10 Hidden Gem Beaches in Albania Without Crowds

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Looking to ditch the crowds? Check out the 10 best hidden gem beaches in Albania that are lesser known.

The Albanian coast can be one of the most extraordinary places to visit, but only if you take advantage of knowing where to go and which places to avoid. As much as we’d like to believe that every beach and destination along the Albanian riviera is perfect, we’ve personally discovered that this isn’t the case.

By following the masses, you may end up visiting the most popular beaches in Albania, which just so happen to be our least favourite. Meanwhile, it’s the wild, secluded and hidden gem beaches in Albania that are the ones worth travelling to and are sure to amaze you.

If you’re like us and don’t enjoy touching arms with a sunbather right next to you, you’re in the right place! In this guide, we’re letting you in on the list of the best hidden gem beaches in Albania and how to visit them.

Quick Guide: Lesser Known Beaches in Albania

• Borsh Beach
• Lukova Beach (near Gjiri Blu or The Old Anchor)
• Buneci Beach
• Porto Palermo
• Kico Meniko (near Himarë)
• Gjiri Guma
• Aquarium Beach
• Palasa Beach
• Dhërmi
• Gjipe Beach

The Essentials for Visiting Albanian Beaches

🌞 While Ksamil and Sarande are very well-known, they’re not where you’ll find the best beaches in Albania. Consider Himarë or Dhërmi as two overall better and low-key alternatives during the summer.

🥾 The very best secret beaches in Albania require a walk or hike. If your main priority is to avoid big crowds, the effort is worth it!

🚙 If you’re getting around in a rental car, be aware that many secluded beaches are difficult to get to along unpaved roads in a small vehicle.

⛱ Beaches are often split into two sections – paid and free. Be mindful of where you sit if you’re not interested in renting an umbrella and sun chair.

🗣 English is not always spoken, particularly in less frequented corners of the country. Learn a few Albanian phrases prior to your trip!

Is Albania Still a Hidden Gem?

Even as the admiration for Albania as a vacation spot grows, we would still consider the whole of Albania to be a hidden gem. If you know which places to avoid and where to go instead, Albania can effortlessly be an underrated destination.

Only certain parts are truly crowded and overrun by tourists during the peak season. The Albanian Riviera is massive and fortunately, it’s still possible to find many hidden gems and lesser-known beaches that are just as beautiful and far more enjoyable.

You just have to be open to venturing off the beaten path.

We suggest ditching the popular places in Albania you may read about online or see photos of on your feed. The golden rule is: If you’ve seen too much about it, it’s very likely already overexposed to other tourists.

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MAP of Hidden Beaches in Albania

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10 Amazing Hidden Gem Beaches in Albania

1. Borsh Beach

The immediate coastline of Borsh Beach extends for over 5 km. That’s a whole lot of surface area and opportunity to find a hidden corner of the beach all to yourself. There are plenty of sections along Borsh Beach that are entirely unfrequented without a beach club in sight.

Head to the southernmost edge where the main road ends and you’ll be greeted with the ruins of a watchtower partially submerged offshore. Borsh Beach is a pebble beach with free street parking right along the shore.

🛌 Where to Stay Near Borsh Beach

Borsh Beach Apartments (Rated 8.5) – Book with Booking.com

Guest House Luiza (Rated 9.0) – Book with Booking.com

Sole Luna Hotel (Rated 8.5) – Book with Booking.com

2. Lukova Beach (Gjiri Blu or The Old Anchor)

On Google Maps, you’ll see Lukova Beach and Beach Lukova within the same few kilometers of shoreline. Do not make the mistake of going to Beach Lukova because it is substantially more crowded, dirty, and overflowing with paid clubs.

Instead, make sure you head to Lukova Beach near The Old Anchor campsite (south end) or Gjiri Blu (northern end). Both of these areas are free, clean, and very quiet. There is a small paid section named “Rivers Beach” but it is very lowkey and you can even use the outdoor shower for free.

