Relax at the Beach
Ksamil Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. The water is crystal clear and there are beautiful green islands right off the coast. You can even spot Corfu, Greece off in the far distance. You can rent a beach chair from one of the bars closer to the city center for about 500 lek or bring a towel and situate yourself on one of the smaller beaches along the coast.
Beach Bars
Ksamil has no shortage of beach bars. They have spectacular views of the water– both the inter coastal and the Adriatic. I highly recommend spending an afternoon having a few Korca (Albanian beer) and looking out over the water. The further down you walk the less expensive the bars seem to be, but expect to pay a little more here than other bars in Albania.
Sunset on the Beach Trail
Following the coastline, there’s a short dirt trail with gorgeous views. The sunsets directly over the water and it's a sight you definitely don’t want to miss.
Rent Pedal Boats:
From the beach, you have a view of the incredible Ksamil Islands and all I wanted to do was explore them. We rented pedal boats from the guys on the big dock and peddled out to jump off the floating dock and wander around two different islands. The islands were gorgeous and it didn’t require too much effort on a calm day. There was a stag do renting a speedboat from the same dock, but we decided that was less our scene. They only take cash – it cost us 1000 lek/ hour to peddle.
Butrint National Park:
From Ksamil, the bus goes directly to the entrance of Butrint National Park. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Butrint is full of remarkably intact archaeological remains, like a Greek theater, Roman baths, and a Byzantine basilica. It was amazing to walk through the ruins and envision what life was like hundreds of years ago. There were gorgeous views of the coast as well and overall it was a pretty stroll. The entrance fee was 1000 lek and the student discount only applies to Albanian students.
Accommodation:
In Ksamil, I stayed at the Hotel Soare which had gorgeous rooms and offered a free breakfast. I found it through Booking.com and loved every moment I spent here. The room was very clean, and modern, and had a super comfortable bed. It was about 2 minutes from the closest beach and the balcony overlooked the beach. It was only a quick 10-minute walk to more beaches and bars so the location overall was great. The breakfast was really good, a ton of food, and delivered to my room very quickly after asking reception. I had an exceptional stay here and would recommend it to anyone thinking about staying here! Note that payment was in cash.
Comments