Manastiri Beach, "Monastery Beach" in English and named for the old monastery near it, is where Saranda regulars go when the town beaches get too busy. It's a small cove a short way south of the centre, on the road toward Ksamil, and it trades the convenience of Saranda's central seafront for clearer water and a calmer scene. It's not a secret and it's not deserted, but it's a noticeable step down in crowd and a step up in setting from the concrete-backed town beaches. If you're based in Saranda and want a better swim without a full day trip to Ksamil, this is the move.
For the full picture of where to swim around the city, see the Saranda Beaches Guide; this page zooms in on Manastiri specifically.
Check before you go: access is disputed. As of September 2026, TripAdvisor carries Monastery Beach as "permanently closed", and visitor reports going back to June 2024 describe the shoreline fenced off behind an apartment and resort development, with security turning people away. Another 2026 guide to Saranda's beaches says it has been shut "for a couple of years" and declines to recommend it. Reviews are not unanimous. One from August 2026 describes a perfectly good day there, which is consistent with a site whose access depends on which gate is open and who is standing at it. Treat the cove as unreliable rather than gone, and have the town beaches or the Ksamil bus as the fallback. Everything below describes the beach as it works when you can get onto it.
The facts
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39.8133, 20.0107 |
| Distance from Saranda centre | 6.5–8 km south, on the SH81 toward Ksamil and Butrint |
| Size | About 75 m long and 15 m wide, a small cove |
| Surface | White pebble with a little sand |
| Named for | The 14th-century Monastery of St. George on Dema hill above the beach |
| Bus | The Saranda–Butrint minibus; ask for the "Manastiri i Shën Gjergjit" stop, then walk down |
| Bus fare | 150–250 ALL (~€1.50–2.50), roughly every 30 min in high season, ~08:00–18:30 |
| Parking | Roadside by the beach; the access road is narrow |
| Access status | Contested since 2024, see the note above |
Two of those need flagging, because this site has published both of them wrong before. The beach is named for the Monastery of St. George, not the Monastery of the Forty Saints that gave Saranda its own name. The two get conflated constantly, including elsewhere on this site. And it is not a twenty-minute stroll from the promenade: at 6.5–8 km it is a drive, a taxi or the Butrint bus. Nearby is also the Dema wall, Butrint's ancient outer fortification, which is how the hill got its name.
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What to expect
| Feature | Manastiri Beach |
|---|---|
| Type | Small cove, ~75 × 15 m, white pebble with some sand |
| Water | Clearer than the central town beaches |
| Vibe | Quieter, more local than the seafront |
| Facilities | Sunbed and umbrella rental in season, plus a beach bar-restaurant |
| Location | 6.5–8 km south of Saranda centre on the SH81 |
Manastiri is compact, and the numbers say so: 75 metres of shore, 15 metres deep. That is smaller than one block of Saranda's promenade. What you get is a cove with noticeably better water clarity than the town's central stretch, a more relaxed atmosphere, and enough seasonal facilities (a bar-restaurant doing fish, sunbed and umbrella hire) to make a half-day comfortable without being overrun. Nobody publishes a rate for the loungers here; for calibration, Saranda's town beaches run about 1,000–2,000 lek (€9–17) for two beds and a parasol in peak season, per the Saranda sunbed prices guide. Water shoes help on the pebbly entry.
How to get there
Manastiri sits 6.5–8 km south of Saranda's centre on the SH81, the road that carries on to Ksamil and Butrint.
- By car/taxi: the normal approach, 10–15 minutes from the centre. The last stretch is a narrow road down to the shore; park on the verge by the beach.
- By bus: take the Saranda–Butrint minibus from near the port and ferry terminal, 150–250 lek, roughly every half-hour in high season. Ask the driver for Manastiri i Shën Gjergjit. It's a short walk downhill from the road. The Ksamil bus runs the same road.
- On foot: not realistically. Some guides describe a twenty-minute walk from the promenade; the distance is six and a half kilometres and the road has no pavement.
Because it's close to town without being in it, Manastiri works as a half-day with a bus fare attached rather than a spontaneous stroll. Base yourself in the city, see the Saranda Travel Guide, and check the access situation before committing the afternoon.
Manastiri vs the alternatives
- vs Saranda town beaches: Manastiri has clearer water and fewer crowds, at the cost of facilities and walk-out convenience.
- vs Ksamil: Ksamil's beaches are far better, and they're only another 6–7 km down the same SH81, 15–20 minutes and 100 lek by bus. Manastiri is barely a shortcut. It's a different mood, not a closer option.
- vs Pulebardha / Mirror Beach: those Ksamil-area coves are prettier and sit on the same road; Manastiri's edge is that it comes first.
The honest positioning: Manastiri is a calm-water beach, not a destination beach, and the case for it is thinner than it looks once you notice that Ksamil is only a few kilometres further on for the same bus ride. Seventy-five metres of pebble with better clarity than the town front is what you're choosing.
When to go
| Period | Verdict |
|---|---|
| June & September | Best: warm, uncrowded |
| July–August | Busier but still calmer than town; go early |
| Spring/autumn | Quiet, swim marginal |
As everywhere on this coast, June and September are the sweet spots. In peak summer, Manastiri's small size means it fills by midday, so arrive in the morning. Full climate detail in the Himara Weather Guide.
FAQ
Where is Monastery Beach in Saranda?
It's a 75-metre cove 6.5–8 km south of Saranda on the SH81 toward Ksamil and Butrint, named for the 14th-century Monastery of St. George on the hill above it. Ten to fifteen minutes by car, or the Butrint minibus for 150–250 lek. Access has been disputed since 2024.
Is Manastiri Beach better than Saranda's town beaches?
For water clarity and a quieter atmosphere, yes, it's a noticeable improvement on the central seafront. The trade-off is fewer facilities and a smaller beach. For the best beaches in the area you still want Ksamil, but Manastiri is the better in-town swim.
Are there facilities at Manastiri Beach?
Some. Sunbed and umbrella rental and a bar-restaurant doing fish, on a modest scale compared with Saranda's central beaches. No rate is published; Saranda's town beaches run 1,000–2,000 lek in peak for two beds. Bring water, and don't rely on amenities outside July–August.
Is Manastiri Beach open?
Not dependably. TripAdvisor lists Monastery Beach as permanently closed, and reports since June 2024 describe the shore fenced behind a resort development with security turning visitors away, though a few recent reviews describe normal visits. Check locally before you set out.
Bottom line
Manastiri Beach is Saranda's quiet-cove compromise, with clearer water and a calmer scene than the town beaches: 75 metres of white pebble 6.5–8 km down the SH81, under a 14th-century monastery, reachable on the 150–250 lek Butrint minibus. Its problem in 2026 is the fence, not the swim. Access has been contested since 2024 and reports conflict, so confirm before you commit the afternoon. Go in the morning in peak season, and use it to break up a Saranda stay. For the bigger beach day, carry on to Ksamil.
