First stopHaxhi Ali Cave
Northern tip, near Cape Gjuhëz
- Protected as
- Natural Monument
- On this tour
- 20 minutes
- From Vlorë
- 40 minutes
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Guide · Map and names
Blue Cave Albania location, and which cave is which
Search for the Blue Cave in Albania and you find boats that mean different caves. Official sources name none of them Blue Cave. Here is where each one actually lies, mapped from the listings' own pins.
Check availabilityfrom $69 · no cancellation fee
Editorial team, bluecavealbania.comUpdated October 25, 2026Read time: 7 min17 sources
Quick answer
- 01Official name
- No official source we found names a Blue Cave; the park's caves page lists none.1
- 02Haxhi Ali Cave
- At the northern tip of the peninsula, near Cape Gjuhëz.2
- 03Shpella Blu
- This site's tour stops there 5 minutes after Grama Bay.
- 04Llovizi cave
- One boat pins its blue cave further north, at Llovizi bay.
Three caves, one popular name
The phrase Blue Cave is used on the Vlorë seafront for more than one place, and none of the official sources we read uses it at all. The administration of the Karaburun-Sazan marine park lists Haxhi Ali, Inglezi, Talos, Duk Gjoni, the Written Cave, St. Andreu and Dafina in its account of the peninsula's caves; none of them is called a Blue Cave.1 The tourism agency writes about Haxhi Ali's Cave as the largest coastal cave in the country.3
The name comes from the boats. This site's own tour is sold as Blue Cave and Grama Bay, and its itinerary lists a 15-minute stop called Shpella Blu, which is simply Albanian for blue cave. Other listings call their stop Blue Cave, Albania, or Llovizi Cave - Blue Cave, and they do not all mean the same spot.
So when someone says they went to the Blue Cave in Albania, ask which boat they took. On the long days to Grama Bay it usually means a sea cave close to that bay. The short runs, which turn back after Haxhi Ali Cave and a beach, have no stop by that name at all. This page sorts the names by place, using the coordinates the listings themselves publish on their maps.
Down the coast
The caves in the order the boat reaches them
-
40 minutes out
Haxhi Ali Cave
The tip of the peninsula, 20 minutes at the cave.
-
20 minutes on
Dafina Bay and Cave
An hour with free time and snorkeling.
-
Next
Canyon and coves
Brisan, Skafistave and Inglez Bay, 20 minutes each.
-
After Nezhajve
Grama Bay
The inscribed cliffs, 1.5 hours.
-
5 minutes on
Shpella Blu
The blue cave stop, 15 minutes.
-
Last
Sant Andreas Bay
30 minutes, then back to Vlorë.
Haxhi Ali Cave or the Blue Cave?
The question people ask most is Haxhi Ali Cave or the Blue Cave, as if they were one place. On the long days they are at opposite ends of the coast the boats follow. Haxhi Ali Cave lies near Cape Gjuhëz at the northern tip of the Karaburun peninsula, at the waterline between that cape and Cape Gollovec.2 This site's tour maps it at 40.4336, 19.3326.
The stop this site's tour calls Shpella Blu is at the other end of the day. Its map pin is 40.2143, 19.4792, just past Grama Bay, which it pins at 40.2159, 19.4737. The boat reaches it 5 minutes after leaving Grama Bay and stays 15 minutes. Haxhi Ali Cave is the first stop of the same tour, 40 minutes out of Vlorë.
In practice you may see both in one day, as this site's tour does, but you cannot see both on a short run. The 4-hour and 5-hour boats turn back after Haxhi Ali Cave and a beach, and never go south as far as Grama Bay. If the blue cave by Grama is the one you want, choose a long day. A long day also gives you Dafina in between, so you see several kinds of cave rather than one.
