About Pretty Bay
Pretty Bay, Il-Bajja s-Sabiħa in Maltese, is the sandy town beach of Birżebbuġa, on the shore of Marsaxlokk Bay in the south of Malta. The town grew up around it as a summer resort, with a promenade of cafés, kiosks and apartments running behind the sand. Today's beach was made in the 1980s, when sand dredged during works for what became the Malta Freeport was used to replenish and extend it.
That history explains the view. Across the water stand the Freeport's container cranes and ships, a reminder that this is a working harbour as well as a family beach. Even so, it is one of the largest sandy beaches in the south, with shallow, gently shelving water, and on summer weekends it is packed with Maltese families who have been coming here for generations.
What Pretty Bay is like
The beach is a broad crescent of sand along the Birżebbuġa seafront, with the promenade and road directly behind it. The sea is shallow for a good distance out, which keeps it warm and makes it one of the easiest beaches in Malta for small children. There is very little natural shade, so most people bring or hire umbrellas.
The setting is unusual. Since 1988 the Malta Freeport has operated across the bay as a Mediterranean transshipment hub, and its cranes dominate the horizon. New apartment blocks and the Freeport have taken some of the shine off the bay that gave it its name, but it remains one of the south's most popular beaches. Old photos from the 1970s show a much quieter seafront.
When to go to Pretty Bay
Pretty Bay faces south-east towards the mouth of Marsaxlokk Bay, so it is calmest when the wind blows from the land: south-westerly, westerly, north-westerly or northerly. Malta's most common summer wind is the north-westerly, which usually leaves the water flat here. Avoid it in south-easterly or southerly winds, which blow straight in. North-easterly and easterly winds can also make it choppy.
Summer weekends, and especially Sunday afternoons, are the busiest times, when the sand and the promenade fill with families. Weekday mornings are much quieter. The seafront is lively in the evenings, when people walk the promenade and the kiosks and restaurants are busiest, and the shallow water stays warm well into the autumn.
Swimming and safety at Pretty Bay
The gradual sandy entry is the main reason families choose Pretty Bay. Children can play in the shallows a long way out from the shore, but it does eventually deepen, so keep an eye on them. Don't count on a lifeguard here.
Being next to a busy port has occasionally caused problems. In June 2015 the beach was briefly closed to the public after oil appeared in the sea and on the sand, and in August 2018 the Freeport laid a protective boom outside the bay as a precaution after a damaged container leaked corn oil into the terminal basin, although that spill did not reach the bathing area. Incidents like this are rare, but if you see a boom or warning signs, check the Environmental Health Directorate's bathing notices before swimming.
Things to do near Pretty Bay
Birżebbuġa has some of Malta's oldest sites. Għar Dalam, a short drive or bus ride inland, is the cave where the earliest evidence of humans on Malta was found, with finds about 7,400 years old; the first 50 metres or so of the cave are open to visitors, alongside a museum of fossil bones. Borġ in-Nadur, on the edge of town, has the remains of a Bronze Age temple and fortified settlement with a defensive wall that faces inland.
Along the coast, Ferretti Battery in Qajjenza was built by the Knights in 1715 to 1716 to defend Marsaxlokk Bay and is now a restaurant. Nearby St George's Bay in Birżebbuġa is a smaller cove with a rocky shore and a replenished sandy patch. A monument on the seafront commemorates the 1989 Malta Summit held offshore, and a few of the town's old rock-cut bathing pools survive near Wied il-Buni.
Food, facilities and promenade works
Cafés, kiosks, snack bars and restaurants line the promenade directly behind the beach, and the town centre is a short walk away, so food and drink are easy to find. There is a children's play area along the seafront, and public toilets are close to the beach.
The seafront is due for big changes. A €3.5 million embellishment of the promenade between Pretty Bay and the Freeport was approved with a target of the end of 2024, and in January 2025 the government announced a €12 million Birżebbuġa Promenade Regeneration Project covering about 1.5 kilometres of waterfront from Ferretti Battery to the water polo pitch, with new open spaces, a cycle lane and an underground car park. Expect some construction along the front while this work goes ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pretty Bay sandy?
Yes. The beach was replenished and extended with dredged sand in the 1980s, and the sea is shallow near the shore.
Is Pretty Bay good for kids?
The shallow, sandy entry makes it one of the easier beaches in the south for young children, and food and toilets are close by.
How do I get to Pretty Bay by bus?
Route 82 serves Birżebbuġa and stops at Buni, next to the beach. Check the Malta Public Transport journey planner for other options.
Why is it called Pretty Bay?
The name, Il-Bajja s-Sabiħa in Maltese, refers to the bay's turquoise water and sand, which made it a favourite holiday spot long before the Freeport was built.
Is Pretty Bay a man-made beach?
Partly. The beach was replenished and extended in the 1980s with sand dredged from the area now occupied by the Malta Freeport.
Is Pretty Bay a Blue Flag beach?
It was not on the 2025 Blue Flag list. Blue Flags are awarded one season at a time, so check the current list.
