I have driven the SH8 coastal road from Llogara Pass down to Ksamil more times than I can count, and every single time, the moment the Ionian Sea appears below the mountains, I pull over and just look. The water is so absurdly blue that first-time visitors think the photos are edited. They are not. That is just what the Albanian Riviera looks like.
But not every beach along this coast is the same. Some are wild and hard to reach, others are lined with sunbeds and thumping music. Some are worth a full day, others are better as a quick stop. I want to give you the honest version, beach by beach, so you can pick the ones that match how you actually want to spend your time.
Palasa (Palasë)
Palasa is the beach I send people to when they tell me they want something raw and unspoiled. It sits below dramatic limestone cliffs, a long sweep of grey and white pebbles facing open water. There is almost nothing here. No sunbed rentals, no beach bars, no crowds. Just the stones, the sea, and the mountains behind you.
The access road is steep and rough. If you are driving a small rental car, take it slow and pray for good brakes. Once you are down, you are committed for the day, so bring water, food, sunscreen, and a good book. The water is exceptionally clear, a deep turquoise that turns almost navy farther out.
I love Palasa for its silence. On a weekday in June, you might share the entire beach with five other people. The tradeoff is real, though. No shade, no facilities, nowhere to buy a cold drink. If you want comfort, this is not your beach. If you want to feel like you discovered something, it absolutely is.
Dhermi and Drymades
These two beaches blend into each other along a stretch of coast below Dhermi village, but they have very different personalities. Dhermi proper is a wide pebble beach with a scattering of hotels and restaurants along the road. It is popular with Albanian families in August. The village itself sits up on the hillside, all stone houses and narrow lanes, and it is worth walking up for dinner as the sun goes down.
Drymades, just to the south, is where younger travelers end up. Beach bars with wooden decks play music into the evening, and you can rent a sunbed for around 500 to 1000 lek. The sand here is mixed, patches of fine white sand between pebble sections, so choose your spot carefully. The water is shallow and warm near the shore, perfect for swimming without shoes.
My honest take: Drymades is great in June or September when the bars are open but the crowds have not peaked. In late July and August, it gets packed and loud. If that is your scene, wonderful. If not, come early in the morning or shift your dates.
Gjipe Beach
Gjipe is the beach that earns its beauty. There is no road down to it. You park at the top of a canyon and hike about thirty minutes along a rocky trail that drops through scrubland and pine trees until the gorge opens onto a small cove. The first glimpse of that turquoise water framed by white cliff walls is one of the best moments on the entire coast.
The beach itself is small, mostly pebbles, with one seasonal beach bar that sells drinks and basic food. The swimming is spectacular, clear water over a rocky bottom with good snorkeling along the cliff edges. Bring water shoes. The stones underfoot are not forgiving.
A word of caution: the hike back up is steep and fully exposed to the sun. Do it in the afternoon heat and you will feel it. Start early, bring plenty of water, and wear real shoes, not flip-flops. Gjipe rewards effort, but it demands a little respect in return.
Jala Beach
Jala is the beach I always mean to stop at and sometimes drive past, which is a shame because it is genuinely lovely. It sits in a small bay between Dhermi and Himara, a compact stretch of pebbles backed by olive trees and a handful of guesthouses.
There has been some development here in recent years, a few more sunbeds, a couple of restaurants, but it has not tipped over into crowded. The water is calm and clear, good for families with children. The vibe is quieter than Drymades but more comfortable than Palasa.
If you are driving the coast and want a half-day stop with a meal and a swim, Jala is an excellent choice. The seafood at the small restaurants along the shore is fresh and reasonably priced. Ask for grilled koran (trout) if they have it.
Himara (Himarë)
Himara is where I tell people to base themselves if they want to explore the whole Riviera without roughing it. The town has proper infrastructure: ATMs, pharmacies, a range of hotels and guesthouses, and good restaurants along the waterfront. The town beach (Spille) is right there, a long curve of pebbles with sunbed rentals and cafes. It is not the most beautiful beach on this list, but it is convenient and clean.
The real gem is Livadhi beach, a short drive or twenty-minute walk south of town. Livadhi is wider, less developed, and the water has that luminous blue-green quality that photographs so well. There are a few beach bars at the northern end and open space toward the south. It strikes a good balance between comfort and beauty.
