Is Albania Safe For Solo Female? My Experience

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Table of Contents

Is Albania Safe Fol Solo Female?
4 Reasons Why Albania Is Safe For Solo Female
4 Tips For Solo Female Travelers In Albania + My Stories
More Tips For Albania Travel

Albania attracts visitors with its crystal-clear water, beautiful beaches, cheap and delicious food, stunning mountains, natural phenomena, and rich cultural heritage. But is it safe to travel to Albania? Is Albania safe for solo females? If you’re a solo female traveler, like I am most of the time, this article will answer all your questions and help you get rid of your doubts. So let’s get into it so you can start planning your Albanian adventure.

In this article, I’ll give you 4 main reasons why Albania is safe for solo females and 4 tips to have a better experience traveling in Albania as a solo female. After each paragraph, I also share my stories and expertise from my Albanian adventure so that you can easily relate to them.

Is Albania Safe for Solo Female?

Yes, Albania is very safe for a solo female traveler. There is nothing to be afraid of. I was traveling Albania as a solo female for 2 weeks and always felt safe. My 14-day adventure in Albania enabled me to see everything from the north down to the south. I traveled in local Albanian buses with random people, who not even speak English… and it still felt safe to me.

4 Reasons Why Albania Is Safe For Solo Female

Here are some reasons why Albania is safe for solo female travelers. These are the main points that made me feel very safe while traveling in Albania:

1. Albanian people are friendly
2. Albanian people are helpful
3. Albanian buses are reliable
4. Accommodation in Albania is safe

1. Albanian People Are Friendly

There is no doubt that Albanian people are amicable. So wherever you go, whether it’s your accommodation, bus station, or restaurant, you’ll be most welcome.

Once I stayed in a beautiful hostel in Vlore city. The guy welcomed me and showed me my room. After I came out, his mum immediately started chatting with me. Then, she invited me upstairs to drink some beer. I asked her if she had the Albanian traditional liquor ‘Raki.’ She was pleased and got me some. She even gave me an entire bottle to take home with me. We spoke the whole evening, and they introduced me to Albanian traditions and told me their family stories.

The next day, her son offered to take me to Zvernec Island. I wanted to go there, but it’s not so accessible. So they gave me a bike, and he showed me around.

I have many similar stories to this one. However, Albanian people are very friendly and always ready to help.

2. Albanian People Are Helpful

Albanian people are also helpful and accommodating. Whenever I needed help and asked, they were there. Even though sometimes they didn’t know, they tried to help me anyways.

Once I got stuck in the Albanian Alps. I went to see the Blue Eye, and my accommodation was like 2 hours on foot away. It was getting late in the evening, and there seemed to be barely any tourists. So I went to a nearby restaurant and asked whether they had a jeep to take me to the village, where my accommodation was. One guy stood up and said he could drive me. The road was crazy, and the jeep ride was even more. I loved every single second of it as it felt adventurous. The guy drove me to my accommodation, and it all felt safe.

3. Albanian Buses Are Reliable

What I mean by saying that Albanian buses are reliable is that they’ll take you from one town to another. So you don’t have to be afraid of getting stuck in the middle of the road alone. The bus always goes where they tell you it goes.

The other thing is that the buses don’t have timetables. In this sense, you can’t rely on any schedule. You can only hope the departure time people say is correct. But once you’re on the bus, it drives you reliably.

When I was traveling from Korce to Gjirocaster, it took over 6 hours. I had no idea where I was. The bus stopped on the way at some random coffee shop, too. We were also driving through the middle of nowhere, as there were just mountains and rivers around, no bigger towns. Yet it still felt safe; they even asked me if I needed anything during the ride. Eventually, we made it safe and sound to Gjirocaster, my final destination.

4. Accommodation In Albania Is Safe

Accommodation in Albania is also very safe. Especially if you book it through Booking.com, there is nothing to be afraid of. Unfortunately, sometimes the quality doesn’t match the photos and description online (my experience in Ksamil), but it’s still okay.

What I can tell you from my experience, I stayed in a beautiful 5* hotel for just $20 per night in Korce. Gjirocaster, Vlore, Albanian Alps, and Tirana also have excellent accommodation spots. The only place that disappointed me with the price vs. quality in terms of accommodation was Ksamil. No wonder it’s a very touristy spot, much more known as a holiday destination even for locals, not only tourists.

