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Guide · Getting there
How to get to the Blue Cave in Albania, via Vlorë
No road reaches the sea caves of Karaburun. You get there by boat, and almost every boat leaves from the seafront in Vlorë. So the real question is how to reach Vlorë, and where on its promenade to stand at departure time.
Check availabilityfrom $69 · no cancellation fee
Editorial team, bluecavealbania.comUpdated October 25, 2026Read time: 7 min33 sources
Quick answer
- 01The last leg
- Only by boat: Haxhi Ali Cave has departures from Vlorë, Radhime and Orikum.1
- 02From Tirana
- About 2 hours by road to Vlorë, the tourism agency says.2
- 04Without a car
- A 10-hour day trip from Tirana includes pickup and the boat.
- 05Meeting point
- This site's tour meets at the Olympia Tiki Bar at the start of the promenade.
The boat is the only way in
Haxhi Ali Cave and the blue caves further south lie on a coast without roads, under cliffs that drop straight into the sea. Official sources say the cave at the tip of the peninsula can be reached only by boat, and list departures from Vlorë, Radhime and Orikum.51 The protected-areas catalogue describes the classic route: by ship or boat from the port of Vlorë to Cape Gjuhëz.6
In practice almost all of the speedboats sold online start on the Vlorë seafront, each from its operator's office or a landmark on the promenade. That is why this page is about getting to Vlorë. Once you are on the promenade, the rest is a matter of finding the right boat at the right time, and the boat does the work.
The city itself is worth a night. The tourism agency describes Vlorë as the only Albanian city between two seas, the Adriatic and the Ionian.7 It was here that Albania's independence was declared on 28 November 1912.8 Arriving the evening before your boat day also takes the stress out of a morning departure.
Airport to boat
From a landing in Tirana to the Vlorë promenade
-
Arrival
Tirana airport
17 kilometers outside the capital.9
-
Shuttle or car
South to Vlorë
About 2 hours by road; a Hermes shuttle runs from the airport.23
-
Evening
Settle in Vlorë
Walk the Lungomare and find your meeting point.10
-
Departure day
Meet the boat
This site's tour meets at the Olympia Tiki Bar.
-
40 minutes
Across the bay
The speedboat reaches Haxhi Ali Cave.
-
Afternoon
Down the coast
Dafina, the coves and Grama Bay on the long days.
From Tirana and its airport
Most international travelers land at Tirana International Airport, which says it lies 17 kilometers outside the capital.9 The municipality of Vlorë gives the distance from Tirana to the city as 135 km, and a tourism agency itinerary puts the drive at about 2 hours.112 Vlorë is served by the SH 8 highway and the A2 motorway.12
Without a car, the airport's own page lists a Hermes shuttle between the airport and Vlorë and back, with a single fare in Albanian lek.3 When we read it, the airport listed departures to Vlorë at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 16:00 and 18:00, among others, and from Vlorë to the airport at 06:00, 07:00 and 09:00, among others.413 Timetables change, so check the airport's page before you travel.
Vlorë has an airport project of its own. Its official website showed only Coming Soon when we checked, and no flight schedule.14 Wikipedia describes it as a project under construction near the village of Akërni, about 10 kilometers north of the city.15 For now, plan your arrival through Tirana.
Ways in
Getting to the cave boats, compared
| Starting point | How | Road time | Boat part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tirana airport | Hermes shuttle | not stated | Book in Vlorë |
| Tirana | Your own car | About 2 hours | Book in Vlorë |
| Tirana | Day trip with pickup | 2 hours each way | Sazan, cave, beach |
| Durrës | Day trip with pickup | About 2 hours by van each way | Sazan, cave, beach |
| Golem | Day trip with pickup | 1 hour out, 2 hours back by van | Cave, coves, Grama Bay |
| Vlorë | On foot | None | Any boat |
Road times as the tourism agency and each listing state them.23
Packaged days
Three day trips with the road included
Pickup included
Pickup included
Reaches Grama BayDecision helper
How should you get to the boats?
Pick the line that matches your trip
A night in Vlorë
Then this site's 8-hour day to Grama Bay.
The Tirana day trip
Pickup, 2 hours each way, Sazan and the cave.
The Durrës day
Pickup included, 9 hours in all.
Drive and stay
About 2 hours from Tirana.2
Vlora is the only Albanian city located between two seas: Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea.
The Blue Cave from Tirana in a single day
If you are staying in the capital and do not want to drive, there are day trips that bundle the road and the boat. The one this page recommends drives 2 hours to Vlorë, spends 15 minutes there, then takes a speedboat to Sazan for 1 hour, to Haxhi Ali Cave for 10 minutes and to a Karaburun beach for 2.5 hours, before the drive back.
