The Albanian Riveria… has a nice ring to it, eh?
This gorgeous stretch of coastline absolutely blew me away. Considering the fact that Albania shares borders with Croatia and Greece, it’s no surprise that its beaches are just as beautiful as these famous spots.
Albania has snuck onto the scene over the past couple of years and is slowly but surely marking its place among the top Europe hot spots. The beaches in Albania are a mix of gorgeous hidden coves that require a bit more effort to get to (these are my fav), private club beaches and public stretches of sand.
I can’t recommend a beach holiday to Albanian enough, it blew me away. The entire coast had some of the clearest, bluest water I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Plus, a trip to Albanian will set you back a lot less than other hot spots around Europe…
*cough* France *cough* Italy *cough* Greece*.
So, now I’ve got you pumped for your trip to Albania, let’s get into the nitty gritty – which beaches in Albania are best for you!
Photo: @danielle_wyatt
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When to Go to Beaches in Albania
Well, the busiest time to head to the beaches in Albania is without a doubt July-August. Locals and tourists alike flock to the Albanian Riviera to soak up the sunshine and frolic in the sea. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a spot on the sand, let alone a sunbed in the likes of Ksamil over this time.
If you like being in the thick of the action, you’ll probably love visiting over this time!
However, suppose you like your beaches with enough space to lay your towel, I’d recommend heading to the beaches in Albania in the shoulder seasons: May/ June and Sept/ Oct. Sure, it may be slightly cooler but the weather is usually still on-point over this time and significantly quieter.
I visited the Albanian Riviera in October and it was a ghost town in some of the beach hot spots. Most of the beach clubs had shut up shop in Ksamil, Dhermi and Himare. The larger towns such as Vlora and Saranda had a bit more happening. There were a few beaches we practically had all to ourselves.
So, if you want your beaches PUMPIN’, sun shining, drinks flowin’ kinda vibe – head to the Albanian Riviera in July/ August, if you like it mediumly pumpin’ head in June/ Sept, and if you like it near empty check it out in May/ Oct.
But honestly, whenever you visit this area is one of the best places to visit in Albania and one of my favourites.
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Most Popular Beach in Albania | Ksamil
Photo: @danielle_wyatt
- Who It’s For: Beach club lovers, nightlife fanatics and families.
- Don’t Miss: Explore the four islands either by hiking a kayak, SUP or just by swimming over to them.
Ksamil is a gorgeous, relatively small beach team at the very bottom of the Albanian Riveria. Harvey and I visited in October and it was LUSH, the beaches were empty, the sun was out and the water was still relatively warm. However, there were remnants of what Ksamil would’ve looked like a few months before…
Piles of beach chairs and umbrellas, incredible-looking beach clubs lining all of the beaches and the subtle sound of drum and bass music drifting along the coast. If you visit Ksmail in the peak of summer (July/ August), you’ll be hard-pressed to find a spot on the beach. It is THE place to be for locals and tourists alike.
There are a few beaches along the coast in Ksamil. If you want to be in the thick of the action, head to the main Ksamil Beach. If you want to relax on a lounger with the kids, head to Paradise Beach (this one is easier to park at too), it’s one of my all-time favourite places to stay in Albania for pure vibes.
If you like your beaches with a bit of action going on, you’ll love Ksamil. But if you enjoy your beaches a little quieter, Ksamil may not be the spot for you. There are plenty of boujee places to stay to make the most of your beach holiday. My top pick is Hotel Porta Ksamil, just a two-minute walk from the beach 🙂
Most Beautiful Beach in Albania | Gjipe Beach
Photo: @danielle_wyatt
- Who It’s For: Families, adventurers.
- Don’t Miss: Exploring the canyons behind the beach.
Gjipe Beach is one that I saw many a time on Instagram before heading to Albania, and luckily, it lived up to the hype. There is just something special about a beach that you have to hike to. Sure, it’s only 20 or so minutes down but when the beach gets closer into view, you see the cliffs, the crystal clear water and the canyons behind… it’s pretty damn cool.
