Travora
/ Albania
The secret Mediterranean: turquoise beaches at unbeatable prices
Wedged between Greece and Montenegro, Albania is the Balkans' best-kept secret: a riviera of crystal-clear water (Ksamil, the 'Maldives of Europe'), Ottoman UNESCO towns, dramatic alps and unbeatable prices. The recently launched e-visa makes the country accessible to Cameroonians without an embassy visit. An exotic, safe and affordable getaway, just a few hours away via Istanbul.
The visa, step by step
How to apply
Create an account on the official e-visa.al portal, fill in the online form, upload your documents and pay by card. The e-visa (PDF) is emailed to you; print it to show at the border.
Required documents
- Ordinary passport valid at least 6 months with 2 blank pages
- Digital passport photo
- Bank statement for the last 12 months
- Travel insurance (minimum €30,000 coverage)
- Hotel booking and return flight ticket
Good to know
- •No visa on arrival for Cameroonians: the e-visa must be obtained before departure.
- •A valid multiple-entry Schengen, US or UK visa may sometimes exempt you — check current rules before paying.
A one-week budget
Round-trip flight from Douala / Yaoundé
600 000 FCFA–900 000 FCFANo direct flight: expect a stopover in Istanbul. Turkish Airlines links Yaoundé/Douala to Istanbul (~7h), then Istanbul–Tirana (~1h45). Book early and combine both legs to keep costs down.
Indicative round-trip price: it varies widely by season, layover and how early you book.
Where the money goes (backpacker estimate)
Budget simulator
What to do there
The Albanian Riviera: Ksamil and Saranda
Caribbean-worthy turquoise water, small islands you can swim to and white pebble beaches. Ksamil is the beach icon, Saranda the lively resort town facing Corfu.
Tirana, the colourful capital
Buildings repainted in bright colours, Skanderbeg Square, communist bunkers turned museums (Bunk'Art), the House of Leaves museum and the trendy Blloku district.
Berat, the town of a thousand windows
A UNESCO site whose Ottoman Mangalem quarter lines the hillside with white houses and large windows, crowned by a castle still inhabited today.
Gjirokastër, the stone city
Another UNESCO gem: cobbled lanes, stone tower-houses, an imposing citadel and a preserved Ottoman atmosphere; birthplace of writer Ismail Kadare.
The Albanian Alps and Theth
The 'Accursed Mountains' boast some of Europe's most dramatic scenery: the legendary Theth-to-Valbona hike over the Valbona Pass (1,795 m), waterfalls and stone villages.
The south: Butrint and the Blue Eye
The Butrint archaeological park (UNESCO) blends Greek and Roman ruins in a lagoon setting, while the Syri i Kaltër (Blue Eye) spring bursts forth in a hypnotic blue.
One week, day by day
- D1
Arrival in Tirana: Skanderbeg Square, Bunk'Art and Blloku
- D2
Tirana: museums, Dajti cable car, then on to Berat
- D3
Berat: Mangalem quarter, castle and wine cellars
- D4
Drive to Gjirokastër: citadel and stone old town
- D5
Down to the riviera: Saranda, Butrint and the Blue Eye
- D6
Beach day in Ksamil, swimming between the islets
- D7
Relax on the coast, then back to Tirana airport
Travel checklist
A printable list (or save as PDF) so you forget nothing.
Travel checklist — Albanie
Before you leave
What to pack
Indicative data (June 2026), reliability haute. Visa rules, prices and timelines change: always confirm with official sources before booking.
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