Plazhi i Gjipes, Shingle beach near Himarë, Albania
Plazhi i Gjipes, also known as Gjipe Beach, is a shingle beach near Himarë on the Albanian Riviera, tucked between Dhërmi and Jala. It sits at the mouth of a narrow canyon, flanked by high rocky cliffs that drop almost directly to the waterline.
The coast around Himarë has been a meeting point for different peoples for a very long time, used for fishing and small-scale trade across the Adriatic. The canyon and beach at Gjipe stayed largely untouched for most of that time due to how hard they were to reach.
Visitors who make the effort to reach this beach tend to do so on purpose, looking for something away from crowded shores. There are no sun loungers or beach bars here, so people simply spread a towel on the stones and stay as long as they like.
The beach can be reached on foot along a rocky trail that winds down through the hills, or by boat from the sea. There are no services on the shore itself, so it is worth bringing water, food, and anything else you might need for the day.
Just behind the beach, a short walk into the canyon reveals smooth rock walls and a shaded path that feels completely separate from the coast. Local fishermen sometimes come here at first light to pull in nets set the evening before, a sight that most daytime visitors never see.
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