Picture this: you’re cruising through turquoise water past incredible beaches and epic sea caves that are only accessible by boat. You can go wherever the wind takes you and stop for secluded swims at tiny spits of sand backed by giant cliff walls. You can even swim through a sea cave to reach a vividly glowing blue pool, all under your own stream, with no boat license and no experience required.
You might be picturing a sleek speed boat. I know I did. But unless you’re prepared to really splash the cash you probably need to start picturing a boat that looks more like this…..
It’s definitely not a looker, but that little dinghy got us everywhere we wanted to go and I had a real soft spot for it by the end of the day.
While you could absolutely visit all the same places that we did far more cheaply by taking one of the group tours, we’re not really tour people, so I was happy to pay more to have complete freedom over where we went when and for how long.
So if you’re keen to do the same, here’s everything you need to know.
Hiring a boat in Himare
We’re going to go into all the stops you can make, but first up here’s some logistical info so you know exactly what to expect.
Where to hire the boat and what it costs
We hired our little motorised dinghy from Boat Trip Albania and paid €150 for the day which included fuel (we were quoted €160, but when it came time to pay, they asked for €150).
The price is for the boat so if you have more than two people it’s going to be much better value. For reference a faster sleeker motor boat with a different company was more like €600 for the day.
Originally they said we could have the boat from 10am-6pm, but I wanted to try and avoid the crowds and asked if we could take it a little earlier, they gave us an extra hour for free, so we had the boat for 9 hours in total.
We organised the whole thing via Whatsapp and it was all pretty chill, neither friendly nor unfriendly, quite matter of fact. You pick up the boat from Himare main promenade and drop it back in the same place.
What the boat is like and how easy it is to drive
As you can probably tell from the photos, the boat is quite small and not too nippy. Having said that we had plenty of time to visit all the spots we were hoping to get to, so we didn’t really need anything faster.
There is a canopy on the boat, but it’s not overly substantial and at certain times of day it was hard to stay completely in the shade.
That probably wouldn’t to be an issue for most of the bronzed beauties we saw on the beaches, but if you don’t want to be in the direct sun for up to 9 hours, I would bring something to help you cover up.
There are no seats on the boat; the passengers sit on the sides and the driver sits on a little bench (think wooden plank style).
This got a bit uncomfortable towards the end, but to be honest, any boat for 9 hours would probably start feeling a bit uncomfortable.
There is a small metal ladder to help you get on and off the boat if you don’t want to jump in. It’s easy to put in place but sits quite close to the boat, so if you’re like me and lacking in upper body strength, getting back into the boat again isn’t the easiest.
It’s not dissimilar to many snorkelling trips we’ve taken around the world, but the nicer boats have much better ladders and by the tenth time I hauled myself back in I was looking at them longingly.
In terms of driving the boat, it’s pretty straightforward even for people with zero experience. You simply need to know how to turn the motor on and off, twist the handle to accelerate and decelerate, steer, and master the simple task of throwing the anchor to moor the boat.
They provided some basic snorkel gear (masks only) but otherwise you need to bring anything else you may want yourself. It’s also worth noting that you don’t get any advice on where to go or where anything is.
We had taken a photo of the possible stops from a board on the promenade beforehand which made it a lot easier. It’s not like you would miss many stops as it’s pretty obvious where things are (apart from Secret Cave) but it’s nice to know what order things are coming up in.
Overall, I’d say the rental experience is pretty basic - but enough if you’re quite happy to just get out there and give it a go, and maybe if we’d asked some more questions it would have been different, otherwise they’ll just assume you are pretty relaxed and don’t need much instruction.
Mooring the boat
One thing we hadn’t really considered before hiring the boat was that you are not allowed to take it onto the beaches. This means you have to anchor it a little way out (sometimes the beaches have floating ropes so you know exactly where you can leave it) and swim to shore.
This was fine for me, but was a little more challenging for Joe who was trying to bring camera gear over. Unless you’re just bringing a GoPro, you will definitely want a good dry bag.
