Adventure
Snorkelling along the Karaburun coast
Clear water, sea caves and rocky coves inside the Karaburun-Sazan marine park, reached on boat trips that build in swim and snorkel stops.
⏱ Half day or full day
Things to do · Underwater
Diving and snorkelling in Vlora
Across the bay from the city lies Albania’s marine national park: limestone walls, sea caves and a Second World War wreck. Snorkel from a boat trip, or dive with a centre based in Vlora.
Checked · next check by Due for a re-check — confirm locally before relying on it.
The marine park
The Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park was declared in 2010 and covers about 12,570 hectares of sea around the Karaburun Peninsula and Sazan Island. The National Tourism Agency lists diving, coastal exploration, wildlife watching and non-motorised sailing as its permitted activities, and notes sea turtles, Mediterranean monk seals and deep corals among what it protects.
Look, don’t touch, take nothing — and choose operators who brief you the same way.
Snorkelling
The clearest water near Vlora is on the Karaburun side of the bay, reached by boat. Most boat trips to Karaburun and the Haxhi Ali cave stop to swim, and some include snorkel gear. Calm summer mornings give the clearest water.
Boat trip
Haxhi Ali Cave by boat
A large sea cave at the northern tip of Karaburun, entered by boat on calm days — one of the most photographed stops on the coast.
⏱ Usually part of a 3–6 hour trip
Scuba diving
Boat dives go to the walls and caves of the Karaburun coast and around Sazan. For experienced divers, the bay holds the wreck of the Italian hospital ship Po, torpedoed on 14 March 1941, with its keel at about 35 m.
Dive centres operating from Vlora
Listed on merit after checking their own websites on 17 October 2026, in alphabetical order. No payment, no commercial relationship, not a safety endorsement — confirm season, prices and meeting points directly.
Oazi Blu Diving Center
Editorial
Vlora; summer meeting points also at Jala and Palasa beaches
Dive centre in Vlora teaching PADI and SSI courses and running boat dives to the Karaburun coast, Sazan and a wreck in Vlora Bay.
- Training
- PADI and SSI, Open Water to Divemaster
- Trips
- Karaburun, Sazan, Vlora Bay wreck
Not paid to appear. Checked 17 October 2026. Confirm details directly.
Scuba.al
Editorial
Vlora
Vlora dive centre offering shore and boat dives, night dives, Karaburun trips and SDI training from Open Water to Rescue Diver and Nitrox.
- Training
- SDI, Open Water to Rescue; Nitrox
- Trips
- Shore and boat dives, Karaburun, wrecks further south
Not paid to appear. Checked 17 October 2026. Confirm details directly.
Before you go under
- Bring your certification card and logbook; centres will want to see them for anything beyond a try dive.
- Check that your travel insurance covers scuba diving.
- Altitude after diving: dive training agencies advise against going to altitude soon after diving. Around Vlora that includes driving over the Llogara Pass (1,027 m) and paragliding. Ask your dive centre how long to wait.
- Conditions change: the operator decides whether and where to dive on the day.
Vlora.live gives no safety assessment of sea conditions, sites or operators.
Where to book
Snorkelling boat trips
- GetYourGuide
Boat tours with snorkel stops along Karaburun and to the Haxhi Ali cave.
Vlorë boat and snorkel trips on GetYourGuide External booking site · GetYourGuide - Viator
Boat trips around Karaburun, several with snorkelling included.
Vlorë experiences on Viator External booking site · Viator
For scuba diving, contact a dive centre directly (above).
Vlora.live earns no commission from the booking links on this site today. If that changes, each such link will say “Affiliate link”. Affiliate disclosure. Editorial choices are never influenced by payment.
Sources and checks
Facts that can change are dated and checked against the sources below. Vlora.live has no relationship with these organisations; if something has changed, please tell us.
- National Tourism Agency of Albania (AKT) — Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park
- X-Ray Mag — Italian hospital ship Po
- Wikipedia — Grama Bay
- Oazi Blu Diving Center — Diving trips and courses, Vlora
- Scuba.al — Scuba diving centre
- GetYourGuide — Vlorë — tours and activities (location page)
- Viator — Things to do in Vlorë
Related
- Boat trips Sazan Island, Karaburun, the Haxhi Ali cave and sunset cruises: how they work and how to book.
- Karaburun The roadless peninsula across the bay: sea caves, Grama Bay, the marine park and how to get there.
- Sazan Island Albania’s largest island: history, what you can see, and how visits work.
- Paragliding Tandem flights over Vlora Bay and from Llogara: what to expect, weather, and how to book.