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Ksamil or Maldives of Europe is a small town located south of Albania about 11 km from Saranda or just 2 hours from Corfu in the Ionian Sea. Ksamil is known for its amazing white crystal-clear beaches with turquoise water and natural beauty. Hot summer days, restaurants, and hotels in front of the beach.
Ksamil Albania is definitely a big surprise in Balkan which is getting more and more popular beach destinations!
Table of Contents
THINGS TO DO IN KSAMIL
A great summer choice for your trip around the Albanian Riviera.
This small town has something to offer. And there is a lot of it!
From beautiful beaches with soaking sun to stunning historical and natural gems.
After you discover the surrounding Mediterranean islands have a drink in one of the many bars along the Ksamil beaches.
1. Visit the best beaches
Ksamil has stunning white sandy beaches with clear turquoise water like in paradise! All beaches are open to the public so you can enjoy one of the many beaches…and there are many! And the best is they are all within walking distance.
Just choose one you like and enjoy your summer holidays.
If you visit Ksamil during peak season, it’s better if you book a sunbed the day before. All beaches get full in the early morning hours. The price for a sunbed is from 1000 – 2000 lek (10€ – 20€) for one day
Tip: Read our article about the best beaches in Ksamil.
Plazhi Ksamil 9
Can be slightly overpriced, but you can find everything in one spot. Perfect sandy beach with turquoise water, a restaurant, water sports, and a great hotel. The good thing is some sunbeds have lockers included so you don’t have to worry about your stuff being stolen.
Plazhi Ksamilit
One of the most popular beaches in Ksamil. It can also be one of the most overcrowded during the season.
If you are traveling with kids, this is your option. With shallow access to the calm water with no waves. The sunbeds in the first row can be a little bit pricey.
Paradise Beach
Located right next to Lori Beach with a beach bar, restaurant, and the perfect spot for famous Instagram photos with crystal clear water. You can rent a paddle board and jet ski here. It might get full fast so make sure you come early to ensure your sunbed.
Puerto Rico Beach
If you are looking for a quiet place to spend your day on the sandy beach is an ideal place for reading your favorite book without loud music. There is a bar close by if you get hungry and the prices of sunbeds and beds are more affordable than on other beaches.
Costs of sunbeds are 1000 lek (10€)
The Last Bay Beach (Plazhi Augusto)
Because of its strategic location, this beach escapes from overcrowded beaches. There is a free parking area, and restaurants and sunbeds are very affordable.
Don’t worry toilets and showers are always nearby.
If you want to have a good sunbed spot come early in the morning or book a day before when in summertime time it gets really busy.
For a change, it is a white pebble stone beach.
Pulebardha beach
10 minutes drive from the main beaches is located Pulebardha Beach where you can escape crowds.
Hidden and surrounded by rocky nature. You will find there amazing rocky spots from where you can jump into beautiful clear water.
Tip: You can rent a car in Albania through Discover Cars with free cancellation. Book your rental car here.
To get there by bus, just hop on the bus which runs between Saranda and Butrint. The bus goes every 1 hour. You get off on the main SH81 road and then you walk for 20 minutes.
Tip: Read our article about the best Ksamil beaches.
2. Day trip to Saranda
A perfect quick day trip to Saranda. It’s a small town with nice stoney beaches, many restaurants along the beach, hotels, nightlife, and hills with beautiful views.
It’s very easy to get there by car. The drive takes 15 minutes and on the way you can visit Monastery Beach (Plazhi i Manastirit). Small stone beach surrounded by hills from both sides with beautiful views.
Tip: You can rent a car in Albania through Discover Cars with free cancellation. Book your rental car here.
By taxi (20€) or a local bus (1,50€) and in about 15 minutes you will be in Saranda, by bus in about 30 minutes.
3. Boat trip to the Greek island of Corfu
Do you wonder what island you always see when you are lying on the beach in Ksamil?
It is the famous Greek island Corfu!
Corfu is one of the most popular islands in Greece known for its beaches, charming old town, amazing Greek food, incredible nightlife, and stunning villages surrounded by amazing nature
So don’t hesitate and take a fast ferry from Saranda and within 1 hour you are in Corfu where you can easily spend one or two days.
Tip: Book your ferry tickets from Saranda to Corfu here.
Tip: Read also how to get from Corfu to Albania.
4. Ksamil Islands
They are located between the southern part of the Albanian coast and the Greek Corfu island.
The Ksamil Islands are easily reached from Ksamil by boat, canoe, small boat, or even swimming. You can find boatmen offering trips to the islands or you can use a paddleboarding tour and other day tours around Ksamil Islands.
The water here is very clear with rich underwater life and corals.
5. Water sports
There are many options for water activities in Ksamil. You can rent from a seller on the beach boat, paddle boat, jet ski, do a boat tour, or even play on an inflatable slide, in Bora Bora Beach you can rent a jet ski for 30 minutes for 70€.
Tip: Read our 10 days Albania itinerary for more inspiration.
6. Nightlife
Very busy during the day and it’s no different at night. When it gets dark, fun parks will come alive and you will hear music from all beach bars with their DJs.
