Decision
Borsh or Lukovë?
The two quiet ends of the Riviera, both cheap, both undeveloped, and different in the one way that decides it: how much beach there is to spread out on.
Side by side
| Borsh | Lukovë | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunbeds | About 800 to 1,500 lek a set, where there are any. | Seasonal sets around EUR 5 to 10, the cheapest found on the coast. |
| Size | Roughly seven kilometres, the longest beach on the Albanian Ionian. | A small bay rather than a strip. |
| Getting in | Directly off the SH8, with summer minibuses on the Himarë to Borsh line. | An unpaved road down from the SH8, with free parking near the shore. |
| Facilities | Intermittent. Stretches with a bar and stretches with nothing. | Small cafés and bars, showers and changing cabins. No lifeguards. |
| Crowd | The emptiest road-accessible beach on the coast, because length does the work. | Keeps an uncrowded, local feel even in summer. |
Our answer
Borsh in August, Lukovë in June or September. Seven kilometres of shingle cannot fill, which is exactly what you want in the peak weeks; a small bay with no beach clubs is better company in the shoulder months. Neither will cost you what the famous bays do.
IfYou are travelling in the peak weeks and want spaceBorsh. Park, walk ten minutes, and the umbrellas stop.
IfYou want the cheapest sunbed on the coastLukovë, at around five to ten euros a set.
IfYou have small childrenLukovë for the calm shallow water, and read the no-lifeguards line before you do.
IfYou are driving through rather than stayingBorsh. It is on the SH8 and Lukovë is down an unpaved turning.
Sources: Albania Guidebook, Albania's beaches ranked (2026) (read 2026-08-25); Himara.net, Lukovë beach (read 2026-08-25); Albania Guidebook, the Albanian Riviera (read 2026-08-25).