our readers as well.
Indeed, every traveller we spoke to much preferred here to the more popular Ksamil.
Himarë is also the place to be if you’d like to join a sightseeing group boat trip to visit Grama Bay (map) and Sant Andreas Bay (maps), which some consider the best beaches in Albania but can only be accessed by sea or via a 10km hike from Palase that most won’t do and requires camping kit.
We’ve shared all the details and advice for your trip in our main travel guide to Himarë.
Stay | We stayed in this great little modern Airbnb with balcony views over the beach but if you’d prefer a hotel or guest house there are a number of really great options including Artis Blue Relax, Soñar en el Mar, Geo & Art Boutique Hotel Himara and Margarita Guesthouse.
Himare is also a great location for backpackers with a surprisingly large number of hostels in town; Himara Hostel and Himara Downtown Hostel are our two top picks.
You can find more accommodation options in our Himarë guide, or check out the available Airbnbs here.
Prinos & Potami Beach
Despite being based in Himarë, we very nearly missed what was on our doorstep!
Prinos and Potami are literally around the other side of the cliff, but we didn’t make it over until our final day: don’t make the same mistake!
A relatively long stretch of beach, the two seamlessly pass from one to another with little obvious demarcation. However, for some they may be more to your liking than Himarë’s main beach, especially if you’re just looking for a lazy lido day.
Type of Beach | A narrow beach of fine pebbles, with neatly organised straw parasols and sun beds. Prinos is the first section you’ll arrive at, and it’s more of a fancier enclave with various beach clubs, whilst Potami is more relaxed and has lots more free beach available, with a lovely little rocky cove with crystal clear water at the far end.
Parking | You can find Prinos beach here on Google Maps.
The main road parallel to it is much wider than other beaches, so it’s calmer and less congested on arrival than Himarë and many others. Decent options for free on-street parking as well. If you continue and turn right to reach Potami, the road does narrow quite a bit with fewer parking options and more congestion if several cars are are arriving/entering.
On foot, it’s straightforward 10-15 minute walk along the road from Himarë.
Facilities | The Prinos lidos we visited were charging 500 lek per person, so noticeably more affordable than those available in beaches to the north and south. The beach clubs thin out in Potami, and we’d go so far as to say it’s basically a free, public beach.
Stay | There are accommodation options backing on to Prinos and Potami but note that with the exception of Oniro in Sea & Sun, the standard is lower than around the corner at Himare.
Top Tip // With time on your hands, you may wish to be a bit more adventurous and kayak or walk/rope to the remote and unspoiled Filikuri Bay just round the hill from Potami (maps). Livadi Beach is close to Himarë but, whilst perfectly fine, we wouldn’t recommend it over these two or the city beach.
Qeparo Beach
Heading south, the road snakes around the green hills with miles of sea unfurled before you, and a few beautiful bays below to take your pick from.
Situated between the blue sea and a field of olive trees, Qeparo was closer to the beach experience we thought we’d find more often in Albania.
It doesn’t feel overly commercialised or crowded, and remains an integral part of the lovely natural setting. Wherever you are on the long beach, you can enjoy a calming vista with the Albanian hills to the left and right, and peaks of Corfu across the water.
A local told us the cute little promenade was only a year old, so perhaps it will change and more cookie-cutter construction will come, but for the moment it has the balance right.
Type of Beach | Long and narrow with white/grey medium-sized stones and pebbles (a towel may not cut it for some of you). Plenty of free beach, with some beach clubs.
Parking | You can find Qeparo beach here on Google Maps.
We went to this parking lot (maps) and paid 300 lek, and didn’t investigate alternative options! If you find a better free option, feel free to let us know in the comments.
Facilities | Lots of free beach, a few tasteful beach clubs and bars, as well as some restaurants. Remains affordable too.
If you’d prefer to bring snacks to the beach, your best bet is heading into the small village along the main road, a short walk from the beach.
Good Base | We’d classify Qeparo as a day trip destination primarily, but there are a handful of accommodation options along the beach. If you can get a good place and are happy with the more remote set up and drive up/down, then the more remote, natural setting may be perfect for your travel style but we’d say a rental car is 100% necessary.
