Taxi to Blue Eye
Figuring out how to get to Blue Eye seemed like an impossible task at the beginning of my research, but it's actually incredibly easy. There used to be a bus that passed by regularly, but now the only way to get there is by car or taxi– we chose a taxi. The journey cost us 40 lek (split between two) and was so worth it. We called Taxi in Sarandë and explained that we wanted to go to Blue Eye, have the taxi wait for an hour, and then drive us back. The taxi picked us up right where we asked, drove us to Blue Eye, and then our driver actually came with us on the mile-long walk to Blue Eye before driving us back. The blatant “no swimming” signs would have deterred us if we were alone, but our driver was from Sarandë and showed us videos of himself and his friends all jumping in to encourage us. The water was freezing, but it was so worth it to jump in.
Backpacker Bars
The Dick & Devil’s Pub is a popular bar where you can meet other backpackers from all over. There’s a certain camaraderie that all backpackers seem to have with each other and this bar is welcoming and friendly to all.
Seafood
We had great Seafood at a restaurant called Taverna Fish Filipi. We were recommended this restaurant by our taxi driver from Blue Eye and really enjoyed our food. The prices were very reasonable, but the atmosphere was still very nice and seemed more high-end.
Club Orange
We ended up in Sarandë at the same time as Club Orange was opening for the summer season and everyone we spoke to told us we had to go. We had a beer and then made our way over on opening night to check out the Albanian clubbing scene. It was much different than the American or Western European clubbing we were used to. There was a rapper performing (and a 10-year-old boy and his parents trying to get selfies with him), almost no dancing, and the women were dressed to the nines. Most people stood at tables with bottle service and this seemed to be on par for the majority of clubs or music scenes we went to. It was a lot of fun, but not what we were expecting!
Accommodation
In Sarandë, we booked Sunrise Apartment through Booking.com. The apartment was in a quieter residential part of town and had a gorgeous balcony with a view over the entire bay, and a huge bed. It also had a washing machine and clothesline on the balcony– perfect for long-term travelers. The owner lives nearby and went out of his way to make our stay accommodating - he even showed us how to use the washing machine when we couldn't figure it out. It was a great place to recharge and I highly recommend staying here.
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