Blue Eye — Attraction in Bashkia Finiq

I would describe this place as average and will try to write an in depth review for those considering a trip here.

TIME

We drove ourselves and left early (7am) to avoid the coach loads of people who arrive around 9am - 10am.

DIRECTIONS

We drove from Ksamil and followed the SH98 and then joined the SH99 all the way to a dirt track (well signposted). Take the dirt track for around 200m until you are met by a guy who will want 200LEK/€1.50 from you. He said it was 50LEK per person and 100LEK for the car. Continue down the bumpy, dirt track until you get to a small parking area/roundabout which is located about 2km from the guy taking payments. From there, the blue eye is a 2 min walk away. Just follow the signs. You can’t get lost.

FOOD & DRINKS

There are a few over priced restaurants and souvenir shops around. They sell all the usual stuff and have toilets.

SWIMMING

You can’t swim there. The Albanians are trying to protect the area. We thought this was fair enough. We did dip our toe in the river, further downstream and the water was really cold.

BLUE EYE

Ok so it’s lovely and the water is crystal clear. The area itself is pretty small. However, if you have ever been to Switzerland or similar places, then it is nothing too special. You can see loads of places just like this in most mountainous places. The difference is, that this has become abit of a tourist trap.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

Not much really.

HOW LONG SHOULD I SPEND THERE

We spent about 30 mins and then got bored. Once we got the photo, dipped a toe in and nipped to the loo - we were ready to go again.

Overall, I am giving this 3 stars, because it is worth a visit if you go early in the morning - but it’s a...

The Blue Eye is a beautiful kind of little lake in a river. I don't think it is a super amazing the place itself. Honestly, in Spain we have a lot of pozas way cooler than this. The thing I think is more attractive of the Blue Eye is the colour of the water, which is a deep turquoise very cool. The place is very small. We came in late September, off-season, and it was ok with the people, but I don't want to imagine how this can be in August.... The Blue Eye is in the middle of a natural park, but the park is not great. As with most things in Albania, it is not very well taken care of. There are some parts made of wood that I don't think will last too much. For the parking, you can park for 200 lekes for 3 hours. If you park more than that, you have to pay more. But I cannot imagine how you may want to spend more than 2 hours there. Then you have to pay 50 lekes to enter the national park. It is very cheap, but since they do not take much care of it, I guess they don't need more money. From the car park, you have like 20 minutes walking on a paved road. It is not that hard to walk it. But If you are old or you cannot walk that much, you can rent a scooter. We did not rent any, so we don't know the prices. But they were not displayed so be cautious and ask for it in advance. We have experienced other times that if they see you are a tourist, they try to charge you way more than it is for the rest of the people. I would say it is ok coming here. I did not love it, but since I had not a lot of expectations, it was ok. Definitely, come pretty early so you don't find yourself surrounded by a...

The Blue Eye is a natural wonder near Sarandë and Ksamil — a crystal-clear spring with mesmerizing turquoise and deep blue hues surrounded by lush greenery.

I personally did not like the hype that was made for it - and definitely would skip it next time if I am in Albania. But if you have time, i would recommend taking the electric scooters for €10 p/p for an hour to go to the Blue eye. It would definitely save time during peak summers when the sun is at its peaks during afternoon.

Other Details: Getting there is quite manageable: from Ksamil, you can take a bus to Sarandë and then another to the Blue Eye for about 400 Lek (~€4). From Sarandë, direct buses run multiple times a day and take around 40–45 minutes. If you're driving, it’s about 40 minutes from Sarandë and just over an hour from Ksamil, with parking available for 200–300 Lek.

From the parking area, there’s a scenic 2 km uphill walk (approx. 30 minutes) to the spring, or you can rent an e-scooter at the entrance for around €5-15 (depends on where you ask) to reach the site in under 10 minutes.

The spring itself is peaceful and surreal — over 50 meters deep, bubbling with icy-cold water, and set in a tranquil forest. There’s a small riverside café nearby where you can grab a drink and enjoy the atmosphere.

Entry is very affordable (€0.50 pp) , and the experience is unforgettable. Just make sure to plan your return transport in advance if you're...