The few people I know who have been to Albania are all in agreement. It is a very beautiful country; the mountains at the border are among the wildest landscapes in Europe; it is very poor; and almost all Albanians are extremely friendly and helpful, though there is a tradition of banditry that has not wholly vanished. The last is supplemented by problems with the Kosova border in the north-east, where there are still minefields and unexploded ordnance.
Several reports do however indicate that the risks of travelling in Albania are exaggerated by most guide-books, even in the north east, and that as long as you are not involved in clan warfare, you should be all right. Then again, it is unclear whether the people who say this are backpackers with nothing worth stealing anyway. It is true that Albanians have a penchant for firearms, but this is not especially unusual in the Balkans, nor does it necessarily indicate a predisposition towards general violence.
As a result of the bizarre communist regime that dominated the country for so long, there is very little tourist infrastructure. In fact. there's not much infrastructure of any kind, leading to (for example) frequent electrical power problems (220V, European standard plug). This is all hearsay, as I have not been there, and I do not know anyone who has ridden a motorcycle there. This is, therefore, a short entry.
For maps, Reise Know-How does a waterproof, tear-resistant map at 1:220,000 (about 3.5 inch/mile) and Toene of Tirana does one at 1:350,000 (about 5.5 inch/mile). Freytag and Berndt do one at 1:400,000 (call it 6.3 inch/mile). Extremely detailed Russian military topographical maps are available at scales up to 1:50,000 (1.26 inches/mile) but are incredibly expensive. There is a Blue Guide (A&C Black) and these are normally excellent, but I've not seen it.
Roads are abysmal, pot-holed, full of animals and horse-drawn vehicles, and often very narrow: too narrow for cars to pass in opposite directions, which can be interesting in the mountains. Many are squished into humps and furrows by axle loads way beyond their designed standards. To make matters worse, many Albanian drivers are incompetent and reckless. A massive road renovation programme will take years to make much impact.
Priority is to the right, except that 'might makes right', and speed limits (where marked) are somewhat notional. Overtaking is catch-as-can; parking in much of the country is wherever you can, governed only (in the case of conscientious drivers) by common sense.
As there does not seem to be an Albanian Highway Code, this is somewhat ad hoc. Crash helmets appear to be compulsory, and should in any case be omitted only if you have a death-wish. Otherwise, first aid kits, daylight riding lights, spare bulbs and the use of the horn are matters of personal preference.
Albania is a fair way south, so spring/early summer and autumn are the best bet. By mid-to-late April, average daily maxima are around 21°C, 70°F in much of the country, but there are still about 12 days of rain in April and around 3 to 4 inches (75-100mm) falls in that month.
From late June to early September temperatures are above 27°C, 81°F, which some may find too warm. September is much drier than May, and is often touted as the perfect time to visit the country.
The great majority of the country is either hilly or downright mountainous, with the flatter bits near the coast; many of the peaks of the mountainous spine along the border are 2000 metres (6700 feet) or above, so weather has a good deal of influence.
Public holidays are:
1 January -- New Year's Day
1 May -- Labour Day
28 November (Independence and Liberation Day)
25 December -- Christmas Day
Easter Monday, Ramadan and Bajram (all without fixed dates) are also holidays. Albania is about 70% Muslim (Sunni), 20% Albanian Orthodox and 10% Roman Catholic.
European driving licences are apparently acceptable; otherwise you may require an International Driving Permit. Carry your vehicle registration and (if the vehicle is borrowed) a letter of permission from the owner. Proof of insurance is compulsory. If you are not insured for Albania, you can buy insurance cheaply at the border.
Health is pretty third-world. Hepatitis B is not uncommon and immunization is recommended; for full protection, go for hepatitis A, polio, typhoid and tetanus as well. Tick-borne encephalitis is a risk in forests and there is some rabies. Nationalized medical services are not expensive, and emergency services are free, but standards can be very low: carry private insurance if you want to use the much superior private clinics.
Border controls are apparently slow -- a quarter of an hour is unusually good -- and there are still surprisingly few border crossings open to cars: two each with Greece and Montenegro, one with Macedonia, and one with Kosova.
Citizens of the following countries need a valid passport but no visa: European Union, Australia, Iceland, Japan, Canada, Korea, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Norway, USA, Singapore, Turkey, New Zealand, Switzerland. Others may enjoy the same privilege: sources vary. All non-visa passport holder pay an entrance tax of 10 euros per person, on entry, except Czechs and Poles. The maximum stay permitted is 30 days; with an extension, 90 days.
Then there are countries that get a visa at the border: Macedonia (10 euros, or 5 euros from an embassy), Israel (30 euros), Montenegro (free). Everyone else needs visas bought in advance, ranging from free (Algeria, Andorra, Ecuador, Iran, Dominican Republic) to 71 euros (Iraq), with most in the 25-40 euro range (2007 figures).