Each beach has a small village at the top of the road with a mini-market or two.
Valta Hotel is a good option on the quiter far end of the beach, whilst there’s a cluster of guesthouses and small hotels on the left hand side - On The Rocks is our pick.
There are also various camp sites, as well as a surprising number of Airbnbs in Qeparo.
Top Tip // We may get pelters for this, but we don’t recommend the cluster of nearby Porto Palermo beaches. You’ll encounter them and the old castle before your reach Qeparo on the scenic drive from Himarë, and we had really high hopes after seeing several irresistible photos. However, the reality was less encouraging, with the main beach below the old castle (maps) seeing quite a bit of boat traffic, cars parked too close to the little beach, a busy road in sight, litter, and an ugly concrete marina forming a significant part of the view. A little further along the road, a couple of other Porto Palermo beaches looked like a better option from a distance, but the closer we got, the less inclined we were to spend the day there. They are totally free though, without a beach club in sight, and the water is lovely.
If heading to Porto Palermo, we think this is the best one but the one further along has easier roadside parking.
Borsh Beach
A favourite of many travellers, the 7 kilometre long Borsh Beach (the longest in southern Albania) is located a stone’s throw from Qeparo and has a similar setting amongst the green hills and olive groves.
However, after looking at photos taken just a couple of years ago it’s clear Borsh is a little further on the ‘development’ path as a beach destination than its neighbour. Thankfully it’s still at the early stages, and there are plenty of section of sand that are backed only by kilometres of green (especially towards the northern section).
If tempted to head here, we recommend checking out Qeparo first so you can pick which option fits your travel style most.
Type of Beach | Very long and relatively narrow (you won’t find a beach club with more than seven rows of parasols) with white/grey medium-sized stones and pebbles that’s really popular with families due to the shallow waters and calm waters. It’s vast length means that there are lots and lots of free beach.
Parking | You can find Borsh beach here on Google Maps.
From the main highway it’s a three kilometre drive through fields and olive groves before you reach Borsh Beach. You’ll find various paid parking lots for 300-500 lek which are ideal if you want to spend the entire day, but you can find free parking here if only popping by for an hour or two (just be aware that these spaces fill up very quickly in the summer months).
Carpe Diem Beach Bar & Restaurant offers free parking spaces for clients.
Facilities | Various affordable beach clubs (the vast majority charge just €10 - €15 for two loungers and a parasol) alongside several bars and restaurants.
Borsh village is located back up the hill, where you turn off the highway for the beach, so if you need any snacks etc be sure to stop on your way down.
Stay | Whilst we’d probably put Borsh Beach in the ‘day trip’ bracket, the growing development means it’s becoming an increasingly popular base for those looking to relax and enjoy a few days on the sand.
Top Tip // On this stretch of mountain road, there are lots of viewpoints to pull into on the right hand side, as well as panoramic bars and cafes for a pit-stop.
Buneci Beach
One of our absolute favourites, Buneci beach has a great vibe and offers a lot of different beach experiences depending where about along it you decide to throw your towel down.
The northern section is where the majority of people head, with two pebble bays hosting a handful of beach clubs and a shack bar or two. There’s also a little bit of free beach available either side of the concrete pier, which is a photogenic spot and ideal for jumping and fishing.
The free beach then extends much further out to the left, offering perhaps the longest uninterrupted stretch of free, public beach we saw in Albania, until it arrives the Taverna Nikolaos restaurant and private beach club (maps).
Whichever section you choose, we highly recommend checking this place out.
Type of Beach | Mix of pebble and sand.
Parking | You can find Buneci beach here on Google Maps.
It’s a very sharp turnoff from the highway, and you really do need to make certain you’re clear on both sides before committing to it. There are a couple of hairpins on the way down, then it’s a dusty road for a section (should be fine for your rental car but be cautious if you’ve got very low clearance).
There are lots of cars parked for free on the roadside down to Burec, as well as in small the central area you’ll arrive at if you continue down to the beach. There’s also the option for free parking on the narrow road running parallel to the free beach area, but this can only be done in a few spots.
