Albania Jale beach – Why to visit this hidden-gem?

I just came back from a trip to Jale beach in the Albanian Riviera, and it is stunning! But I remember, when I was planning the trip, I could not decide which beaches to visit in my short holiday time. So, to make your travel plan a little easier, I have written a helpful blog post about Jale beach.

Why should you visit Jale beach in Albania? Jale beach is a hidden gem in the Albanian Riviera. The beach is known for the intensely azure sea water. The half-moon shaped bay is surrounded by mountains on both sides. Jala beach can be reached by driving along the coastal road in the South of Albania. It is between Gjipe beach and Himare beach.

There are so many little secrets, to having a great holiday at Albania’s Jale beach. There are water activities, little hidden coves and cave all within reach from this bay. Let’s make sure you have all the right information to make the most of your time at Jala beach.

Why you should visit Jale beach?

Jale beach is famous its intensely azure sea water. A picture or a description of the clear azure water, cannot really describe how beautiful the sea water is at Jale. You simply must see it for yourself.

Due to the clean and clear water, Jale beach is a great spot for swimming and snorkeling. Through the clear water, you can see the bottom of the sea. Moreover, there massive rocks which are a few meters of the coast, which you can explore while snorkeling.

The setting of the beach is beautiful as well. The beach of Jala is in a half-moon shaped bay, which is surrounded by hills on either side. The hills surrounding the beach are completely covered in olive groves.

Jale beach is a great location for swimming, snorkeling, diving or taking a boat trip. Especially, by boat you can visit some of the most beautiful virgin beaches in Albania. Especially, Gjipe beach is known as one of the prettiest beaches in the area. But Gjipe beach can only be reached by boat (or a long walk). But there are many more beautiful, forgotten beaches.

And finally, the view from the road onto the beach of Jale is amazing. It is worth stopping the car and hiking up the hills on either side of the beach, to make some beautiful pictures.

How to get to Jale beach?

Jale beach is a small beach located in the South of Albania. The beach is a part of the Albanian Riviera. The Albanian Riviera area is known as the area in Albania, which has the most beautiful beaches in the country.

To reach Jala beach, you need to drive to the South of Albania. If you are driving from Tirana, you need to drive to the south to the coastal city Vlore. From Vlore, you need to drive along the coastal road for 40 kilometres to reach Jale beach. If you are coming from the south of Albania, you need to drive from Saranda to the Himare village. From the Himare village, continue along the coastal road for about 12 kilometres to reach Jala beach.

There is no public transportation to Jale beach. But you can take a bus from Vlore city to the Himare village. Then you can ask the bus driver to let you out of the bus at Jale, before driving onward to Himare. Asking the bus driver to stop along the route is perfectly normal in Albania. The furgon minibuses are owned by the driver of the bus, so there is no timetable or strict regulations. Or you can stay on the bus to Himare and take a taxi to Jale, which is only a 20-minute drive.

Because there are so many little beaches along the coastal road, it is important to note down Jale’s exact location. Jale beach is close to the Vuno village, which is only 5 kilometres from the beach. And Jale is located between Gjipe beach to the north and Himare beach to the south.

Things to do at Jale beach

Hike to the hidden beach of Aquarium Bay

About 2 kilometres from Jale beach, there is a beautiful beach called “Aquarium Bay” or “Plazhi I Akuariumit”. This is one of the best kept secret beaches closed to Jale beach. From the main beach, you need to walk to the north past Hotel Nuanti. You cannot visit the beach by car, they only way to reach Aquarium Bay is walking for about 20 minutes on a sand road.

Aquarium Bay is a pretty beach in a cove. There are rocks and cliffs surrounding the beach. The beach is called Aquarium Bay because it looks like a large aquarium. This is one of the hidden spots, where you will see no crowds. The beach is a virgin beach and there are no facilities here. So be sure to bring some food and drinks with you for your trip.

