Ksamil Beach During the off Season Is like a Sleeping Beauty waiting for the kiss of tourism to bring it back to life.
Ksamil beach is near Saranda (Sarandë). The journey from Saranda takes around half-an-hour by bus. I went there today and the bus ticket only cost me 100 Lek each way. So, all told, to travel from Saranda to Ksamil and then back again cost me around €1.60.
I’d read that Ksamil beach is very beautiful. A local girl I met in a bar told me the same. Everything I’d been lead to believe is true, but Ksamil during the off season is like a ghost town. It’s dead. Most of the bars and restaurants are closed. Many look like they have been left to go to rack and ruin. This jewel of the Albanian Rivierra still shines but there is nobody there to see it.
Visiting Ksamil Beach during the off season is somewhat of a sad experience. It’s like looking at a favorite toy that everyone has forgotten. Without the tourists the beaches are empty and there is nobody splashing about in the blue-green water.
Ksamil is a smaller town than Saranda and without the tourists it seems to go to sleep and await their return. Saranda is different, althogh the busy season is still months away, there is still plenty of activity and the streets, promenades, and restaurants are alive with people during the day.
However, during the off season, Ksamil would be a great location for anyone who wants to get away from the crowd and catch some sun on a deserted beach.
Pictures of Ksamil Beach During the Off Season
How to Get to Ksamil Beach
If you are already in Saranda, it’s just a case of finding the correct bus stop. That can be hard because when you ask for directions everyone refers to the bus stop as a “bus station”. That makes you start looking for a building. However, if you head towards the Friendship Park you will find the bus stop on Rruga Skeëderbeu. [Map]
You will see some buses parked around the corner, but don’t let this confuse you. Those buses go longer distances. They pick up and drop off passengers travelling to and from Vlore and Tirana.
If you have arrived in Saranda via a ferry from Italy or Corfu and want to get to Ksamil Beach, the walk to the bus stop should not take you more than 15-20 minutes.
However, if you have arrived in Alabania via plane, presuming you are not going to hire a car, the journey from Tirana to Saranda by bus takes nearly five hours. The cost of a ticket is only around €11. You’ll probably need the help of Google Translate, but you can get up-to-date bus schedules and order a ticket at Gjirafa.com.
Finding Accommodation in Ksamil
Even during the off season, it’s still possible to find plenty of accommodation in and around Ksamil and prices can be as low as €10-€15 per night. However, when the tourist season is in full swing the prices are likely to go up accordingly.
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