The three uninhabited islets floating 300 metres off Ksamil's southern shore were cut from the mainland by tectonic shifts during the Holocene, leaving a shallow turquoise channel that rarely exceeds four metres in depth. Locals call them Ishujt e Ksamilit, and their pale limestone ridges mirror the karst formations stretching north along the entire Albanian Riviera. For centuries these islands served as seasonal fishing camps, their coves sheltering wooden gajetas during autumn storms. Today the channel between shore and island carries a steady summer procession of fibreglass skiffs and rigid inflatables, most departing from Limani Square in Saranda rather than Ksamil's narrow beach launch. A Ksamil boat tour from Saranda typically traces a six-to-eight-kilometre route southward past the Butrint lagoon estuary, then curves back north to probe the sea caves notched into the cliffs between Manastir Beach and Pasqyra. These caves — Shpella e Pellumbave, Shpella e Haxhi Aliut — were formed by wave action on soluble Mesozoic limestone, and their entrances glow cyan when the morning sun penetrates the water. Operators pause for snorkelling over submerged boulders colonised by Neptune grass and damselfish. The water temperature holds between 24 and 27 degrees Celsius from June through September, and visibility routinely exceeds twelve metres on windless days. Ksamil itself emerged as a planned settlement in 1966, part of the coastal brigade farms established under Enver Hoxha's collectivisation programme. Its grid of modest villas and roadside tavernas contrasts sharply with Saranda's concrete waterfront, and the village remains the quieter base for those prioritising proximity to Butrint National Park. Boat departures from Saranda, however, benefit from deeper mooring and a wider choice of vessels, including the newer RIBs equipped with twin outboards and padded bench seating for twelve passengers. Most tours include a stop on the largest of the three Ksamil islands, where a narrow sand spit connects two rocky outcrops and visitors wade ashore for twenty minutes. The Albanian Riviera's appeal lies not in monumental architecture but in the clarity of its water and the accessibility of its caves. Ksamil boat tour from Saranda options range from two-hour express loops to half-day itineraries incorporating Kroreza Beach and the Mirror Cave, with prices reflecting group size and snorkelling-gear provision rather than commentary or catering.