It runs 10 hours in all, includes pickup, has a live guide in English and is rated 4.88 from 133 reviews, from $75. Note what it does not include: the long western shore. Its itinerary turns back after the beach, so the blue cave stop by Grama Bay is not on it.
Seeing the Blue Cave from Tirana in one day therefore means choosing the island and the cave at the tip over the far coast. If the blue cave by Grama Bay is the reason you came, the better plan is a night in Vlorë and a full day on the water. This site's 8-hour tour reaches Grama Bay and the Shpella Blu stop next to it, and that day simply does not fit after a 2-hour drive each way.
Map
Vlorë, Sazan and the western shore of Karaburun
Where the speedboats leave from, the cave at the tip of the peninsula, and the coves down to Grama Bay.
1Vlorë promenade2Sazan Island3Haxhi Ali Cave4Orikum5Dafina Bay6Grama Bay
5Dafina Bay7Gjiri i Brisanit8Kanioni i Skafistave9Gjiri i Inglezit10Gjiri i Llovizit11Gjiri i Nezhajve6Grama Bay12Shpella Blu
- 1Vlorë promenade
The start of the promenade, where this site's tour meets its guide at the Olympia Tiki Bar.
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Sazan Island
Albania's largest island, a closed military area for many years and now open to visitors as part of the marine park.1617
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Haxhi Ali Cave
A karst cave at the waterline near Cape Gjuhëz, protected as a Natural Monument and reached only by boat.18191
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Orikum
A town with ancient ruins and a tourist marina at the inner end of the bay; some boats to the cave also leave from here.20211
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Dafina Bay
A bay on the western side of the peninsula; Dafina Cave nearby has a small beach and water in shades of green.2223
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Grama Bay
Cliffs with about 1,500 inscriptions, protected as a natural and a cultural monument and reached mainly from the sea.242526
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Gjiri i Brisanit
Brisan or Bristan Bay, also known as Bear Bay, one of the loneliest beaches of Karaburun.27
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Kanioni i Skafistave
A narrow inlet where this site's tour stops for 20 minutes to swim and snorkel.
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Gjiri i Inglezit
Inglez Bay, reachable only by boat, with the Inglezit Cave nearby.2829
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Gjiri i Llovizit
The bay where one listing pins the stop it calls 'Llovizi Cave - Blue Cave'.
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Gjiri i Nezhajve
A cove where this site's tour stops for 1 hour.
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Shpella Blu
The 15-minute cave stop after Grama Bay on this site's tour; two other listings put their 'Blue Cave, Albania' at the same map point.
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Getting to your boat
01
The day before
- Check the shuttle or road plan to Vlorë
- Save the meeting point on your phone
- Confirm the start time on your booking
02
On the morning
- Cash for the day
- Arrive early at the meeting point
- Leave large bags at your hotel
Price check
Day trips with transport for your group
Choose a starting point and how many are going
People
Total from$150
per head from $75
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals multiply each boat's lowest GetYourGuide figure by the number in your party and convert it with the ECB reference rate of the day; checkout shows the binding sum.
Video
Vlorë on a budget: beaches, the promenade and beyond
The player loads on your tap, not before.
From Durrës, Golem and the north coast
The beach towns north of Vlorë have their own packaged days. A 9-hour speedboat day from Durrës to Sazan, the cave and Karaburun includes pickup, is rated 4.94 from 794 reviews and starts from $79. Its itinerary has a van leg of 1 hour, a 30-minute bar stop, another hour by van, then the boat to Sazan, the cave and a Karaburun beach.
From Golem there is a 12-hour day that adds the long western shore: a van of 1 hour to the Vlorë Lungomare, then Haxhi Ali Cave, Dafina, the canyons and 3 hours at Grama Bay, with a stop it lists as Blue Cave, Albania. It is rated 5.00 from 26 reviews and starts from $147.
These days save you planning, at the price of long hours in a vehicle. If you have the time, the more flexible option is to move to Vlorë for a night or two and book the boat there. If you do not, pick the package that matches the stops you care about, and read its itinerary, not only its title.
Arriving by sea, or from the south
Vlorë faces Italy across the narrow sea at the mouth of the Adriatic. The municipality says only 72 km separate the city from Italy.30 It is served by the Port of Vlorë, and the tourism agency's own coastal itinerary ends with a choice between the Port of Vlorë and the airport in Tirana.1231 Ferry timetables are set by the shipping lines, so check them directly with the operator you plan to use.
If you are coming up the coast from the south, the cave boats are still a Vlorë affair, but the far end of the route can be reached from below. A boat from the Himara mini dock calls at beaches on the Riviera and stops in the Bay of Grama for 1 hour. That trip does not go north to Haxhi Ali Cave, so it suits travelers who care most about Grama Bay.
Whichever way you arrive, give yourself a buffer between a long journey and a long day at sea. A speedboat day is physical: wind, sun, spray and many stops in and out of the water. Arriving tired turns the best day of a trip into a long one, and a free evening on the Lungomare before the boat costs little.