We opted for the paid parking lot behind the mini-market, which you’ll see sign posted (400 or 500 lek for the day).
If unsure on where to settle for the day or hunting out a free space, you can continue along the narrow road to the Taverna, which has a large car park for clients but also offers the chance to turn around easily and head back toward the main area.
Accessibility | A short walk from the main car parks.
Facilities | A few restaurants, bars, and affordable beach clubs. We liked the drinks and atmosphere at Beach Bar Naza, which charges 1000 lek for two beds and an umbrella.
Stay | Hopefully there won’t be too much more development of accommodation here, as it would change the vibe that made it so enjoyable. There are a few options at the moment, including the highly-rated Bunec Beach Resort and Garden Villa Naza. We think this is a better pick for a couple of nights to enjoy it, rather than a base for coastal day trips.
There are also a few campsites, including Albania Glamping Bunec.
Lukova Beach
A really lovely beach, Plazhi I Lukovës offers a very good balance between free, public areas and beach clubs. There are no accommodation options here either, so that definitely supports the sense of atmosphere.
We think it’s a great pick for a full day at the beach in a wilder setting, particularly if you’re based in Sarandë or Ksamil.
Type of Beach | Little grey and white pebbles, with a decent amount of free beach.
Parking | You can find Lukova beach here on Google Maps. Note that there is a more empty and rustic neighbouring one of the same name (maps), but accessed by a different road.
The road down is tarmac and in good condition, but there are a few sharp turns and hairpins, with local drivers appearing at their most cautious. As we mention in our guide to driving in Albania, this isn’t often the case!
There are lots of free parking options if you’re going to have lunch at the same restaurant or rent beds at the beach club, so it’s something to bear in mind if you’re going to spend the day here. There are also paid options available at the first and last car parks.
Accessibility | From the car parks, it’s an easy walk to the beach.
Facilities | Several beach clubs and restaurants, with HI Lukovë the most popular. Expect to pay 1000-2000 for two sunbeds and an umbrella.
Good Base | No accommodation options.
Travel Tip // Kakoma Beach or Plazhi I Kakomës (maps) is just a little south of Lukova but when we visited in July 2023, it was closed off with a security guard, a gate, and a clear instruction that we could not enter this ‘private beach’. This is backed up by all accounts we’ve read since, and the construction work makes us feel this may become a resort-only beach in future. Do let us know if things change in the comments! Neighbouring Krorëza beach (maps) is deserted, undeveloped, and absolutely gorgeous, but only accessible by boat. It features on every single boat tour and is the beach most of them spend 2-3 hours at from about 10am onward. We think there is also a way to hike there and camp if you’re feeling adventurous, but the access road is blocked off for cars.
Ksamil Beach
As we mentioned at the top of the post, we’ve plotted out the best beaches of Albania running from north to south to make it as easy as possible for you to follow.
For the final four though, it’s necessary to start off with Ksamil via Sarandë.
Sarandë is a large, commercially developed beach resort town and cruise ship stop, and we felt instantly vindicated on our short visit that we chose not to base ourselves there. Some of you may make a different choice due to its reputation for nightlife, its better affordability than Ksamil, or the accommodation and free beaches available there, but many of you will be similarly put off by it.
That’s why we’ve skipped over Sarandë in this post and our two-week itinerary.
Also, just a 15-minute drive away is perhaps the most famous beach in the country, and the one which may have put the Albanian Riviera on your radar in the first place.
That’s why we chose Ksamil - touted as the ‘European Maldives - as our base for three nights, but we left with a very different impression to the one we arrived with.
It may once have been quite different, but today it is very much an in-demand holiday resort town with a lot of on-going development, a lot of money, and a lot of people packed under parasols on its attached beach. In peak summer, not an inch is available for the public for free, with beach clubs dominating the area and filling every available piece of imported sand.
