About Ħondoq ir-Rummien
Ħondoq ir-Rummien is a small cove below Qala on Gozo's south-east coast, looking straight across the channel to Comino. The name roughly means pomegranate gully. The beach itself is a short strip of sand and pebbles, but most people come for what is in the water: some of the clearest, most sheltered swimming in Gozo, with rocks to jump from, ladders into deep water and a shallow reef that dive schools use for training.
It is a local favourite, especially on summer evenings and weekends, when families from Qala and the surrounding villages come down after work. Because it faces away from the prevailing north-westerly, it is often flat when the north-coast beaches at Ramla and Marsalforn are rough. The bay held Blue Flag status in 2025.
What Ħondoq ir-Rummien is like
The cove is small and open to the east. The sand sits on the south-west side, a pale strip that slopes gently into shallow water over sand and seagrass. To the north the shore is a large concrete platform, handy for sunbathing and getting straight into deep water. To the south, low limestone rocks run along the coast, full of cracks and small caves at sea level. Steel ladders on the rocks make it easy to get in and out away from the beach.
Behind the bay is open countryside, one of the few undeveloped stretches of coast left in the Maltese Islands, with rare plant communities on the slopes. Small salt pans are cut into the rock along the shore, and some are still worked in summer. A hotel, villas and a marina were proposed here for years; the marina was refused in 2013, and the coast is still undeveloped. From the beach you look across to Comino and the Comino channel, busy with ferries and tour boats in summer.
When to go to Ħondoq ir-Rummien
Ħondoq faces south-east towards Comino, so it is at its best in westerly, north-westerly, northerly or north-easterly winds, which blow over the land and leave the cove calm. Avoid it in south-easterly, southerly or south-westerly winds, which push waves into the bay, and expect some chop in an easterly. As the north-westerly is Malta's most common summer wind, this is often the calmest beach in Gozo, and the place locals head for when the north coast is rough.
Weekday mornings are the quietest time. Facing east, the cove gets the morning sun and is one of the best places in Gozo to watch the sunrise over Comino. Late afternoons and evenings fill up with local families, and on July and August weekends the small beach and the platform get crowded. In winter the bay is usually deserted.
Swimming and safety at Ħondoq ir-Rummien
Children and weaker swimmers should stick to the sandy beach, where the water is shallow and the bottom slopes gently. Off the platform and rocks the water is deep straight away, and people jump from the higher ledges; check the depth below you first and never jump where others are swimming.
Boats use the bay and the channel, so stay close to shore and use a bright buoy if you snorkel further out. The warning signs about currents on the beach are there for good reason: when the wind blows from the south, swell builds in the channel between Gozo and Comino, and the water off the rocks becomes much harder work. On calm days the cove is about as safe as open water gets in Gozo, but keep an eye on children, as the deep water starts only a few metres from the sand.
Snorkelling, diving and kayaking at Ħondoq ir-Rummien
The best snorkelling is along the rocks south of the beach, where the cracks and small caves shelter wrasse, combers, bream and sea urchins. The middle of the cove is a meadow of Posidonia seagrass with salema and mullet. Depths are mostly under 10 metres and the water is usually very clear.
Divers use the shallow reef here for training and night dives, with depths of about 3 to 12 metres, a few small swim-throughs and arches, and an old water pipe that runs across the seabed towards Comino. Octopus, cuttlefish and stingrays are common. Kayak trips leave from the bay in summer for the crossing to Comino and its caves. On land, a coastal walk runs from Ħondoq towards Mġarr Harbour, with views of Comino all the way, and St Anthony's Battery, an 18th-century fortification built by the Knights to guard the channel, stands on the headland at Ras il-Qala. It is not open to the public.
Food and facilities at Ħondoq ir-Rummien
A kiosk by the beach sells snacks and drinks in summer and rents sunbeds and umbrellas, and there are toilets. Water sports operators work from the beach in season, and dive centres in the area bring groups here. Outside summer the kiosk may be shut, so bring what you need.
There is little shade on the beach or the platform, so bring an umbrella if you are not renting one, and water shoes for the rocks. Shops in Qala are a short drive up the hill if you want to bring a picnic.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ħondoq ir-Rummien sandy?
Partly. There is a small sandy area, with pebbles and flat rocks on either side.
How do I get to Ħondoq by bus?
No bus reaches the beach. Take route 303 to Qala and walk about 20 minutes downhill.
Is there a kiosk at Ħondoq ir-Rummien?
Yes, in summer a kiosk sells snacks and drinks and rents sunbeds and umbrellas, and there are toilets.
Is Ħondoq good for snorkelling?
Yes. The clear water and small caves along the rocks make it one of Gozo's popular snorkelling spots on calm days.
Which way does Ħondoq ir-Rummien face?
South-east, towards Comino. It is sheltered from the common north-westerly, so it is often calm when Gozo's north-coast beaches are rough. Avoid it in southerly winds.
Can you kayak to Comino from Ħondoq?
Yes, kayak operators run guided trips from the bay across to Comino in summer. Crossing on your own means paddling across a busy channel with ferries and tour boats, so it is better done with a guide.
Is Ħondoq good for diving?
Yes. The shallow reef, about 3 to 12 metres deep, is an easy shore dive used for training and night dives, with small arches and swim-throughs.
Are there sunbeds at Ħondoq ir-Rummien?
Yes. Hondoq Bay Kiosk rents sunbeds in summer.
Is there somewhere to eat at Ħondoq ir-Rummien?
Yes, on the beach: Hondoq Bay Kiosk.
Can you get to Ħondoq ir-Rummien by boat?
Yes. Boat trips to Ħondoq ir-Rummien run with Kayak Gozo.
