Sail Albania.

Most people sail past Albania on the way from Corfu to Croatia. That is the reason to stop. The coast between Vlorë and the Greek border is limestone headlands, deep clear water, and anchorages with a handful of boats where the Ionian elsewhere has fifty. The country opened to foreign yachts slowly, so the infrastructure is thin and the charm is real. You get water the colour of the Ionian without the queue for a lazy line. If you have sailed Corfu and found it crowded, this is the next door along, and hardly anyone has walked through it yet.

It is not polished. Fuel and provisioning take planning. Some bays have no shore facilities at all. That trade — rough edges for empty water — is the whole point. Come here to sail, anchor, swim, and eat grilled fish at a village quay, not for marina bars.

Vlorë sits where the Adriatic meets the Ionian, at the top of the Karaburun peninsula. That peninsula and Sazan island shelter the Bay of Vlorë, giving flat-water sailing close to base and a first-night anchorage inside protected water. South of the peninsula the coast turns Ionian: Dhërmi, Himarë, Porto Palermo with its Ali Pasha castle on a spit, and Sarandë within sight of Corfu.

Distances are short. Vlorë to Sarandë is roughly 45 nautical miles, so a week gives time to work down and back without long days. The Llogara pass and the Karaburun coast are the scenic stretches — cliffs dropping straight into deep water, a few caves, and anchorages like Grama Bay that you reach by sea because no road goes there. Depths come up close to shore, so most nights are anchor-and-line to a rock rather than a marina berth.

The season runs May to October. July and August are hot and settled, with sea temperatures into the mid-20s and reliable swimming. Shoulder months — May, June, September — give lighter crowds and comfortable heat, and September water is still warm from the summer.

The prevailing summer wind is a north-westerly sea breeze that builds through the afternoon, the same maestro pattern you find across the Ionian. Mornings are often calm; expect to motor early and sail from midday. The Karaburun peninsula and the Llogara pass can funnel and accelerate wind, so a Force 3 offshore becomes a gusty 5 in the gap. Southerlies bring swell onto the exposed Ionian anchorages, so watch the forecast and keep Vlorë Bay or Porto Palermo as bolt-holes. Winter is out — the coast is exposed and facilities close.

Bareboat is the main option for qualified crews, and Vlorë is the base. Given the thin infrastructure and the fact that pilotage information for this coast is still sparse, a skippered charter is worth considering even for experienced sailors — local knowledge of which bays hold in an afternoon breeze and where you can take on fuel saves real time. Cabin and flotilla sailing is not established here the way it is in Greece or Croatia, so plan on a whole-boat charter.

Monohulls suit the deep anchorages and the sailing breeze. Catamarans give shallow draught and space at anchor, which pairs well with a coast where you swim off the boat most nights. Crew and skipper details on request.

Albania is cheaper ashore than anywhere else on the Ionian — a taverna meal, a taxi, a bag of provisions all cost noticeably less than Corfu across the water. On the water, charter rates track the size and age of the boat and the week you pick, with July and August the peak. Price on request for specific boats and dates.

Budget separately for fuel — you motor more here than in a busier cruising ground because mornings are calm and some passages are into wind. Allow for a security deposit, end-cleaning, and any extras like an outboard or SUP. Marina and mooring fees are low compared with Croatia; many nights you anchor for free. Provisioning in Vlorë before you leave is cheaper and easier than restocking mid-coast, so shop for the week at the start.

Day 1 — Vlorë. Board, provision, and shake down inside the sheltered bay. Short hop to an anchorage under the Karaburun peninsula for the first night.

Day 2 — Karaburun and Grama Bay. Sail the cliff coast to Grama Bay, reachable only by sea, with ancient inscriptions carved into the rock by passing sailors. Swim, then anchor for the night.

Day 3 — Round the peninsula to Dhërmi. Through or near the Llogara waters, watching for funnelled wind, down to the beach anchorages at Dhërmi and Gjipe.

Day 4 — Himarë. A working village with a small harbour and tavernas on the front. Good night to eat ashore.

Day 5 — Porto Palermo. Anchor under the Ali Pasha castle on its spit — the most sheltered anchorage on the southern coast and a fine spot to sit out a southerly.

Day 6 — Sarandë. The turnaround point, opposite Corfu, with the option to see the Butrint ruins a short trip inland.

Day 7 — Back north. Work back up the coast with the sea breeze, choosing anchorages by the day's wind, aiming for Vlorë the following morning.

Adjust for weather — this is a coast where you keep a bolt-hole in mind rather than commit to a fixed plan.

Fly into Tirana, the only international airport, then transfer south to Vlorë — roughly two to three hours by road. Corfu is an alternative entry: fly there, cross to Sarandë by ferry, and you are on the southern coast, though that suits a one-way or a base at the Sarandë end rather than Vlorë.

Albania has a formal clearance procedure for yachts; a skippered charter or the base handles the paperwork. If you plan to cross to or from Corfu you clear in and out of both countries, so build in time for it. Bring documentation — passports, sailing qualifications, and boat papers — and confirm requirements before you travel. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and crew and we will confirm what is available and how the arrival works.

Right for sailors who have done the busy Ionian and want empty water; less right for anyone who needs marinas, shore power every night, and a settled plan.