Again, we visited in October so it was relatively quiet, just a few beach umbrellas (which set us back around 5 euros… not too bad!) There are a couple of small restaurants open to serve beer, ice cream and food, it’s expensive but who can really put a price on a cold beer at the beach?! And honestly, it was one of the highlights of our Balkan backpacking trip.
However, in peak season, I can imagine this place gets pretty busy. Although as with any beach that requires that little bit more effort to get to… it won’t be as easy as one that’s easily accessible.
There is also a track down to the beach where you can hike down the canyons, however, we didn’t have enough information on it, so we went down the usual way. But if that sounds like a bit of you, definitely ask around a few locals before you go to find out more deets.
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Get Yours Here Read Our ReviewBest Beach in Albania For Families | Dhermi
- Who It’s For: Families and those after a chill but relatively fancy stay on the beach.
- Don’t Miss: Driving over the Ilorgara Pass on your way – check out the views of the epic mountains and coastline.
Lined with rather boujee hotels (that keep on seeming to pop up), Dhermi Beach is ideal for families looking for an easy beach holiday. Enjoy your included hotel breakfast on the beach as the kids play in the sand or in the super calm waters.
Dhermi Beach is a perfect destination for chill vibes and fancy hotels where you can experience some of the best Albanian hospitality around. The water is crystal clear and mostly, extremely calm. The long stretch of sand is ideal for long walks to start or end your day.
To get to Dhermi Beach you need to drive over the Llogara Pass – be sure to take the windy roads, not the tunnel as you’ll get to enjoy some INSANE views of Maja e Cika (a mighty mountain) and across the coast.
My top pick for where to stay for families in Dhermi Beach is La Brisa Boutique Hotel – you’ll be beachfront, baby and you can enjoy your included breakfast just steps from the sea. Dreamy.
Best Beach in Albania For Swimming | Aquarium Bay
- Who It’s For: Adventurers, those who like off-the-beaten-path beaches.
- Don’t Miss: Take your snorkel and look around, it’s not called Aquarium Bay for nothing.
Aquarium Bay was easily one of my favourite beaches we went to, it’s another spot that requires a bit of a hike. You can either get there by parking at Livadhi Beach or Jale Beach and walking over the hill to the bay. The views along the coast on the walk or epic, and the walk itself is relatively easy taking around 20 minutes.
We did see a camper pass us while we were walking to the beach (from Livadhu Beach), so it is possible to drive BUT it is a bumpy, rugged 4WD track. Not one I’d want to take a rental car to, plus the walk is super nice to do anyway. Once we got to the beach, there were about four vans parked up on the bay next door – Guma Beach – so either they were badass drivers, or the track from Jale Beach might be easier.
Anyway – for most of us, we will be trekking over! And once you get to the bay, you’ll see how gorg it is. The beach itself is tiny, so I can imagine on a busy day it would be hard to find a spot for your towel. But in October, it was just us and a few others. There is a small shop that sells snacks and drinks in high season but I’d recommend packing your own too!
We stayed in Himare and drove about 20 minutes over to Livadhu Beach to start the walk, which I’d recommend. I’d recommend staying in this gorgeous Airbnb in Himare, we loved it 🙂
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View on Osprey View on REIQuietest Beach in Albania | Borsh
- Who It’s For: Families and those after a quiet beach holiday.
- Don’t Miss: Head up to visit the Castle of Borsh.
Borsh is a beautiful beach town along the Albanian Riveria, known for its mountainous terrain, endless lines of olive groves and peaceful stretches of whitestone beach. As with the rest of the coast, the colour and transparency of the water will blow you away. Think Greece…. but even better!
