Shala River

The Shala River, called ​​Lumi i Shalës in Albanian, is located in Northern Albania and flows through the Albanian Alps. It’s often called the “Thailand of Albania” and having visited Thailand I totally get the comparison.

The river is crystal clear and surrounded by lush green mountains on both sides, which is really similar to the Phi Phi islands in Southern Thailand.

Shala River is only accessible by boat. From Tirana, Albania’s capital, it’s a three and a half hour drive to the boat terminal, then an hour boat ride to reach the river.

You’ve got a few options for visiting Shala River:

A) Drive yourself

You’ll need to park at the boat terminal, and purchase tickets for the boat there. I wouldn’t recommend this option as the roads are very narrow and can be quite sketchy in parts.

It also gets very busy near the boat terminal so you might struggle to find parking.

B) Stay overnight

There’s accommodation on the river itself, and if you have enough time in your Albania itinerary, this is the option I’d recommend.

That way, you’ll wake up on the river and have it all to yourself before the day trips arrive.

Your accommodation will usually include return transfers to the river from Shkodër, a city in the north of Albania, where I’d also recommend spending a couple of days if your itinerary allows.

C) Take a day trip

If you don’t have loads of time in your schedule, a day trip to the river is your best option. This is what I did and it worked out brilliantly.

You’ll be picked up from Tirana, driven to the boat terminal, and then you’ll take a boat to Shala River. You’ll have a few hours to spend exploring, relaxing and enjoying the sights before heading back.

It’s a long day but so worth it, my trip to the Shala River was one of the best things I did in Albania.  

This is the exact tour I booked and I really recommend it. My guide was so friendly and informative, telling us loads of information about the area and Albania’s history.