The Poda bar with foam party is worth visiting and has a couple of drinks.
Tip: Many people prefer Saranda for nightlife because of more choices and cheaper prices.
7. Visit the Blue Eye
About 35 km from Ksamil is a natural water spring phenomenon with a magical blue color that looks like the human eye. In the center is an underwater cave that you can see clearly.
The best way to get there is by car, taxi, organized tour, or bus direction Gjirokaster. From the parking lot, it is a 20-minute walk. Inside the park is a souvenir shop and restaurant, which might get busy in the summer. The water is so transparent you can see the bottom of it, as well as small underwater plants, stones, and branches. It is not allowed to swim there, but people jump into the water anyway.
Be aware water is 10° Celsius all year.
⬇️ Check out all available activities for Blue Eye ⬇️
8. Butrint National Park
If you are looking to get away from sandy beaches just 10 minutes drive from Ksamil you can find the most important archeological site in Albania. The Butrint National Park, it’s also a UNESCO Heritage site. This piece of history shows you artifacts and structures from the Iron Age up until the Middle Ages.
Visiting the ruins through the forest gives you shade which is perfect on hot summer days.
A complete visit can take approximately 2-3 hours.
You can get there by cheap public bus from this bus stop (once an hour), by car (only 10 minutes drive), or with a tour.
-There are lots of explanations in English
-The entrance fee is 10€
-It can get busy with a big tour group
Tip: Book your private tour to Butrint here.
HOW TO GET TO KSAMIL
Getting from Corfu International Airport (CFU)
The most comfortable way and the nearest airport is Corfu International Airport (CFU) in Greece, from where you need to take a ferry to Saranda. The crossing duration is more or less 1 hour, depending if you take the fast or slow ferry. It costs from 15€ per person.
Then get a taxi (20€) or take a local bus to Ksamil (1,50€). In 30 minutes you will be there.
Tip: Book your ferry tickets from Corfu to Albania here.
Getting from Tirana
Albanian capital city Tirana has a bus only to Saranda. The ticket costs 17€, and you pay in cash at the small box office at the main gate of the bus station. The journey to Saranda takes about 5 hours.
From Saranda, get a taxi (20€), which takes 15 minutes. Or go to the local bus stop in Saranda and take a bus to Ksamil for (1,50€). In 30 minutes you will be in.
Note: Tirana has two different bus stations. Tirana International Bus Terminal and Tirana New Regional Bus Terminal, The bus from Tirana to Saranda goes from the New Regional Bus Terminal.
Bus from Saranda to Ksamil with last stop in Butrint and taxi from Saranda to Ksamil
Note: There is no direct bus to Ksamil! You always have to change in Saranda.
Rent a car
The fastest way is by a rental car. it takes about 5 hours from Tirana down to Albanian Rievera although Google Maps shows you less than 4 hours, trust me it takes more, traffic in the city and serpentines slow you down. Don’t forget to stop on the way to have a look at the beautiful mountains.
There are also enough cheap gas stations on the way.
Tip: You can rent a car in Albania through Discover Cars with free cancellation. Book your rental car here.
Getting around Ksamil
Ksamil is a small town, you can easily walk around within 15 minutes.
You don’t even need a car, but if you have one, be prepared to pay an extra fee when parking near the beach in high season ( about 3€ for all day), so with walking, you save money and struggle to find a parking spot.
The bus from Saranda to Butrint has multiple stops along SH81 road.
WHERE TO STAY IN KSAMIL?
You can find many hotels in Ksamil from mid-range prices per night to luxury expensive ones. Classic hotels in front of the beach with beautiful views and their beach or private swimming pool, apartments, villas, guest houses, and even private rooms to rent from locals. Some of the places can be up on the hill so get ready for it.
To save money come in the off-season when the price goes down.
Wherever you choose your accommodation you will always be within walking distance of everything you need.
Tip: Here you can see all your options for hotels in Ksamil.
Esmeralda Hotel & Restaurant
Esmeralda & Hotel Restaurant is approximately 10 minutes walk from all the beaches. You can reach the main road of Ksamil SH81 not even in 5 minutes. The surroundings are quiet and peaceful, the owners are nice and polite, and we enjoyed our stay in this hotel. The sunset view from this hotel was stunning because of the hill.
Note: In Ksamil you can’t find any hostel! The nearest hostels are in Saranda. Here you can find your options for hostels in Saranda.
PLACES TO EAT IN KSAMIL
Ksamil is a place with many restaurants, and beach snack bars, you have many options to try different dishes and cuisines. You can try some traditional Albanian food:
–BYREK is a pastry that can be savory or sweet, it is made of flour dough and can have fillings of veggies, meat, cheese, or fruit. It is part of the cuisine of many Mediterranean countries.
–TAVE KOSI is the national dish of Albania. It is usually lamb or chicken meat with rice baked with a mixture of yogurt and eggs. It is popular also in Greece, Kosovo, Turkey, and North Macedonia.
