Beyond Ksamil: The Secret Beaches of the Albanian Riviera That Word of Mouth Hasn't Ruined Yet

When paradise gets crowded

Ksamil was a secret until a few years ago: four islets with Caribbean water a stone's throw from the Albanian coast, visited only by locals. Today Ksamil is on Instagram, on TikTok, in the budget travel guides, and in July–August its small beaches are packed with sunbeds, bars, and tourists. But the Albanian Riviera is one hundred and twenty kilometres long, and the vast majority of its beaches remain unknown. Move just a few kilometres away and you find deserted coves, sleepy villages, and that blue-green sea that made Ksamil famous — without the crowds.

The alternatives: five secret beaches

Pasqyra (Mirror Beach)

Just three kilometres north of Ksamil, Mirror Beach is a rocky cove with water so clear the name explains itself. Reachable on foot via a twenty-minute path from Ksamil village, or by boat. No beach clubs, no bars — just rocks, water, and silence. Bring water and snacks.

Gjipe

The Riviera's most spectacular beach. Gjipe sits at the end of a canyon three hundred metres deep, reachable only on foot (forty minutes of descent on a steep trail) or by boat from Himara or Dhermi. The beach is of white pebbles, the sea is dark turquoise, and the canyon walls create a natural amphitheatre. In low season you'll often be completely alone.

Llamani

Just south of Himara, Llamani is a crescent of white pebbles with crystal-clear water, reachable via a short descent from the coastal road. Less known than the nearby Jali Beach, it has a small bar and a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of Greece in the eighties.

Bunec

Between Saranda and Lukova, Bunec is a bay where a cold freshwater river meets the warm sea — the temperature contrast is surreal. The beach is divided between a pebble section and a sandy one, with an olive grove for shade. Almost unknown to foreign tourists.

Kakome

The most radical alternative: a bay reachable only by boat (from Saranda, around 20 euros return), where the ruins of a Byzantine monastery emerge from the vegetation and the sea is an indecent shade of blue. Once a closed military zone, now open but with absolutely no infrastructure. Bring everything you need.

The coastal villages

The Albanian Riviera is not just beaches. The villages perched on the hills above the coast are authentic and fascinating:

- Qeparo: a stone village on a cliff above the sea, with ruined Ottoman houses slowly being reborn as guesthouses.

- Vuno: a handful of stone houses among olive trees, with panoramic views over the bay of Jali. The road from the village down to the beach drops steeply for one kilometre.

- Palasë: the most isolated village on the Riviera, with the splendid bay of the same name reachable by car via a scenic road.

What to eat

The coastal Albanian cuisine is a cross between Greek and Italian, with a character all its own. Grilled fish is ubiquitous and extremely fresh — sea bream, sea bass, and octopus cost half what they do in Greece. Midhe (mussels) are excellent in Saranda and Ksamil. Tavë peshku (fish baked with tomatoes and peppers) is the coast's most typical dish. On the street, sufllaqe (the Albanian gyros) is the perfect quick lunch: three euros for an enormous wrap.

Albanian wine is improving rapidly: try Kallmet (red) or Shesh i Bardhë (white) at local wineries.

How to get there and when to go

From Tirana to Saranda it's about five hours by car through the Llogara pass (spectacular, with a thousand metres of elevation change in just a few kilometres). Alternatively, fly to Corfu and take the ferry to Saranda (thirty minutes). Buses connect Saranda to all the villages along the Riviera.

The ideal time is June and September. July–August are hot and busier, but the alternative beaches remain viable even in high summer. May and October offer swimmable sea and almost empty beaches. The Albanian Riviera is Europe's last coastal secret — but it won't stay that way for much longer.