Canyon of Gjipe, canyon in Vlorë County, Albania
The Canyon of Gjipe is a calcareous canyon and bay between Dhërmi and Vuno in Vlorë County, Albania, carved by the Ionian Sea. It is 800 metres long and 10 to 20 metres wide, with numerous rock formations and caves along its walls.
The canyon was cut by a brook flowing through a narrow pass in the limestone, forming an 800-metre-long strait between Dhërmi and Vuno. The surrounding area has been inhabited since antiquity, and olives and carobs have been cultivated here since ancient times. The canyon is now recognized as an Important Plant Area by Plantlife for its rare and endemic species.
The name Gjipe is said to come from "Gjiri i Perëndisë", the Bay of God. The beach lies enclosed between the small villages of Vuno and Ilias, south of Dhërmi, and is reached on foot through the canyon. Carob and olive have been grown in the area since antiquity.
Access is via a marked hiking trail from the main road, requiring about a half hour walk to reach the beach entrance. Morning or late afternoon is best for hiking to avoid the midday heat.
Three dolphin species have been recorded in the canyon's coastal waters: the common bottlenose dolphin, the short-beaked common dolphin and Cuvier's beaked whale. The shallow coastal waters also provide habitat for the loggerhead sea turtle, the most familiar turtle in the Mediterranean.
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