To get here, you must hike or drive down an unpaved road. The dirt road is not difficult and can be completed by a regular car as long as you drive slowly.

🛌 Where to Stay Near Lukova Beach

Hotel Vila Kafe (Rated 9.0) – Book with Booking.com

Helen Apartments (Rated 9.6) – Book with Booking.com

Eduard Lagji Apartament (Rated 9.3) – Book with Booking.com

3. Buneci Beach

Near the Bunec Beach Resort, the beach is filled from one side to the other by umbrellas and sunbeds. However, on the opposite south end of the beach, you are free to lay out anywhere for free and without crowds.

After spending a day at the beach in peace, stop at Bar Restaurant Bushi for an unbelievably affordable and delicious seafood dinner.

Buneci Beach is particularly unique because it features an ice cold stream of fresh spring water which makes for the quickest way to cool down between tanning sessions.

🛌 Where to Stay Near Buneci Beach

Piqeras Relax Guest House (Rated 8.7) – Book with Booking.com

Hotel Panorama Piqeras (Rated 9.3) – Book with Booking.com

Villa Luiza (Rated 9.4) – Book with Booking.com

4. Porto Palermo

The bay of Porto Palermo is home to a number of severely underrated hidden gem beaches in Albania. Many tourists may visit Porto Palermo for the notable castle and fortress overlooking the sea, but will miss the multiple gorgeous beaches hiding in plain sight.

The only downside to Porto Palermo’s beaches is their names on Google Maps. They are often non-existent or duplicates and makes it confusing for first time visitors. Use the locations of the links below to determine exactly which ones are the best beaches to visit.

⛱ Read More: A Full Guide on Porto Palermo Beaches

• Porto Palermo Beach – A free beach with small pebbles and a restaurant/bar on site.

• Mateus Beach – One of the top three best beaches in Albania and prime definition of a hidden gem. You must hike or take a 4×4 vehicle to get there.

• Beach – An exclusive beach club with only a handful of spot available but at a fantastic value with food and drink service.

• Mini Plaża – This tiny inlet can be your own slice of paradise if you arrive early enough to claim the spot.

🛌 Where to Stay Near Porto Palermo

Farm House Qeparo (Rated 9.9) – Book with Booking.com

Vila D Boutique Hotel (Rated 9.1) – Book with Booking.com

Karos Hotel Llaman (Rated 9.1) – Book with Booking.com

5. Kico Meniko

Nestled in a rocky cove along the coast of Himarë is this restaurant and untraditional beach club. There is no gradual entrance into the water and instead, features an elevated terrace with umbrellas and sun beds for rent. Kico Meniko is not a place you stumble upon without looking and you must walk here.

Although the water is as lovely as those you’d find in the town of Himarë, the star of Kico Meniko is the humble family-operated restaurant which overlooks the sea. There is no menu, no fuss, and just excellent straightforward seafood dishes.

The combination of the food, view and atmosphere makes it one of the most unique places along the Albanian Riviera.

👍 Read More: Best Beaches and Things to Do in Himarë

🛌 Where to Stay in Himarë

Mihalis Apartments (Rated 9.1) – Book with Booking.com

Rea Boutique Hotel (Rated 9.3) – Book with Booking.com

Ionian Seaview (Rated 8.9) – Book with Booking.com

6. Gjiri Guma

The small bay of Gjiri Guma is often passed by people heading to the better-known Aquarium Beach down the road. Gjiri Guma is equally worthy of a visit, with its peaceful location and crystal clear water that’s great for snorkeling.

This is a wild beach with the exception of a modest beach bar which sells beverages and light snacks during the peak season. More commonly, you’ll see a handful of camper cars that spend the night directly on the beach.

From the hustle and bustle of Jale Beach, you can hike to Gjiri Guma in just 15 minutes.

