SHUG
Well-Known Member
Sailing from Corfu next week and wondered about visiting Albania.
Has anybody got recent experiences to report.
Thanks
Has anybody got recent experiences to report.
Thanks
ALBANIA ???
- Thread starter SHUG
- Start date
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
We know a couple of yachts who visited without problems but that was years ago, so hopefully someone will be along with the latest situation. The entrance to the capital Tirana was mined each side so follow the channel albeit that may have changed. There used to be a big searchlight on the Albanian coast sweeping the Corfu channel at night checking for escaping Albanians I don't know if it still there.
Hurry up somebody ;-)
Hurry up somebody ;-)
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
We have some friend who checked in at Sarande last week , they had no problem but said the harbour was very smelly , got no more info since they last email , if we hear any more we will let you know .
Ps they are still able to use their Greece Internet so far .
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
Ps they are still able to use their Greece Internet so far .
www.bluewatersailorcroatia.webs.com
RupertW
Well-Known Member
Next time I go the the boat in Corfu I'm going to be a lot more careful as my phone bill shows me hopping 3 or 4 times a day between Albanian and Greek telecoms especially around the North of the island.
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Tranona
Well-Known Member
As usual, completely out of date, incorrect and irrelevant.
BobnLesley
Well-Known Member
Not too recent I'm afraid, but we visited Sarande in 2012 and absolutely loved it! I wish we'd had time to stay longer/go further: Cheap beer, which was also perhaps the best I found anywhere in the Med ('Tirana' in the red-labelled bottles), cheap fags, cheap fuel, wonderfully friendly locals and the bus ride and visit to the ancient city of Butrint were brilliant!
A guy called Agim was our 'Agent' for checking in/out; the cost of which including his fee and the mooring was €70 for three nights, though as I recall, boats that were there for two nights or four and irrespective of size, all seemed to pay €70. The one down side was weather protection - do NOT try to sit on Sarande's Quay if there's even a hint of southerly in the wind.
A guy called Agim was our 'Agent' for checking in/out; the cost of which including his fee and the mooring was €70 for three nights, though as I recall, boats that were there for two nights or four and irrespective of size, all seemed to pay €70. The one down side was weather protection - do NOT try to sit on Sarande's Quay if there's even a hint of southerly in the wind.
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
>As usual, completely out of date, incorrect and irrelevant.
If you read it properly I did point out it was likely to be out of date and asked for somebody to hurry up with the attest info. I posted it because I thought it was interesting.
If you read it properly I did point out it was likely to be out of date and asked for somebody to hurry up with the attest info. I posted it because I thought it was interesting.
SHUG
Well-Known Member
Surely someone has some useful information to bring KellysEye (and Me) up-to-date
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
Compiled from the reports of about six of my wen site users since 2011:
http://www.jimbsail.info/mediterranean/adriatic/montenegro-albania
Sorry about the gap for Montenegro. I've got the reports, but haven't edited them in. Greek tax took up too much time!
SHUG
Well-Known Member
Thanks Jim. I should have checked out your site earlier.
Etesian
Active Member
We sailed Albania a couple of years ago. Enjoyed the experience. There is only one tourist marina in the country at Orikum. The rest are commercial ports where you can tie up somewhere on the quay. But the people are friendly. Cost is moderate, but no real facilities.
I would never go back to Shengjin however. We were anchored out in a bay right next to the port. This bay was completely separate from where the port was. The harbor master flagged us down and forced us go into the port so he could collect 100 euros from us. total ripoff. They didn't even have a place for us and tied up up to a tugboat. I got so pissed off at them that I started video taping them asking their names and position. They got real shy all the sudden. I think the whole thing was a shakedown. But the harbor master was involved, so what could I do. I would never go back to Shengjin again.
I would never go back to Shengjin however. We were anchored out in a bay right next to the port. This bay was completely separate from where the port was. The harbor master flagged us down and forced us go into the port so he could collect 100 euros from us. total ripoff. They didn't even have a place for us and tied up up to a tugboat. I got so pissed off at them that I started video taping them asking their names and position. They got real shy all the sudden. I think the whole thing was a shakedown. But the harbor master was involved, so what could I do. I would never go back to Shengjin again.
