Vlore: Blue Cave & Grama Bay Boat Tour with Snorkeling

Eight hours, seven bays, two caves: a boat ride along Albania's Karaburun peninsula

You board a boat in Vlore and spend eight hours moving between seven bays and two caves along the Karaburun peninsula, snorkeling in each one. The tour includes snorkel gear, a traditional byrek lunch, water and beer. You swim at Dafina bay and the Blue Cave, explore Haxhi Ali and Seal caves by water, and can hike up from Grama bay for a view of the coastline. The fixed schedule means you don't arrange transport, timing or equipment yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore caves and bays by boat

• Travel 40 minutes to Haxhi Ali cave
• Dive and snorkel inside Haxhi Ali cave
• Boat trip 30 minutes to Dafina bay
• Swim and snorkel in Dafina bay
• Explore Dafina cave underwater
• Visit Bristan (Bear) bay beach
• Explore Secret canyon and swim
• Visit English bay beach
• Explore Blue cave and surrounding beach
• Dive, swim, and hike in Grama bay

What’s included

Your day includes snorkelling masks, a traditional Albanian byrek, bottled water, beer, and all fees and taxes. You travel by boat to seven bays and two caves along the Karaburun peninsula, with time to swim, snorkel and explore at each stop, plus the option to hike from Grama bay.

Times

• Every day 10:30

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Before you book

Group Up to 20

Live guide English and Italian

Meeting point and pickup No hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Ages Adult (10 to 65 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Public transport nearby Not recommended during pregnancy Not recommended with heart problems Not recommended with back problems

Operated by Olympia Tours

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

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The experience

Most people who fly into Vlore spend the afternoon on the same beach strip near town. This tour leaves that behind within the first 40 minutes. The boat heads south toward Haxhi Ali cave, a limestone hollow you enter by water, dive and snorkel inside, then emerge back into daylight. It's the kind of thing that sounds ordinary until you're actually floating in it.

After that, the rhythm becomes: travel 20 to 40 minutes by boat, arrive at a bay or cave, swim or snorkel for 30 to 60 minutes, then move on. Dafina bay comes next, surrounded by the Karaburun peninsula's steep cliffs, with a cave of its own tucked into the rocks. The water is clear enough that you see the underwater colors without trying. Then Bristan bay, quieter, where an old communist-era military base sits on the hillside: bunkers and tunnels visible from the water if you know where to look. The Secret canyon follows, narrow and rocky, with a seal cave at the end. English bay, Lloviz bay with the famous Blue Cave itself, and finally Grama bay, where a 20-minute walk up the mountain gives you the view of the whole beach from above.

The boat carries snorkel gear, so you don't pack your own. Lunch is a traditional Albanian byrek (a pastry with cheese or meat inside), bottled water and beer. The tour runs as a full day, which means you're on the water from morning until late afternoon, moving between stops without long waits. You're not swimming alone (there's a guide and other travelers), but the bays themselves feel remote. The Karaburun peninsula doesn't have roads along this coast, so the only way to reach most of these places is by boat.

If you're thinking about booking a Blue Cave & Grama Bay boat tour from Vlore, check the seasickness note in the practical details below. The Adriatic can move, especially in the channel between bays. Otherwise, this is the kind of day where you leave town in the morning and come back with salt in your hair and a list of bays you didn't know existed.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the boat ride to the first stop?

About 40 minutes to Haxhi Ali cave.

Is snorkel gear included?

Yes, snorkelling masks are provided.

What's included for food and drink?

Traditional Albanian byrek, bottled water and beer.

Can you hike during the tour?

Yes, a 20-minute walk up the mountain from Grama bay offers views of the beach.

How many stops are there?

Seven bays and two caves: Haxhi Ali, Dafina bay and cave, Bristan bay, Secret canyon, English bay, Lloviz bay with Blue Cave, and Grama bay.

Is this tour suitable for beginners at snorkeling?

Yes, but check the additional information section for health considerations, especially regarding seasickness and cardiovascular fitness.

What time does the tour end?

It's a full-day tour, typically running from morning to late afternoon.

Are there other travelers on the boat?

Yes, it's a group tour, not a private charter.