Names and pins
Each cave name, who uses it and where it is
| Name | Used by | Map pin | Time there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haxhi Ali Cave | Nearly every Vlorë listing | 40.4336, 19.3326 | 10 to 20 min |
| Shpella Blu | This site's tour | 40.2143, 19.4792 | 15 min |
| Blue Cave, Albania | Two Grama Bay days | 40.2143, 19.4792 | 45 min |
| Llovizi Cave - Blue Cave | One Grama Bay day | 40.2380, 19.4461 | not stated |
| Dafina Cave | Long days | 40.3393, 19.3700 | with the bay |
| Blue Gem Cave | One listing's title | no stop by that name | not stated |
Pins from each listing's own map; times from their itineraries.
Caves along the route
From the tip of the peninsula to Grama Bay
First stop
Green waterDafina Cave
Western shore, Dafina Bay
- Beach inside
- Sand and pebbles
- On this tour
- With the bay, 1 hour
- Reached by
- Small boats
Blue cave stopDecision helper
Which cave are you looking for?
Match what you have seen in photos to a place
Haxhi Ali's Cave is located on the Karaburun peninsula and is the largest coastal cave in Albania.
The Blue Cave Albania map, pin by pin
The Blue Cave Albania map on this page is drawn from the listings' own pins rather than from guesswork. Two other speedboats, sold as Secret Blue Cave and Grama Bay and as Grama Bay and Blue Cave, put their stop called Blue Cave, Albania at exactly the same point as this site's Shpella Blu, 40.2143, 19.4792. Both give it 45 minutes and both continue to Grama Bay afterwards.
A fourth boat places its Llovizi Cave - Blue Cave at 40.2380, 19.4461, further north. That is the bay another listing calls Gjiri i Llovizit and pins at 40.2384, 19.4459. So there is more than one place sold as the blue cave on this coast: one at Llovizi bay, between the canyon at Skafistave and Grama Bay, and one just past Grama Bay.
Pins are set by the operators, not by surveyors, and a small error either way would not surprise us. Use them to understand the order of the coast, not to navigate a boat. The second map panel on this page shows the whole run from Dafina to Grama, with each bay and cave numbered in the order the boats pass them.
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.78
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.294
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.10114
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.56
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.121314
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Gjiri i Brisanit
Brisan or Bristan Bay, also known as Bear Bay, one of the loneliest beaches of Karaburun.15
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.1617
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
Before you pick a cave
01
Check the listing
- A stop with the cave's name in the itinerary
- Minutes at that stop, not only the title
- Free cancellation for a rough sea
02
Bring
- A mask, or use the one included
- A waterproof pouch for your phone
- Sunscreen for the open crossing
Video
Swimming through the blue sea caves to Grama Bay
The player loads on your tap, not before.
What about the Blue Gem Cave in Albania?
The Blue Gem Cave in Albania is another operator name. One listing sells an 8-hour speedboat under exactly that title, rated 4.94 from 190 reviews. Its itinerary, though, names no stop called Blue Gem: it lists Haxhi Ali Cave, Dafina bay and cave, Brisan, the Skafistave canyon, Inglez Bay, Nezhajve and 2 hours at Grama Bay.
This site's own itinerary uses the Albanian name Shpella Blu for its blue cave stop. We cannot tell you which rock arch the words Blue Gem were first written about, and we will not guess. What the itineraries show is that the boats sold with the word gem follow the same coast and reach the same bays as those sold with the word blue.
If a listing's title promises a cave, check its itinerary for a stop with a matching name and a time next to it. A title is marketing; the itinerary is what the boat plans to do. When title and itinerary disagree, the itinerary is the better guide, and the operator can confirm it before you book.
Dafina Cave and the green water
Between the northern tip and Grama Bay lies the cave with the best official description of its color. The park administration places Dafina Cave near Dafina Bay on the western side of the peninsula, reached by small boats, with a small beach of sand and pebbles about 3 m wide and 10 m long.5 Inside, it says, the water shows shades of green that shift with the light.6
This site's tour lists Dafina Cave together with Dafina Bay and spends 1 hour there in total, with free time and snorkeling. Its map pin for the bay is 40.3393, 19.3700, about halfway between Haxhi Ali Cave and Grama Bay on the boat's route. Several other long days stop there too, from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.