It also means you have to be comfortable swimming from the boat to the beach, however, they do provide life jackets if you’re not a confident swimmer.
Our little mishap
So it would be remiss of me not to mention that we did find ourselves bobbing out at sea with only oars to power us when the engine suddenly cut out and we couldn’t restart it. Luckily, we aren’t really the panicking types and could see the funny side of it right from the off.
That was probably made easier by the fact I had perfect phone signal across the whole trip (Vodafone) and could simply WhatsApp the company for help. They were with us within 20 minutes, despite the fact we broke down close to the Pirates Cave which is the furthest point you can take the boat.
The language barrier meant we never quite found out what had gone wrong, but they fixed it quickly and we carried on our merry way. They were very apologetic and I am sure if we’d asked we could have kept the boat a little longer to make up the time, but we ended up being finished by 6pm anyway.
I had read reviews of the company prior and it hadn’t happened to anyone else so I reckon we just got unlucky.
How to plan your day to try and avoid the crowds
One of the main reasons we wanted to hire a boat was to try and get to experience some of these places with fewer crowds. That worked in a few spots, but not in all, though I think part of that was my flawed planning.
We’d run out of time in Himare and hadn’t yet been to Filikuri Beach so I went there first before going north. My original intent was to go to the northern spots only.
While Filikuri Beach was nice and quiet, it was at the expense of getting some of the other spots with fewer people. So with that said, if you have time, visit Filikuri separately or go at the end of the day.
I obviously haven’t tried and tested this, but I think the best way to get fewer crowds is to head all the way to Pirates Cave first, this should mean you get there before most of the tour groups. Then work your way back.
You will definitely still have people around at some of the spots, but my guess is that Pirates Cave and Pigeons Cave Beach would be much quieter.
Having gone to the furthest point, you will see how your timing is going better too and you may find that you have time for more stops or longer at each place than you might have originally anticipated.
As you look at the stops we made, you will probably wonder how it took us 9 hours, but a good chunk of this time was us backtracking to and from certain spots trying to see if they’d got any quieter. I also like to swim a lot, so you can definitely do things more quickly than we did!
The stops you can make
You can take the boat north as far as Pirate Cave and as far south as Port Palermo. We opted to go north, but did make one stop to the south at the beginning of the day so we could visit Filikuri Beach, which was a 15 minute detour (each way).
You can see from the map below that almost every stop is north. If you are incredibly speedy you might be able to cover north and south but it would likely feel rushed.
It’s also worth noting that we had already visited Aquarium Bay and Gjipe Beach separately, as you can get to both of them on foot. If you can spare the time, we’d recommend doing the same so you can maximise the time you spend at the beaches and caves that are only accessible by boat.
If I did it again, I would also have done the same for Filikuri to give us more time there as it’s such a beautiful beach. While the hike down is potentially risky, you can get a water taxi or paddle over in a kayak easily enough.
However, we do like to take our time in places, so if you know that you just like a quick look and a little dip you will have time to visit more spots than we did.
It’s worth noting that it’s helpful to have mobile data and Google Maps for this trip. Not only to contact the boat company in case something goes wrong, but also to see where each stop will be. Chances are you would see almost all the stops anyway, but it also helps knowing how far you’ve got to go to each one.
We’ve created a Google Map below to show you the main stops which you can use to plan your trip.
Stop 1 - Filikuri Beach (south of Himare)
As mentioned, this is the only stop we made to the south of Himare and it took us around 15 minutes to drive to from the boat pick up point.
If you’re not going to visit separately, then it is well worth making this short diversion because the beach is absolutely spectacular.
If you go at the beginning of the day, as soon as you’ve picked up the boat, it will also be really quiet. The trade off is that the sun will not yet have fully hit the beach.
It’s still sensational though so I wouldn’t let that put you off too much. The water is a glorious turquoise and pretty calm for swimming.
It’s a decent sized beach especially if you visit early when you’ll nigh on have it to yourself. As with all beaches in Himare it’s pebbly so water shoes are handy.
You can read our full Filikuri Beach guide here.
