Gjipe beach

Most people drive to a designated parking lot near the Monastery of St. Theodore ("Gjipe Beach Parking" on Google Maps). Expect to pay 400 LEK for parking. From there, it is a 30 min hike down a rocky, unshaded red-dirt path. The trail's uneven with all sorts of stones, so sturdy sneakers are highly recommended. The uphill climb back will feel tougher, plan extra water and time

The road leading to the parking is well-paved but a single-track route. There are a few pull-off spots are few but they’re quite spread out. You might need to reverse to let others through. Alternatively, you can park on a small lot alongside the main SH8 road but the hike to the beach will be much longer

If you aren't a hiker, take a boat from Dhërmi or Himara. It costs roughly €15–€25 round trip. This is the "lazy" way to pay more but save your knees

The beach is the mouth of a massive gorge. You can hike about 1–2km into the canyon from the sand to see rare rock formations and explore a completely different, silent ecosystem. Some local operator offer to cross the entire canyon

There are typically some seasonal bars/food options and sunbeds, but don’t expect a fully serviced resort. There’s also an established eco-camping on site. Expect no signal or Wi-Fi, and everything is cash only

Gjipe is marketed as "untouched," but tourism has caught up. There are a lot of campers who apparently contribute to the big dump and all the trash that lays on the back of the beach. The eco-camping sites try, but the volume of day-trippers seems to overwhelm the local waste management