European beach ‘like the Maldives’ becomes hotspot with hotels from £15 a night

Albania has been tipped as an up-and-coming tourism destination for Brits over the last year or so.

Many holidaymakers who love to step off the beaten patch have been seeking out the cities and coastal regions of the area thanks to their natural beauty.

While Albania would’ve been an unusual place to head to pre-2020 it’s swiftly gaining popularity.

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It’s pretty easy to see why too as the price of an Airbnb or hotel is extremely low compared to many other parts of Europe – when we took a look at the glam area of Ksamil we found stays from as little as £14.30 a night.

Plus a beer can cost as little as 77p according to numbeo.com meaning drinks out won’t break the bank while you’re away, while a three-course meal for two can cost as little as £17 too!

But, one of the main attractions of Albania is its stunning riviera – which people have likened to the Caribbean due to its glittering blue waters.

However, over on TripAdvisor, holidaymakers are raving about one Albanian beach they say is “paradise on earth”.

One tourist wrote that Palasë Beach – a pretty coastal area not far from Himare in the Vlorë county – has “crystal blue waters like in the Maldives”.

Considering it can cost thousands of pounds a night to stay in the Maldives over in the South Indian Ocean Palasë Beach may be an economical alternative.

Palasë Beach has rave reviews with many saying it’s hard to believe the area is so pretty.

One TripAdvisor comment said: “The water is an aqua that is easily the clearest water we’ve ever seen, including Italy and Greece.

“The Albanian coast is beautiful everywhere but the water here is hard to believe.

“There are lounges and umbrellas for 500 lek (£3.87)for the day.”

Another person wrote: “Paradise on earth, everyone in the world should visit this bay, crystal blue waters like in Maldives.”

While a third noted: “This beach is one of the best if not the best beach I ever seen! Its so natural and so blue and clear water!

“This was an unforgettable and unique experience going there!!!”

“Was one of the best places on earth for sunbathing and swimming,” a fourth said. “Definitely a place to visit.”

There are a number of restaurants and cafes on Palasë Beach and hotels very nearby too.

Drymades Bungalows offer 4-star accommodation in a private beach area just at the end of Palasë Beach.

There’s a garden and bar as well as rooms with sea views and buffet breakfasts each morning.

Plus, the on-site restaurant offers Greek, Mediterranean and seafood dishes to enjoy all within walking distance of the Maldives-style bay.

Starting from around £53 a night for a double room on booking.com the hotel isn’t badly priced.

Expedia currently has some dates listed as low as £29 per night.

The hotels are unlikely to be as glam as those in the Maldives, but for the price they're a total bargain.

Another option that faces the beachfront is the 4-star Hildon Eco Hotel in Dhërmi.

There’s a garden, restaurant and bar as well as private beach area with sun loungers and drinks available.

Rooms include balconies and sea views and there’s breakfast each morning.

Palasë Beach is just steps out of the property and rooms cost from £88 between two a night.

If you’re willing to head just one mile further away from Palasa Beach into Dhermi there are stays for just £15 per night at the Dhori House Dhermi – that’s a tiny £7.50 per person per night.

That means you could get access to this Maldives-style beach for the cost of a McDonald’s meal.

Now, the only tricky part of an Albania holiday is getting there, but luckily Wizz Air offers plane tickets from London directly to the capital – Tirana – from £55.

To get from Tirana to Palasë takes about a three hour drive and there are bus and shuttle options from around £36 according to rome2rio.

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