Caladh
Well-Known Member
Ok some up to date info from about 3 weeks ago when we were in Sarande. Check in procedures very good with agent Agim Zholi. 50 euros entry then 3 euros x beam + 5 euros per night in Sarande. Quay is high but you maybe lucky enough to find a vacant lower quay berth of the 3 or 4 available. Considerable swell when NW was blowing which ripped cleats out of a USA registered boat. The dredger and barge that were in place building the big ship quay have now gone and they did considerably reduced the swell........Two trip boats on a Saturday my mean you have to move.........One effectively leant against us cos the Greek skipper couldn't be asked to anchor properly or put his mooring warps in decent positions. I talk to Agim who got it sorted out for us such that the trip boat actually moved off us - skipper rather miffed ! At weekends all yachts have to share the same limited space.
BUT don't let that put you off. Sarande a great little town with very friendly people and 2 or 3 sights to see via local vg cheap buses. Food and eating out are relatively cheap and Gordons at 12 euros a bottle can't be bad !
Going 17 miles up the coast to Porto Palermos proved fruitless for a Dutch flagged yacht who was sent away at 1900hrs in the evening - even though he was on the quay shown in the pilots it was "a military area and could not stay".......even Agim could not convince the Coastguard otherwise.
Go and enjoy before they locals cotton on and have cash registers embedded in the eyes!!
BUT don't let that put you off. Sarande a great little town with very friendly people and 2 or 3 sights to see via local vg cheap buses. Food and eating out are relatively cheap and Gordons at 12 euros a bottle can't be bad !
Going 17 miles up the coast to Porto Palermos proved fruitless for a Dutch flagged yacht who was sent away at 1900hrs in the evening - even though he was on the quay shown in the pilots it was "a military area and could not stay".......even Agim could not convince the Coastguard otherwise.
Go and enjoy before they locals cotton on and have cash registers embedded in the eyes!!
chuckr
Well-Known Member
Albania update -- we sailed into Vlore and checked in and it was a bit of an issue but nothing really out of the ordinary -- we had contacted sail albania and capt irene and just before we left ortanto italy we sent her an email with our expected arrival time. the wind shifted to the south and really funnels in the bay here so try and avoid south winds - we came in in 30+k and it was a bit unpleasant. you have to tie up to one of 2 old tugs on the wall but as we came in the agent was waiting for us as we had contacted the port captain and they evidently were listening - it was quick and painless and about 70euros and were out in about an hour or so - we then came down to orikum and it is in the south end of the bay quite well protected and very modern with water and elect and wifi and a bar - floating docks and people to help you get in
from orikum we traveled through out albania and it is simply a wonderful country
the people are the friendlest we have met yet and quite helpful sometimes going way out of their way to help us - prices are more than reasonable and food is plentiful and inexpensive as is travel
what a wonderful wonderful place -- we were told by albanians and others to avoid durras as it is an industrial port and dirty and you tie up to a working pier - so our next stop will be Shengjin before heading to Montenegro --
but if you miss Albania you really missed a lot - we love it here
from orikum we traveled through out albania and it is simply a wonderful country
the people are the friendlest we have met yet and quite helpful sometimes going way out of their way to help us - prices are more than reasonable and food is plentiful and inexpensive as is travel
what a wonderful wonderful place -- we were told by albanians and others to avoid durras as it is an industrial port and dirty and you tie up to a working pier - so our next stop will be Shengjin before heading to Montenegro --
but if you miss Albania you really missed a lot - we love it here
ianmkent
Member
I was in Albania three weeks ago but, I went by land. I found the people to be very friendly and honest. The food is very good and fresh. It is also a very cheap country. Despite negative feedback Albania is a very safe country. I went out alone most nights got completly lost and did not encounter any problems what so ever. A lot of people can speak English but Italian is more useful away from the cities. It was allways possible to find someone who spoke Italian even in the countryside. Sorry I can not offer any sailing related advise.
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
It's refreshing to see signs written in latin script, after the rather less intelligible Greek script!
Birvidik_Bob
Well-Known Member
Albania
Try this for the background to our visit last year:
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/birvidik/?xjMsgID=277161
And this:
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/birvidik/?xjMsgID=277298
Cheers
Bob
Try this for the background to our visit last year:
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/birvidik/?xjMsgID=277161
And this:
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/birvidik/?xjMsgID=277298
Cheers
Bob
Last edited:
blueglass
Well-Known Member
SHUG
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info.
In the event we didn't go to Albania but when cruising the Ionian we met several people who had visited Albania and all gave good reports....apart from the expense of using an agent .
Maybe next year.
In the event we didn't go to Albania but when cruising the Ionian we met several people who had visited Albania and all gave good reports....apart from the expense of using an agent .
Maybe next year.
