10 Best Beaches in Malta
As a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is known for its warm weather and amazing beaches. Malta has some of the most clear and cleanest waters within the EU. This article will showcase the 10 best beaches found around the Maltese Islands and some information on what each bay is like, so everyone can pick and choose their favourite and head there instead of wasting precious time doing hours of research about beaches.
Some of the beaches mentioned below are also Blue Flag certified, which means they are up to standard when it comes to sustainable development, environmental management and safety, amongst other criteria.
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If you’re planning a trip to Malta, the following are some beaches you should visit during your stay.
1.) Ghadira Bay (Mellieha Bay)
Mellieha Bay, also referred to locally as Ghadira Bay is a wide stretch of beach, which is one of the most popular in Malta! During the weekend or on a public holiday, one would need to head to the beach early to find a spot for the day and also for parking! At Ghadira Bay one can find various water sports, windsurfing and other water activities to do and also watercraft to rent for the day or for a few hours. There are also showers, restaurants and other amenities around, which is why this is quite a widely visited beach. Ghadira Bay’s shallow waters, make it perfect for children to swim.
2.) St Peter’s Pool
This is one of the amazing beaches located in the south of the island. It is like a natural swimming pool, hence the name. For those who prefer rocky beaches and love jumping from great heights,
St Peter’s Pool is the place to go. There are also shallow areas where you can just go in at your own pace and ladders are also available to access the sea. St Peter’s Pool is not easily reached, but this gorgeous, crystal clear bay makes the journey worth it! Due to the bay being quite secluded, there are no facilities around, so make sure to keep this in mind when packing your beach bag for the day! Due to its location and the way the bay was formed, it is also not the most children friendly beach in Malta.
Fun fact: This beach actually became popular because people used to take videos of a certain dog called ‘Titty’ who used to jump into the sea from quite a high distance. You can still find the videos on YouTube!
3.) Ta’ Fra Ben
The good thing about this bay, is that, unlike a lot of other beautiful spots in Malta, it is very easily accessible, even by bus, from various locations around Malta. This beach is located within Qawra and is close to various restaurants and snack bars, perfect for that post-swim ice cream and maybe a cheeky beer! Ta’ Fra Ben is perfect for all those who prefer a rocky beach rather than a sandy one. This is also a very family friendly beach. Thus, it is a great place to take children to, even though it is not sandy! This beach is also Blue Flag certified.
4.) Paradise Bay
Paradise Bay is quite a small, secluded beach located at the very north of the island. Due to the beach being quite closed off, if one does not go directly for it, Paradise Bay is not a place one can just stumble upon. However, this also makes it quite a peaceful and tranquil bay as it won’t be filled with tourists all the time, like many other easily reached beaches in Malta. It is situated very close to where the ferry departs daily to the other island of Gozo. Due to its location, one can easily catch a glimpse of the other Maltese islands; Gozo and Comino. This is also considered to be quite a family-friendly beach as the water starts off shallow, but gradually becomes deeper.
5.) Riviera Bay
This bay is also known amongst locals as ‘Ghajn Tuffieha’ which literally translates to Apple’s Eye. This is surely one of the most picturesque beaches in Malta! It features a long flight of stairs that lead you to and from the beach. It is highly untouched by humans, whilst also being quite easily reachable and also having facilities and restaurants nearby. With its rough waves, golden sand and clear waters, it makes a great location away from the busy city life. The water here is typically clear and calm, but sometimes it does get a bit murky due to the clay coming down from cliffs surrounding the beach. One also needs to be a bit cautious when the wind is to north-west as the occasional underwater currents do happen and they tend to be quite strong.
6.) Golden Bay
Riviera Bay and Golden Bay are neighbour beaches, so one can technically visit both of them within a day. This beach gets its name from its golden sand which attracts many tourists and visitors throughout the year. Golden Bay was one of the first beaches to earn a Blue Flag Status. There are buses which stop just a short walk away from this beach, so it is quite easily accessible. There are also restaurants and kiosks nearby, so there is no need to pack a day’s worth of food! Golden Bay is a great place to watch a pretty sight of sunset in the evening.