Himara also has a wonderful old town (Himara e Vjetër) on the hill above, with a castle, a few churches, and views that stretch along the entire coast. Go up in the late afternoon when the light turns golden and the stones glow warm. Have a macchiato at one of the kafene (cafes) and watch the fishing boats come in below.
Porto Palermo
Porto Palermo is more of an experience than a beach day. The main attraction is the Ottoman-era castle built by Ali Pasha, sitting on a small peninsula that juts into a sheltered bay. The castle is worth exploring, its thick walls and arched chambers cool and quiet even in summer.
The beach nearby is small and pebbly, tucked into the bay’s curve. The water is calm, clear, and excellent for snorkeling along the rocky edges. You will see sea urchins, small fish, and the occasional octopus if you are patient. It rarely gets crowded because most people drive past on their way to Saranda.
I think of Porto Palermo as a morning stop. Swim, explore the castle, eat whatever you packed, and continue south. It is not a full-day destination, but it adds something different to a coast that is mostly about sun and sea.
Borsh
Borsh has a claim that is easy to verify on a map: it is the longest beach in Albania, stretching roughly seven kilometers along a gently curving bay. Despite its size, Borsh remains one of the least developed beaches on the southern coast. The northern end has some hotels and beach bars, but walk ten minutes south and you will have wide stretches of pebble beach almost to yourself.
The feel here is more local. Albanian families set up for the day with coolers and umbrellas. Prices are lower than the Riviera beaches to the north, both for accommodation and for sunbeds. A sunbed and umbrella might cost 500 lek, compared to 1000 or more in Dhermi.
The water is clean and the swimming is easy, though the pebbles are large in places, so water shoes help. Borsh will not dazzle you like Gjipe or Palasa. What it offers instead is space, affordability, and a pace of life that feels genuinely Albanian rather than curated for tourists.
Saranda
Let me be straightforward: Saranda’s city beach is not why you come to Saranda. It is a narrow strip of sand and concrete along a busy promenade. On a hot August afternoon, it is shoulder to shoulder. The water is fine, but the setting is urban.
What Saranda does well is everything around the beach. The lungomare (promenade) is lined with restaurants, ice cream shops, and bars. The seafood is excellent, especially at the smaller places one street back from the waterfront. Saranda is also the departure point for the ferry to Corfu (about 30 minutes), and it is the closest base for visiting Butrint, the UNESCO archaeological site just south of town.
Stay in Saranda for the restaurants, the nightlife, and the convenience. Swim somewhere else. The good beaches are all within a short drive.
Ksamil
I have written a full guide to Ksamil and its islands, so I will keep this brief. Ksamil sits at the very southern end of the coast, near the Greek border, and its beaches are genuinely sandy, a rarity in Albania. The small islands offshore are reachable by pedal boat or a short swim. It is beautiful, and it is very popular. For the full picture, read my detailed Ksamil guide.
Getting There
The southern coast runs along the SH8 highway from Llogara Pass down to Saranda. If you are coming from Tirana, the drive takes about four to five hours to Himara, longer if you stop along the way (and you will stop). The road over Llogara is winding and narrow in places, spectacular but not fast.
Renting a car gives you the most freedom. Public buses run from Tirana to Saranda with stops in Himara, but they are infrequent and will not get you to beaches like Palasa or Gjipe. I have written a separate guide on getting around the Albanian coastline with more detail on buses, ferries, and driving tips.
Practical Tips
Water shoes are not optional. Most beaches here are pebble, and the stones can be sharp. A cheap pair of aqua shoes will save your feet and let you actually enjoy getting in and out of the water.
Bring your own sunscreen. You can buy it in Saranda or Himara, but selection is limited and prices are high. The Albanian sun in July and August is fierce, especially reflected off white stone and water.
Sunbed prices range from about 500 lek at quieter beaches like Borsh to 1000 lek or more at popular spots like Drymades. This usually includes an umbrella. At some beaches, buying a drink or meal from the attached bar gets you a free sunbed.
Parking can be chaotic in high season. At popular beaches like Dhermi and Drymades, you may need to arrive before 10 AM to find a spot in July and August. Some lots charge 200 to 500 lek.
Timing matters. If you can come in June or September, do it. The water is warm, the beaches are manageable, and prices drop. August is beautiful but intense, both the heat and the crowds. I have had some of my best swims in late September, the sea still warm and the beaches almost empty, just the sound of waves on stone and the smell of wild sage drifting down from the hills above.