Category: Caves, beaches and the sea

North of Dhermi, the mountains of the Karaburun Peninsula drop straight into the sea. Along this wild coast, one of the first caves you reach by boat is Thunder Cave, known in Albanian as Shpella e Bubullimës. Here’s what it is, where it is, and how to see it on a boat trip from Dhermi.

Where is Thunder Cave?

Thunder Cave is on the coast of the Karaburun Peninsula, north of Dhermi, between Plasa Beach and Saint Andrea Bay. This coast is part of the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park, Albania’s first national marine park. There is no road here, so the only way to see the cave is from the sea.

You may also see it called Thunder Canyon or Smugglers Canyon. It’s the same place.

Why is it called Thunder Cave?

When waves roll into the narrow mouth of the cave, the water hits the back wall and makes a deep, booming sound that echoes like distant thunder. On a completely calm day the cave is quiet; with a little swell, you can hear it from the boat.

How to visit Thunder Cave from Dhermi

Thunder Cave is one of the stops on our Grama Bay & Secret Blue Cave boat tour, a 4-hour trip along the Karaburun coast. On the way you’ll see:

• Plasa Beach
• Thunder Cave
• Saint Andrea Bay, with a swimming stop at the beach
• Blue Gem Cave
• Grama Bay, with a swimming stop and ancient inscriptions in the rocks
• The Hidden Cave, which the boat sails inside
• The Secret Blue Cave, with a swimming stop

The tour leaves at 10:00 from our office on Dhermi beach and returns around 14:00. Read more about the rest of the route in our guide: Secret Blue Cave and Grama Bay: what to expect.

Prefer the boat just for your group? Thunder Cave is also on our private boat tour to Grama Bay & Secret Blue Cave.

Good to know

• Thunder Cave is a visit from the boat, not a swimming stop. You’ll swim at Saint Andrea Bay, Grama Bay and the Secret Blue Cave.
• The Karaburun coast is open sea, so the tour depends on the weather. If the sea isn’t safe, we’ll let you know in advance and offer another time or date, or a full refund.
• The Grama Bay tour is not recommended for children under 12.
• July and August are the busiest months, so book a few days ahead.

Just south of Dhermi beach, under the rock of Saint Theodore, is one of the most famous caves on the Albanian Riviera: Pirates Cave. Here’s the story behind its name, and how to visit it by boat from Dhermi.

Where is Pirates Cave?

Pirates Cave is a sea cave a few minutes by boat south of Dhermi beach, in Alevra bay, below the rock where the Monastery of Saint Theodore stands. It’s the first stop on most boat tours of the caves south of Dhermi.

The legend of Pirates Cave

Local stories say pirates once took shelter in the cave with their ships. The bay is named after Al Evra, a famous pirate who, according to the legend, used this cave.

The cave is also known across Albania thanks to the novel The Pirates’ Cave (Shpella e Piratëve) by Petro Marko, one of Albania’s best-known writers, who was born in Dhermi.

What you’ll see

The cave has a large entrance from the sea and a small opening at the back that lets in light from above. When the sea is calm, the boat can sail inside.

How to visit Pirates Cave from Dhermi

Pirates Cave is on all of our tours south of Dhermi:

• Group Tour of the Caves: 2 hours, two departures a day, with swimming at the Secret Cave and Pigeons Cave beach. Great for families.
• Caves & Gjipe Beach tour: 3 hours, with a long stop of around 90 minutes at Gjipe Beach.
• Private tour of Pirates Cave & Pigeons Cave: the boat just for your group, at your own pace.

Near Pirates Cave you’ll also see the Monastery’s caves, Pigeons Cave and the Secret Cave. Read more in our guide: Things to do in Dhermi.

Good to know

• Whether the boat can enter the cave depends on the sea. On rough days, you’ll see it from outside.
• Children from 7 years old can join our caves tours.
• All tours leave from our office on Dhermi beach.
• July and August are the busiest months, so book a few days ahead.

By Tina

Dhermi beach is beautiful, but some of the best beaches around it are hidden in small bays under the cliffs, where no road goes. The easiest way to reach them is by boat. Here are our favorite beaches near Dhermi, south and north, and how to visit them.