Other southerly stops
If you were to continue heading south you can visit Llamani Bay, the Submarine Bunker, Mateus Beach and Port Palermo.
You can drive to Llamani Bay so I wouldn’t bother with that one as it’s easy to visit separately. We walked to the Submarine Bunker and Matheus Bay so again I would probably say do that instead unless you are really tight on time.
Port Palermo could be fun as I believe this is the only way to see the second submarine bunker (we tried to get there on foot and came to a huge gate made of thorns) but it’s more of a peek as it’s still a military area, so all in all I would still recommend heading north immediately, or directly after Filikuri.
Stop 2 - Aquarium Bay (north of Himare)
You will pass Livadh Beach on route to Aquarium Bay, but as this is a drive up beach, so I wouldn’t bother stopping personally.
It’s nice enough but nowhere near as good as the other beaches you’ll see as you head further north.
We personally didn’t stop at Aquarium Bay as we’d already visited and you can drive to within a few hundred metres of it if you don’t mind an unsealed road.
If you have more time, I would visit separately, but if not, then it’s one of the most amazing swim spots in Himare and a must see.
The water is turquoise and very calm due to the rock walls protecting it. It’s honestly such a beauty and I was completely wowed by it the moment I saw it and I only loved it more when swimming.
Here’s our full guide to Aquarium Bay which covers how to walk and drive there if you’d rather do that than stop in by boat.
Stop 3 - Crystal Bay
You’ll drive past Jale Beach after Aquarium Bay, but again, skip it as you can drive right up to it with ease. Crystal Bay is a teeny tiny beach with a little ramshackle bar behind it.
To be completely honest, we only had a look from the boat as we were planning to stop in at the end of the day and by that point we were absolutely shattered! It was cute, but I think you might be able to walk there because a few people were on the beach and I didn’t see any boats.
Don’t quote me on that as I can’t verify it online but that was my impression.
Also given we only had a very rudimentary ‘map’ it may be that the beach we thought was Crystal Bay isn’t even Crystal Bay in reality as there was another tiny beach a touch further on and it could be that! Who knows but if either of them are quiet when you pass by then it would be worth a quick stop.
Stop 4 - Couples Beach
Accessible only by water Couples Beach is where you come to live out all of your Robinson Crusoe fantasies. The small sliver of pristine beach is backed by majestic cliff walls and electric blue water.
It is as spectacular as it is tiny and easily one of my favourite stops on our trip. It’s just a few minutes on from Crystal Bay. If you pass it the first time and anyone is on it, it really is worth waiting until later and trying again.
To really appreciate the remote feel of the place you do need to get it to yourself. It ended up being our final stop of the day and it was the most magical ending. As with all the other beaches you anchor a little off shore and swim across.
Stop 5 - Secret Cave
This ethereal blue cave looks like it could be straight out of a fantasy movie! I can see why they called it Secret Cave, but honestly, I would have gone for the Enchanted Cave or something because it really does have that mystical quality to it.
I had no idea what awaited me inside when I swam through the entrance and it was honestly one of the coolest sea caves I have seen in my life. It’s small but simply magical.
The entrance was really choppy on our visit and if it’s the same for you, it’s worth knowing that you only have to get over the waves at the cave mouth.
Once inside the water is shallow, waves do crash against the rocks, but you have big boulders to lean on so it’s easier than swimming inside initially.
After clambering over a few rocks you will reach the blue pool, which is deep.
The cave entrance
When you’re ready to leave you can the swim out the little tunnel leading directly from the blue pool and back round to your boat again.
It’s such a cool experience and I was so lucky to get it to myself, I did see one group come through and they were super quick, basically straight in and out, so if it’s worth waiting for a few minutes if the same happens to you.
Experiencing the cave alone definitely makes it so much more enchanting, in fact it was so good I immediately swam back and did it again!
Stop 6 - Pigeons Cave Beach
Pigeons Cave Beach is next up and it’s a must do. The beach is breathtaking, with electric blue water, a huge sea cave on the beach providing oodles of shade and a true remoteness as it’s only accessible by boat.