–FERGESE is a creamy vegetable dish to go with meat or bread made of red peppers, tomatoes, onion, feta cheese, and yogurt.
Places we visited
–Moonshine Hotel Restaurant
This restaurant is situated on a busy street in Ksamil. They have many options to eat traditional food, such as seafood, pizza, salads, and grilled food.
The restaurant is located in the center of Ksamil on the main road SH81. The taverna serves fresh seafood, pizza, and also many other Mediterranean dishes. Villa Olive also serves as a Hotel.
–Papu Gyros
Local fast food is located on the same busy street. If you are looking for a cheaper option. The food is served quickly and they also have vegetarian possibilities.
Best restaurants
-Abiori Restaurant Pizzeria
Albanian traditional food, fresh fish, seafood, crunchy pizza baked in a wooden oven. Overall a nice spot located right on the beach with the view.
-Jimmy Blue Eyes Restaurant
Salads, pasta, seafood, and grilled meat with a stunning view of the whole Ksamil are just perfect for romantic dinners or drinks.
–The Mussel House Restaurant
Seafood, Mediterranean, barbecue, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, a very famous restaurant in Ksamil reservation needed in season.
Tip: Be aware if you order different kinds of food as a group, each food will arrive at very different times (So one of you has finished eating already, but the other one is still waiting for his meal).
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ALBANIA
-Albania is located in southeastern Europe and is part of the Balkans on the Adriatic and Ionian seas
-Albania share borders with Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Greece
-Tirana is the capital city of Albania
-You need a passport to enter Albania
-Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe
-Local currency is LEK but the euro is accepted at most tourist places
-1€=110 LEK
-1$=102 LEK
-Albania prefers to use cash instead of cards, at least you avoid ATM fees of 7-8€/7,50$-8,50$
-The official language in Albania is Albanian spoken by 98% of the population
-Albania is the country of Mercedes
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT KSAMIL?
In Ksamil there are approximately 300 sunny days per year. The hottest month in Ksamil is July-August, which is the peak season when temperatures can rise to 32° (90° F) average minimum is 21°(69° F).
If you want to avoid crowds in peak season, it is better to go between April and June or from September to November, that way you have less hot weather as well.
HOW MUCH IT COST IN KSAMIL ALBANIA?
Albania is a very cheap country but Ksamil is getting more and more expensive.
There is a big price difference from a few years ago, some prices went up almost 3 times! Compared to the rest of the country in Ksamil you will pay western prices! Which is the only thing we didn’t like in Ksamil. It got so popular that it sadly became a bit of a tourist scam.
Average prices per person in Ksamil Albania:
Sim card cost in Ksamil for tourists and locals
Tip: Another option is to get an online e-sim card. Airalo e-sim starts from 4€.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How many days do you need in Ksamil?
Spend at least 3 days if you plan to stay in Ksamil only. Visit a couple of beaches and sightseeing around the town.
If you plan to do a day trip such as Blue Eye, Butrint or a boat trip to Corfu I recommend you to stay at least 5 days.
Is Ksamil safe?
In general, Ksamil is a safe place for tourists and families, there are no big crimes however like in every tourist location small crimes such as pickpocketing happen. Always keep an eye on your stuff on the beach, if you can, and leave all your valuable things in the hotel. We had no problem at all.
Is better to stay in Ksamil or Saranda?
Small town Ksamil is known for sandy beaches and a more relaxed atmosphere. So if you looking to lay on the beach and enjoy the sun with a drink in your hand this is your choice.
Perfect for families, couples, or anyone looking for a calm vacation.
Saranda on the other hand is a bigger city with more opportunities. More restaurants, bars, better nightlife, and many more activities. Saranda also has a port with a connection to the Greek island Corfu and it’s a good starting point for Blue Eye or you can also take a local bus to Butrint with a stop in Ksamil.
Saranda is also a cheaper option.
OUR FAVORITE TRAVEL RESOURCES
Accommodation: We use Booking.com where we always find great deals for hotels.
For hostels, we use Hostelworld where we find cheaper options and meet new people.
Rental cars: To rent your car with free cancellation check out Discover Cars.
Ferries: For cheap ferry tickets worldwide we use Direct Ferries.
All travel options in one place: Omio.com we use for easy travel planning where we can find trains, buses, ferries, and more.
Tours and other activities: Wherever we go we look at GetYouGuide to find the best tours and many other activities around the world!
Travel insurance: Never travel without travel insurance! Ekta works all over the world and has 10 years of experience in the industry. It is your right choice!
Reviews: Before we travel somewhere we always look at Tripadvisor, where we always find a summary of restaurants, places to visit, or hotels with current ratings and photos from people who have visited this place recently.
Luggage storage: Radical storage is such a helpful Luggage storage network! When we have a late check-in or an early check-out we don’t need to carry our luggage with us, we just simply put it in the Radical storage which operates in over 70 countries!
E-sim card: The best way how avoid all the stress of searching for local SIM cards or wifi signals and save time after you arrive in your new country is to get Airalo e-sim. Download and install a digital data pack from 200+ countries/regions!
