Albania has two coasts and the photographs are all from one of them. North of Vlore the Adriatic is long flat sand, shallow warm water and resort towns, which is a perfectly good beach holiday and looks like a hundred other places. South of the Llogara pass the mountains come down to the Ionian, the beaches turn to pebble, the water goes the improbable blue that people assume is filtered, and the villages are small. That southern stretch is the reason to come.
The Ionian, south to north
Ksamil, at the far south, with islets you can wade to and the busiest beaches in the country.
Kakome and the bays north of Saranda, quieter and largely reached by track or boat.
Borsh and Qeparo, long shingle beaches with less development.
Himare, the practical base, with a town beach and better coves either side.
Dhermi and Jal, popular, beautiful and busy in August.
Gjipe, a gorge mouth beach reached by a track and a walk, which is the one people remember.
The Adriatic, briefly
Durres, the big resort strip, sandy, shallow, crowded and cheap.
Golem and Lalzit Bay, more of the same with newer hotels.
Divjake and the lagoons, for birds and pine forest rather than swimming.
Velipoje and Shengjin, in the far north, sandy and domestic.
Warmer and shallower than the Ionian, which suits small children.
Not why you came, unless it is.
Practical notes
Water shoes for the pebble beaches, which are most of the good ones.
Sunbeds and umbrellas are rented on the developed beaches and are inexpensive.
Shade is scarce on the Riviera beaches; bring your own or rent.
Cash for beach bars and small operators.
The coast road is winding, spectacular and slower than the map suggests.
Boat trips from Saranda and Himare reach the coves that have no road at all.
What to be realistic about
August is genuinely crowded and the access roads jam.
Development along parts of the Riviera has been fast and is visible.
Litter on some beaches, which is improving and is not yet solved.
Jellyfish in some years and some bays, unpredictably.
Parking at the popular beaches, which is the daily annoyance of having a car.
The sea is cold in May, whatever the air temperature says.
Where this fits in an Albania trip
Four to seven nights on the Ionian, in one base, with the car doing the work.
For the coast as a whole and the villages in detail, our guide to the Albanian Riviera covers the ground.
For the far southern end and its islets, our guide to staying in Ksamil covers the choice.
And for the city at the northern end of the Riviera road, our Vlore guide covers that stop.
The short version
The Ionian coast south of the Llogara pass is the reason to come, and the Adriatic north of Vlore is a different and much more ordinary holiday. Go in September or late June rather than August. Base in one village, ideally Himare, and use a car to reach the coves between the villages, because the buses stop in the towns and the best beaches do not have bus stops. Take water shoes for the pebbles, expect scarce shade, and take a boat to the bays with no road.
