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Grama Bay is one of our all-time favourite spots in Albania! Add in the fun of a boat trip and it’s easy to see why it’s our favourite day trip from Himare!
I have a confession to make.
It took us three trips to Albania (two of which we were actually in Himare) to finally visit Grama Bay!
And this should be a criminal offence!
Tucked into a small cove to the north of Himare, the bay is one of the most rugged yet picturesque that I’ve seen with my own eyes!
It’s nothing short of an Ionian paradise!
The surrounding shaved rock face topped with greenery, along with the shiny white pebbles that glisten in the midday sun, and of course, the inviting turquoise water, are all etched in my fantastic memory of the place!
It’s not as difficult to visit Grama Bay as it might seem on the map, which shows no road access and a 13km hike from Palase, as there are fantastic boat trips to join from Himare!
Our boat trip was fantastic and I urge you not to make our mistake and ensure you visit Grama Bay while in Himare!
Keep reading to find out exactly how to visit, how our trip went, and why we think it is so, so worth it!
Where Is Grama Bay?
Google Maps Pin: Grama Bay
Around 30km north of Himare in the southwest of Albania, Grama Bay is situated on the coast of the unspoiled Karaburun Peninsula, surrounded by the hills and raw nature of the Karaburun Reserve.
It’s around halfway between Himare and the larger coastal city of Vlore, but there is no vehicle access from the main SH8 road that runs parallel to the Karaburun Reserve.
Related Post: A Guide To Visiting Himare Castle And Historic Old Town
What Makes Grama Bay So Special?
There is no doubt that visually, Grama Bay is somewhere that could easily be on the front cover of a travel magazine.
But the Albanian Riviera is full of beautiful beaches like this, so why does Grama Bay stand out as one of our favourites?
Well, I’ve asked myself this question a few times, and I keep coming back to the seclusion of the beach.
We love the fact that Grama Bay cannot be accessed by car, which gives it a remote paradise vibe where we felt like we’d discovered Albania’s version of The Beach (Maya Bay)!
As we lay on the pebbles, Lucy and I talked about how we felt like we’d escaped the real world for a few hours and looked up at the towering cliffs, admiring the sheer natural beauty that surrounded us.
Filikuri Beach, Mirror Beach, and Shpella e Pellumbave, all caught our attention in a similar way, but Grama Bay just seemed to take it up a level!
There is no doubt in our minds that Grama Bay is absolutely worth it and easily outranks Porto Palermo and hiking to Pilur as the best day trip from Himare!
How To Get To Grama Bay From Himare
As I mentioned, it’s not as simple as just driving or catching a bus along to this beauty spot as there’s no access road. There’s not even a walking trail marked on Google Maps from the main road, which is around a cool 7km as the crow flies anyway.
Instead, the only ways to travel to Grama Bay are by boat or by travelling to Palase and hiking 13km along the coast from there.
I know most readers probably don’t fancy the long hike, and neither did we, but some adventurous travellers do actually take this route!
You can also visit Grama Bay on a boat tour from Vlore
Reserve Your Spot Today!
Boat Trip From Himare (What We Chose)
Joining a boat tour from Himare is definitely my recommended way to visit Grama Bay.
Not only because that’s what we did, or because it saves you a lot of time and effort, but because we were able to see a few other epic spots on the tour too!
Split between the way there and the way back, boat tours allow you to explore other secluded beaches and caves for around 20-30 minutes each. Ours included stops at Pigeon Cave Beach, Saint Andreas Bay, and Shpella e Pirateve.
Impressively, the captain even expertly took our boat inside one of the small caves which was surreal to experience! The electric blue colour of the water inside was something I wasn’t expecting and won’t forget!
Of course, the main attraction of our boat tour was Grama Bay though, and we docked here for a couple of hours and were free to relax and enjoy the scenic bay.
We booked our tour with one of the companies that had a stall set along the northern part of the promenade.
However, more and more trips are going online and if we were to do it again, we’d join this top-rated tour on Get Your Guide. Not only are there plenty of glowing reviews of previous trips, but we love the convenience of organising everything online!
This is also a great option for booking in advance during July and August when tours can sell out!
Don’t wait until you’re in Himare to book!
Save your spot for your preferred dates!
Hiking
Alternatively, if you’re feeling very adventurous, you can take on the 13km hike along the coast from the nearest town of Palase.
Depending on your pace and number of stops, this will take around 6 hours each way, so many hikers take a tent and camp overnight.
After first reaching the town by either car or bus from Himare, the hiking trail then hugs the coast all the way to Grama Bay.