7.) Coral Lagoon
Coral Lagoon might not be technically classified as a beach, but should be mentioned as it is a wonderful and very unique place to visit! Especially for those who enjoy shooting underwater GoPro content and also those who enjoy jumping from high heights, this hidden bay is the place to be! However, do check the weather before visiting as since it is located in the very north of Malta and there is no shelter outside the cave, on a windy day there would be too much underwater current! Coral Lagoon is a naturally formed cave, which doesn’t have a roof. Thus, what is left is a hole filled with crystal turquoise waters, which almost resemble a pool! It might be wise to park a bit further away from the actual bay and then walk the rest of the way, as even though one can drive very close by to the cave, the road is definitely not the smoothest!
8.) Blue Lagoon (Comino)
Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular beaches which is very well-known amongst foreigners. Blue Lagoon offers stunning turquoise waters and a remote island setting. With just 1 hotel being located on Comino, Blue Lagoon gives off a very tropical feel. Since this bay is in Comino, one can only get to it by boat. However, there are still various ways and different boats one can rent. You can either get a private yacht for a day, or go with a boat which will take you to Blue Lagoon, leave you there and come back to pick you up at an agreed time later on in the day. There are other boat trip options as well, so even though it may take a bit more time to get to Blue Lagoon, it is not a place one should miss out on when in Malta! Moreover, make sure to stay within the swimming zone, as during Summer, Blue Lagoon tends to get crowded with a lot of boats constantly passing by.
Gozo, Comino, Blue Lagoon and Caves Tour
9.) Ramla l-Hamra (Gozo)
Ramla is Gozo’s largest sandy bay. In Maltese, the full name of this bay is ‘ir-Ramla l-Hamra’ which translates to the red sandy bay, due to the reddish colour of the sand. This bay is surrounded by nature and a beautiful cave from which one can see a stunning panorama of the whole bay beneath. This bay is unspoiled and untouched by humans as there are no hotels or tourist attractions nearby, but there are still places where can grab a bite to eat, an ice cream or even a drink, so there is the perfect balance between nature and amenities.
10.) Xlendi Bay (Gozo)
Xlendi is great as there are different areas which can please different types of people. There is an area which is filled with sand, perfect for children to build sand castles and swim as the sea is shallow. If you walk a bit further, there is a beautiful rocky area which tends to be quieter and has more space to sunbathe. This area is also suitable for the more adventurous to dive in the water from greater heights. Xlendi Bay is quite touristy and here, one can find gelaterias and many local restaurants, most of which serve fresh, locally caught fish. Xlendi is absolutely stunning, and whilst in Xlendi, one can also walk up the stairs to the cliff and get a stunning view of the bay! Xlendi is also easily reached by car and there are multiple apartments which one can rent within walk-able distance of the bay.
Here are some things to keep in mind when going to beaches in Malta: 1.) Swim only within the swimming zones, 2.) Never swim when there are red flags up (some beaches get really strong underwater currents as mentioned above) and 3.) If you ever need anything, there are usually lifeguards around, especially on some of the bigger, most popular beaches.
The great thing about beaches around Malta is that there is something for everyone! Whether you are someone who prefers sun bathing or someone who prefers water sports or diving, when it comes to beaches, the Maltese Islands have everything your heart can desire! One last thing to point out is that beaches in Gozo tend to be less crowded and quieter since the island is not as densely populated as Malta.
References
Best Beaches – https://www.maltauncovered.com/travel-guide/best-beaches/
Beaches and Bays – https://www.visitmalta.com/en/beaches-and-bays
Ghajn Tuffieha – https://www.myguidemalta.com/ghajn-tuffieha
Xlendi Bay – https://www.visitgozo.com/where-to-go-in-gozo/beaches/xlendi-bay/
Useful links
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