If what you want is colored water inside rock, put Dafina on your list next to the blue cave by Grama, and look at both itineraries before you choose a boat. Ask the crew whether a swim inside is planned on your day, and bring the mask this site's operator includes in the price.
Reading the light inside a sea cave
The blue in a sea cave is not paint on the rock. It is daylight that enters under the water, bounces off a pale floor and comes back up through the shade of the roof. That is why the same cave can look electric at one moment and plain the next, and why photos from different boats rarely match. A cloud over the entrance, a choppy surface or a boat parked in the mouth all dim it.
For the strongest color, look down rather than out. From inside, the entrance shows as a bright shape and the water at your feet carries the glow; from outside, you see only a dark hole in a cliff. If you are in the water with a mask, turn back toward the opening and watch the light come through the sea itself, then lift your head and compare.
Phones struggle with the contrast between the bright mouth and the dark roof. Tap the screen on the water to set the exposure there, keep the horizon of the entrance straight, and do not lean out of the boat to get closer. A photo is never worth a dropped phone or a knock against the rock from a moving hull.
How to reach the caves
There is no way to these caves except by sea. Official sources say Haxhi Ali Cave can be reached only by boat, with departures from Vlorë, Radhime and Orikum.34 Grama Bay can also be reached on foot by hiking routes from Llogara National Park or the coast, but the park administration names the sea as the main way in.13
From Vlorë the boats meet on the seafront. This site's tour meets at the start of the promenade, mapped at 40.4506, 19.4899. The crossing to Haxhi Ali Cave takes 40 minutes on this tour, and the whole run down to Shpella Blu takes most of the day, with stops on the way.
The caves are not near Saranda or the beaches of the far south, whatever some search results suggest: they lie on the coast between Vlorë and Himara. If you are staying further south, look for a boat that starts closer to you, such as the listing that reaches Grama Bay from the Himara mini dock.
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.
Which cave is the Blue Cave in Albania?
It depends on the boat. Long days usually mean a cave next to Grama Bay; one boat means a cave at Llovizi bay.
Is Haxhi Ali Cave the Blue Cave?
Not on the long days. This site's tour visits Haxhi Ali Cave first and a stop called Shpella Blu after Grama Bay.
What are the coordinates of Haxhi Ali Cave?
40.4336, 19.3326. That is where this site's tour pins it on its map.
What does Shpella Blu mean?
Blue cave. It is the Albanian name this site's tour gives its stop near Grama Bay.
Is the Blue Cave near Saranda?
No. The caves on this page lie on the coast between Vlorë and Himara; the boats reach them from Vlorë.4
Is there an official Blue Cave in the park?
Not in the park's list. The park's caves page names Haxhi Ali, Inglezi, Talos, Duk Gjoni, the Written Cave, St. Andreu and Dafina, and none is called a Blue Cave.1
Can I drive to the caves?
No. Haxhi Ali Cave is reached only by boat.3
Sources
Where the information comes from
- 1Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 2National Agency of Protected Areas (AKZM), archived copy of its Vlore monuments catalogueShpella e Haxhi Alisë↩
- 3National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Haxhi Ali's Cave - Official Tourism Website↩
- 4Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 5Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 6Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 7National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Sazan Island↩
- 8National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Sazan Island↩
- 9Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Caves↩
- 10National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Orikum - Official Tourism Website↩
- 11National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Orikum beach - Official Tourism Website↩
- 12Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Beaches and bays↩
- 13Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Beaches and bays↩
- 14Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)History and culture↩
- 15Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park administration (RAPA Vlore / National Agency of Protected Areas)Beaches and bays↩
- 16National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)Inglez Bay↩
- 17National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT)English Bay - Official Tourism Website↩
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