What Pirate's Cave Actually Looks Like
Pirate's Cave (Albanian: Shpella e Piratëve) is a karst sea cave on the Dhërmi cliffs, just south of Dhërmi Beach and below the Monastery of Saint Theodore — sitting in the high rocks above the village of Iljas, between Dhërmi and Jale. The site is actually two sea caves along the same cliff: one located 200 m from the southern end of Dhërmi Beach, the other 800 m further along.
The defining feature of the main cave is its entrance — a high semi-circular arch (roughly 8+ m wide, 10–12 m high) culminating at the top in a chimney-like skylight slit through which sunlight enters. The cave is wide and deep enough for most operators to drive a small speedboat directly inside.
Originally an underground karst cave, wave action and seawater dissolution expanded it into a sea cave over millennia. Inside, refracted light from the entrance turns the water a luminous blue-green; the rock walls hold the reflection.
The cave's modern fame is largely thanks to Petro Marko (1913–1991), an Albanian writer born in Dhërmi, whose 1955 children's novel Shpella e Piratëve (The Pirates' Cave) — and the later film adaptation — made the cave a household name in Albania.
Why It's the Anchor of Short Boat Tours
If you book a 3-hour or half-day tour from Himara, this is the cave you came to see. Operators build the entire short itinerary around it:
| Tour type | Includes Pirate's Cave? | Other stops |
|---|---|---|
| Pirate's Cave half-day (~3 hrs) | Yes — main stop | Gjipe Beach, Pigeon's Cave |
| Himara Coastline tour | Yes | Crystal Bay, Aquarium, Jale |
| Grama Bay full-day (~5.5 hrs) | Yes — passes through en route | Saint Andrew's, Grama Bay |
| Sunset tour | Sometimes — depending on light | South coast or coastline-only |
Pricing for the dedicated Pirate's Cave half-day runs ~€25–40 per person on shared tours, and €150–250 for a small private charter.
Inside the Cave: What to Expect
Most skippers enter the cave at idle, sometimes cutting the engine entirely so the boat drifts on its own momentum. From the deck:
- The arch towers above you on entry — 10+ metres at peak height
- The water below the boat goes deep enough that you can't see the bottom
- Voices echo cleanly off the curved walls
- On a calm day, the surface inside the cave is glassy
- A short swim from the boat is usually permitted; some tours run a 15-minute swim stop just outside the entrance
If the sea is rough, the operator will hold the boat at the entrance rather than enter. This is a safety call — don't push them.
When the Light Is Best
The interior light is the whole point. Best window is mid-morning to early afternoon, when sunlight enters at an angle that lights the back wall through refracted water. Early-morning departures (which most operators recommend for sea-state reasons) reach the cave at exactly the right hour.
Sunset tours that include Pirate's Cave time it for the orange light on the cliffs outside, not the interior — different shot, also good.
Geographic Position
Pirate's Cave sits roughly 12 km north of Himara by sea, on the cliff line south of Dhërmi Beach (between Dhërmi and Jale). By boat from Himara's mini-dock, it's a 20–25 minute run. Coordinates: 40.1292°N, 19.6514°E (Showcaves.com / Albanian cave catalogue) — note that the colloquial "Pirate's Cave" can refer to either of the two adjacent sea caves at 200 m and 800 m from Dhërmi Beach, so confirm which one your operator visits.
Tours typically combine the cave with Gjipe Beach, Pigeon's Cave, and the Saint Theodore's Cave below the monastery on the same cliff.
Sea-Condition Notes
The cave entrance faces open water and is wave-exposed when northerlies blow. On a Tramontana day, surge inside the cave can be uncomfortable for swimmers. If sea conditions are marginal, ask the operator before booking whether they will guarantee entering — a few less reputable boats charge full price for "Pirate's Cave tours" that only point at the entrance from outside.
Reliable operators are upfront about conditions and may offer a fallback (Pigeon's Cave or a Crystal Bay swim) when Pirate's Cave isn't safe to enter.
Compare With Other Caves on the Route
| Cave | Defining feature | Boat enters? |
|---|---|---|
| Pirate's Cave | Tall cathedral arch | Yes |
| Pigeon's Cave | Smaller cave with nesting birds | Sometimes |
| Blue Cave | Naturally curved arch with blue-light reflection | Partial |
| Saint Theodore's Cave | Religious / chapel association near Dhërmi | No, viewed from outside |
For first-timers on a short tour: Pirate's Cave is the one you can't skip.
Related Reading
- All boat-tour options from Himara: Himara Boat Tours overview
- The cave-hopping route in detail: Himara Beach Hopping Boat Tour
- Cost benchmarks across operators: Albanian Riviera Boat Tour Prices
