One of my favourite memories from our visit to Albania was the Ksamil holidays we spent at the beach. Actually, there’s a good chance you’ll wind up on one of the beaches along the southern Albanian Riviera if you’re travelling anywhere near there. It’s very convenient to base yourself in Ksamil and explore the surrounding area. Ksamil, also known as “the Maldives of Albania,” it’s incredibly gorgeous, with white sand beaches, warm turquoise waters, and adorable little beach cabins.

It takes around five hours to get to Ksamil from Tirana, so before you go, make sure you know how to drive in Albania. You can also take a side trip and spend a day in Berat, like we personally did, and it’s something I recommend.

Anyway here are the best beaches to visit in Ksamil, to fully enjoy your Ksamil holidays.

Best Beaches For Your Ksamil Holidays

10. Lori Beach

One of our favourite beaches in Ksamil is “Lori Beach”! This lovely secret beach has gorgeous aquamarine waters with white sand that makes it feel like a little piece of heaven in your holidays in Ksamil.

Because the beach is isolated within a bay, the winds and waves stay out. If you don’t really feel like swimming, you can still soak your feet in because it’s quite shallow.

Because this is a private spot, access to the beach requires the rental of beach chairs and an umbrella. In peak season, the price for two chairs is approximately 1,500 lek ($15).

The beach is smaller, so in the summertime it can fill up quickly. If you want a spot, get there early on. As an alternative, you could just remain at the hotel and gain free entry!
Foods and drinks are available at the little cafe right behind the beach. While it’s a good place to get drinks, there are better places to eat.

9. Ksamil Beach 9

Perhaps one of the finest and most stunning beaches in Ksamil is Ksamil Beach 9. Whichever place you happen to be in Ksamil, you can easily access it thanks to its location in the centre.

In the peak season, sunbed rentals can run up to 1,500 lek ($15) for a pair of chairs and an umbrella, and in low season, they go down to as little as $1,000 lek ($10).

Like all the Ksamil beaches, it gets crowded from June to August, so it may feel a little tight with each other for beach chairs.

I found out that although the beach is officially open to the public, there isn’t much space to sit without a sunbed. For a spot on Ksamil Beach 9, you may need to rent one at the end of the day. And there’s a lot of super cute restaurants and bars to eat nearby, where you can also use the toilets aswell.

8. Sunset Beach

Ksamil’s north side is home to Sunset Beach. The beach lives up to its name, and yes, it’s among the greatest spots in Ksamil to watch the, you guessed it, sunset.

This beach is still a terrific spot to spend an afternoon lounging in the sun, even though it isn’t quite as idyllic as the other Ksamil beaches.

For about 1,000 lek ($10), you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas, just like at the other beaches.

7. Puerto Rico Beach

Directly across the bay from Lori Beach is the next awesome Ksamil beach called Puerto Rico Beach. Here, you can rent a floating net that floats above the water as well as a sunbed. The minimum charge for the net is roughly 5,000 lek ($50) per day.

This beach is a great place to grab a bite to eat or a drink, and it’s close to the Ohana Beach Bar.
Families are frequently seen on this bustling beach, but that’s to be expected at a beach.

6. Relinda Beach

Among Ksamil’s finest and undiscovered beaches is Relinda Beach. It feels like a private island heaven and is hidden away from the bustle of Ksamil Beach.

This area has amazing, clean water that is perfect for swimming in. There aren’t plenty of places because the beach isn’t very large. On the deck, nets that dangle over the water are for rent. During the busiest time of year, renting one will set you back about 10,000 lek ($100).

The finest beachfront eateries in Ksamil can be found in the area around Relinda Beach. Seafood that’s freshly caught is delicious at Abiori Beach Bar Restaurant, and traditional Albanian dishes are served with a combination of seafood at Guvat Restaurant.

5. Ohana Beach

Ohana Beach offers stunning views of the Ksamil islands and is a relaxing, neat beach. Though less frequented than the beaches closer to the centre, the water is lovely and clear.

It’s a little rocky entering the water from the beach, so you might want to pack water shoes just in case.

On the beachfront, there’s a pub named Ohana Beach Bar that’s great for food and beverages. We stopped by the restaurant around May, but we didn’t dine there because it wasn’t yet open. However, we’ve heard great things about it and would definitely try it.