After 8.5km you’ll reach the first of Karaburun Peninsula’s unspoiled beaches, Saint Andreas Bay (Shen Andre Bay). It’s much smaller than Grama Bay but still a pristine little pebble beach. We may not have hiked but we still got to enjoy this wonderful spot as our boat tour made a 30 minute stop.
From Saint Andreas Bay, it’s a further 4.5km along the coast to reach Grama Bay. You’ll pass a stunning lookout just before the descent that winds down behind the bay, where you’ll finally be able to walk out onto the white pebbles.
That’s just a brief overview of the hike but you can find more details over at Wikiloc where Granit gives his first-hand account of what to expect on this trail.
Our experience At Grama Bay
As our captain edged our boat to Grama Bay’s shore, we took turns jumping down onto the pebbles between the strong waves that were washing up.
After losing my balance on the landing and nearly ending up swimming prematurely, I was soon thinking ‘wow’ as we made our way onto the beach at the foot of the giant cliffs!
The place was just as stunning as we’d hoped, and immediately cemented itself as one of our top beaches in and around Himare!
But while the bright white pebbles definitely add to the scene, they’re on the larger side and we were glad to have some flip-flops with us, which made it more comfortable.
Thankfully, our visit was at the end of September, just before the end of the season, which meant half the beach was empty, and the vibe was chilled.
However, the only disappointment we had with Grama Bay was that even somewhere as remote as this hasn’t been able to escape development. A small restaurant has been built at the back corner of the bay, and although it isn’t overbearing and hasn’t ruined the bay, it’s sad that it hasn’t remained completely untouched.
The restaurant closes in mid-September though, and was already shut when we visited, but the cash-only eatery does get mostly good reviews on Google Maps, even if it is a bit pricier than in town.
This meant that, apart from a bathroom, there were no facilities when we were there, but we were more than happy with this trade-off as it meant a quiet beach!
Things To Do At Grama Bay
Sunbathe
The top activity to do while visiting Grama Bay is to, of course, lie back, relax, and work on your tan! So make sure you’ve got your beach towel with you.
We found this pretty easy as not only was there a lot of space on the beach, but there is very limited shade. There was just a small section in the southern corner that was shaded until the sun came around in the late afternoon.
Below, you can see the shaded area on the right almost disappear as we were leaving around 3pm.
Snorkel
The turquoise water in Grama Bay is absolutely mesmerising and I imagine you’ll be much the same as us and heading in to cool off!
And if you have a snorkel, I’d recommend taking it as you can snorkel around the rocks on either end of the bay.
In the middle of the bay the visability was great but there wasn’t much to see, so I’d just go straight for the rocks.
The sea gets a bit choppy if it’s windy, which makes keeping your balance at the shoreline a bit tricky (speaking from experience), but once you’re in it’s fantastic!
Next Read: Complete Guide To Visiting Porto Palermo Castle Near Himare
Hike Up To The Viewpoint
A worthwhile venture for anyone who loves an epic coastal view (who doesn’t) is the 15 minute hike up to the vantage point that looks over Grama Bay from above.
Admittedly, I only got part of the way up as I left it too late and was scrambling to get as good a view as I could get before our boat left for Himare! Even though I didn’t get all the way up, I still got a great view and can just imagine how impressive it would be from the top, where you can see out over the Ionian Sea too!
So, don’t make my mistake and head up early before rewarding yourself with a relaxing sunbathe and swim!
Find The Cliff Inscriptions
People have actually been anchoring up in this bay for thousands of years, and you can see evidence yourself with Ancient Greek, Latin from the Roman era, and Medieval Greek inscriptions on the cliff face.
If you’re a history buff then definitely keep on the lookout for these.
Best Time To Visit
The time of year can make a big difference to how you see Grama Bay.
The best are the shoulder months of June and September. It’s still easy enough to join a boat trip, but the crowds aren’t as intense as in July and August.
Grama Bay isn’t the hidden gem it once was in the past, and in the peak months, there are lots of tours anchoring up daily with hordes of tourists on the beach.
I wouldn’t say not to go at this time, but the beginning and end of the season is best as it’s when you can really feel that special secluded paradise vibe!
However, the perk of visiting in the busy months is that there are parasols to rent to make your own shady spot.
To Finish
Whether you jump on a boat tour from Himare or fancy hiking from Palase, a trip to Grama Bay is something not to be missed while you’re in Himare!
Hopefully it stays clear of more development and commercialisation, which I think it will due to its remote location, but you never know!
So make sure to visit at your first opportunity and not wait until your third like we did!
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Our Other Albania Guides
Find more inspiration, tips, and advice in our other Albania Travel Guides!
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