The golden edge of a holiday in Saranda is one or more visits to one or more of the beaches in Ksamil, which is only 12 km south of Saranda. Here you will find lovely sandy beaches, crystal clear water and lovely restaurants.
Coming to the beaches of Ksamil gives a feeling of suddenly being in another country. The paradise beaches with their parasols and cozy restaurants provide the ultimate holiday feeling. It's like stepping into a beautiful postcard.
About Ksamil
Ksamil is a small village in southern Albania. The Albanians themselves have for many years gone here to the Albanian Riviera during the summer for sun and swimming, but in recent years foreign tourists have also found their way here. About 5,000 people live in Ksamil and tourism increases every year.
The beaches in Ksamil
In Ksamil you will probably find Albania's best beaches. Along Spiaggia di Ksamil are beach after beach with the same fantastic bathing opportunities. On the beaches they have set up sunbeds and umbrellas that you rent for a day and the cost is usually 5 euros. Usually the sunbeds are owned by a restaurant and if you choose to eat there, the sunbed is included in the price. On some beaches you will also find plateaus where sunbeds have been set up. The beaches are very suitable for swimming as they slope down into the water and it never gets deep at once. Other lovely beaches are Bora Bora Beach and Lori Beach.
"I thought I had arrived in a tropical environment when I got out of the car."
The four islands
Outside Ksamil are 4 smaller islands that are uninhabited. You can get to the 2 closest ones by swimming if you want. Otherwise pedal boats are available for hire on the beaches. You can also see several boats circulating in the water offering boat trips for a sum of 25 Euro. The islands give the beaches of Ksamil another advantage and that is that even if it is a bit windy, the islands protect so that there are not so big waves. Which it can be in e.g. Saranda as it is more open there. So if there are very big waves in Saranda, it is usually much calmer in Ksamil.
Restaurants i Ksamil
The food selection in Ksamil is very good and if you fancy a good pizza, we recommend MY PIZZA right by the bus stop. Otherwise, the beaches are lined with restaurants that serve food of all kinds. The restaurants closest to the beaches are usually a bit higher in price, but compared to what we in Sweden are aware of, they are still good prices.
Tips
A taxi from Saranda to Ksamili costs around 20 euro and the bus costs LEK 100 (approx. 1 euro). You can find a bus stop right up by the grocery store on the street above our apartments and a suitable place to get off is right next to My Pizza in Ksamil. It is very easy to get here yourself by car and you then pass a lake called Butrint where mussels are grown which you can often find on restaurant menus. During July-August there are usually a lot of people who visit the beaches in Ksamil, while in May-June and September onwards it is much quieter. There are several small beaches in Ksamil that are all equally beautiful.
A real gem
A visit to Ksamil is almost a must. Otherwise, you have missed something. The beaches here are absolutely fantastic and you'll think you've arrived in the Maldives. It is easy and cheap to get here and you will want to spend the whole day here and we promise, you will want to visit Ksamil again and again and again.
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