Things to Do in Ksamil Beyond the Beach

Ksamil is famous for its sea, but anyone who stays on the sunbed misses the interesting part.

Within 30-40 minutes you have islands to explore, a UNESCO site, an unreal blue spring and the Greek coast on the horizon.

Here are the things actually worth doing, with the tours that make them easy.

The Ksamil islands: the reason you are here

The three (four, depending how you count) islands facing the waterfront are Ksamil's landmark. The closest ones are reachable by swimming or by kayak and SUP, a 10-15 minute paddle.

To see them all with the hidden coves there is the islands boat tour (3 hours, with swim stops) or a private tour if you are a group. Some people pedal-boat across: doable, but a kayak is faster and costs the same.

Butrint: the UNESCO site 10 minutes away

Butrint is a Greek-Roman-Venetian city inside a wooded park on the lagoon: theatre, baptistery, cyclopean walls. It is a 10-minute drive from Ksamil and deserves 2-3 hours, ideally early morning to beat the heat.

Get there by local bus, taxi (€5-8) or the organised tour from Ksamil which includes a guide and entry.

Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër): the blue spring 30 minutes away

A karst spring over 50 metres deep where water rises at 10-13°C all year, in an electric blue that looks fake. It is about 30 minutes from Ksamil towards Gjirokaster.

Symbolic entry fee (around €0.50), final stretch of road a bit rough. It pairs well with Butrint on the same day: Butrint in the morning, Blue Eye in the hot afternoon (the icy water becomes a feature).

Caves, snorkeling and the coast from the water

The coastline between Ksamil and Saranda hides caves only reachable by sea. The best known is Pigeon Cave, with its sheer rock wall: the dedicated tour runs daily.

• Snorkeling: rock and seagrass seabeds, superb visibility in June and September.
• Tongo Island: the wildest island in the area, only reachable by boat.
• Riviera Grand Tour: a full boat day along the coast to beaches unreachable by land.

Evenings, adrenaline and the Corfu day trip

For sunset the choice is between the free west-facing waterfront beach and the 2-hour sunset cruise with aperitif.

For adrenaline: between the islands, banana boat for groups, or boat rental (with or without a licence depending on engine size) to explore on your own.

And if you have a spare day: Corfu is a 30-70 minute ferry from Saranda. Go in the morning, come back in the evening — just remember the timezone.

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