We visited Albania in November, a time when most beaches are empty and beach bars are closed. For us, that’s perfect—private, peaceful beaches are exactly what we prefer!
With over 277 miles (446 km) of coastline, Albania offers hundreds of beaches to explore. We’ve listed beaches that we think are the best ones but not so touristic.
What We Look for in Beaches
Natural beauty over tourist-heavy areas
Crystal-clear blue waters
Less crowded, more private spots
Filikuri Beach (Himare)
Location: About 1h 30 drive from Vlore
- Secluded and only accessible via a short 30-minute hike with some climbing, or by boat
- Crystal-clear water
- Untouched beach with no bars or sunchairs
Drymades Beach
Location: About 55 min drive from Vlore
- A mix of rocky and sandy shores.
- Plenty of restaurants and beach bars (though many were closed in November).
- Lots of new hotels and beach apartments under construction (as of Nov 2024).
Palasa Beach & Private Beach (next to Drymades)
Location: About 55min drive from Vlore & 5min walk from Drymades Beach
- More sandy than Drymades beach
- Crystal-clear water.
- Quiet in the off-season.
- A trendy beach bar is in the works!
Secret tip:
- If you climb over the rocks at Palasa Beach, you’ll discover a secluded private area where we spent several hours.
Gjipe Beach
Location: About 1h and 20min drive from Vlore
About a 30-minute walk from the parking area. Note that a man charges 400L for parking. The road to the beach is very rocky and only accessible on foot or with a 4×4 vehicle.
- You can take a walk through the canyon.
- The beach is rocky, but the water gets deep quickly.
- Enjoy stunning views of the canyons from the shore.
- Very peaceful in November.
Dhermi Beach
Location: About 55min drive from Vlore
- A cute promenade lined with restaurants and nice beach bars.
- Rocky beach with clear, blue waters.
- Boat tours are available during the high season.
- Likely to be crowded during the high season.
Aquarium Beach
Location: About 1h 20min drive from Vlore & 15min walk from Jala Beach
- Excluded
- Stunning views along the way, including a bunker to explore
- Beautiful stones scattered on the sand
- Crystal clear water
Plazhi i Akuariumit is located about a 15-minute walk from Jala Beach. The road is rocky and uneven, so walking is a better option than driving. During the low season in November, we parked near Hotel & Restaurant Nuanti and continued on foot.
Mirror Beach (Plazhi i Pasqyrave)
Location: About a 15-minute drive from Sarande, situated between Sarande and Ksamil.
- Accessible by foot and car (the last stretch isn’t paved, so we walked down about 5 minutes)
- Separated from other beaches by rocky formations
- In high season, there’s also a beach bar and sun chairs available
Shpella e Pëllumbave
Location: Next to Mirror Beach, about a 15-minute drive from Sarande.
- Park and walk down for 5–10 minutes
- Small so it’s likely crowded with sunbeds during high season
Edon-Bina Beach
Location: Next to Mirror Beach, about a 15min drive from Sarande.
- Accessible by car and foot or boat
- Separated by cliffs
- Small so it’s likely crowded with sunbeds during high season
We didn’t visit this time, but it looked stunning when we peeked at it with a drone from Mirror Beach. We considered swimming there from Mirror Beach but decided against it since it wasn’t the warmest day in November.
Read further: See our recommendations for the restaurants in Albania.
FAQs
The sea in Albania is one of the clearest I’ve seen after Greece.
Albanian beaches are mostly public but some may have sections for beach bars or resurts. But you can find free beaches everywhere in Albania. For example, Wave Bay near Jala Beach isn’t free anymore.
Vlore beaches are free, though some areas near beach bars may charge for sunbeds or umbrellas.
