Gjiri i Akuariumit · Himarë
Tents on the rock above Aquarium Bay
Ready-pitched dome tents on wooden decks under the trees, a beach bar and kitchen, and a cove clear enough to see the bottom directly below.
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They call it the Aquarium because you can see the bottom.
Gjiri i Akuariumit is a small pebble cove between Jalë and Livadh, walled in by pale limestone, with water clear enough to make out the stones on the bottom from the rocks above. The tents stand on the slope over it, in the shade of the trees, and the bar's deck looks straight out to sea.
What each door opens on
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A made-up double mattress, and the door open on the bay.
String lights between the trunks once the sun has gone.
Pebbles, a cave in the cliff, and water you can see the bottom through.
The bar's plank terrace over the sea, under a shade sail.
Fish, shrimp and chicken off the grill at the bar.
The beach empties and the cliffs go red.
Sleep
The tent is already up
You come with a bag, not a tent. Each one is a ready-pitched dome tent on a wooden pallet deck, a real mattress made up as an extra-large double, pillows and a blanket, the door facing the bay. The canvas sits in the shade of the trunks, the waves are what you hear at night, and the shared toilets and showers are a short walk along the slope.
There is one kind of tent, made up with an extra-large double bed, and the nights are booked through Booking.com.
Straight down to the cove
The beach is about 140 metres below the tents: pebbles and fine shingle at the head of a narrow inlet, a cave in the cliff behind it, and rocks on either side to swim out from and jump off. The water goes from clear over the stones to deep green between the walls.
It is a small beach. On high-summer weekends boats and walkers from Jalë and Livadh fill it by late morning; early and late in the day it is at its quietest.
A blue shack, a grill and a deck over the sea
The camp's own bar and kitchen work out of a pallet-walled shack with a blue painted frame. Off the grill and the stove: grilled fish, grilled shrimp, pasta with shrimp, grilled chicken, Greek salad, fries, sandwiches.
Behind the counter: Albanian raki, Korça beer, espresso, fruit juice. There is a barbecue on the slope as well. Everything here is paid in cash, so bring enough for the stay.
What is here, and what to know
In the tent
- a ready-pitched dome tent on a wooden pallet deck
- a real mattress made up as an extra-large double
- pillows and a blanket
- the door facing the bay
Around it
- Beach bar and kitchen
- Barbecue
- Shared toilets and showers
- Free Wi-Fi in the shared areas
- Parking at the camp
- Security around the clock
- Pets welcome
House rules
- Check-in
- 11:30–23:30
- Check-out
- 09:00–11:00
- Payment
- Cash only
- Children
- All ages
- Pets
- Welcome
- Parties
- Not allowed
Let the camp know roughly when you will arrive.
At the camp and at the bar.
No cots or extra beds.
No stag or hen groups.
How far
- Aquarium Beach140 m
the cove directly below the tents
- Jalë Beach1.2 km
the next bay north-west
- Livadh Beach1.5 km
south-east, over the headland
- Himarë Castle1.7 km
on the hill above the town
- Spile, Himarë town3.0 km
the seafront and the shops
Straight-line distances from the camp.
Asked before the drive down
More photographs of the tents, the cove and the bar are on the photographs page.
What is Camping Aquarium?
Camping Aquarium is a tent camp on the rocks directly above Aquarium Bay (Gjiri i Akuariumit), a small pebble cove between Jalë and Livadh beaches in Himarë, on the Albanian Riviera. The tents are already pitched on wooden pallet decks under the trees, each with a made-up double mattress, and the camp runs its own beach bar and kitchen.
Do I need to bring my own tent?
No. You book one of the camp's own dome tents, which are already pitched on wooden decks in the shade, with an extra-large double mattress, pillows and a blanket inside. Toilets and showers are shared, and the bar, the kitchen and the barbecue are a few steps away on the same slope.
How do I get to Camping Aquarium by car?
Come in from the Jalë side. The last stretch down to Aquarium Bay is an unpaved, stony track with potholes, so a high-clearance car or a 4x4 is the comfortable choice. Many rental contracts exclude unpaved roads, and plenty of guests park higher up and walk the rest with a light bag.
Can I walk to Camping Aquarium?
Yes. A marked footpath runs over the headland from Livadh Beach, about one and a half kilometres with red waymarks, and Jalë Beach is about 1.2 kilometres to the north-west in a straight line. Carry water and wear proper shoes rather than sandals, and pack light, because the path is rough underfoot and you carry everything yourself.
How far is the beach from the tents?
Aquarium Beach is the cove directly below the tents, about 140 metres from the camp in a straight line, a short walk down the slope. Jalë Beach is about 1.2 kilometres away and Livadh Beach about 1.5 kilometres, and Himarë's seafront at Spile is roughly three kilometres to the south-east.
Can I pay by card at Camping Aquarium?
No. Camping Aquarium takes cash only, for the stay and at the bar, so bring enough euros or Albanian lek for the whole stay before you come down to the bay. Himarë town, about three kilometres away, is the place to sort it out on the way in.
Is there food at the camp?
Yes. The camp's beach bar and kitchen serve grilled fish, grilled shrimp, pasta with shrimp, grilled chicken, Greek salad, fries and sandwiches, with Albanian raki, Korça beer, espresso and fruit juice at the bar. There is also a barbecue on the slope. Everything at the bar is paid in cash.
When is Camping Aquarium open?
Camping Aquarium is a summer camp: guests stay from May into October, and the tents are booked through Booking.com, where the live calendar shows which nights are open. Check-in runs from 11:30 to 23:30 and check-out from 09:00 to 11:00, and the camp asks you to tell it roughly when you will arrive.
Is Camping Aquarium the same as Aquariumi Jale Camping?
No. Aquariumi Jale Camping is a different campsite, run by different people, about 850 metres away at Jalë. Camping Aquarium is the camp above Aquarium Bay itself, reached on +355 69 682 8613 and on Instagram as @camping_aquarium, and listed on Booking.com as Camping Aquariumm.