The sea temperature at Ksamil today is 21.4 °C (71 °F) – cold to refreshing water, better for a short swim. The usual October average is 22.5 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 24.1 °C to 21.4 °C. Swimmable from May to November, when the sea averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15.8°C / 60.5°F | 16.5°C / 61.6°F | 16.9°C / 62.5°F |
| February | 15.1°C / 59.1°F | 15.5°C / 60.0°F | 16.0°C / 60.7°F |
| March | 14.9°C / 58.9°F | 15.6°C / 60.0°F | 16.1°C / 60.9°F |
| April | 15.9°C / 60.6°F | 16.5°C / 61.7°F | 17.5°C / 63.5°F |
| May | 18.6°C / 65.4°F | 19.2°C / 66.5°F | 19.7°C / 67.5°F |
| June | 21.7°C / 71.1°F | 23.0°C / 73.5°F | 23.9°C / 75.1°F |
| July | 24.5°C / 76.0°F | 24.9°C / 76.9°F | 25.8°C / 78.4°F |
| August | 24.9°C / 76.8°F | 25.9°C / 78.7°F | 26.9°C / 80.4°F |
| September | 24.3°C / 75.7°F | 24.8°C / 76.7°F | 26.0°C / 78.8°F |
| October | 21.7°C / 71.1°F | 22.5°C / 72.6°F | 23.7°C / 74.6°F |
| November | 20.1°C / 68.1°F | 20.6°C / 69.1°F | 21.2°C / 70.1°F |
| December | 17.2°C / 63.0°F | 17.9°C / 64.1°F | 18.4°C / 65.1°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.4°C / 48.9°F | 10.7°C / 51.3°F | 12.7°C / 54.9°F |
| February | 9.0°C / 48.1°F | 10.8°C / 51.4°F | 12.9°C / 55.3°F |
| March | 10.2°C / 50.3°F | 12.0°C / 53.6°F | 13.9°C / 56.9°F |
| April | 12.6°C / 54.7°F | 14.7°C / 58.4°F | 16.6°C / 61.9°F |
| May | 16.9°C / 62.3°F | 18.9°C / 66.0°F | 20.7°C / 69.2°F |
| June | 22.1°C / 71.8°F | 24.3°C / 75.8°F | 26.4°C / 79.5°F |
| July | 24.4°C / 75.9°F | 27.1°C / 80.7°F | 29.6°C / 85.2°F |
| August | 24.2°C / 75.6°F | 26.7°C / 80.0°F | 29.0°C / 84.2°F |
| September | 21.2°C / 70.1°F | 23.1°C / 73.5°F | 25.1°C / 77.1°F |
| October | 17.2°C / 63.0°F | 19.0°C / 66.3°F | 21.3°C / 70.3°F |
| November | 14.1°C / 57.4°F | 15.5°C / 59.8°F | 17.3°C / 63.2°F |
| December | 10.9°C / 51.7°F | 12.1°C / 53.8°F | 14.0°C / 57.2°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Ksamil holidays
Ksamil is a beach village in the far south of Albania, on the Ionian coast about 15 km south of Sarandë and just across the strait from Corfu. Its small bays of white sand and pebbles look out on four wooded islets, and the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies a few kilometres further south.
Beaches
The beaches are short strips of sand and pebbles between rocks, with shallow, clear water that is easy for children to wade into. In summer most of the sand is taken up by sunbeds and umbrellas rented out by the bars and restaurants behind them, so arrive early if you want space. Bora Bora and Poda are two of the beaches in Ksamil, Pema e Thatë lies a little further south, and the nearest islets are a short trip by kayak, paddle board or water taxi.
Things to do
Butrint National Park protects the ruins of a city inhabited from Greek to Venetian times, with a theatre, a baptistery and walls set beside a lagoon; the lagoon's mussel farms supply the local restaurants. Inland, the Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) is a spring of deep blue water about an hour's drive away. Sarandë, the nearest town, has a long seafront promenade and the Lëkurësi castle on the hill above it.
Weather and best time to visit
From June to November the sea at Ksamil is warmer than 20 °C / 68 °F.
July and August are very busy, with prices and crowds at their peak; June and September are calmer while the sea is still warm. Outside summer, many hotels and beach bars close.
Hotels and where to stay
Accommodation in Ksamil is mostly small family-run hotels, guesthouses and apartments within walking distance of the beaches, some of them on the slope with views over the islets. Sarandë, a short drive or around 30 minutes by bus, has more choice and more nightlife.
Signature hotels: Hotel Adriatik Ksamil
Airport and getting there
Ksamil has no airport. The usual route is a flight to Corfu, then a ferry to Sarandë (about 30 minutes by fast boat) and around 20 minutes by road; from Tirana airport the drive takes about four and a half hours. In summer, buses run between Sarandë and Ksamil through the day.