Velipoje seaside is the Northernmost seaside in Albania, positioned approx. 30 km from Shkoder the city as regards to the border with Montenegro.

 

It’s generally spelled as Velipoje or Velipoja in English, and Velipojë in Albanian.

 

After falling in love with Shkoder the city for every week, I determined to spend a couple of days at the seaside, too. The nearest seaside from Shkoder is Velipoje and as I’d heard so much about it from the Shkoder locals, I merely needed to seek advice from.

 

Many locals love Velipoje however in addition they warned me that there could be nearly not anything left open and not anything to do low season there. For me, that used to be no longer an issue. To the contrary, it used to be a get advantages. My introverted soul may just experience some peace and quiet there.

 

I went to Velipoje lengthy after the tip of the summer time, in fall (for the reason that thirtieth October to sixth November 2022).

 

My first 4 days there the elements used to be participating really well so I may just benefit from the Velipoje seaside, opt for a swim within the sea or even sunbathe. Then the final 2 days it used to be cloudy, windy or even with a large number of rain.

 

 

 

Velipoje location and info

 

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 seaside:

  • Velipoje has a large seaside 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 yr make it an ideal seaside location.
  • Since mid-Would possibly the air temperatures upward push above 20°C. Strangely, it used to be 22 to 24°C all the way through the day when I used to be there the final days of October, too.
  • The Velipoje seaside is a favourite seaside of Northern Albanians.
  • Fine quality sand and shallow sea make it in particular appropriate for households with youngsters, and people who find themselves petrified of deep water.
  • It’s a type of a bay so the Adriatic sea there may be generally quite calm and and not using a large waves.

 

 

sunset on the Velipoje beach

sundown at the Velipoje seaside

enjoying the Adriatic sea on Velipoje beach Albania

playing the Adriatic sea on Velipoje seaside Albania

 

get to Velipoje seaside

There’s a few choices to get to Velipoje.

 

  • Hitchhiking, or you want a condominium automobile, or you’ll take a public minivan from Shkoder or Lezhe.
  • Velipoje may also be reached in approx. 30 to 50 mins via 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 shall we go away.
  • The minivans run extra continuously all the way through summer season than the remainder of the yr.
  • Earlier than getting off the minivan, you want to pay money without delay to the driving force in Albanian lek. The associated fee in keeping with particular person 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 side road prevent subsequent to the Velipoja park in the street Rruga Ura e Gjon Lulit Plazh. 
  • if the road the place you want to head in Velipoje, and it’s probably the most streets Rruga nr. 1 to nr. 7 which can be positioned sooner than the primary bus prevent, simply inform the driving force the collection of the road so he can prevent there so that you can bounce off. If so you wouldn’t wish to get off on the final prevent on the primary sq. after which stroll from there with all of your luggage. Boulevard in Albanian is rruga and you’ll simply display the collection of the road to the driving force together with your arms.
  • The van drivers would possibly no longer talk any English.
  • It’s not that i am certain if there are any taxis in Velipoje all the way through July and August, I suppose there are, however I noticed NO taxis all the way through my fall seek advice from.
  • 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 method (and sure, that’s the street the place they do move), I hitchhiked vehicles at the side of an elder native guy who used to be additionally ready there at the facet of the street. Any 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 automobile motive force spoke Italian so shall we be in contact what used to be wanted.
  • Albania is Albania, , and I’m certain a few of you heard some unfavourable tales relating to hitchhiking or protection, particularly for ladies. However for my part, I felt in point of fact protected in Velipoje, Shkoder and Tirana. I’d have no longer hitchhiked in a different way. Having mentioned that, use your not unusual sense, please.

 

on the Shkoder-Velipoje minibus

at the Shkoder-Velipoje minibus

hitchhiking from Velipoje to Shkoder

hitchhiking from Velipoje to Shkoder

 

The place to stick in Velipoje

As you’ll consider, maximum motels are closed offseason. The similar is going for eating places and retail outlets.

 

I rented an attractive trendy rental Blue Coral positioned as regards to the road quantity 3 (Rruga nr. 3) only a minute strolling from the seaside. That a part of Velipoje is generally extra quiet than town middle. On the other hand, 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 you should pay attention the noise from there or no longer. However all the way through my seek advice from the rooftop bar used to be closed.

 

The rental had the whole lot I wished: blank, scorching bathe water, a bed room with a large mattress and a bunk mattress (it would are compatible 4 other people), and a kitchen with lounge. The wifi labored neatly within the kitchen, lounge and in addition on the terrace. 

