The moon’s reflection is dancing off the breathtaking Ionian Sea and the music’s so good, the staff are climbing on the bar to join in the party. This is not what I expected from my first trip to Albania.

When you tell relatives over the age of say, 45, that you’re heading to the former-communist stronghold, they’ll ask one question: is it safe?

Though its dictatorship fell in 1990, Albania has struggled to rebrand in the eyes of some holidaymakers, not helped by its regular mention in Westminster (in 2022, there were more Albanians applying for asylum in the UK than any other nationality, making it synonymous with the ‘small boats’ discourse).

Yet Albania has become one of the up-and-coming European destinations for those in the know, attracting a record-breaking 5 million tourists last year. How?

Enter Kala, a week-long festival held in the coastal town of Dhërmi, promising yoga by day, dancing by night, for a younger generation of visitor seeking paradise on a budget.

Kala markets itself as a luxury alternative for festival-goers looking to swap wellie boots for bikinis. Instead of a tent, you can choose from packages offering three-, four-, or five-star hotels. Forget beige burgers, the beachside restaurants serve seafood linguine, fresh Greek salads and quality woodfired pizzas.

It’s one of several festivals to set up shop on what’s been flamboyantly dubbed the ‘Albanian Rivera,’ with organisers working closely with the Albanian tourist board to overhaul the country’s international reputation.

So far, so successful. But first, you’ve got to get there.You could win a glorious trip to the Med for two with Virgin Voyages.

Our lucky winner will be sailing around the Mediterranean on a superyacht-inspired ship with five-star food whenever you want it, top-drawer entertainment on tap, exercise classes, pool, hot tubs, the works… all thrown in as part of the package.

With two packages to choose between, you can opt for French Daze And Ibiza Nights, where you get to mix stop-offs to the beautiful beaches of the south of France and Ibiza and sample some of the party island’s famous nightlife.Getting there
I’ll be frank, Dhërmi is a pain in the arse to get to. You have two route options: fly into Albania’s Tirana airport and get a four-hour car transfer to the coast, featuring mountain views, perilous driving, and the threat of travel sickness. Or, fly into Corfu and expect sweaty palms as you race to make your transfers (a 10-minute taxi to the ferry terminal, a half hour boat to Albania, and another two-hour taxi to Dhërmi ). Having tried both options, the latter was marginally better. 

The journey left us with one question: is Kala worth the hassle?

We arrived at the Elysium hotel after 12.5 hours on the move greeted by kind staff, warm showers and comfy beds. We agreed the room – advertised as five stars – may have been three in other European resorts. But it was clean, functional and at that point, we didn’t care.

The next day, my friend was first to open the curtains. ‘You have to see this view!’ she said – and she was right. The Dhërmi coastline is, quite simply, stunning.The festival
The hotel is around a 15-minute walk to the festival site, where you’ll find four main stages. The Yacht Club (almost always empty), The Cove (picturesque, but pebbly), Empire (the main stage with live bands, drag dancers and all-round good vibes) and Splendour (the place to be for DJs sets basked in moonlight, where the party continues until the sun comes up). 

The line-up features an eclectic mix of house, disco, funk, techno and everything in-between. Our favourites included Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra (infectious fun with a side of sax) DJ Yu Su (understated cool), Paula Tape (that iconic moonlit set that got everyone dancing) and a pop-up performance by CC:DISCO at a pizza restaurant (you’ve got to love a DJ that doesn’t take themselves too seriously).

We spent most days recovering by the pool or at the beach. But the standout wellness activity for me was a strawberry moon meditation session, and no, that is not a sentence I imagined typing. I signed up to the class because it sounded totally woo woo, expecting to collect a funny anecdote for this article. Instead, I enjoyed 45 minutes of intention-setting and emotional cleansing with the talented Aysha Bell, in a session that’s stuck with me weeks later.

If that’s not your thing, you can take a speed boat to the beautiful Gjipe beach, try beachside boxing, limber up for the evening with sunset yoga, get creative with prosecco and painting, or visit the water-side spa. Just remember, all these activities will cost you extra, with prices starting from £6 per class to £35 for a 30-minute massage. The Kala organisers proudly state that a seven-night stay at the festival starts from just £299 per person, including a festival wristband. That doesn’t include flights or transfers and to really make the most of what’s on offer, you’ll need to spend more.