Private transfers to popular beaches along the Albanian Riviera
Every beach on this coast sits at the bottom of something. Some have a road all the way down, some have a track and a walk, and one or two can only sensibly be reached by boat. Here is what to expect, beach by beach.
The main coastal road runs along the hillside above the sea for most of its length. The beaches are below it, in bays separated by headlands, and each has its own access arrangement — a proper road, a rough track, a footpath, or nothing at all.
Knowing which is which before you set out is the difference between a good day and a long walk in the heat. This is a plain description of the access, not a ranking of the beaches.
Beaches with road access
We can drive to these, though the drop-off point varies with how busy the area is.
Dhërmi Beach and Drymades
Reached by access roads descending from the SH8. Busy in season, with parking that fills early — which is precisely why many visitors take a taxi down and back.
Palasë
A wide bay immediately below the Llogara Pass, with a long beach and road access from the main road.
Jal
A descent from the coast road near Vuno into an enclosed bay with beach bars. Popular, and the access road gets congested in August.
Borsh
One of the longest beaches on the coast. Road access is good, but the shore is long enough that the drop-off point matters — tell us which section you want.
Beaches that need a walk or a boat
We can take you to the start of the access; the last part is on foot or on the water.
Gjipe
Between Dhërmi and Vuno, at the mouth of a canyon. We drive to where the track begins; the descent to the beach is a walk on rough ground. Take proper footwear and water, and agree a pickup time.
Smaller coves
Several bays along this coast have no road at all and are reached by boat in season. A transfer can get you to the harbour or beach the boats leave from.
How a beach transfer usually works
The standard arrangement is a drop-off in the morning and a pickup at a time you set before you go. That matters more here than in most places: phone coverage in some bays is unreliable, and in high season every vehicle on the coast is already busy.
Agree the exact meeting point as well as the time. On a long beach like Borsh, or a busy access road like Jal's, 'the beach' is not a location.
If your plans change, message us as early as you can rather than at the moment you want to leave, and we will move the pickup if we can.
Worth bringing, worth mentioning
Tell us when you book if you are carrying any of these — it affects the vehicle.
- A cool box or picnic equipment
- Umbrellas, loungers or large beach bags
- Snorkelling or diving gear
- A pushchair, if you are travelling with young children
- Anything you want left in the vehicle rather than carried down
A note on timing
Mornings are the better half of a beach day here. The access roads are quieter, the sun is manageable and the water is calm.
Late afternoon is when everyone wants a ride at once. If you want to leave between five and seven in high season, book that pickup in the morning.
Beach destinations
- Stone houses of Dhërmi village on the hillside above the Ionian Sea
Taxi in Dhërmi
Local pickups in the village, on the beach road and at Drymades and Palasë.
Read more - The pebble bay at Jal on the Albanian Riviera, enclosed by steep green hillsides
Jal Beach
Down the access road to the bay at Jal, below Vuno.
Read more - The long shoreline at Borsh, backed by olive groves and hills
Taxi in Borsh
The long shore and olive groves on the southern Riviera.
Read more - Olive terraces above Qeparo, with the old hillside village and the sea beyond
Taxi in Qeparo
Between the old hill village and the shore, south of Himarë.
Read more - The bay and harbour at Himarë on the Albanian Riviera, with the castle hill above
Taxi in Himarë
Transfers between Dhërmi and Himarë, plus local pickups around the bay.
Read more
Frequently asked questions
Can you drive us right onto the beach?
To the access point, yes — how close that is depends on the beach and how busy it is. We will tell you where we can stop when we confirm the booking.
Can you take us to Gjipe Beach?
We can drive to where the track down begins. The final descent is a walk on rough ground, so bring suitable shoes and water and agree a pickup time for the return.
Will you wait while we spend the day at the beach?
For a full day, a drop-off and a booked return is usually the better arrangement. For a shorter visit, a waiting transfer can be arranged — tell us roughly how long and we will confirm.
What if we want to leave earlier or later than planned?
Message us as early as you can and we will move the pickup if a vehicle is free. In August that is easier said at two in the afternoon than at six.
Planning a beach day?
Tell us which beach and when, and we will book the drop-off and the return together.