Aquarium Bay is one of those little hidden beaches, that is only visited by locals. Because if you do not know about this little beach, you might have never found it!

Stay at the Jale Albania Camping

Jale beach is a great place for a camping trip. About 100 metres from the beach, there is a camping site in the middle of the olive groves.

Camping is a great way to enjoy the summer in Jale. You can walk from the campsite to the beach to go for a swim. Moreover, you can participate in a great variety of activities being organized at the campsite. You can play volleyball, mini-football, water polo and ping-pong.

At the campsite, you can also book a trip from Jale beach to Gjipe beach. Gjipe is a virgin beach, which is completely enclosed by a cliff. From the camping, you can book a tour to Gjipe beach. You can choose between a sailing tour, a biking tour, a canoe tour or a hiking tour to Gjipe beach. You can also book diving or snorkeling lessons at the campsite.

If you are travelling on a budget, then staying at the campsite in Jale is a great option. You can rent a tent at the camping. Tents are available in individual-size, family-size and group-size. There are week packages, which cost Lek 9,400 (€77.00). Or weekend packages, which cost Lek 5,000 (€40.00). The transportation from Tirana to Jale beach is included. Moreover, accommodation, breakfast, lunch and access to the recreational areas are all included in the package.

There are restaurants and a self-service bar at the camping. But if you prefer to prepare your own food, you can do so in the summer kitchen at the campsite. The summer kitchen is designed for campers to be able to cook themselves, like you would on any campsite.

Explore hidden spots by Sea Kayak

Renting a sea kayak at Jale beach is an amazing way to explore places, that can only be reached by boat.

To undertake this activity, you need to rent a sea kayak at Jale beach, which costs roughly 400 LEK (€3.00) per hour. Then from the beach follow the coastline to the north.

You can take a 10-kilometre kayaking route along the coast. On your kayaking trip, you can make several stops to visit some sights.

At first, you will pass two forgotten beaches. The beaches are sandy and secluded. You can only reach these sights by boat or kayak. If you continue onward, you will be able to visit several caves. The caves bent into the sea and you can kayak into the caves. The caves along the coastline are Mermaids Cave, Figs Cave and Pirates Cave. Of the three caves, the Pirates Cave is the most impressive.

Moreover, you can visit the hidden beach of Gjipe by sea kayak as well. The beach of Gjipe has become a famous spot to visit, because it is very private. Since the beach is completely enclosed by cave, it cannot be reached by car. You can only visit the beach by either sea kayak or by foot.

If you only want to kayak from Jale to Gjipe the distance is 4 kilometres. And by kayak, this will take you roughly 40 minutes.

Take a boat trip to the pirates’ cave

The Pirates’ cave is a well-known touristic sight in Albania. From Jale beach, you can take a short boat trip to explore the cave. With a boat or kayak, you can enter the cave. The limestone rocks of the cave bend over the seawater.

From Jali beach, you can take a short boat trip to the Pirates cave. Once, inside you can see the neon turquoise water of the sea inside the cave. If you dare to you can take a swim inside the cave or go diving in the cave.

There is a large hole in the top of the cave, from where the sunlight streams into the cave. Which lights up the inside of the cave and makes it look magical.

In the old times, the cave was used by pirates to seek shelter from the strong winds. Moreover, the cave also inspired the Albanian writer Petro Marko to write a book about the Pirates’ cave. Which was later adapted to a movie.

The best period to visit the Pirates’ cave is in the summer. Because in the summer the seawater is at its calmest. In the winter, however, the waves crash into the cliffs, which makes entry into the cave a challenge.

Visit the hidden Gjipe beach

Gjipe beach is one of the most inaccessible beaches in Albania. Because the beach is closed off by high cliffs. Therefore, the beach cannot be reached by car. The best way to reach this beautiful beach is by boat from Jale beach. The only alternative to a boat trip is a 35-minute walk.