South of Dhermi

1. Gjipe Beach

The most famous hidden beach on the Albanian Riviera: white pebbles and turquoise water at the mouth of the Gjipe Canyon. Gjipe is not reachable by car. You can walk down from the parking lot near the Monastery of Saint Theodore, or arrive the easy way, by boat. Read our full guide: How to visit Gjipe Beach: by boat vs. walking.

Visit it on: the Caves & Gjipe Beach tour, with a stop of around 90 minutes, or the Caves tour, with a photo stop.

2. Pigeons Cave Beach

A small, quiet beach next to Pigeons Cave, with calm, clear water that’s great for swimming. It’s the long swimming stop on our Caves tour.

Visit it on: the Group Tour of the Caves or a private tour.

3. Couple’s Bay

A tiny, romantic cove between the cliffs, just big enough for a few people. It’s best seen from the water.

Visit it on: the Group Tour of the Caves or a private tour.

North of Dhermi: the Karaburun coast

North of Dhermi, the Karaburun Peninsula is completely wild: no roads, no villages, just cliffs, caves and hidden bays. This coast is part of the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park, and the only way to reach its beaches is by sea.

4. Grama Bay

A pebble beach under high cliffs, famous for the inscriptions that ancient sailors carved into the rocks while sheltering from storms. The water is perfect for snorkeling. Read more in our guide: Secret Blue Cave and Grama Bay: what to expect.

Visit it on: the Grama Bay & Secret Blue Cave tour or a private tour.

5. Saint Andrea Bay

A peaceful bay on the Karaburun coast with a beach and clear water, and a swimming stop on our way to Grama.

Visit it on: the Grama Bay & Secret Blue Cave tour or a private tour.

Which tour should you choose?

• Short trip, great for families: the Group Tour of the Caves (2 hours, two departures a day).
• Caves plus a long beach stop: the Caves & Gjipe Beach tour (3 hours).
• The wild north and the most beautiful swims: the Grama Bay & Secret Blue Cave tour (4 hours, not recommended for children under 12).
• Your own boat, your own plan: our private boat tours, north or south.

Tips for a beach day by boat

• Bring a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
• Water shoes help on the pebbles.
• July and August are the busiest months, so book a few days ahead.
• All our tours leave from our office on Dhermi beach.

By Enea

North of Dhermi, the mountains of the Karaburun Peninsula drop straight into the sea. There are no roads and no villages here, just wild cliffs, sea caves and a few hidden bays. Two of the most special places along this coast are Grama Bay and the Secret Blue Cave. Here’s what to expect, and how to visit both in one day.

Where are Grama Bay and the Secret Blue Cave?

Both are on the west coast of the Karaburun Peninsula, north of Dhermi. This coast is part of the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park, Albania’s first national marine park. There is no road to any of these places. The only way to get there is by sea.

Grama Bay: a beach with 2,000 years of history

Grama Bay is a small pebble beach surrounded by high cliffs and crystal-clear water. For centuries, sailors sheltered here from storms. While they waited for the weather to change, many of them carved messages and prayers into the rocks. Some of these inscriptions date back to ancient Greek and Roman times, and you can still see them today. That’s where the bay gets its name: “grama” means “letter” or “writing.”

The water at Grama is perfect for snorkeling, with clear views of the rocks and fish below.

The Secret Blue Cave: swimming in blue light

The Secret Blue Cave is a sea cave you can swim into. Sunlight enters through the water and lights up the inside of the cave in an intense blue color. It’s one of the most memorable swims on the Albanian Riviera, and the highlight of the trip for many of our guests.

More stops along the way

On the way from Dhermi to Grama, the coast is full of beautiful places. On our Group Tour to Grama Bay & Secret Blue Cave, you’ll also see:

• Plasa Beach
• Thunder Cave
• Saint Andrea Bay, with a swimming stop at the beach
• Blue Gem Cave
• The Hidden Cave, which the boat sails inside

What to expect on the tour

• Departure: 10:00 from our office on Dhermi beach. Please arrive 10 minutes early.
• Return: around 14:00, so about 4 hours in total.
• Swimming stops: Saint Andrea Bay, Grama Bay and the Secret Blue Cave.
• Included: an English-speaking guide, snorkeling gear, bottled water, and swimming from the boat.
• The boat: TOMAS-I, our 11 m excursion boat with a shaded area, a large sundeck and a swimming platform.

