Ksamil is one of those places that I had to put in a bit of effort to love. If I’m being honest, when we drove into town, I wanted to leave. The congestion on the way in was crazy, it took forever, the roads were wild, and I felt overwhelmed. We’d just spent the past 2 weeks traveling through much more peaceful parts of this beautiful country. Compared to that, Ksamil felt like we just hit Las Vegas.
Once I calmed down and got myself together, I realized I always find something to love about the places we go. I regrouped, did a bunch of googling. Now I have a day or two worth of things to do/enjoy in Ksamil.
I will admit, it helps to know what to expect before visiting here, this way you can see if this place is your vibe or not. I wrote a post about what you need to know before visiting, you can find it here ——> What you NEED to Know Before Visiting Ksamil, Albania
Where to stay
Hotel Mira Mare
We absolutely loved our hotel and found it to be a perfect oasis from the bustling main area of Ksamil. The hotel was clean and comfortable and was run by the kindest couple. Our favorite aspect of this hotel was the beautiful rooftop. It was the perfect place to relax, it was such a beautiful setting for breakfast each morning, and we loved having a drink here before heading out in the evenings.
Even if you don’t decide to stay here, the rooftop bar would be worth your while to check out for sunset. The hotel was walkable to anything we wanted to do. It was set back from the town a bit which made it a lot more peaceful. We also really enjoyed our balcony with the nice comfy chair, it was a perfect place to sit, read, and relax. The hotel also had parking which made it very convenient to get in and out of town and not have to worry about the car while we were there.
Click here to view & book the hotel
Things to do & Eat
Kayaking to the little islands
I enjoy kayaking a LOT more when there is an actual destination to reach and you’re not just paddling around endlessly. The little islands off of Ksamil are a perfect destination to take a kayak. We grabbed one on a whim and took a ride out, but if we were to do it again, I would pack a picnic and spend some quality time out on the islands. They were SO much less crowded, SO much more peaceful, and SO much more lovely than the main beaches of Ksamil. We visited these islands entirely on our own and it was very easy to ride the kayak out.
Black Pearl Ksamil
This place ended up basically rescuing our time in Ksamil. It was just my husband and I traveling here, if we’d be in a group there are some other spots that may have been more worth our while. Black Pearl for us ended up being perfect. We were able to rent a bed and one of those nets that hang over the water for a VERY reasonable price for the day. Food and drink here were also good and reasonably priced. While some may argue that nearly everything is well priced in Albania, we felt that some things in Ksamil were still a little over the top.
The vibe here was fun and relaxed. It wasn’t a full on day club vibe like so many of the other places. People were still reading, chilling, and swimming here and it felt more peaceful. The staff were super kind and helpful. We made reservations for each day through whats app, this was really nice too as we didn’t have to queue early to try to get a space. We actually spent the bulk of both of our days in Ksamil here and found it very enjoyable.
Ftelea Fish Taverna
Our first night walking to dinner at a popular beach resort spot, we walked past this place and saw a line out front. As we got closer and I started sneaking a peak at people’s plates (as one does), I realized this was going to be our dinner tomorrow no matter what. I promptly cancelled my dinner for the next night (another beach spot), and we planned to queue for this spot the next night.
Luckily we went early evening and didn’t have to queue at all. By the time we were seated and eating a line was starting to form. This spot is not on the main drag and is really no frills in the best way. It reminded me of a Greek Taverna. It was just simple, fresh, delicious seafood, nice wines, and a relaxed place. We loved everything we ate here, we loved the vibe, and it was very well priced. I’d highly recommend skipping the instagram popular spots and doing a dinner here if you’re in town.
Sunset
I know this technically doesn’t count as a hidden gem, but watching the sunset in Ksamil really is lovely! If you don’t stay at the Hotel Mira Mare and want a really peaceful place to have a relaxing sunset drink, this would be a great choice. The beaches also clear out quite a bit during this time, especially as it is much later in the summer. We enjoyed walking on the beaches and enjoying the sunset here as well.
Orange Pizza & Lounge
This is a cute little spot that is also inland and a little more relaxed than the crazy beach club scene. We sat here for a drink and a sunset one evening and it was pretty peaceful. We loved the chilled out vibes and the array of seating on the lawn type area.
A Boat Tour
We didn’t get a chance to do the boat tour we’d hoped to do in Ksamil because of the wind on the days we were in town. I think a boat day would be a really nice way to enjoy the incredible scenery and water without the crowds/partying scene!
You can find the boat tour we were hoping to do here —-> Ksamil Boat Tour
Other Options
If you’ve got more time here and an interest in finding the best beaches, check out this post from my friends at “Tasting Sunsets” they have some amazing suggestions with great photos to show you exactly what each spot is like —–> 11 Best Things to do in Ksamil
Overall, there are tons of things to do in Ksamil. But if this doesn’t sound exactly like your vibe there are lots of other INCREDIBLE parts of Albania.
We loved the beach area around Himare and if we were to return would spend more time here as well. We also loved the UNESCO city of Berat, we did wine tasting and explored the beautiful streets and alleyways. The mountains of Theth were another world and one of the best parts of our adventures.
If you’re looking for more posts, itineraries, and things to know about Albania, check out my posts here. This also includes how to take the overnight ferry to Puglia in Italy —-> Albania Blog Posts
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