🛌 Where to Stay Near Jale Beach

Shotgun Hostel (Rated 9.0) – Book with Booking.com

Dimitri Hotel (Rated 9.2) – Book with Booking.com

Folie Marine Beach Hotel Club (Rated 7.4) – Book with Booking.com

7. Aquarium Beach

The picturesque narrow bay of Aquarium Beach is one of the best hidden gem beaches in Albania that’s no longer a secret. It often makes an appearance on the sandwich boards that advertise 4×4 tours and can be bombarded by hikers during midday.

Still, it is a wild beach that has yet to be overtaken by any beach club and comparatively, sees a small number of people which make the trek to visit it.

If you have an off-roading vehicle, you can drive to the very top of Aquarium Beach and ascend down a short cliffside in order to reach the beach. By hiking, most people get to Aquarium Beach from Jale in 20 minutes or from Himarë in the same amount of time.

🤿 Read More: How to Visit Aquarium Beach

🛌 Where to Stay Near Aquarium Beach

Boungainvillea (Rated 8.4) – Book with Booking.com

Tonea’s Houses (Rated 9.1) – Book with Booking.com

Miamar Hotel (Rated 8.7) – Book with Booking.com

8. Palasa Beach

Beneath one of Albania’s most scenic drives along Llogara Pass, you’ll find Drymades Beach and Palasa Beach on the northern end. The coastline just above busier Drymades Beach is developed but tourism has yet to reach the hidden coves of Palasa Beach and Rozafa Bay.

Although construction of resorts is bound to take over at some point in the future (womp womp), for now, it remains one of the most idyllic hidden gem beaches in Albania.

Since the road is undeveloped, you must park on the street before the construction zone and walk along a dirt path to reach this collection of secluded beaches.

🛌 Where to Stay Near Drymades Beach

Gogo’s Boutique Hotel (Rated 9.0) – Book with Booking.com

Perivolos Apartments (Rated 9.3) – Book with Booking.com

Domi Beach Valley (Rated 8.7) – Book with Booking.com

9. Dhërmi (Bar Restaurant Shën Nikolla)

As one of the most well-admired destinations along the Albanian coast, it’s surprising to find a hidden gem beach in the Dhërmi neighborhood. To avoid crowds, you must not enter the heart of Dhërmi and stay on the northern side instead.

Between Restaurant Shën Nikolla and The Yacht Club, there are a handful of small inlets which are often unmanaged by any beach club. The secret beaches in this section are made of small pebbles, and you will only find one or two other people there with you.

🛌 Where to Stay in Dhërmi

Elysium Hotel (Rated 9.3) – Book with Booking.com

La Brisa Boutique Hotel (Rated 8.8) – Book with Booking.com

Blue Boutique Hotel (Rated 8.4) – Book with Booking.com

10. Gjipe Beach

A decade ago, Gjipe Beach was a true hidden gem and the best secret beach in Albania. Today, it is still one of the top secluded beaches in Albania but solely because of its inaccessible location.

Reputation wise, it’s very well known and impossible to enjoy with a crowd. Is it still worth visiting? Absolutely! Backed by the Gjipe Canyon, the beach is one of the most picture-perfect wonders in Albania and a must-see while visiting the coast.

To reach Gjipe Beach, you can only arrive by boat or by hiking down the cliffside. Naturally, the walk down isn’t terrible but it is a decent incline to go back up to the parking lot.

🐠 Read More: Visiting Gjipe Beach (Albania’s Best Beach)

🛌 Where to Stay Near Gjipe Beach

Golden View Residence (Rated 9.3) – Book with Booking.com

Gjipe Eco Campground (Rated 7.9) – Book with Booking.com

White Rocks (Rated 9.3) – Book with Booking.com

Where to Go for (Quieter) Nice Beaches in Albania

Visiting the most well-known destinations in Albania is, in our honest opinion, not worth it. Somehow, a handful of spots in Albania managed to receive attention for being home to the best beaches in the country. We’ve personally toured the Albanian Riviera multiple times and can confirm: Ksamil and Sarandë are not Albania’s best.

If you are the type of traveller who doesn’t enjoy crowds and prefers free or wild beaches over beach clubs, consider these areas for your next beach holiday in Albania.

