PREVIEW

Albania's Vlora salt fields, located along the southern coast, are famous for their extraordinary seasonal colour transformations, offering a unique natural spectacle. Unlike typical salt pans, the Vlora flats display a stunning array of pastel hues that shift throughout the year, captivating all who visit. On 7 August, 2024, Greek paraglider and paramotor pilot Dimitris Kolliakos made a daring flight from Greece to Albania to witness this phenomenon firsthand. Soaring over the salt fields, Kolliakos was awestruck by the vibrant pink, orange, and red tones. His aerial tricks against this colorful backdrop added to the breathtaking experience. “It was one of the most amazing experiences to see how the colours were changing when I was flying above them,” Kolliakos said. “Seeing these colour transformations was incredible.” Kolliakos had to skillfully navigate his paramotor to briefly touch the salt water with his feet and wings, a feat that required immediate landings to clean off the corrosive salt. The Vlora salt fields owe their striking colors to the microalga Dunaliella salina, which thrives in the high-salinity environment producing pigments that create the reddish-pink hues. As summer progresses, these colors intensify, offering a visual feast for visitors. Historically, the Vlora salt fields have been central to the local economy and culture, with traditional salt harvesting techniques still practiced today.