On top of that, it’s the place for wealthy young locals to be seen and splash their cash, with prices at a few bars and beach clubs significantly higher than you’d expect, and the desired clientele absolutely not being a traveller who only wants to spend €40 on their beach day. Absolutely nothing wrong with it being a fancier, more exclusive spot for domestic tourism - and we made the most of it one day - but it’s not what many will expect from social media suggestions.
That doesn’t mean you should totally avoid Ksamil, as it’s still the best base to explore the surrounding area’s excellent beaches on day trips and there are definitely others positives to share. However, we think it’s a place that has changed so much in the last decade, that it’s important to share the negative aspects too.
With our guide to Ksamil, you’ll arrive with you expectations in the right place, find out the very best beaches for day trips, and be able to avoid a few costly mistakes too!
Stay | After a lot of research before visiting, we honestly think we picked a really excellent place to stay in Area Hotel (although if you really want to know some alternatives, you can check out our Ksamil guide once it’s published). If you prefer your own place, check out the Airbnbs in Ksamil here.
Mirror Beach
Plazhi I Pasqyrave is better known by its reflective nickname, and deserves all the plaudits.
A small, sheltered cove edged by the most iridescent of calm, turquoise blue waters, it reminded us of several of our favourites in southern Italy, in part because of the colourful pops of parasols but also due to the unpretentious air of those that chose this charming beach for their time in the sun. IF you’re looking for a full beach day from Ksamil, we can highly recommend this one!
Type of Beach | Fine pebble and stone, with the majority being private beach. However, there is a small area at each end reserved for the public, and it’s a beautiful spot. It will become crowded as the day progresses though, so we recommend arriving earlier if you want to get yourself a good position.
Parking | You can find Mirror Beach here on Google Maps.
If driving from Ksamil, it’s a very sharp turn left, round, and up from the highway, so be aware of oncoming traffic on various sides. After the turn, it’s a narrow road straight away - only wide enough for a single vehicle and little to no passing places - so you may need to wait on cars coming down before ascending.
You’ll see cars parked up on the road side, but that’s for the little Edon-Bina Beach; for Mirror beach, you need to continue up the hill, past some houses, turn right and keep on going down hill until you reach the large dusty car park at the bottom.
If that’s full, there are a couple of other small paid for parking lots at the top of the hill (500 lek for the day), but it’s a steep walk down.
Accessibility | From the main car park, it’s easy to reach the beach. However, if you park up on the hill it’s going to be a steep walk down a goat path or the road.
Facilities | Due to its size, there are only one or two beach clubs in operation, charging 1500-2000 lek for two beds and an umbrella. There’s also a restaurant / bar.
Good Base | Most people will choose to visit this beach from a base in Ksamil but there are a few highly-rated accommodations nearby including Le Gjero Luxury Villa and Sea & Lake View Villa which would suit those looking for a more laidback stay in the area.
Top Tip // Plazhi I Manastirit, also known as Monastery Beach (maps), is just 5km from Ksamil and was formerly one of the most popular and beautiful beaches in Albania. However, it’s now closed for construction and inaccessible, with our hunch being that it’s likely to become a private beach resort.
Pulëbardha Beach
One of our favourites, despite the crowds, Plazhi i Pulëbardhës gave us exactly the sort of vibes we were hoping to find on Albania’s beaches.
Like many others in this list, it’s nestled beneath and between green hills, found at the end of a relatively challenging and uneven dirt road, and packed when summer arrives.
However, whether it was the narrow layout preventing multiple rows of loungers, the setting of the restaurants off the beach and in the cliffs, or the turquoise shade of the water, it all just seemed to work out better than others. Indeed, there was something distinctly Italian about this little slither of summer.
Type of Beach | Small to medium sized pebbles. Mostly private beach clubs, but there are free beach areas to be found, particularly at far left end.
Parking | You can find Pulëbardha Beach here on Google Maps, a 4km drive from Ksamil.
Once you’ve turned off the main road, continue along the dusty road and branch right at the fork. Continue along for a minute or two and there will be some small informal parking areas, then lots of vehicles parked on the roadside, which makes it quite narrow and challenging for entry/exit if meeting another vehicle.