4. Ksamil Beach 7

Another among of our fave beaches in Ksamil is Ksamil Beach 7! It is neighbouring to the Ksamil islands, has soft, white sand, and nearly translucent water. How much more is there to ask for, right?

This beach’s closest point to the Ksamil islands is its best feature. You can swim to both of the smaller islands from this spot and venture out on your own since they are less than 100 metres away.

You can also rent kayaks from this beach for a few hours, which will allow you to head out to the farthest island. The total cost of renting two kayaks for an hour was 1,000 lek ($10).
Kayaks can cost more during peak season, but we went in May so I guess it was a little cheapest then.

3. Augusto Beach

Ksamil’s Augusto Beach is a secret treasure honestly. This beach is ideal if you want to get away from the noise and crowds and find some peace.

The southernmost beach, Augusto Beach, is still reachable by foot from every hotel found in the city centre. If you would rather drive, parking is available close by.

Unlike the other beaches, the sand on this Ksamil beach is composed of small pebbles rather than soft white sand. You will have more room to chill out and enjoy, though, because this beach is less frequented and it’s somewhat hidden.

For 1,000 lek ($10), you can rent an umbrella and a few sunbeds here. You can also get some reasonably priced drinks at the beachside bar so you can enjoy your Ksamil holidays to the max.
All things considered, this is a fantastic beach to swim, snorkelling, and unwinding away from the crowds.

2. Isole Gemelle di Ksamil

The most beautiful and isolated beach in Ksamil is Isole Gemelle di Ksamil. Reachable only by kayak, paddleboat, or motorboat, it is found on the farthest point of Ksamil island.

The beach is quite narrow and joins together with bigger areas of land. You feel completely alone from the rest of Ksamil, and the panoramas of the Greek island of Corfu are breathtaking.

Renting a kayak or paddleboat gives you the most freedom and mobility for exploring the island, making it the ideal way to experience it. My favourite thing to do while we visited Ksamil was rent kayaks and head to the island from Ksamil Beach 7.

If you are hoping to enjoy the day at this beach, you have to pack some of your own meals and drinks as there are no facilities available.
In summertime, that particular beach can get crowded quickly, but even then, there are lots of spaces to be found on the cliffs above the beach.

1. Mirror Beach

The distance between Mirror Beach (Plazhi i Pasqyrave) and Ksamil’s centre is only ten minutes by car. The nickname of this beach, which is a true hidden gem in Albania, comes from the bright aquamarine water that reflects sunlight and seems like a huge mirror. If there’s only one beach I had to recommend you to visit during your Ksamil holidays, it’s probably this one.

You can take a car, bus, or taxi for the trip to Mirror Beach. Get the bus driver to drop you off at Mirror Beach if you’re travelling there from Ksamil or Sarande.
You will be dropped off at the main road bus stop by them. The trek down to the beach from the bus stop takes roughly fifteen to twenty minutes.

Although the route to the beach is somewhat downhill and gravelly, it is surely manageable.
During the peak season, get there earlier because parking is scarce and the beach gets crowded quickly.

Questions About Your Ksamil Holidays

Is Ksamil worth visiting?

Ksamil is absolutely worthwhile to visit, particularly if you’re driving through Albania with children. It’s perfect for families as well as conveniently small. There are plenty of pristine, affordable beaches to choose from, and diving is a great idea due to the quiet, warm seawater. If you’re hoping for an activity that’s adventurous, there are lots of aquatic adventures and several stunning islands to explore.

The only caution I have for your Ksamil holidays is to expect a typical touristy coastal town. I went hoping for some serene relaxed beach village thinking Albania is not a highly popular getaway, but that is surely not the case nowadays!

How do you get to Ksamil Beaches?

Around five hours or so separate you from Tirana to Ksamil Beaches.
Like me, you are able to rent a car and make the trip by yourself. If you are hoping to make stops at other locations along the way, like Berat and Gjirokastra, this is an ideal choice.

As a second option, you may opt for a bus ride, which is less expensive but slightly more difficult, or a taxi, which way more expensive. This is due to the fact that the bus to Ksamil only travels to Sarande and for the final ten minutes, you will either need to take a cab or a different bus.