About Anchor Bay
Anchor Bay, called Il-Prajjet in Maltese, is a narrow inlet on Malta's north-west coast, a short drive west of Mellieħa. Steep cliffs close it in on both sides, and the wooden houses of Popeye Village, built in 1979 as the set for the film Popeye, line its northern shore. Most people know the place by the name of the film set rather than the bay.
It is a swimming spot for people who are happy in deep water, not a beach for building sandcastles. You get in from rocks or from the jetty on the south side, and the water is clear and blue-green on a calm day. The bay also draws divers to Scorpion Cave, and people come in the evening to watch the sun go down over the open sea from the hillside opposite the village.
What Anchor Bay is like
The inlet is small and steep-sided, with the film set on one side and bare rocky slopes on the other. A breakwater built across part of the mouth of the bay in 1979 to protect the set still shelters the inner water. The shore is rock and boulders, with no sand to sit on, so bring a mat or something soft for the ledges.
Underwater, the bay is mostly 6 to 8 metres deep, reaching about 12 metres towards the mouth. The seabed is a mix of sand, boulders and seagrass, and a large old anchor lies on the sand at about 8 metres off the far end of the jetty. The cliffs are not stable everywhere: in February 2023 a storm dislodged a boulder that damaged part of the set, so keep away from the cliff foot where rock has fallen.
When to go to Anchor Bay
The bay opens to the west, so wind from the south-west, west or north-west pushes swell straight in. North-westerly is Malta's most common wind, so check before you drive out. In northerly, north-easterly, easterly and southerly winds it is usually calm, and divers often come here when a strong north-easter makes the east coast unswimmable.
June to September is the swimming season, and September is often the calmest month. Afternoons in July and August bring tour boats into the bay and a queue on the road to the car park. Mornings are quieter. For the sunset, arrive about an hour before it gets dark and find a spot on the rocks opposite the village.
Swimming and safety at Anchor Bay
The easiest place to get in is the concrete jetty on the south side, which has ladders on the bay side. Elsewhere you climb down from uneven rock, which is slippery near the waterline, so water shoes help. The water is deep almost straight away, and there is no shallow sandy area for small children.
There is no lifeguard on the public side of the bay. Boats come and go through the mouth of the inlet, especially in the afternoon, so stay close to the edges rather than swimming across the middle. In rough weather visibility drops and currents pick up at the mouth, so give it a miss when waves are rolling in.
Diving and things to do at Anchor Bay
Anchor Bay is an easy shore dive and a common training site, with a sheltered shallow area behind the jetty for first dives. Its best-known feature is Scorpion Cave, a wide cavern on the south wall about 150 metres from the jetty, with its entrance at around 10 metres and an air pocket under a domed ceiling. The wreck of the MV Scotscraig lies about 500 metres to the north-west, but it can only be reached by boat.
Popeye Village itself is a paid attraction, with shows, a short film about how the set was built, and in summer a lido area with a water trampoline at the head of the bay for ticket holders. You do not need a ticket to swim from the jetty or the rocks, or to watch the sunset from the hillside. Mellieħa Bay, Malta's largest sandy beach, is a few minutes' drive east if you want shallow water and sand.
Food and facilities at Anchor Bay
Outside Popeye Village there are no toilets, showers, kiosks or sunbed hire, and almost no shade on the rocks, so bring water, food and a parasol. The village's cafés and facilities are inside the paid area. Mellieħa village, a short drive away, has shops, restaurants and petrol.
Frequently asked questions
Is Anchor Bay sandy?
No. Anchor Bay is a rocky inlet, and you get into the water from the rocks or from the jetty on the side opposite Popeye Village.
Can you swim at Anchor Bay without paying for Popeye Village?
Yes. The bay and the rocks and jetty on the opposite side are free to use. The ticket only covers Popeye Village itself and its facilities, such as the water trampoline.
How do I get to Anchor Bay by bus?
Take bus 101, which runs between Mġarr and Ċirkewwa via Mellieħa and stops at Popeye Village. Some early and late trips do not serve the stop, so check the timetable first.
Is Anchor Bay good for kids?
It is better for confident swimmers. The water is deep off the rocks and there is no sandy shallow area.
Can you see Popeye Village without paying?
Yes, from outside. The viewpoint by the car park and the rocky hillside opposite look straight across the bay at the set. You only need a ticket to go inside.
Is Anchor Bay good for snorkelling?
It is fine on calm days, with clear water, boulders and seagrass, but most of the interest is at 6 to 12 metres, so divers get more out of it than snorkellers.
Is Anchor Bay good for sunset?
Yes. The bay faces west over the open sea, and the hillside opposite Popeye Village is a popular place to watch the sun go down.