• Dhërmi
• Himarë
• Borsh
• Qeparo

All of these alternative destinations also feature a beachfront town with many options for waterfront accommodation, restaurants, and activities. They are not ghost towns during the summer but still experience a fraction of the number of tourists than Albania’s southernmost corner.

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For people who truly want no sight of crowds, we recommend staying in the hills above the coastline. Albania’s hillside villages (Piqeras and Lukovë are the cutest!) have many guesthouses, apartments and villas that have perfectly unobstructed views of the sea below.

They cost much less than beach properties and are still within a short drive to multiple beaches. This is the ultimate option for travellers who want a relaxed and lowkey beach holiday in Albania without the herds and hoopla of beach culture.

Does Albania Have Sandy Beaches?

Beaches along the Balkans coastline are not known to have primarily sandy beaches. The shorelines of Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania are mostly comprised of pebbles, coarse sand, or rocky coves. This doesn’t apply everywhere in Albania but it’s one of the reasons why Ksamil and Sarandë are so popular because they have countless sandy beaches.

The beaches south of Sarandë are the only ones to be distinctly sandy when compared to the remainder of the Albanian Riviera. If you are a “sandy beaches only” connoisseur and will accept nothing less, you can depend on visiting Sarandë and Ksamil.

However, it isn’t impossible to find a sandy beach in the northern half of southern Albania. The main public beaches in both Dhërmi and Himarë happen to be sandy.

Also, finer sand tends to reveal itself at many beaches as you’re entering the water but isn’t present on the part of the beach you lay out on.

Are There Free Beaches in Albania?

Albania has many lesser-known beaches that are completely free to enjoy. Still, there are options, and even the best secluded beaches in Albania are commonly a mixture of both paid and free.

This means that although the entire beach is public, there may be a bar or two that sets up their own equipment as rentals, but it doesn’t mean you have to use them. To lay out on a beach for free in Albania, simply steer away from the beach club’s property and join the other beachgoers who have their own towels laid out.

This shared real estate model applies mostly everywhere in Albania but not in Ksamil and Sarandë. These are two particular areas of the Albanian Riviera where you must pay for a spot at the beach club in order to access the beach at all.

Free beaches in this part of the country do not exist. Personally, it’s hard for us to get on board with any beach that requires an entry fee, but we completely understand the popularity of them. If you are traveling without any beach equipment, it’s just easier to visit a beach club and rent a sun bed and umbrella.

The best hidden gem beaches in Albania mentioned in the list below are all free to visit without compulsory admission.

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How to Visit Albania’s Best Hidden Gems

To reach the top hidden gem beaches in Albania, plan on renting a car. Secluded beaches are often lesser known for a reason – because they’re not super easy to visit. By driving, you can get to a majority of Albania’s best hidden beaches without relying on public transportation or taxis, which can get pricey and unreliable.

For travelers who are flying to Albania, rent a car at Tirana Airport before departing on a journey of the Albanian Riviera. Rental car prices in Albania can be shockingly inexpensive, particularly if you opt for a compact size.

Even by renting a car and driving, some degree of walking should be expected when planning on visiting Albania’s best hidden gem beaches. With a regular car, you can only get so far until you must walk to reach some of these underrated destinations. So, if you are a solo traveler, backpacking, or an avid hiker, you can get away with visiting Albania’s top hidden gems solely on foot.

Final Thoughts On Hidden Beaches in Albania

• Skip Sarandë and Ksamil unless you want to hang out at beach clubs and around other people.
• Dhërmi and Himarë are better alternatives to energetic beach destinations along the Albanian coast.
• Don’t expect fine sand on most of the beaches in southern Albania.
• Plan on light hiking or walking in order to reach some of Albania’s most beautiful secret beaches.
• Rent a car or book excursions and tours in order to easily visit hidden beaches.

Albania Hidden Gems Travel Resources

☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage

✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com

🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com

🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio

🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries

🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago

☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo

📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator

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Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that some links found in our posts are affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.