 

 

 

Blue Coral Velipoje beach

rental Blue Coral Velipoje seaside

Velipoje Blue Coral apartment rooftop view

Velipoje Blue Coral rental rooftop view

 

The rental is positioned approx. 15 to twenty min stroll from the primary sq., Velipoja park and supermarkets. There’s a pleasant view of the seaside and Velipoja village from the rooftop. The rental proprietor is a pleasant elder Albanian woman who speaks fundamental 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 course of the night time, however rather than that, renting the rental used to be a really perfect concept.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to do on Velipoje seaside offseason

 

  • Benefit from the seaside with only a few folks.
  • Opt for a stroll alongside the seaside.
  • Opt for a stroll, jog or cycle alongside the prom.
  • Watch the dawn or sundown at the seaside.
  • Test the sand statues subsequent to the eating place 407.
  • Learn a e-book, pay attention to a podcast, or do a little yoga, meditation or pranayama on the seaside.
  • Stroll across the mini Velipoje park in town centre.
  • Simply kick back and spend time by myself.
  • Stroll to the Buna river delta (Derdhja e Bunes). Keep in mind to deliver potable water with you.
  • Stroll to the Southern facet of the Velipoje seaside to the Lagoon of Viluni (Këneta e Vilunit in Albanian), additionally usually referred to as the Lagoon of Velipoje.
  • You’ll follow birds, butterflies and dragon flies round Velipoje. I may just see lots of them even if sunbathing at the seaside.
  • I haven’t been there however I heard about 2 different beautiful puts shut via. You probably have a automobile, or would really like to check out hitchhiking, then pass to the south of Velipoje to the marvelous seaside of Rana e Hedhun.
  • Even additional South every other very best seaside may also be discovered – Shëngjin seaside. Due to its positive sand and greater than 200 sunny days in keeping with yr, Shëngjin seaside is every other native favourite seaside.

 

Velipoje beach sand statues

Velipoje seaside sand statues

 

 

Extra tips on Velipoje seaside low season:

  • it’s higher to have Albanian lek cash in money and no longer simply euros/greenbacks and many others. Please alternate them BEFORE attending to Velipoje as alternate workplaces in Velipoje will probably be closed offseason. When I used to be there, I didn’t in finding anyplace to interchange cash there.
  • Some eating places settle for playing cards and/or euro however no longer they all. As an example Los angeles Maroja eating place does settle for playing cards. And to be truthful, that used to be the one eating place I discovered open when strolling across the seaside and the village the primary week of November. It’s a pleasant eating place with rapid wifi, and the meals seems to be excellent there as neatly. I tasted most effective grilled veggies with chips as that used to be the one vegan meal that they had low season. 
  • Native grocery retail outlets are dearer in Velipoje than in Shkoder. Some recent fruit and greens are one 3rd dearer, and even double worth than in Shkoder. As I assumed 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. as regards to the minibus prevent.

 

Velipoje supermarket

Velipoje grocery store

 

  • If you want to shop for/use the rest particular all the way through your keep in Velipoje, deliver it to Velipoje with you. There’s no large supermarkets in there.
  • Get able for plenty of mosquitoes EVERYWHERE.
  • There’s a few side road canines however no longer too many. I didn’t in finding them offended and more often than not they paid no consideration to me.
  • So far as I do know, the Velipoje seaside will get crowded and loud in summer season months (July and August most commonly) however no longer sooner than and after that. The ocean water is just too chilly for Albanians which is why the seaside is quite empty low season. Do be expecting many solar umbrellas all the way through the summer season however none at the seaside are left offseason.
  • Because the Velipoje seaside used to be beautiful wild till only some years in the past, there’s small wild spiky vegetation with thorns rising between the prom and the ocean. So watch out when strolling against the ocean as you could 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.

 

Albania Velipoje beach with spiky plants

Velipoje seaside with spiky vegetation

 

 

 

What I didn’t experience in Velipoje

Velipoje is an attractive position, certainly. However there are some things I didn’t for my part like there.

  • The world is stuffed with mosquitoes. Simply very as regards to the ocean there have been few, or none, however in every single place else a whole lot of hungry mosquitoes didn’t prevent feeding on me even if I used to be strolling rapid. Fortunately, I had mosquito nets in my rental however I nonetheless needed to be very fast when opening and shutting the primary door so as to stay all of the mosquitoes out of the rental.
  • The seaside used to be stuffed with garbage. The nearer to the downtown, the extra trash at the seaside. It used to be cleaner within the Northern a part of the seaside the place I stayed however nonetheless… 
  • It’s heart-breaking to look an attractive seaside destroyed via such a lot trash.

 

I in point of fact hope that the respectable tourism place of job at the side of other people running in tourism in Velipoje (motels, eating places and many others.) will notice they must stay the seaside blank. And on the identical time I in point of fact want all of the vacationers visiting Velipoje would perceive they must NEVER go away trash at the seaside ever. And no longer simply there, however nowhere else excluding trash boxes. Please other people, be accountable and clever.

 

trash on Velipoje beach

trash on Velipoje seaside

 

In spite of of mosquitoes and seaside muddle, I did experience Velipoje seaside low season so much. I like non violent puts like that. Now not certain if I’d find it irresistible there additionally in summer season regardless that. It’s not that i am into crowded puts and events.

 



TIP: For those who’d like to test extra pictures from Velipoje seaside and the village itself, click on on my album with Velipoje pictures.



 

Right here’s a sundown video I took at the Velipoje seaside. You’ll see extra of my movies and pictures on my Instagram:

 


 

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