What you can see on Sazan Island in about 40 minutes

Where do visitors land?

Tourist boats land at the harbour on Sazan's eastern side, the landing point Triton uses. This is the island's sheltered coast: Albania's National Coastline Agency places the island's military port in Shën Kolla (St Nicholas) bay on the east shore, with Japrak bay to the south of it.

The pier is under Albanian military supervision, and Triton notes that arrival and departure times are strictly enforced. Step ashore when the crew says so and keep the boat's departure time in mind: on this tour the whole stop lasts about 40 minutes.

The pebble beach by the harbour

Beside the landing lies a pebble beach facing the Bay of Vlorë, which Triton describes as the main swimming spot for visitors. Swimming is one of the activities on Triton's itinerary for Sazan, and this beach, close to where the boats tie up, is where it happens.

The shore is made of pebbles and larger stones, so wear the flip-flops Triton recommends, or water shoes, and watch for sea urchins on the rocks. Further south, in Japrak bay, the National Coastline Agency describes another pebble beach, the Admiral's beach (Plazhi i Admiralit).

Cold War buildings, seen from outside

For decades Sazan was a closed military area, and the remains of a base are still there: tunnels and buildings from the Cold War period, according to Albania's National Tourism Agency. On a short walk from the landing you can see some of these buildings from the outside.

Do not count on going inside. The buildings are abandoned, and no tour of the tunnels is listed in Triton's itinerary. Keep to open paths, follow the crew and obey any military signs; the guide on board can tell you more about what you see.

Nature on the island and in the marine park

Sazan is covered in Mediterranean vegetation, and the sea around it is protected: a strip of water one nautical mile wide around the island belongs to the Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park. The park's managing agency counts 36 marine species of international importance in its waters.

Sea turtles, Mediterranean monk seals and deep-water corals are recorded in the park, but none of them is a promised sighting on a 40-minute stop. On land, the National Coastline Agency lists amphibians and reptiles, many of them rare, and notes that the nose-horned viper of the nearby mainland is absent from Sazan.

What fits into 40 minutes, and what doesn't

Forty minutes is enough for one main activity and a look around. Triton's itinerary for Sazan lists a visit, sightseeing, a walk and swimming; in practice that means choosing between a longer swim and a short walk, both close to the pier.

• Within reach: a swim from the pebble beach beside the landing.
• Within reach: a short walk near the harbour, with abandoned buildings seen from outside.
• Out of reach: the two hilltops, the higher of which rises to about 340 m.
• Out of reach: the steep west coast and the island's interior.