We went on a bit further until the downhill road was becoming very narrow and uneven, with cars parked on the verge of both sides, so we cut our losses, reversed a bit and parked up here on top of the hill (maps).
However, if we had held our nerve, we’d have eventually arrived at a massive car park right by the beach!
This is all a diplomatic way of saying it’s a total free for all as the day goes on, there’s not enough parking for its popularity, and the access road will be more challenging than others for inexperienced or nervous drivers, especially if you meet another car.
There are also reports of people being charged to park up the hill, but we weren’t affected.
Accessibility | The beach is accessed via a wooden staircase through the cliffside restaurants but note that if you don’t nab a parking spot nearby you could have up to a 15 minute walk along the dusty road to reach it. You can also walk through the restaurants and down via their stairs but you’ll likely be accosted by staff wanting to sell you food.
Facilities | There are three photogenic restaurants built into the cliff, and sunbeds costs in the region of 2000 to 3000 lek, but many are reserved out in advance by locals. Some of the restaurants offer sun beds slightly cheaper if you’re going to eat lunch with them. This is definitely one to arrive early at if you’re hoping for a good spot on the pebbles or at a beach club, and to make the drive down easier.
Good Base | Most people will choose to visit this beach from a base in Ksamil but there are a few highly-rated accommodations nearby including Le Gjero Luxury Villa and Sea & Lake View Villa which would suit those looking for a more laidback stay in the area.
Top Tip // Just around the cliffs you’ll find the luxury resort of Kep Merli, which a follower told us is a favourite of Dua Lipa and a good option for a day of R&R. We considered treating ourselves to a day at its exclusive private beach club - which charges around €35 per person for the basic bed but unto €300 for group gazebos on the water - but read so many reviews from travellers saying their reservation had been ‘cancelled’ when they showed up as they didn’t look the part, and that the service was so poor, that it didn’t seem like it would be our sort of place.
As we mentioned on the top (if you’re still reading this in one sitting, then you’ve earned a stiff drink), there are many beautiful beaches in Albania, but some of the beach clubs are set up specifically to cater to a wealthy, domestic crowd and do not care about showing you that quite abruptly with their prices or attitude. However, we have to say that this attitude was the exception and concentrated in the Ksamil area, with everyone else in Albania being very welcoming!
Shpella e Pëllumbave
This is a great spot, just along the coast from Mirror Beach, but really sums up why it’s not necessary for everywhere to have a beach club.
Remote, secluded, and small if this was left just for those who arrive with their towels and snacks for the day, it would actually be much much better. However, it looks and feels like those in charge are very much looking to make it 95% private beach club coverage.
It still merits its place in this post though, particularly as a day trip option from Ksamil, and the more challenging accessibility does make it less of a family-friendly mass tourism beach.
Type of Beach | Medium-size to large stone. When we visited, there was little to no free beach space available which was such a shame.
Parking | You can find Shpella e Pëllumbave here on Google Maps, however don’t trust the driving directions.
Instead, follow the instructions above to Mirror Beach. At the top of the hill at the crossroads, you’ll see a sign on the left for Shpella. It’s a bumpy, dirt road down to the two parking areas (400 lek), so proceed with caution if you’ve got a low clearance rental car - the first car park is better if you’re not enjoying the drive!
Accessibility | This is one of the most difficult to access of the Ksamil day trip beaches, involving a walk down steep rickety wooden stairs from the car park. It’s not a good option for those with limited mobility or children.
Facilities | The terrace bar/restaurant was only added this summer, which underpins someone’s desire to make it more of a beach club beach. Two beds and an umbrella are in the 1500-2000 lek range, but amenities don’t match the price.
Stay | Most people will choose to visit this beach from a base in Ksamil but there are a few highly-rated accommodations nearby including Le Gjero Luxury Villa and Sea & Lake View Villa which would suit those looking for a more laidback stay in the area.
Several of the guesthouses and apartments at the top of the hill above Mirror Beach are listed on Airbnb - check them out here.
We’ve got lots more Albania guides in the pipeline, so keep an eye out here or follow us over on Instagram for publication drops. Still in the planning mood? Keep going with our Albania itinerary.
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