Finding your boat on the Vlorë seafront
Each operator names its own meeting point, and the seafront is long. This site's tour meets its guide at the beginning of the Vlorë promenade, at the Olympia Tiki Bar; look for a yellow car head resting on the sidewalk. The listing gives no fixed start time, so check the time on your booking.
Other boats meet at their own offices along the same waterfront, and some listings send the exact address only after booking. Save the meeting point in your phone the evening before, walk past it if you are staying nearby, and arrive early. Bring cash for the day, as this site's operator asks, and keep luggage at your hotel: no luggage or large bags are allowed on board.
If you have a little time before or after the boat, the tourism agency's walk through the center takes in the Independence Monument, Ismail Qemali Boulevard and the Lungomare promenade.10 The city beaches, the Old Beach and the New Beach, have calm, shallow water suited to children.32
Where to stay for an early boat
The simplest choice is anywhere within walking distance of the promenade. You avoid a taxi at departure time, you can look at the bay the evening before, and you are back on foot after a long day on the water. The Lungomare is the part of town the boat operators work from, so it is also where you find them if your plans change.
Orikum, at the inner end of the bay, is a quieter alternative. The tourism agency describes it as lying between the Bay of Vlorë and the entrance to the Albanian Riviera, near Llogara Park, with ruins of an ancient city and a tourist marina.332021 Some boats to the cave leave from Orikum too.1
Whichever base you pick, keep a spare day if you can. This site's operator may cancel for bad sea conditions, bad weather or fewer than 6 guests on board, and a booking with free cancellation is easy to move. Arriving in Vlorë a day early and leaving a day late turns a cancelled boat into a postponed one.
Book your seat
Spend a day on the Karaburun coast
The cave at the tip, the green and blue caves and Grama Bay, from the Vlorë promenade.
You ask,we answer.
Can you drive to the Blue Cave in Albania?
No. The caves are reached only by boat, from Vlorë, Radhime or Orikum.51
How far is Vlorë from Tirana?
135 km. The city gives that distance; the tourism agency puts the drive at about 2 hours.112
Is there a bus from Tirana airport to Vlorë?
Yes, a shuttle. The airport lists a Hermes shuttle to Vlorë and back.3
Can I fly into Vlorë?
Not yet. Vlora International Airport's own website showed only Coming Soon when we checked.14
Is there a day trip from Tirana to the caves?
Yes. A 10-hour day with pickup visits Sazan, Haxhi Ali Cave and a Karaburun beach.
Where does this site's tour start?
On the Vlorë promenade. At the Olympia Tiki Bar at the start of the promenade, by a yellow car head on the sidewalk.
Do day trips from Durrës go to Grama Bay?
The Durrës day does not. It visits Sazan, the cave and a Karaburun beach.
Sources
Where the information comes from
- 1Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 2National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Travel to Visit the Beautiful Albanian Riviera↩
- 3Tirana International Airport (TIA)By Bus - Tirana International Airport↩
- 4Tirana International Airport (TIA)By Bus - Tirana International Airport↩
- 5National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Haxhi Ali's Cave - Official Tourism Website↩
- 6National Agency of Protected Areas (AKZM), archived copy of its Vlore monuments catalogueShpella e Haxhi Alisë↩
- 7National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Vlora - The only city in Albania washed by two seas↩
- 8National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Vlora - Official Tourism Website↩
- 9Tirana International Airport (TIA)By Car - Tirana International Airport↩
- 10National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Travel to Visit the Beautiful Albanian Riviera↩
- 11Municipality of Vlora (Bashkia Vlorë)Shtrirja gjeografike↩
- 12WikipediaVlorë↩
- 13Tirana International Airport (TIA)By Bus - Tirana International Airport↩
- 14Vlora International Airport (own website)Vlora Airport Home↩
- 15WikipediaVlora International Airport↩
- 16National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Sazan Island↩
- 17National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Sazan Island↩
- 18National Agency of Protected Areas (AKZM), archived copy of its Vlore monuments catalogueShpella e Haxhi Alisë↩
- 19Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 20National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Orikum - Official Tourism Website↩
- 21National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Orikum beach - Official Tourism Website↩
- 22Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 23Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 24Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Beaches and bays↩
- 25Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Beaches and bays↩
- 26Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)History and culture↩
- 27Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Beaches and bays↩
- 28National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Inglez Bay↩
- 29National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)English Bay - Official Tourism Website↩
- 30Municipality of Vlora (Bashkia Vlorë)Shtrirja gjeografike↩
- 31National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Travel to Visit the Beautiful Albanian Riviera↩
- 32National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Old Beach and New Beach, city of Vlora - Official Tourism Website↩
- 33National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Orikum - Official Tourism Website↩
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