If you look at the map at the bottom of this page, maybe you get the impression of a confused criss-cross journey, but in fact it’s mainly a trip from north to south. And in the south we encounter that long stretch of beautiful beaches and the clear blue and green mediterranean sea. It’s called the “Albanian riviera” and it stretches over 100 kilometers from Vlorë to the Greek border. The beaches are mostly pebble but here and there sandy.
Here seaside resorts have sprung up like mushrooms during the last twenty years, and a lot of it feels like the wild west, unregulated and sprawling. Hotels placed like they’ve been tossed around, a myriad of shacks selling exactly the same swimming toys and beach restaurants trying to deafen the guests with full-volume sound systems. The worst period is July when the beaches are overcrowded, but development continues, all in the same limited area. So it’s only going to get worse in the future.
We take a deep breath and drive into Ksamil, in the far south, with the Greek island of Corfu as nearest neighbour. The sea is incredibly clear, the air temperature 34 degrees Celsius, a little cooler than further inland. And, yes, the beaches are packed. And the beach bars blast Balkan pop on max volume. After a lot of walking around we finally find a nice little beach a bit to the south of the town, a calmer, quieter beach with families with small kids and even some middle aged couples. A small (and quiet!) beach tavern offers grilled fresh fish and yummy greek salad. Just as it should be.
We stay in Ksamil for two days and then we drive our rental car up north to Dhërmi and the long Drymades Beach. We have made reservations at a much praised small hotel that lies a bit away from the more crowded areas. But when we get there we’re in for a shock. Right next to our idyllic hotel there’s suddenly a gigantic building site and the concrete skeleton of one of the largest hotels we have ever seen in Albania. The quiet little beach is about to be completely ruined and the majestic mountain backdrop is already hidden behind raw concrete. It’s grey and dusty. And a disaster.
But beach life here is still ok, the place is pleasantly quiet and in the village center we find one of the best restaurants we’ve been to in Albania. It’s an asian joint with nice seating by the sea. But of course all the empty beach bars around us try to win the Loudest-Music-competition, resulting in an unbelievable cacophony. Which of course doesn’t draw one single visitor to any of those bars.
These sea resorts seem to be one of the most blatant expressions of Albanian society and mentality. You do what you feel like doing and don’t for a second think about how others will react. We hear the story of a young man who wanted to be rich and sealed off a part of the beach. People who went to swim there had to pay a fee to enter. And the young man had built a beach taverna that blasted out music on a volume that made the guests flee. The young man lost all his income and now there is not a trace left of the taverna. And the beach is free again.
We leave Albania reluctantly, it’s such a beautiful and exciting country with a dramatic history, both in fairly recent and in more distant times. Easy to travel around in, with lots of wonderful nature and people that really are extremely friendly.
What is the best way to get around in Albania? Well, unfortunately there are no trains. Buses travel between Tirana and the other cities, but seldom between the cities. So the only option left is a rental car. But Albania is a small country, wherever you go it’s not far, so driving is not very expensive
Here’s an animated clip about how we traveled around in Albania, starting in Tirana:
