Durres Speedboat Tour to Sazan Island, Cave and Karaburun

Vlora, the gateway to the bay

The day begins with pickup in Durres or Golem and a drive of around two hours south along the coast, with a 30-minute stop at a roadside café for breakfast or coffee. Vlora is the city where Albanian independence was proclaimed in 1912, and it sits at the head of a wide, sheltered bay closed off by the Karaburun Peninsula on one side and Sazan Island at its mouth. From the harbour you can see both before you even board the boat.

A Sazan Island boat trip from Vlora is the only way to see the peninsula's outer coast, because there is no road to the beaches and the island itself is reachable only by sea. Our speedboat waits in the harbour, and after a safety briefing and the fitting of life jackets you set off across the bay.

Sazan Island

Sazan is the largest island in Albania, a rocky ridge rising at the mouth of Vlora Bay where the Adriatic meets the Ionian Sea. For most of the twentieth century it was a closed military base, with tunnels, bunkers and barracks built into the hillsides, and it remained off limits to visitors until recently. Today it lies inside the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park, and its coastline of cliffs, coves and clear water shelters seabirds, dolphins and rich marine life.

The speedboat takes about 30 minutes to reach the island and cruises along its shore so you can see the old military installations and the untouched coast before stopping for a swim in deep, clear water. Is Sazan Island worth visiting? For the combination of history and wild scenery in one place, most travellers say yes; the stop lasts around 30 minutes.

Haxhi Ali Cave

At the north-western tip of the Karaburun Peninsula, facing Sazan, the sea has carved Haxhi Ali Cave into the limestone cliffs. The entrance is high and wide enough for the speedboat to drive straight in, and inside the water glows blue and green under a vaulted ceiling many metres above your head. The cave is named after a seventeenth-century sailor from the region who is said to have sheltered here, and it is also known locally as the Pirate Cave.

Entry inside Haxhi Ali Cave is included in the tour. The boat idles inside for photos and a look at the fish in the clear water below, a stop of about 15 minutes before heading along the peninsula to the beaches. It is a favourite photo spot on the Albanian Riviera and the highlight of the day for many.

The hidden beaches of the Karaburun Peninsula

The Karaburun Peninsula is a long, mountainous finger of land with no villages and no road along its western side, so its beaches of white pebbles and turquoise water are reached only by boat. The speedboat anchors at one of these coves, where you have around two and a half hours of free time to swim, snorkel over the rocks, explore the shore on foot and relax. A simple beach restaurant operates in summer; bring cash if you want food or drinks, as nothing is included.

Snorkelling masks are provided on board, shared between members of your group, along with life jackets. The beaches are mostly pebbly or rocky, so water shoes make swimming more comfortable. Sunbeds and parasols are available for a fee in season. The best time to visit Karaburun is June to September, when the sea is warm and calm.

The Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park

Sazan Island and the outer coast of the Karaburun Peninsula form the Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park, Albania's first protected marine area, created in 2010. The waters hold seagrass meadows, underwater caves, shipwrecks from ancient and modern times, and a rich mix of Adriatic and Ionian species, which is why snorkelling here is so rewarding even close to the shore. Fishing and anchoring are restricted in parts of the park, and your guide explains the rules on board.

The return trip takes about 30 minutes back to Vlora harbour, where our driver is waiting for the two-hour drive back to Durres or Golem. The boat can be bumpy and the back of the boat can get wet in wind, so the trip is best for those who enjoy a lively ride.