There's also an exit tax, 1 euro per day for cars and probably the same for motorcycles: you get a Letter of Admission when you come in, and the tax is based on the date of this. Don't lose it! This is apart from per capita departure taxes (modest) payable when leaving by sea or air. Customs allowances are 250 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 1 litre of spirits or 2 litres of wine; 250 ml eau de toilette and 50 ml perfume. The usual restrictions apply to firearms, drugs and pornography. The export of antiques is controlled.
Currency is the lek at about 120 to the euro, 85 to the US dollar, 170 to the pound sterling. The euro is (as in much of Europe) widely accepted in its own right, albeit often at disadvantageous rates of exchange. The US dollar used to be popular but the euro is almost certainly more use in more places. Banks apparently open (for foreign exchange) only in the mornings. Black market money changing still survives; it's up to you whether you think it's worth the risk. It appears to be legal, but there is always the risk of old notes (worth one-tenth as much as new ones, even when they were valid).
Credit cards are not widely accepted; nor are travellers' cheques, except in expensive hotels and some banks. In 2007, the Grauniad newspaper reported that there was only one hole-in-the-wall cash machine in the whole country, though other reports indicate more.
Traditional shop hours were 0700 to 1900, with a siesta from 1200 to 1600, but hours may be longer or shorter; it's a fairly anarchic country. Tipping at bars and restaurants is apparently expected at about 5 to 10% .
The police are said to be casually and intermittently corrupt, much as in Mexico, and the easiest approach is probably the same as in Mexico: do not pay fines on the spot, but agree to go to the police station. Unless it is a legitimate shake-down, e.g. for speeding, they will almost certainly lose interest at this point. They need not be called to all accidents, but for any but the most minor bumps and spills, it may be a good idea to call them. The emergency numbers are as follows:
|
Ambulance |
355 42 17 |
|
Fire/rescue |
355 42 18 |
|
Police |
355 42 19 |
The best advice on breakdowns is 'don't'. Mechanics are few and far between, and are allegedly experts mostly in stolen Mercedes (the most popular car in Albania). Breakdown insurance is essential, mostly for the 'hand holding' you get when it happens. As far as I have been able to discover, there are no roadside assistance patrols: you just go to the nearest garage.
There are many more petrol stations than there used to be, but most are in cities: do not rely on them on the open road. I have not been able to find anyone brave enough to offer motorcycle hire.
Albanian food seems to provoke great argument, with everyone accusing everyone else of not knowing what they are talking about. The truth is that it is very regional, and a great deal depends on money. The poorest Albanians, unless they had their own land or at least animals, lived on a diet very similar to that of Transylvania: corn mush and cheese, with yogurt for variety. Otherwise, the cuisine seems to be typically Balkan, with plenty of Turkish and Greek influence plus some Italian: meatballs, dolma (dolmades, dolmathakia), burek, stews and pizza. One of the national dishes is pace (pah-chah) soup, made from cows' brains.
Raki (like ouzo) is the national alcoholic drink, insofar as you can have one in a 70% Moslem country. Albanian cognac is apparently popular too, but the only bottle I ever tried (which was presumably special export quality, as I bought it in Slovenia) smelled exactly like the knotting compound that you use to seal knots in pine before painting, though it presumably tasted better (I've never drunk knotting compound). White wines are said to be better than red, and the beer is no worse than American. Coffee is widely drunk, mostly in the Turkish/Greek style but also, it is said, in the Italian style. Tap water in much of the country is alleged to be safe, but mineral water is probably still a good idea.
The blood alcohol limit is 0.01, the lowest of any country that has a level above zero. Basically, it's enough to make you legal if you've had a good sleep after getting very slightly drunk the night before.
There are more and more hotels in Albania, divided between the (few, gloomy) communist-era offerings and rather better modern hotels. The average rate for a middle-quality hotel is close to the European average at 40-60 euros, but cheap hotels start as low as 10 euros and apparently may be surprisingly good at even 20 euros. Private rooms are apparently quite common but I have not the faintest idea of their quality. Most guide books agree about the risk of theft of vehicles, so secure parking is a definite plus.
There are numerous campsites, and wild camping is popular but is sometimes restricted on publicly owned land for environmental reasons. Reasonable vigilance is advisable: do not leave valuables (even not-very-valuables) in your tent. The Albanian Youth Hostel Association, www.ayha.org, was formed in 2002 but there do not seem to be many youth hostels in the country; rather, they help direct young people to cheap accommodation of various kinds.
Public toilets are said to be few and far between, and disgusting when you do find them. Go to a decent hotel, restaurant or bar.
The language is opaque, not helped by the fact that there are two main dialects, Tosk and Ghek. The most useful second languages are said to be Italian followed by English. Road signs (where they exist) are standard European. I'm afraid I can't offer a pronunciation guide but most Albanians will apparently be delighted to help you.
CAPSULE VOCABULARY
Please -- të lutem/ju lutem ('te' and 'ju' are both 'you')
Thank you -- falemnderit
Yes -- po
No -- jo
Where/is? -- ku/ëstë
Room -- dhome
Toilet -- nevojtore or banjë
More -- më
How much? -- sa?
Food -- ushqim (or bukë, bread)
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© 2008 Roger W. Hicks