Bozan

24 Nov2022

Velipoje seashore Albania

at the Velipoje seashore the ultimate week of October 2022

Velipoje location and information

Velipoje is positioned at the estuary of the one navigable river of Albania, the Buna river. In reality, the Buna river is constituting the herbal border of Albania with Montenegro. The Buna flows into the Adriatic Sea simply Northwest of Velipoje.

Velipoje is a village in Northwestern Albania. Since 2015 it’s a subdivision of the Shkoder municipality.

Velipoje seashore:

• Velipoje has a large seashore that’s nearly 5 km lengthy (between Derdhja e Bunes within the North and Këneta e Vilunit within the South).
• About 250 sunny days a 12 months make it an ideal seashore location.
• Since mid-Might the air temperatures upward thrust above 20°C. Unusually, it used to be 22 to 24°C right through the day when I used to be there the ultimate days of October, too.
• The Velipoje seashore is a favourite seashore of Northern Albanians.
• Fine quality sand and shallow sea make it specifically appropriate for households with kids, and people who find themselves fearful of deep water.
• It’s a form of a bay so the Adriatic sea there’s generally relatively calm and and not using a giant waves.

sundown at the Velipoje seashore

playing the Adriatic sea on Velipoje seashore Albania

Find out how to get to Velipoje

There’s a few choices to get to Velipoje.

• Hitchhiking, or you want a apartment automotive, or you’ll be able to take a public minivan from Shkoder or Lezhe.
• Velipoje may also be reached in approx. 30 to 50 mins by way of minivan from Shkoder. The minivans have an indication “Velipoje” and may also be present in “Sheshi Demokracia” in entrance of the Theatre (Teatri Migjeni). There’s no respectable departure time table so the bus drivers generally stay up for a couple of passengers to board. From time to time they even wait till all of the seats at the minivan are taken. After I sought after to take a van from Shkoder to Velipoje, I needed to wait at the sidewalk for greater than 90 mins till the van used to be complete and lets leave.
• The minivans run extra continuously right through summer season than the remainder of the 12 months.
• Ahead of getting off the minivan, you want to pay money without delay to the driving force in Albanian lek. The associated fee in line with individual in November 2022 used to be 200 lek (at the moment that used to be approx. 1.72 eur).
• There’s no bus station in Velipoje. Only a boulevard forestall subsequent to the Velipoja park in the street Rruga Ura e Gjon Lulit Plazh. 
• if you recognize the road the place you want to move in Velipoje, and it’s probably the most streets Rruga nr. 1 to nr. 7 which can be positioned prior to the principle bus forestall, simply inform the driving force the collection of the road so he can forestall there so that you can soar off. If so you wouldn’t want to get off on the ultimate forestall on the primary sq. after which stroll from there with your entire luggage. Boulevard in Albanian is rruga and you’ll be able to simply display the collection of the road to the driving force together with your palms.
• The van drivers would possibly no longer talk any English.
• It’s not that i am certain if there are any taxis in Velipoje right through July and August, I suppose there are, however I noticed NO taxis right through my fall consult with.
• I hitchhiked at the long ago from Velipoje to Shkoder. I walked with my suitcase to Rruga Shkoder – Velipoje, and waited there. When after 40 windy mins no minivan handed that approach (and sure, that’s the street the place they do cross), I hitchhiked vehicles along side an elder native guy who used to be additionally ready there at the facet of the street. Every other native guy from Shkoder drove us each to the Shkoder town middle. I don’t talk any Albanian, the 2 of them spoke no English however the automotive driving force spoke Italian so lets keep up a correspondence what used to be wanted.
• Albania is Albania, you recognize, and I’m certain a few of you heard some damaging tales on the subject of hitchhiking or protection, particularly for girls. However individually, I felt actually protected in Velipoje, Shkoder and Tirana. I’d have no longer hitchhiked another way. Having stated that, use your commonplace sense, please.

at the Shkoder-Velipoje minibus

hitchhiking from Velipoje to Shkoder

The place to stick in Velipoje

As you’ll be able to consider, maximum inns are closed off–season. The similar is going for eating places and retail outlets.

I rented a phenomenal fashionable rental Blue Coral positioned with regards to the road quantity 3 (Rruga nr. 3) only a minute strolling from the seashore. That a part of Velipoje is generally extra quiet than town middle. Then again, It’s not that i am certain what time they shut the rooftop bar subsequent to the rental development in summer season months. And if it’s worthwhile to listen the noise from there or no longer. However right through my consult with the rooftop bar used to be closed.

The rental had the whole thing I wanted: blank, scorching bathe water, a bed room with a large mattress and a bunk mattress (it might are compatible 4 other folks), and a kitchen with front room. The wifi labored smartly within the kitchen, front room and in addition on the terrace. 

rental Blue Coral Velipoje seashore

Velipoje Blue Coral rental rooftop view

 

The rental is positioned approx. 15 to twenty min stroll from the principle sq., Velipoja park and supermarkets. There’s a pleasing view of the seashore and Velipoja village from the rooftop. The rental proprietor is a pleasing elder Albanian woman who speaks elementary English.

 

Sadly, I used to be no longer very fortunate with different vacationers renting the rental above me as they have been noisy in the midst of the night time, however as opposed to that, renting the rental used to be an ideal concept.

