So what are the Albania Riviera beaches really like?

So what are beaches in Albania really like?

Having travelled around the south east last year, we felt we had unfinished business in Albania and decided to return this summer. 

We were heading to the Albanian Riviera, drawn by photos of picturesque white beaches and azure sea.   I live in northern Spain, where the beaches are soft, white sand, and that's how I like them. Along the riviera, what is described as a sandy beach will probably be a mixture of pebbles, gravel and sand, which is not very attractive. Last year, we arrived excited by reports of paradise beaches of Saranda and Ksamil, only to be hugely disappointed when we discovered that every inch of sand is hidden by sunbeds, the sand mixed with gravel, and both are lined with noisy bars and restaurants. That said, the water is spectacular all along the coast, crystal clear and warm, but not soup like the Med.  

What follows is a summary of the beaches which are easily accessible from the road.  Some of the beaches not mentioned require driving a few kms down from the main road

SARANDA

a grey day in July in Saranda

Often described as beautiful, Saranda is disappointing if you are looking for a natural beach.  What you will find is a long, narrow strip of gravel, jam-packed with sunbeds.  Saranda is a busy town, making the most of the tourist influx.  There is an abundance of bars, restaurants, hotels and souvenir shops.  It is also one of the most expensive towns on the Riviera, possibly taking advantage of being a stop for cruiseships, and a typical day trip from Corfu. 

KSAMIL

From the photos I had seen on internet, Ksamil is exactly the beach I dreamt of: an empty stretch of white sand, surrounded by green mountains.  Well that is not the case.  Unfortunately, Ksamil has suffered the same fate as its counterparts all over the world.  Desperate to make a living, the locals have taken full advantage of the increasing tourism and, what was until very recently an amazing secluded beach, has become another resort, crammed with bars and sunbeds. It is the only Albanian beach I have visited with soft golden sand, but you are hard-pressed to actually see it.


QEPARO 

Qeparo - quiet, family-orientated village

First stop was Qeparo, a small village, or rather 3 bits of a village: upper Qeparo is the old village perched high on the hill, (I can contest is only accessible by a 4x4, we had to abandon our attempt in a Fiat Punto), the nucleus on the main road,  and then pretty lower Qeparo is a strip about one kilometre long, down on the beach, with a couple of small hotels and a few traditional restaurants.  The narrow beach is mainly pebble although the northern end is a almost sandy. Qeparo is largely visited by families; there is no nightlife other than a quiet drink by the beach. It is ideal for a peaceful holiday. 

BORSH 

Borsch, like most of the Riviera beaches, is a mixed of pebble and sand

Borsh beach is a short drive from Qeparo.  From the approach, the views are amazing, however closer inspection reveals a slightly different story.    The main road from the village takes you to the middle of the beach; to the left you have a group of bars and hotels, with their ubiquitous sunbeds out front; to the right is quieter with only one beach bar at the end serving good, inexpensive food, (but regatton blasting from its speakers). There is an air of hippiness here, quite wild, but not particularly attractive, rather untidy.  The beach is 7kms long, so you will have plenty of space to put down your towel.

Ruined Borsh castle can be seen from the beach, enticing from its position high on a hill. To get there, park near the fabulous Ojivara restaurant, built on a waterfall right on the main road, and it is a pleasant half hour walk up the hill, but suitable footwear for walking on the gravel is necessary. Not much is left of the castle but the views are great. Be sure to take water, as there aren't any bars.

HIMARA

Himara is a sizeable town with several beaches. We plonked our towels on Sfageio Beach which is right by the main road and the first we came to entering from the south.  The sand is course, but at least it is sand.  However, the shoreline is pebble and once again rockhopper shoes are a blessing.  There are a lot of hotels and restaurants along the road, but the general atmosphere is quite relaxed, it isn't crowded or noisy.

Livadh beach is in a beautiful setting surrounded by green mountains, and with old Himara high in a hill in the distance.  The beach is mainly pebble, to the north there's more sand, however as usual the water line is bordered by fine pebbles.  This was the prettiest beach we visited. The village is quiet, with a couple of hotels and a couple of campsites, a small shop and a handful of tavernas, mostly pizzerias. 

View from Livadh of Old Himara village perched on the hill in the distance

Livadh is a wide sand and pebble beach

 PORTO PALERMO

View of Porto Palermo from the main road

The view of the Porto Palermo peninsular as you descend from north is spectacular.  Ali Pasha's castle, perched on the hill, is fascinating.  The small beach is large pebbles, but the water is calm and crystal clear, and was very tempting on the baking hot day we were there.  The only bar is the one the main road.


ORIKUM

Hugely disappointing. We didn't stop. I didn't even take any photos. Orikum is an unattractive modern town, and the beach is not the natural wonder I had pictured in my mind. The whole area is unappealing.  The beaches are rocky and untidy, and sea very choppy.  From Orikum to Vlore there are are string of resort hotels along the rocky shoreline.


VLORE

Vlore looks like a modern and cosmopolitan city.  The hotels are new and gleaming, the promenade is wide and lined with palm trees.  There are two beaches, one on either side of the port. They are dark sand and to my mind, not very appealing.  Both days we were there were very windy, which created a choppy sea. If you look on Google images, you will see lots of images showing a spectacular stretch of deserted sand, whereas the reality is that those photos were taken in the off-season.  In summer, the beach is very busy and covered with sunbeds and bars. Not what we were looking for but will appeal to those who prefer cities. 

So, as you have probably gathered, the Albanian beaches are not all they are cracked up to be - beautiful from a distance, but a bit tatty up close.   Having said that, many people prefer pebbles to sand.  And do not be put off by the lack of sand;  Albania is a marvellous country; the beaches are all in beautiful settings, and the people are just about the friendliest you will ever meet.



check out my other blog Dawn's Bag, in which I record my travels:
https://dawnsbag.blogspot.com/2019/07/road-trip-in-romania-2019.html