I didn’t have any issues with my accommodation in Albania. Nobody will rob you or try to steal anything. People are reliable, and it feels safe.

4 Tips For Solo Female Travelers In Albania

I want to give you extra tips to make your travel experience in Albania even more memorable and enjoyable. With them, you can start planning your Albanian trip and avoid some trouble on the road.

Here are my 4 main tips for solo female travelers in Albania:

1. Be flexible
2. Book your accommodation on the way
3. Pack into a small backpack
4. Don’t walk outside late at night

1. Be Flexible When Traveling Albania

Traveling Albania is not the easiest thing in terms of planning and organization. As I’ve mentioned in my other articles, you need to be very flexible in Albania. In addition, there are no bus timetables, and sometimes, the organization needs to be better done.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t change anything about Albania being safe as a travel destination. It just has its own rules and terms. So don’t expect to be an organized traveler as you would be in Switzerland or Sweden.

My Story & Experience Traveling Albania

One day, I wanted to get from Korce to Gjirocaster, a long distance. So when I arrived in Korce the day before, I asked a guy at the bus station when buses leave for Gjirocaster. Unfortunately, as official as that office looked, the guy had no idea.

So I went to my hotel, hoping someone at the reception would know the timetable. Too hopeful was I to believe that. The reception staff didn’t know either. So I returned to the bus station, hoping some bus driver would know. I approached a random bus driver waiting at the platform and asked him. He said there might be a bus at 6:00am and 11:00am. The other driver said the bus only leaves once a day, early in the morning. Another bus driver told me I would be better off if I came to the station at 6:00am and there would be a bus to Gjirocaster.

I didn’t have any other option than to believe the guy. Luckily, the bus picked me up the following day after 6:00am.

2. Book Your Accommodation On The Way

Since you never know the exact timetable of buses in Albania, it’s also more challenging to book your accommodation. You want to avoid getting into trouble for missing the last bus to your destination and not having a way to get to your accommodation.

Therefore, I recommend you book your accommodation for the day only if you’re sure you’ll make it to your final destination. If you’re unsure whether there’ll be a bus to your next stop, wait and book the accommodation once you’re on the bus.

My Travel Story From Albania

For example, I waited when I was traveling from Korce to Gjirocaster and was curious whether I would make it to Gjirocaster that day. Once I came to Gjirocaster, I sat in a cafe and booked my accommodation for the night.

3. Pack Into A Small Backpack

Albania’s infrastructure isn’t the most developed. I mean that you’ll often be put into a situation when a bus leaves you at a remote bus station, and you’ll have to get to the town center. Or, for instance, villages in the Albanian Alps don’t have properly constructed roads, and you’ll have to walk through and find your accommodation.

In these cases, you’ll be grateful for not carrying a suitcase on such terrain. Suitcases can be very annoying. If you pack it into a smaller backpack, you won’t get into trouble. With a small backpack, you get it onto your shoulders and are ready to go and walk wherever you need.

4. Don’t Walk Outside Late At Night

To be extra cautious, I never walk in the streets late at night when I travel as a solo female. You never know what might happen. Albania does have many men being outside all the time. And some of them don’t behave nicely.

What I mean by that is they sometimes stare at you or start shouting at you. Nothing happens if you don’t turn around and disregard them. It only feels a bit uncomfortable. So if you want to avoid these situations, stay at your accommodation later at night.

My Story Traveling Albania

My first impression when I stepped off the bus in Tirana, Albania, could have been more pleasant. My bus arrived later at night, around 3:00am. Luckily I was with another girl then, so it didn’t feel too bad.

But the bus left us near the main square at the bus station. We didn’t know where we were, and a random man started shouting at us, offering to give us some directions. We just kept walking without even looking at him, so everything was all right. Usually, nothing happens if you’re extra cautious and don’t listen to strangers on the streets.

This is my experience travelling Albania as a solo female. As you can see, it’s safe out there. You don’t have to be afraid. Be open-minded, don’t think about any bad scenarios, go out, and explore the beauties of this country. It’s worth it.

Albania has been one of the most surprising and beautiful destinations in Europe for me. I am sure you’ll fall in love with it, too.