Puerto Rico Beach, Ksamil: The Tiny Cove Between Lori and the Last Bay, Named for a Caribbean Resemblance

Albania | Ksamil | Albanian Riviera

Puerto Rico Beach is a tiny little beach no more than 20 metres or so in length. It is in a little cove between Lori Beach and the Last Bay. It has plenty of loungers and is a good option if the neighbouring larger coves are crowded. Puerto Rico Beach is a good option for kids as it’s popular with families during peak season.

The main surface is white sand, with some small stones and a concrete pier. The water entry is very nice — you can jump from the pier or walk around 15 metres to start swimming. The last 200 metres of the road are dirt and rocks. Parking directly at the beach holds around 30 vehicles.

The name comes from the resemblance — the bay’s turquoise colour, the white sand, and the small cove geometry reminded someone enough of the Caribbean island to name it after it. Whether the comparison is exact is a matter of opinion. That the colour is genuinely Caribbean is the one point on which every account agrees.

Puerto Rico and Lori Beach are two favourite spots in Ksamil because the area is a bit calmer — at least earlier in the day. The “at least earlier in the day” qualification is the honest part — Ksamil during July and August is one of the busiest beach destinations in the Balkans, and even the southern quieter coves fill by midday. Puerto Rico’s specific advantage is the position: south of the main beach cluster, past Lori Beach, requiring the extra 10-minute walk or the dirt road drive that reduces the casual crowd pressure.

Getting There: Walk South from Ksamil Town (20 Minutes), by Car on the Dirt Road, or Bus to Ksamil Then Walk

From the Ksamil town centre, Puerto Rico Beach is 20 minutes on foot south along the coastal path — the path that runs through the beach sequence from the central beaches, past Lori Beach, and continues to Puerto Rico and the Last Bay. The walk is the recommended approach for visitors based in Ksamil accommodation, as the route passes all the intermediate beaches and allows the choice to stop at whichever looks most appealing.

By car, the Puerto Rico Beach access road is paved to the southern Ksamil district and then becomes a dirt track for the final 200 metres. This section is manageable by standard car in dry conditions. Parking directly at the beach holds around 30 vehicles. In peak season, that capacity is reached quickly — early morning arrival is the consistent advice.

By bus, the Sarandë–Butrint service stops at the central Ksamil bus stop. From there, the walk to Puerto Rico takes approximately 20 minutes south through the beach sequence.

The Beach: White Sand, 20 Metres, Concrete Pier, Calmer Than Central Ksamil

Plazhi Puerto Rico is covered with white sand with some small stones. The water entry is normal and doesn’t require water shoes. The beach has basic facilities: bars, sun loungers, lavatory. Lifeguards and medical staff monitor the area. The total length is approximately 120 metres.

The size discrepancy between different sources — 20 metres in one guide, 120 metres in another — likely reflects different measurement approaches: the central cove arc (20–30 metres) versus the full beach including the adjacent shoreline sections (up to 120 metres). The core of the Puerto Rico experience is the small sheltered cove with the concrete pier at one end.

The concrete pier is the specific provision that makes the beach popular with jumpers and with those who prefer pier entry to walking over sand into the water. The pier gives the beach a nautical character that the flat sandy entry beaches lack. The floating net anchored offshore — you can rent a floating net that hovers above the water for around 5,000 lek ($50) for the day — is the specific unusual provision that visitor accounts note as a distinctive feature.

Sunbeds cost 1,500 lek for two in the first row in September. One beach bar used to play music way too loudly — this has apparently changed more recently.

The water is calm, the sand is white, and the children’s character of the beach — consistently recommended for families with young children alongside Lori Beach — is the result of the sheltered cove position and the absence of the heavy water sports traffic that the central Ksamil beaches generate.

Ohana Beach Bar: The Adjacent Option for Pebble and Clearer Water

The Ohana Beach Bar is connected to the Puerto Rico area, and there are lounging chairs and umbrellas available for rent.

Ohana Beach has pebbles rather than sand. This might not be as soft on your feet, but it means the water is clearer. With an overlooking bar and restaurant, you won’t feel the need to move from this spot all day.

The trade-off between Puerto Rico (white sand, calmer, families) and Ohana (pebble, clearer water, slightly more sophisticated atmosphere) is the micro-choice that the two adjacent venues present. Both are accessible from the same approach road and both are quieter than the central Ksamil beaches.

The Last Bay: What Comes After Puerto Rico

Just past Puerto Rico Beach is the Last Bay — the last beach in the Ksamil sequence, with a couple of beaches including Pablo Beach and Augustus Beach on each side of a tiny peninsula.

The Last Bay is the furthest south of the immediately accessible Ksamil beaches. By the time the visitor has walked from central Ksamil through Lori, Puerto Rico, and Ohana to the Last Bay, the crowd thins at each step. The Last Bay has the quietest character of the full Ksamil sequence — the pebble beaches and the position beyond the main tourist circulation making it the destination for visitors who want to stay in Ksamil but use a quieter corner.

Puerto Rico in the Ksamil Beach Sequence

Ksamil’s beaches run roughly north to south: the main central beaches (Ksamil Beach, Bora Bora) are the busiest and most central; Lori Beach is the first step toward the quieter southern section; Puerto Rico is the next step; the Last Bay is the final accessible section. For visitors using Laguna Beach Ksamil Albania as their base — the central Ksamil bay section — Puerto Rico is the 20-minute walk south for a quieter alternative with the same turquoise water.

The advice from experienced Ksamil visitors is consistent: the southern beaches, including Puerto Rico, are the same quality of water as the central beaches but with lower crowd pressure, particularly in the morning and in the shoulder season of May, June, and September.

Puerto Rico Beach in Ksamil is the 20-metre sandy cove between Lori and the Last Bay — concrete pier to jump from, floating net for 5,000 lek, 1,500 lek sunbeds in September, dirt road last 200 metres, parking for 30 cars, calmer than the central beaches, consistently recommended for families with young children, and 20 minutes on foot south from the Ksamil town centre.

Walk south from town. Pass Lori. The pier is the one after that.

Come before noon if you want a sunbed.