Divjakë-Karavasta National Park

Divjakë-Karavasta National Park lies in western Albania, across the Myzeqe Plain close to the Adriatic Sea. It holds wetlands, salt marshes, coastal meadows, floodplains, woodlands, reed beds, forests and estuaries, and because of its many bird and plant species it has been identified as an important bird and plant area of international importance. The Lagoon of Karavasta, among the largest in the Mediterranean, is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. A large strip of sand separates it from the Adriatic, and it was formed by the sediments the rivers Shkumbin and Seman discharged.

Visiting Divjakë–Karavasta

This is the only place in Albania where Dalmatian pelicans nest (about 250–300 pairs, roughly 5% of the world's population), and winter numbers rise above 2,000. Flat-bottomed boats leave from the visitor-centre area for tours of 1.5–2 hours (usually four to six people needed), and the visitor centre has a tower of about 12 m. April–May and September–October are best for migration, June–July is breeding season with the most mosquitoes, and 6–9 a.m. and 4–7 p.m. are the best hours. Bring repellent, binoculars and cash; there are no food vendors at the lagoon, and the last 5–7 km from Divjakë can be muddy. Entry has been reported at about 300 lek per person.