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Everything you need to know about Shpella E Pellumbave, the small but epic, cliff-backed pebble beach which sits at the south of the Albanian Riviera. All based on our own personal experiences across multiple visits!
Situated at the bottom of a sharp cliff-face between the popular beach towns of Ksamil and Saranda is a narrow yet spectacular cove known as Shpella E Pellumbave.
With vibrant turquoise water that is literally to die for, this tiny beach is yet another remarkable spot we discovered on our travels along the stunning Albanian Riviera.
We’ve actually visited the beach a couple of times in the last couple of years during our trips to Saranda, and each time was without a car, so no, renting a car is not essential to get here!
However, each time we visited, we noticed more construction had been completed during the off-season.
It’s still very rustic here and nothing like the luxury developments and beach clubs in nearby Ksamil, but it’s no longer untouched either.
We still think it’s worth it for a beach day though, and in our short guide, we’ve included all the information you need to plan your own trip to Shpella E Pellumbave, as well as our personal experience of visiting the beach!
Where Is Shpella E Pellumbave Beach?
Google Maps Pin: Shpella e Pëllumbave
One of the picturesque southern Albania beaches, Shpella e Pellumbave is located between the beach towns of Ksamil and Saranda, and sits just to the south of its well-known neighbour Mirror Beach.
Depending on traffic, it’s about a 20-minute drive from Saranda and Ksmail, with the last 1.5km along a paved single-track road.
I’ve pinned the beach below so you can see exactly where it’s located on the map.
Related Post: A Complete Guide To The Best Beaches In Saranda
About Shpella E Pellumbave Beach
Translating to Cave of Pigeons in English, Shpella E Pellumbave gets its name from the small cave that you can find a small distance to the south.
But it’s the narrow beach rather than the cave that draws most people here with its fine pebbles, vibrant teal water, and sharp cliff-face backdrop. And this was the case for us too.
As I mentioned though, it’s a (mostly) private beach which now has a simple restaurant and beach bar built into the cliff behind the beach. It’s nothing fancy though, and its rustic style is definitely more of a shack than boho vibes.
Although this privatisation means on-site food, drink, music, and toilets are available, it also means that you have to pay to access the beach in the summer.
However, we found a pocket-sized public beach around the southern corner of Shpella e Pellumbave where we were able to lay our towel down for free.
It’s also worth noting that even if you drive all the way to the beach, there’s still a steep set of narrow stairs that lead down to the entrance.
Therefore, we don’t recommend Shpella e Pellumbave to anyone with mobility issues (the nearby Mirror Beach is a much better choice). And if travelling with children, then you should take lots of care.
Is It Actually Worth Visiting? What We Think
It’s a shame that this beach has been privatised as the raw natural beauty is the best part of Shpella E Pellumbave, and it would have been wonderful to see it in its untouched glory!
However, even still, Shpella E Pellumbave was worth the trip from Saranda.
So much so that we did it a couple of times!
This is because we couldn’t get enough of sunbathing at the foot of the steep, towering, and majestically rugged cliff-face! It’s a fantastic escape from the stylish beach clubs and city beaches that we left behind in Saranda.
Even though Filikuri Beach and Grama Bay up in Himare had similar settings, what sets Shpella E Pellumbave apart is the short and narrow shoreline that gives it a special, intimate vibe that we absolutely loved!
Oh, and did I mention the water that is literally the colour of a blue Gatorade?
This isn’t the place for the boujee beach club crowd, but if a rustic little bay surrounded by the scenic Ionian coastline is up your street too, then we definitely recommend checking out Shpella E Pellumbave!
The Public Beach At Shpella E Pellumbave
While the main section of the beach is privately owned, there is a tiny section assigned as a public beach. To get here, we just had to make our way around the corner at the southern tip of the beach.
It’s only about a 10 metre or so walk but, depending on the tide, you may have to wade in knee-deep water. This is what we had to do on the way back round!
Once here, we found a spot to put our beach towel down on the pebbles, which are surrounded by an eroded cliff and it makes for a stunning little spot!
Just be careful at the back of the beach as there may be sheep knocking stones down from above!
Even in September, the free beach was quite full, so I’d imagine you’d have to get there early in order to nab a spot during July and August!
How To Get To Shpella E Pellumbave Beach
There are a few different options to reach Shpella e Pellumbave Beach, whether you’re coming from Saranda to the north or Ksamil to the south.
These include the public bus (plus a 30-minute walk), by driving, and by taking a taxi.
We opted for the bus mainly because it was the cheapest way to get there but honestly, we also just couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of renting a car.
Although even if you arrive by car or taxi, there is still a 10-minute walk from the closest car park down to the beach’s steep stairway entrance.
Public Bus (Our Choice)
We can confirm that, even though we didn’t have our own wheels, we were still able to enjoy a beach day at Shpella E Pellumbave.
We travelled here on the public bus that operates regularly from Saranda to Ksamil and Butrint National Park, which dropped us at the official bus stop on the main road where the single-track to Shpella E Pellumbave and Mirror Beach begins.
You can catch this bus in both Saranda and Ksamil, and we just let the ticket man know that we wanted to get off at Shpella E Pellumbave (or Mirror Beach if that’s easier). The cost is 150 ALL per person each way and they don’t do return tickets.
