Kroreza Beach: The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide

Kroreza Beach (AKA Krorez Beach) is one of the best beaches in Albania. Featuring mesmerising blue water, ample beach space and an out-of-sight location, Kroreza Beach should be high on your list of beaches to visit along the Albanian Riviera. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about visiting this spectacular beach.

Where Is Kroreza Beach?

Kroreza Beach is located in the south of Albania along the Albanian Riviera just north of Saranda. Most people visiting the beach will do so from either Saranda or Ksamil. Below, we’ll talk about how to get to the beach from either of these locations.

Location: Google Maps

How to Get to Kroreza Beach

There is no parking area at Kroreza Beach. So, you can’t simply drive there or get a taxi there.

It’s possible to walk to the beach by following the Southern Coastal Walk from either Lukova or Kakoma Beach. Getting to either trailhead would require hiring a car and driving there, paying for an expensive return taxi trip or trying to line up the limited buses heading between Saranda and Himara (which pass Lukova). From Lukova, it’s an approx. 12km return walk. While, from Kakoma Beach, it’s an approx. 5km return walk.

By far, the most popular and easiest way to get to the beach is by boat. Many companies in both Saranda and Ksamil offer organised boat tours to Kroreza Beach. Personally, Beck and I did a boat tour to Kroreza Beach from Saranda.

Kroreza Beach Boat Tours

The most popular boat tours from Saranda and Ksamil tend to include a visit to Kroreza Beach as its main drawcard. You’ll find countless companies in Saranda and Ksamil offering boat tours to Kroreza Beach for around €15–25.

Along the main boulevard in Saranda (Hasan Tahsini Boulevard), you’ll see many stalls set up for companies promoting their boat tour. In reality, all of these tours are roughly the same with near-identical itineraries.

So, which boat tour did Beck and I choose to do?

Well, we chose this boat tour on GetYourGuide. By using an online tour booking platform, the booking included free cancellation. That’s handy in case the weather turns foul and you need to reschedule. You may also enjoy the convenience of booking online.

Even on GetYourGuide, there are several boat tours going to Kroreza Beach. Again, they all include fairly similar itineraries and prices. The main difference is that most tours don’t include an umbrella in the tour price. That means, that when you rock up at the beach, you’ll need to pay €20 for an umbrella. Trust me, you’ll need an umbrella during summer!

Thankfully, this tour included an umbrella in the price. For that reason, we recommend booking this tour on GetYourGuide.

Typical Itinerary For Kroreza Boat Tours

All of the boat tours that include a visit to Kroreza Beach roughly follow the same itinerary. Starting from either Saranda or Ksamil, you’ll initially visit around two areas for snorkelling and swimming. You’ll then spend around 3–3.5 hours at the beach. Then, before arriving back at Saranda or Ksamil, you’ll visit another two spots for snorkelling and swimming. In addition, there will be photo stops at other points of interest, such as small hidden bays and sea caves.

The places that you stop and swim/snorkel at, other than Kroreza Beach, can slightly vary between companies. Below, we’ll list the other typical spots you’ll visit during one of these boat tours.

• Cape of Qefal (Kepi i Qefalit): an epic sea cliff wall
• Kakome Beach: a smaller beach next to Kroreza Beach
• Soldier’s Beach: a lovely small bay

What to Do at Kroreza Beach

There are plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained at Kroreza Beach. Admittedly, Beck and I can get a little restless lying under a beach umbrella all day. Thankfully, given it’s a large beach, there are plenty of areas to explore on foot. Essentially, Kroreza Beach is split into two sections by a small rocky area. Accessing this rocky coastal section between the two main parts of the beach provides stellar coastal views.

Of course, you’ll need to go for a swim and snorkel in the sensational blue water. The beach is also littered with magnificent sea stacks, some of which, provide an excellent place for rock jumping.

Other than enjoying the usual beach activities, you’ll also find numerous restaurants along the beach. So, if you’re getting hungry or thirsty, you can find a spot under the shade at any one of these restaurants to enjoy an overpriced meal or cold drink.

Our Experience Visiting Kroreza Beach

Overall, Beck and I really enjoyed our trip to this beach. Compared with the overrated and overhyped Mirror Beach, we found Kroreza Beach much more beautiful, tranquil and pleasant. Despite numerous boatloads of people arriving on the beach during the day, it doesn’t get overcrowded owing to its large size. People are well spread out throughout the large beach. So, it never feels like it’s heaving with crowds.

Is It Worth Visiting Kroreza Beach?

We think Kroreza Beach is worth visiting as it’s hands-down one of the best beaches in Albania. If you enjoy natural beauty, then you’ll definitely want to do a boat trip to this beach.

Where to Stay Nearby

Most people visiting the Albanian Riviera will stay at either Saranda or Ksamil. Unless you want to stay in a touristy area full of holiday resorts and private beaches, we don’t recommend staying in Ksamil.

Sure, Saranda has plenty of hotels as it’s a popular tourist destination. But, being the capital of the Albanian Riviera, Saranda has much more to offer in terms of variety, culture and places of interest. Also, from Saranda, visiting nearby attractions such as the Blue Eye, Butrint National Park, Lekuresi Castle and Kantine e Veres Isak is convenient. So, it’s a convenient place to stay and explore the Albanian Riviera.

For the best value for money budget stay in Saranda, you can’t look past Mariana Apartments.

Are you also heading to Montenegro? If so, make sure to visit Kotor and Perast.