Haxhi Ali Cave and Karaburun Speedboat Tour with Snorkelling Vlora

Haxhi Ali Cave, the sea cave at the tip of Karaburun

Haxhi Ali Cave is the most famous sea cave in Albania, cut into the limestone cliffs at the northern tip of the Karaburun Peninsula, roughly 45 minutes by speedboat from Vlora. The entrance is enormous, around 10 metres high and wide enough for a boat to pass through, and inside the water is deep and glows an intense blue where daylight reaches it. The cave takes its name from a 17th-century sailor who used it as a hideout, and your guide tells his story while the boat drifts inside.

The point of this tour is that the boat actually goes in: many trips only pause at the mouth, but here you spend about 20 minutes inside and around the cave with time for photos. Swimming and snorkelling inside the cave are not allowed by the local authorities, so the water stops come later at the beach; inside, you simply look up, listen and let your eyes adjust to the light.

The Karaburun Peninsula and its marine park

Karaburun is the largest peninsula in Albania, a 16-kilometre ridge of bare mountain that closes the Vlora coast from the open sea. For decades it was a military zone with no roads or villages, which is why its shores are still empty, and since 2010 its waters, together with Sazan Island, form the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park, the country's first protected marine area. Dolphins and sea turtles pass through, the cliffs are pierced with caves and the beaches are reachable only by boat.

On the way out and back the boat runs the length of the peninsula's eastern shore, with the guide pointing out old military positions, the ridgeline that reaches more than 800 metres and the clear water below. If you are wondering how to get to Karaburun, this is the answer: there is no road access for visitors, so a boat trip from Vlora is the only practical way.

Shën Vasil Beach, the swimming and snorkelling stop

After the cave the boat continues to Shën Vasil Beach, a pebble cove on the wild side of the peninsula with water so clear that the boat seems to float in the air. There are no buildings and no road, only cliffs, scrub and the sea, and the stop here is the longest of the day, roughly two hours. Snorkel masks are provided and the rocks at either end of the cove are where the fish gather; the centre of the beach is ideal for a quiet swim.

Deck chairs and umbrellas are not included, so bring a towel and a hat, and bring your own water and snacks because there are no shops. The crew stays with you, helps anyone who wants to try snorkelling for the first time and takes photos of the group in the water, which are shared with you after the trip.

Sazan Island and the meeting of two seas

From the tip of Karaburun you look across a narrow strait to Sazan, Albania's largest island, a former military base that is now part of the marine park and remains uninhabited. This strait is the traditional dividing line between the Adriatic Sea to the north and the Ionian Sea to the south, and the guide usually stops the boat for a moment so you can see the two bodies of water meet, often with a visible change in colour and swell.

The tour does not land on Sazan, but the views of its cliffs and old tunnels from the water are part of the trip, and this is one of the best photo moments of the day. The crossing is short, and on a calm morning it is as smooth as the inner coast; on windier afternoons the captain adjusts speed and route for comfort.

Departure from the Vlora waterfront

The trip starts and ends on the seafront promenade of Vlora, Albania's third city and the place where the country declared its independence in 1912. The meeting point is beside a café next to a sushi restaurant on the waterfront, and our team waits there with a flag; we send the exact map pin with your confirmation. The boats leave from the beach just below, so there is no port terminal to navigate.

Allow about 30 minutes each way for the ride between Vlora and the cave. There is no parking at the meeting point, so leave your car in a nearby car park or on a side street. Vlora itself has a long promenade, a lively old town and the Muradie Mosque from the 16th century, so a boat trip from Vlora combines well with an afternoon exploring the city.