 

What to do on Velipoje seashore off–season

• Benefit from the seashore with only a few people.
• Opt for a stroll alongside the seashore.
• Opt for a stroll, jog or cycle alongside the prom.
• Watch the dawn or sundown at the seashore.
• Test the sand statues subsequent to the eating place 407.
• Learn a e book, concentrate to a podcast, or do a little yoga, meditation or pranayama on the seashore.
• Stroll across the mini Velipoje park in town centre.
• Simply sit back and spend time on my own.
• Stroll to the Buna river delta (Derdhja e Bunes). Take into accout to carry potable water with you.
• Stroll to the Southern facet of the Velipoje seashore to the Lagoon of Viluni (Këneta e Vilunit in Albanian), additionally often referred to as the Lagoon of Velipoje.
• You’ll be able to apply birds, butterflies and dragon flies round Velipoje. I may see lots of them even if sunbathing at the seashore.
• I haven’t been there however I heard about 2 different pretty puts shut by way of. When you have a automotive, or would love to check out hitchhiking, then pass to the south of Velipoje to the marvelous seashore of Rana e Hedhun.
• Even additional South some other preferrred seashore may also be discovered – Shëngjin seashore. Because of its wonderful sand and greater than 200 sunny days in line with 12 months, Shëngjin seashore is some other native favourite seashore.

Velipoje seashore sand statues

Extra tips on Velipoje seashore low season:

• it’s higher to have Albanian lek cash in money and no longer simply euros/bucks and many others. Please alternate them BEFORE attending to Velipoje as alternate places of work in Velipoje will probably be closed off–season. When I used to be there, I didn’t in finding anywhere to switch cash there.
• Some eating places settle for playing cards and/or euro however no longer they all. As an example L. a. Maroja eating place does settle for playing cards. And to be fair, that used to be the one eating place I discovered open when strolling across the seashore and the village the primary week of November. It’s a pleasing eating place with speedy wifi, and the meals seems to be just right there as smartly. I tasted best grilled veggies with chips as that used to be the one vegan meal they’d low season. 
• Native grocery shops are dearer in Velipoje than in Shkoder. Some contemporary fruit and greens are one 3rd dearer, and even double worth than in Shkoder. As I believed it will be like that, I introduced some meals with me from Shkoder for the primary 2 days in Velipoje.
• The one marketplace I discovered open after I visited the village used to be the Klejdi marketplace on the primary sq. with regards to the minibus forestall.

Velipoje grocery store

• If you want to shop for/use the rest particular right through your keep in Velipoje, carry it to Velipoje with you. There’s no giant supermarkets in there.
• Get able for lots of mosquitoes EVERYWHERE.
• There’s a few boulevard canines however no longer too many. I didn’t in finding them indignant and as a rule they paid no consideration to me.
• So far as I do know, the Velipoje seashore will get crowded and loud in summer season months (July and August most commonly) however no longer prior to and after that. The ocean water is just too chilly for Albanians which is why the seashore is relatively empty low season. Do be expecting many solar umbrellas right through the summer season however none at the seashore are left off–season.
• Because the Velipoje seashore used to be lovely wild till only some years in the past, there’s small wild spiky crops with thorns rising between the prom and the ocean. So watch out when strolling in opposition to the ocean as it’s possible you’ll step on them. I all the time desire to stroll barefoot on sand (and any herbal subject matter over man-made) however as a result of the thorns within the sand it’s higher to stroll alongside the pavements.

Velipoje seashore with spiky crops

What I didn’t revel in in Velipoje

Velipoje is a phenomenal position, certainly. However there are some things I didn’t individually like there.

• The world is filled with mosquitoes. Simply very with regards to the ocean there have been few, or none, however all over the place else a whole lot of hungry mosquitoes didn’t forestall feeding on me even if I used to be strolling speedy. Fortunately, I had mosquito nets in my rental however I nonetheless needed to be very fast when opening and shutting the principle door with a purpose to stay all of the mosquitoes out of the rental.
• The seashore used to be filled with garbage. The nearer to the downtown, the extra trash at the seashore. It used to be cleaner within the Northern a part of the seashore the place I stayed however nonetheless… 
• It’s heart-breaking to look a phenomenal seashore destroyed by way of such a lot trash.

I actually hope that the respectable tourism place of business along side other folks operating in tourism in Velipoje (inns, eating places and many others.) will understand they must stay the seashore blank. And on the identical time I actually want all of the vacationers visiting Velipoje would perceive they must NEVER depart trash at the seashore ever. And no longer simply there, however nowhere else aside from trash boxes. Please other folks, be accountable and clever.

trash on Velipoje seashore

In spite of of mosquitoes and seashore clutter, I did revel in Velipoje seashore low season so much. I really like non violent puts like that. No longer certain if I’d love it there additionally in summer season despite the fact that. It’s not that i am into crowded puts and events.

TIP: When you’d like to test extra footage from Velipoje seashore and the village itself, click on on my album with Velipoje footage.

Have you ever ever been to Albania? What do you take into consideration the rustic?

Posted in Albania, seashore, Europe Tags: Albania, seashore, Europe, Velipoje