Wondering which beach suits you best? Here’s a little guide to the beaches in Saranda.
Have you seen the social media campaigns where Southern Albania is marketed as Europe’s answer to the Maldives?
Albania is very popular these days, and there are plenty of pictures of crystal-clear water, straw umbrellas, dramatic cliffs, cozy beach restaurants, and exotic drinks at sunset.
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Since we haven’t been to the Maldives, we can’t vouch for that exact comparison. But with around 300 sunny days a year and water temperatures over 20 degrees from May to November (closer to 30 degrees from July to September), there’s no doubt that the main attraction in Saranda is the beaches.
And Saranda has beaches for every taste. There are spectacular beaches, hidden beaches, free beaches in the middle of the city, and beaches with sunbeds, beach bars, and DJs.
Several of the beaches are found along the route between Saranda and Butrint, where the local bus runs hourly from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm. It only costs 200 lek per person (about 2 Euro) for the entire route, which takes around 30–45 minutes depending on traffic.
Let the ticket conductor know where you want to get off if you’re unsure. In the high season, you should expect to stand packed like sardines without air conditioning, challenging both your personal space and patience.
Alternatively, you can rent a car or take a taxi (always agree on the price beforehand).
Worth knowing:
- All the beaches in Saranda (except Ksamil) consist of gravel or stones, so aqua shoes are a good investment.
- Most of the beaches are not very shallow.
- The price for a sunbed can vary depending on the season and the area of the beach.
The prices below are from September 2023 and are for two sun loungers and an umbrella.
Saranda Beach
There are three public beaches in Saranda (Plazhi Sarandë) located next to each other along the promenade. These might not be the most beautiful beaches in the area, but they are perfectly fine for sunbathing and taking a dip for an hour or two.
The advantage of these beaches is that they are completely free. You can lay down directly on your towel or bring your own sunbed. At the beach furthest from the ferry terminal, you can also rent a sunbed in the high season.
Some areas are a bit shallower than others in Saranda. There’s no direct service on the beach, but there are plenty of restaurants/fast food-places and bars along the promenade and near the ferry terminal.
If you go towards the outskirts of the beach, a bit away from the main area in the middle of the promenade, the water is clearer and there are fewer people.
Era Beach
Era Beach (Plazhi Era) is on the other side of the harbor area. This beach is divided into several areas where you rent sunbeds and umbrellas from the respective bar, hotel, or beach club. Some areas only have bars, while others also have food service.
It’s a ten-minute walk from the ferry terminal, but the actual descent to the beach can be a bit tricky to find.
Travel to Era Beach: Walk about 10 minutes from the ferry terminal.
Price Era Beach: 1000 lek.
Mango Beach
Mango Beach (Plazhi Mango) is about 4 km from the ferry terminal in Saranda.
This beach is quite large and can accommodate 2500 people. It has become quite popular but is still less crowded than Ksamil, for example. Therefore, you have more space here and don’t have to lie as close to your neighbor as on some of the other popular beaches.
Mango Beach is not the most child-friendly beach. It gets very deep quickly when you go into the water, and there were quite big waves when we were there. There is also loud music from the beach bar and sometimes a DJ both during the day and evening.
We paid less for the sunbeds here than in Ksamil, but more for the beer at the bar.
Travel to Mango Beach: Local bus or car/taxi towards Butrint.
Price Mango Beach: 2000 lek.
Update Mango Beach 2024:
We just wanted a short trip to the beach for a quick swim and didn’t want to pay for sunbeds. First, we were told we had to pay anyway. Then we were told that the area between the two beaches is a public area and free to use.
The price for sunbeds at Mango Beach in 2024 is still 2000 lek on one side of this area and 1500 lek on the other side.
Pulebardha Beach
Pulebardha Beach (Plazhi i Pulëbardhes) is about 13 km from the ferry terminal towards Butrint.
If you drive, the last part consists of a bumpy gravel road. If you take the local bus, you have to walk a bit from where the bus stops (about 20 minutes).
Pulebardha Beach means “the seagulls’ beach” and is a beautiful beach surrounded by cliffs. There is a rock in the water that you can pose on or jump from. Even though the beach is a bit secluded, it was quite crowded when we were there.
There is a bar down on the beach where you can buy drinks and a restaurant on the upper side that serves seafood.
Travel to Pulebardha Beach: Local bus or car/taxi towards Butrint.
Price Pulebardha Beach: 1500 lek.
Ksamil
Ksamil is a small village about 16 km south of Saranda. This is perhaps the most famous and popular beach area, and many of the pictures of creamy white beaches are from here.
In Ksamil, you’ll find the only sandy beaches in the area, and you can lean back in a sunbed and enjoy the sight of mighty mountains, green islands, and turquoise blue sea.
There are many beaches to choose from in Ksamil, and each beach is also divided into several zones.
Some beaches:
- Ksamil Beach
- Bora Bora Beach
- Paradise Beach
- 3 Ishujt Beach
- Poda Beach
- Lori Beach
Most beaches have their own bar, and you are never far from cafes, restaurants, and bars.
There are a lot of people here in the high season, and Ksamil has the most expensive sunbed prices.
Travel to Ksamil: Local bus or car/taxi towards Butrint.
Price: 3000 LEK for two sun loungers and an umbrella.
