Gjipe Canyon
Albania · Albania
Gjipe Canyon where the Albanian Riviera's only pristine wild beach meets the sea forms a dramatic underwater landscape of sheer limestone walls, boulder fields, and a canyon mouth that funnels nutrients into one of the richest reef communities on the Albanian coast. The underwater topography mirrors the spectacular land above — vertical rock walls continuing below the surface to 35 metres, encrusted with brightly coloured sponges and inhabited by large populations of scorpionfish, grouper, and octopus. The beach's remoteness has kept boat traffic minimal and the reef effectively undisturbed, making Gjipe arguably the most pristine snorkelling and sport diving site on the Albanian Riviera.
Conditions
Depth
3 to 35 m
Advanced depths
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
13 to 29°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 14 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Balkan Green Lizard
Last confirmed Mar 30, 2026 · 3 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Blue-Throated Keeled Lizard
Last confirmed Jun 7, 2026 · 6 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Ionian Wall Lizard
Last confirmed Nov 17, 2025 · 3 records
Rare
Now and then
Tessellated Water Snake
Last confirmed Jul 26, 2025 · 3 records
Rare
Now and then
Octopus
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Spiny Starfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Peacock Wrasse
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear