Gjipe
Best for. Hikers, campers and confident swimmers who want deep clear water, a canyon to explore and none of the sunbed circus.
Best spot. The cool mouth of the canyon behind the sand, and the rocky south end where the water deepens for a snorkel and a jump.
Know this. No road reaches the sand, so it is a downhill walk of around forty minutes or a boat taxi. Bring water, food and cash, and carry it all back out.
If Ksamil is what the Albanian Riviera has become, Gjipe is what it used to be. A pebble cove tucked at the mouth of a tall, narrow canyon between Dhermi and Himara, it has no road to the sand and no rows of loungers, just deep blue water, high stone walls and the kind of quiet you have to earn. For an active traveller it is the best day on the coast, and the effort is exactly what keeps it good.
The honest read is about access and self reliance. From the car park up on the coast road it is a downhill walk of around two and a half kilometres, roughly forty minutes, easy on the way down and a hot, lung working climb on the way back. A four wheel drive can grind down the rough track, and in peak season boat taxis run from Dhermi and Himara straight onto the sand. Whichever way you come, there is no shop at the bottom, so carry water, food, sun cover and cash, because card machines and running water are not part of the deal.
In the water Gjipe rewards you. It is deep and clear, cool against the heat, and the rocky south end is made for snorkelling and a careful jump. Mornings are glass calm. By mid afternoon the cove funnels the onshore wind and the surface stands up into a chop, which is your cue to dry off and walk the dry riverbed back into the canyon, where the shade and the cathedral walls are an attraction in their own right. One firm warning: never camp on the canyon floor, because the riverbed can flash flood after rain, even rain you cannot see. Pitch on the beach or higher ground instead.
Clubs on this beach
Gjipe is wild ground, not a club beach. There are no daybeds, no resident DJ and no service on the sand, which is the whole reason it still feels remote. A small eco camp and a simple bar behind the cove cover drinks, basic food and a pitch for the night, with names, hours and prices best confirmed before you make the trip.
Photo: Mathieu Coache via GoogleGjipe eco camp and bar
The only service behind the cove, a low key eco camp with tent and pitch rental and a simple bar for cold drinks and basic food. Hours and prices to be confirmed.
Dhermi coast, central Riviera
Gjipe lies between Dhermi and Himara on the central Riviera. The turnoff is signed off the coast road near the old monastery, where a rough track leads to a hillside car park. From there you walk down to the cove, around forty minutes, with the climb back the price you pay on the way out.
The easy alternative in summer is a boat taxi from Dhermi or Himara, which drops you on the sand and saves your legs but ties you to set return times. Either way, pack as if there is nothing at the bottom, because there nearly is. Water, food, shade and cash are the essentials.
Photo: Mathieu Coache via GoogleBook a beach club
Gjipe has no club, but we can set you up at a daybed or table on the nearby Dhermi and Drymades sands. Tell us your dates and we reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Gjipe
How do you get to Gjipe beach?
Two ways. Park at the marked lot off the coast road between Dhermi and Himara, then walk down a track of roughly two and a half kilometres, around forty minutes, with a hot climb back. Or take a boat taxi from Dhermi or Himara in peak season, which lands you straight on the sand and skips the walk.
Can you camp at Gjipe beach?
Yes. Gjipe is one of the few Albanian beaches where camping is allowed, and the eco camp behind the sand rents tents and pitches. Bring everything you need and plenty of cash. Do not pitch on the canyon floor, since the riverbed can flood fast after rain, even from a storm well inland.
Are there beach clubs or facilities at Gjipe?
No beach clubs and no rows of sunbeds. The only services are the eco camp and a simple bar for cold drinks and basic food, with hours best confirmed before you set off. That bareness is the whole point, so carry water, snacks, sun cover and cash, and leave nothing behind when you go.
Is Gjipe good for swimming and snorkelling?
Yes. The water is deep, clear and cool, and the rocky sides reward a snorkel and a bit of cliff jumping for confident swimmers. Mornings are calm and glassy. The cove funnels the afternoon wind, so the surface can chop up later, which is the cue to dry off, explore the canyon and rest in the shade.
When should I visit Gjipe to avoid the crowds?
Go early in June or September, on foot rather than by the midday boats. The walk in keeps day numbers down compared with the road served beaches, and the early hours give you the cool calm water and the canyon to yourself before the boat groups arrive around late morning.
