Why Do Divers Overlook Albania as a Mediterranean Dive Destination?

[Julian Kushova]

Hi everyone, I recently did a dive in the beautiful city of Saranda, Albania with Saranda Diving, and the experience really made me wonder why Albania is still so overlooked as a Mediterranean dive destination.
The water was clear, the coastline was stunning, and the dive had that raw, uncrowded feeling that’s becoming harder to find in more established Mediterranean hotspots. What stood out to me most was how much potential the area has for divers looking for something different - wrecks, reefs, interesting underwater topography, and a destination that still feels relatively undiscovered.
After diving there, I honestly think Albania deserves a lot more attention in the scuba community. Has anyone else here dived in Saranda or elsewhere in Albania? I’d be curious to hear how your experience compared with other Mediterranean dive destinations.

 

[Mr. X]

Looks promising! Please tell us more about Albania. I don't recall seeing any threads on Albania before, so perhaps this will be the start of something!

But I see that British-Australian Youtuber Dan Mann (& currently British Spearfishing Team Captain no less !!) has posted at least 3 videos on his experiences spearfishing in Albania. [Try using your preferred web search engine, e.g. Googling, "youtube dan mann albania" ]

 

[Mr. X]

Re. Spearing, Google AI search also found this :

"Spearfishing in Albania is legal and generally considered one of the least regulated in the Mediterranean, but it requires following specific safety and environmental rules. Key regulations include a ban on using SCUBA gear (freediving only), a 5 kg daily catch limit per person, and a prohibition on spearfishing at night. No license is required for recreational shore fishing, though spearfishing must be done at least 50 meters from other swimmers and in designated areas."

Of course the web and AI are not reliable.

 

[Julian Kushova]

Re. Spearing, Google AI search also found this :

"Spearfishing in Albania is legal and generally considered one of the least regulated in the Mediterranean, but it requires following specific safety and environmental rules. Key regulations include a ban on using SCUBA gear (freediving only), a 5 kg daily catch limit per person, and a prohibition on spearfishing at night. No license is required for recreational shore fishing, though spearfishing must be done at least 50 meters from other swimmers and in designated areas."

Of course the web and AI are not reliable.

Hey there

I agree - Albania doesn’t seem to have many threads here yet, so hopefully this can become a useful starting point. The south coast in particular, around Sarandë, Ksamil and Himarë, has clear Ionian water, rocky coastline and some very interesting diving/spearfishing potential. Dan Mann’s videos definitely show that Albania has something to offer.

Just to clarify one point: spearfishing in Albania is not completely unregulated. It falls under Albanian fisheries legislation, including Law No. 64/2012 “On Fisheries” and related management measures, so there are rules that should be respected. The difficulty is that information online can be incomplete or outdated, so it’s always best to check locally before diving or spearing.

A useful local reference is https://albaniadiving.com. I’ll try to share more details about Albania and the diving/spearfishing scene there.

 

[Rob9876]

Haven't heard much about diving in Albania. What's the water temperature like there during the summer months?