For some reason, this stretch of beach doesn’t get as much attention compared to the likes of Sarande, Vlora and Ksamil and I’m into it. I love a quiet beach. To be completely honest, I don’t think you’ll find any beach along the Albanian Riveria completely empty over the summer season – but you can find some that are more peaceful than others.
Borsh is a popular beach for families and those who want to enjoy a small beach town. You can’t find a heap of information about it online, but it’s a popular spot for locals. When we landed in Tirana, we asked around for some recommendations and Borsh came up a few times!
There are are few nice shops and restaurants, but Borsh is yet to see the crazy development that other beaches have seen along the coast. There is a lot to explore around Borsh too, I’d recommend this Riviera Tour that will take you on an epic trip to see Qeparo, Himare, Porto Palermo, Vuno & Dhermi.
Best Beach in Albania for Nightlife | Sarande
- Who It’s For: Beach club lovers, party-goers, city dwellers.
- Don’t Miss: Heading up to the Lekursi Castle to enjoy a drink with views along the coast.
Sarande is one of the bigger cities along the Albanian Riviera and unsurprisingly it comes with some pretty wild nightlife. If you want to spend your days tanning and galavanting around the dazzling beaches, but by night, let a bit loose – Sarande is the place to be.
My expectation of beaches near big cities is that they are never as nice, but honestly, the beaches in Sarande are decent. The water is as crystal clear as it is anywhere along the coast. There is a mix of beaches to explore in Sarande – from hidden beaches, free city beaches and those offering the works: sunbeds, beach bars and DJs.
Sarande is also a great place to base yourself if you plan to explore nearby spots – The Blue Eye, Gjirokaster, Vlora, Ksamil and Himare are all within about an hour’s drive of Sarande. Plus, you can find some beautiful Airbnbs in Sarande for a bargain of a price.
Best Hidden Beach in Albania | Grama Bay
- Who It’s For: Boat lovers, avid hikers, adventurers who like to explore off-the-beaten-path
- Don’t Miss: Jumping on a boat tour that will take you to not only Grama Bay but also other gorgeous spots along the Albanian Riviera.
Ahh Grama Bay, a small pebbly beach, tucked away in the south of Karaburun Peninsula; one of the few stretches of beach that is yet to be overrun by mass tourism and man, it is beautiful. Surrounded by mountains and lush vegetation it’s a bloody gorgeous hidden beach in Albania.
The main way to get to the bay is by boat or you can hike your way there from Palase – but the hike is not for the faint-hearted It’s a four-hour trek on a moderate-difficult terrain.
Hence, why the beach is known to be relatively secret – it’s not easy to get to and is quite literally hidden if you’re trying to reach it by road. If you want to check out Grama Bay (without hiking an eight-hour round trip), check out this Grama Bay Speedboat Tour.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance for Albania
Unfortunately, things can go wrong when you least expect it. This is why good travel insurance is essential before you head on your trip to Albania
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
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Final Thoughts on the Best Beaches in Albania
Albania has SUCH a mix of beaches that cater to completely different travellers. Keen to sit on a sun lounger, cocktail in hand? Or, maybe you want to hike over to secret beaches? Or, maybe you want somewhere safe for the kids to run around?
Hopefully, this list of beaches in Albania helped you to figure out which beach will be best for you to perch up for your holiday. Some of these beaches are relatively close together and make for a fantastic roadie!
That’s what Harv and I did, we booked a car in Tirana and beach-hopped our way down so that we could experience them all. I’d 100% recommend this, but if you do drive in Albanian be careful, the driving can be loose…. to say the least.
Overall, my favourite beaches were Gjipe Beach and Aquarium Bay – I loved packing a bag and hiking over to discover these gorgeous stretches of sand. I’d love to know your favourite beach, let me know in the comments if you think I missed any goodies 🙂
Photo: @danielle_wyatt
- Check out these travel bucket list ideas that will be sure to make this year the most memorable yet!
- Embrace your backpacker spirit and travel off the beaten path, because… why not?But
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