Good to know before you go

• The tour goes along the open coast of Karaburun, so it depends on the sea. If the sea isn’t safe, we’ll let you know in advance and offer another time or date, or a full refund.
• This tour is not recommended for children under 12. For families with younger children, our Caves & Gjipe Beach tour is a great choice.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.
• July and August are the busiest months, so book a few days ahead.

Book your trip to Grama Bay and the Secret Blue Cave

We’ve been running boat tours from Dhermi beach since 2017. See prices, dates and book online on the Group Tour to Grama Bay & Secret Blue Cave page. If you’d rather have the boat just for your group, take a look at our private boat tours.

By Enea

Gjipe Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Albanian Riviera: a hidden bay of white pebbles and turquoise water at the end of a dramatic canyon, just south of Dhermi. There is no road all the way to the sand, so you have two ways to get there: walking down from the hills, or arriving by boat from Dhermi beach. Here’s what to expect from each, so you can pick the one that suits you.

Where is Gjipe Beach?

Gjipe lies between Dhermi and Himara, below the Monastery of Saint Theodore. The beach sits at the mouth of the Gjipe Canyon, with tall cliffs on both sides. Because it’s hard to reach, it stays quieter and wilder than the busy beaches nearby.

Option 1: Walking to Gjipe Beach

From the main coastal road, a side road leads toward the Monastery of Saint Theodore. The first part is paved and ends at a paid parking lot near the monastery. From there, a steep, unpaved track goes down to the beach. Gjipe Beach is not reachable by car. The track is in bad and dangerous condition, and Gjipe is a protected nature area where car access is restricted. Visitors leave their car at the paid parking lot and walk the rest of the way.

• Parking: 5–10€, depending on the time of the season.
• Walk down: about 20–30 minutes from the parking lot, on a steep, rocky path.
• Walk back up: it’s uphill all the way and takes longer, often in the midday heat.
• Shade: very little along the way.
• What to bring: good shoes (not flip-flops), plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen.

Good for: active travelers who enjoy hiking and have a car. Not ideal for: families with small children, older travelers, or anyone who doesn’t want to climb back up in the sun.

Option 2: Taking a boat to Gjipe Beach

The easiest and most scenic way to reach Gjipe is by sea. Boats leave from Dhermi beach and follow the coast south, so you see the cliffs, caves and the canyon from the water before you arrive.

On our Group Tour of All Caves & Gjipe Beach, you’ll visit:

• Pirates Cave
• The Monastery’s caves
• Pigeons Cave
• A swimming stop at the Secret Cave
• A long stop at Gjipe Beach, around 90 minutes, to swim, relax and explore the canyon

The stop at Gjipe Beach lasts around 90 minutes, which is plenty of time to explore the beach and the canyon. The tour leaves Dhermi beach at 12:00 and returns at 15:00. Bottled water, snorkeling gear (on request) and an English-speaking guide are included. No hiking, no parking, no steep climb back.

Good for: families (children from 7 years old), couples, groups of friends, and anyone who wants to see more than one place in a single trip.

Walking vs. boat: a quick comparison

	Walking	By boat
Effort	Steep walk down and back up	None, you step off the boat
You need	A car and good shoes	Just your swimsuit and towel
Parking	5–10€, depending on the season	None needed
Time at Gjipe	As long as you like	Around 90 minutes, enough for the beach and the canyon
What you see	Gjipe Beach	Gjipe Beach plus caves along the coast
Swimming	At the beach	At the beach and at the Secret Cave
Best for	Hikers	Families, couples and groups

Tips for visiting Gjipe Beach

• Bring a towel, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. Sunbeds are not always available.
• July and August are the busiest months. Book your boat tour a few days ahead.
• Water shoes help on the pebbles.
• Take your trash with you and help keep Gjipe beautiful.

Book your boat trip to Gjipe

We’ve been running boat tours from Dhermi beach since 2017. See prices, dates and book online on the Group Tour of All Caves & Gjipe Beach page. If you’d rather have the boat just for your group, take a look at our private boat tours.