Kitesurfing Radhima (Vlora Bay)

Wind & Conditions

Sheltered W-facing cove 8 km S of Vlora. SW Adriatic thermal 12-18 kn Jun–Sep. Sandy beach, turquoise flat water, olive-terraced backdrop. Less exposed than Velipoje — good for lower wind days. Albanian Water Sports school based here seasonally. Budget travel.

About Radhima (Vlora Bay)

Radhima sits in a sheltered west-facing cove about 8 kilometres south of Vlora, tucked inside the broader arc of Vlora Bay on Albania's Adriatic coast. The setting is distinctly Mediterranean: olive terraces step down behind the beach, the water runs a clear turquoise, and the sandy shore gives you a clean, uncomplicated place to rig up and launch. It's a quieter corner of a coastline that still rewards those willing to look past the busier resort towns further north. Getting down from Vlora is a short drive south along the coast. The village is small and unhurried, and parking is informal and close to the water — no long gear-schlepping hauls here. The launch itself is a sandy beach with flat water in front. That flatness defines the character of riding at Radhima: the cove is sheltered enough to stay smooth on days when more exposed stretches of the Albanian Adriatic coast are already throwing up chop. If you're working on open-water skills — transitions, riding toeside, water starts, or simply building confidence on a board — the conditions here give you a calmer, more forgiving canvas. Experienced riders can still find plenty to do, but it's fair to say beginners and improvers will feel most at home. Wind comes in from the southern quadrant, arcing through southwest and west all the way up through northwest to almost due north. The Adriatic sea breeze feeds the cove across that range, with the thermal cycle running typically from June through September. Strengths lean toward the lighter end of the kitable range, so adjust your quiver accordingly — Radhima rewards you for carrying a larger kite rather than leaving it behind. An Albanian Water Sports school operates here on a seasonal basis, which gives you a local option for instruction if you're building your basics. After a session, Bar Piceri Stela is nearby for food and a drink. The broader Albania proposition still applies: this is one of the more genuinely affordable stretches of European coastline, and Radhima hasn't been discovered by the crowds that follow the more established kitespots — a meaningful upside if you prefer a beach that doesn't feel like a kite circus. The honest trade-off: Radhima's shelter is both its strength and its ceiling. The same geography that keeps the water flat also means it won't deliver the stronger, more consistent fills that open-coast spots can catch. On a day when the wind really delivers, you might want to head further afield. But for a mellow, warm Adriatic session — clear water, sandy launch, olive groves rising behind you — this spot earns its place on the itinerary.

Best Season

Check the Breeza app for the current rideable window at Radhima (Vlora Bay).

World Ranking

Not globally ranked, but a kitesurf destination — a local favourite worth a check when the wind lines up.

Location

Radhima (Vlora Bay), Vlorë County, Albania, Albania

Lat: 40.39, Lon: 19.5