At Jale beach, you can rent a kayak for roughly 400 LEK per hour. Peddle along the coat for 40 minutes to reach Gjipe beach. This trip is absolutely worth your effort as the views along the coastline are stunning. Or you can book a trip with a motorized boat, which will drop you off at Gjipe beach.

Since Gjipe beach cannot be reached by bus or car, it is like a deserted island or a hidden paradise. Whereas the other beaches in Albania can be busy in the summer season, Gjipe beach is quiet all the time.

The beach is very idyllic and has a very natural feel. There are no facilities at this beach, so bring some food and drinks along on your trip. It takes some effort to reach this hidden pearl, but it is guaranteed worth your time.

Is Jale beach expensive?

Jale beach is an affordable beach, especially compared to some of the other European beaches.

In terms of accommodation, you can choose for a budget hotel or a high-end resort. If you choose for a 3-star hotel, you can expect to pay around €25 – €30 per room per night.

However, you can also choose to stay at the Jale campsite, which is very affordable. There are week packages, which cost Lek 9,400 (€77.00). Or weekend packages, which cost Lek 5,000 (€40.00).

There are several restaurants and bars around the beach of Jale. The food includes sea food, pizza and fast food. For a lunch or dinner in a local restaurant, you will pay between €4 – €10. Obviously, you could spend less, if you visit the supermarket instead.

At the beach, you will pay 400 LEK (€3.00) for two loungers and an umbrella for the day. Unless, you want to stay in front of the popular beach club, where you pay more for the loungers. You can also rent a kayak for 400 LEK (€3.00) per hour and peddle to the nearby beaches.

What is the weather like at Jale beach?

The Jale beach weather is the best between April and October. The best months in terms of sea water temperature are June, July, August and September. Moreover, if you have the chance to visit in June or in September, you will avoid the high season and enjoy more privacy.

In April, the average temperature is 28 °C. The temperature of the sea is still quite cold in April at 16 °C. In May and June, the average temperature increases to 30 °C on average. The temperature of the sea in May is 19 °C and in June it is 22 °C.

Then in July and August, it is high season in Albania. In both months, the average temperature is 28 °C with a sea temperature of 26 °C. Just after the summer, in September the average temperature is 28 °C with a sea temperature of 24 °C. And in October, you can expect a temperature of 26 °C with a sea water temperature of 21 °C.

Which beaches are close to Jale beach?

The beaches that are close to Jale are: Gjipe beach, Himare beach, Dhermi beach and Llamani beach. If you drive from Tirana southwards to the Albanian Riviera, you will pass by the coastal city Vlore, then Dhermi beach, Gjipe beach, Jale beach, Himare beach and finally Llamani beach.

Gjipe beach is completely enclosed by cliffs and therefore inaccessible by car. The only way to visit this hidden paradise is by boat from Jale or by walking along a narrow path for 35 minutes. All the effort pays off though, because Gjipe is a very private beach surrounded by nature. It feels like going to a deserted island.

Himare beach is a lovely little village, which is popular among tourists. Even though it is a popular stop for tourists, it is still very charming. You can walk up the hill to visit the old village and look down onto the sea. Moreover, there are several beaches: the main beach, Potami beach or the nearby Llamani beach.

Dhermi beach is a popular beach among young people. In the summer months, this little village has lots of little bars and restaurants along the beach. This beach is known for its vibrant and young crowd. Although, if you would like to get away from the crowd, you can walk along the beach to Drymades beach. The beach of Drymades comes highly recommended by the Lonely Planet.

Llamani beach is located 4 kilometres to the south of Himare. The beach site is wide and has perfectly clear water.

Related Questions

What are the best beaches in Albania? The best beach in Albania is Ksamil beach. Ksamil is a paradise-like beach on a little peninsula with white sand and blue-green water. In front of the beach there are four little islands which are uninhabited. You can visit the islands by boat, by swimming or by kayak.

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