From the bus stop, it took us about 30 minutes to reach the beach on foot.
There’s a short but steep incline to start before it evens out with a few ups and downs along the way. We kept going past the first right turn, and also the second, which has a Mirror Beach signpost, and continued along the track, seeing a few signs for Shpella e Pellumbave Beach confirming we were heading the right way.
Eventually, we reached a fork in the road, and here we kept right as this starts the descent to the beach. The left direction actually continues further south to Pulebharda Beach.
From the car parks, we followed the stepped path that zig zags down for about 15 minutes until we reached the steep set of stairs down to the beach.
There is very little shade on this road so I’d try and get there before midday summer sun!
Driving
If you have a rental car, you can drive to Shpella e Pellumbave Beach by following the main road between Saranda and Ksamil and turning off at the signpost for Mirror Beach.
From here, you can follow the same single-track road that I explained above and there are three car parks before the final 15-minute zig-zag path.
The cost for parking is 400 ALL if you’re visiting during the summer season.
Note: Much of the single track isn’t paved so just be cautious if you’re in a rental car.
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Taking A Taxi
If you don’t fancy the long walk from the bus stop or renting a car, the other option is to take a taxi. Depending on the month, this costs around 30 EUR each way from Saranda (negotiable), and I’d recommend arranging a return pick up as there were no taxis waiting around when we visited.
Or, you can book a taxi online with Get Transfer if you don’t want the hassle of negotiating the price.
Entrance Fee
If visiting in the summer season, which runs between June and September, it’s mandatory to pay for sun loungers.
In the peak months, this costs at least 2000 ALL (or 20 euros) for two beds and a lounger, but you may get a cheaper deal of around 1000-1500 ALL in June and September.
Unless you opt for the public section of beach, this is free all year round!
Don’t Miss A Boat Trip To Kroreza Beach Too!
Our Experience At The Beach
Our first glimpse of Shpella E Pellumbave was when we were making our way down the 300 or so steps from the final car park.
I remember seeing the striking colour of blue through a gap in the trees and was instantly mesmerised by it! As I mentioned, it reminded me
Once we finally reached the bottom, we walked out onto the beach, which was surprisingly sandy, and only changed to fine pebbles at the waterline.
After taking in the tremendous cliff behind us, our first impressions of Shpella E Pellumbave were that it was not only a lot smaller and narrower than the neighbouring Mirror Beach, with only two or three rows of sun beds, but it was a lot livelier too.
Google reviews told us that this wasn’t a one-off but that the bar plays loud music throughout the summer, which some people like and others less so.
We fall into the latter camp, and this was our main grievance with this beach. But I guess it didn’t stop us from going back again!
Similar to Mirror Beach, the sun beds are basic canvas with metal frames, which do the job but aren’t anything luxurious. But that’s the point here, you can get those extra thick and comfortable loungers back in Ksamil or Saranda.
When we visited in September, the wind created strong waves that were breaking on the shore, which made it a little unsteady as we went in for a dip, but once we were in, it was actually really relaxing just to float and swim to cool off.
We ended up finding a spot on the free beach as it was further away from the music, and had a great afternoon reading our books in between dips in the water!
Shpella E Pellumbave quickly became one of our favourite beaches in Saranda!
Facilities At Shpella E Pellumbave Beach
A prominent feature of Shpella e Pellumbave Beach is the rustic restaurant built into the steep cliff. With a straw roof, the restaurant is raised above the beach and overlooks the small bay.
The restaurant doesn’t get great reviews for its food, both for the quality and price, so we decided to bring our own to enjoy picnic style on the free beach.
If you do fancy lunch with a sea view though, dishes range from around 800-1400 ALL.
There are also toilets and showers to rinse off on the bottom level at the back of the beach.
Best Time To Visit Shpella E Pellumbave
Like everywhere on the southern coast, we think the best time to visit is in June and September. We found September to have the perfect balance between an upbeat holiday atmosphere without being too crammed full of people.
It’s a fine line to balance on the Albanian coast in the summer, but mid to late September was perfect. And the sun beds were cheaper to rent too!
Our visit in October was also great as we even had the beach to ourselves for a while. However, it did have a bit of a deserted vibe with random loungers and other things lying around, like the owners had packed up in a hurry.
But if you like the peace and quiet, it’s the perfect time as the weather was still fantastic too!
To Finish
There’s absolutely no faulting the insane colour of the water at Shpella e Pellumbave which, combined with the cliff it sits in front of, makes it a pretty epic spot!
Even with the privatisation and the packed out summer days, we were still able to appreciate the pure beauty of the place!
Pin It For Later!
Our Other Albania Guides
Find more inspiration, tips, and advice in our other Albania Travel Guides!
- Saranda Travel Guide: Things To Do, Day Trips, And More
- A Complete Guide To The Best Beaches In Saranda
- Essential Guide To Visiting The Blue Eye (Syri I Kalter)
- Getting From Saranda To Ksamil – All You Need To Know
- Corfu To Saranda By Ferry – Essential Guide
- Best Beaches In Ksamil
- Himare, Albania: A Guide To The Riviera’s Best Beach Town
- Best Himare Beaches To Visit