Swimming in the shimmering blue water feels like you’ve been transported to an incredible tropical island. The cave is a really cool feature of the beach and it’s accessible on any tide - the tides are surprisingly small in Himare so you don’t have to worry about them when exploring any of the beaches and caves.
Alas, despite coming back and forth a few times, we never saw the beach quiet, people tended to stay longer here than anywhere else and there were new tour boats arriving every few minutes.
If you have your heart set on some seclusion you would need to be here outside of peak season or come really early (it was still busy at 5pm on our visit).
Otherwise, you can swim to the left of the beach (when facing the sea) and you’ll definitely be able to leave the crowds behind - though stick close to the shore so as to keep away from the boats that are constantly moving up and down this stretch of the coast.
Stop 7 - Gjipe Beach
Less than 10 minutes beyond Pigeons Cave Beach (and less if you have a faster boat!) is the deservedly popular Gjipe Beach.
Personally, I would recommend visiting Gjipe separately as you can walk to it easily enough and that will give you more time to explore. If you’re time poor and you can’t do that then you’ll definitely want to stop in.
The beach is spectacular, with huge cliff walls that are peppered with sea caves on the eastern side and a popular jump spot at the western end. There’s even a canyon hike you can do which starts behind the campground.
We go into much more detail about visiting the beach and canyon in this guide.
Stop 8 - Monastery Cave
This is the only stop on our list which is basically just a photo spot. Gorgeous as Monastery Caves are, they are just indents in the cliff, rather than proper sea caves.
You can drive right up to them for a closer look and to get some nice shots of the craggy cave mouths and unbelievably blue water, but that’s it. It’s well worth a quick stop but you won’t need more than 5 minutes.
The exception to this is there was some calm water to the very left side of the caves when facing the caves (your back to the sea) but it was easier for tour groups to stop here than just a little dinghy as the tours boats sort of carved out space, whereas were it just us, I would be thinking someone might accidentally drive into me.
Best to assess it for yourself in terms of how busy it is if you did fancy stopping there.
Stop 9 - Pirates Cave
The grand finale is the wildly cool Pirates Cave. This epic sea cave is as far as you’re allowed to go if you rent a boat in Himare (or at least with the company we used). Even the cave mouth is amazing with its huge doorway and dazzling blue water.
You drive into the cave and then you can turn the boat around to admire the full spectacle. As well as the doorway there’s a giant window which honestly has to be seen in real life for you to fully appreciate how incredible it is.
The fact Mother Nature carved a perfect door and window is just mind boggling to me.
It’s such a fun cave and definitely one of the highlights of the day provided you get to experience it alone. Normally there is a queue of boats waiting to get inside and dare I say the tour groups like to push their way in ahead of smaller boats…
My advice is to go early or late, we actually went three separate times. The light is best in the morning but it’s quieter later in the day unless you go really early.
If I had my time again I would drive all the way to Pirates Cave first and then work my way backwards.
I did manage a quick swim late in the day here, but I would caution that in high season it’s probably ill advised unless you’re very early or very late as it really is a busy place and you don’t want to get clonked by a boat.
Where to stay in Himare
We stayed at Wait and Sea Hotel which was a five minute drive from town, close to Livadhi Beach. We picked it for the sublime views and they didn’t disappoint. It is sparkling blue sea and hundreds of olive trees as far as the eye can see.
You also got to hear plenty of birdlife instead of the city hustle and bustle which made it really relaxing. The room we initially booked was very small, but we were kindly upgraded to a much bigger room which was great as we hadn’t realised how small the original room we booked was.
The bathroom was fab with a great shower that doesn’t flood the room - a very common problem in Albania! The host (and his family) is so lovely and will go out of his way to help you. Brekkie and parking is included. It’s also a few minutes walk from the best restaurant we visited in all of Albania (the Fig and Olive).
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Everything you need to know about hiring a boat and exploring the epic beaches and sea caves of Himare without a guide. We’re sharing exactly what we paid and what to expect as well as all the stops you can make and tips for avoiding the crowds.