Beach guide
Boat-friendly bays in Malta, Gozo and Comino
Many of Malta's best swimming spots are easiest by boat: the Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon on Comino, the coves of the west coast, and quiet Gozo bays you can't drive to.
Where you anchor depends on the wind. Each bay below shows its sea conditions right now; pick one sheltered from the day's wind, and keep outside the swimming zones marked by yellow buoys.
Bays to anchor in for a swim
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1 Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon, Comino: how the free booking pass works, ferries from Ċirkewwa and Mġarr, facilities and the best times to beat the crowds.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
2 Santa Maria Bay
Santa Maria Bay, Comino: a shallow sandy bay with no Blue Lagoon pass needed. Reach it by ferry from Ċirkewwa or Mġarr, and bring your own shade.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
3 Ghajn Tuffieha (Riviera)
Għajn Tuffieħa (Riviera Bay): a sandy bay down roughly 200 steps, quieter than Golden Bay, with lifeguards in summer and great sunsets.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
4 Golden Bay
Golden Bay (Ramla tal-Mixquqa): big sandy beach at Għajn Tuffieħa with west-facing sunsets. Buses, parking, smoking ban and safety tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
5 Ġnejna Bay
Ġnejna Bay, Mġarr: sandy bay with clay cliffs and boathouses, quieter than Golden Bay. Road, bus, parking and swimming tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
6 Paradise Bay
Paradise Bay near Ċirkewwa: small sandy beach with a lido, steps down from a free car park that fills early, and views of Comino and the Gozo ferries.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
7 Mellieħa Bay
Mellieħa Bay (Għadira): Malta's largest sandy beach, with shallow water for kids. Bus routes, parking, sunbeds and family tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
8 St. Peter’s Pool
St Peter's Pool, Delimara: a rocky natural pool for swimming and cliff jumping. Parking fees, bus options, safety and when to go.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
9 Mġarr ix-Xini
Mġarr ix-Xini, Gozo: sheltered pebble inlet near Xewkija, good for snorkelling and diving. Steep road, parking, food and what to expect.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
10 Xlendi Bay
Xlendi Bay, Gozo: a sheltered inlet with a small beach, rock swimming and good snorkelling. Buses 306 and 330, parking and local tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
11 Azure Window
Swimming at the old Azure Window site in Dwejra, Gozo: the Blue Hole, free parking, bus 311 and when the sea is too rough to swim.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
12 Dahlet Qorrot
Daħlet Qorrot, Nadur, Gozo: a small bay with boathouses, clear water for snorkelling, limited parking and a 2 km walk from bus 303.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
13 Fomm ir-Riħ
Fomm ir-Riħ: a remote pebble bay below Baħrija, reached by a steep cliff path or by boat. How to get there, parking, safety and what to bring.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
14 Imġiebaħ Bay
Imġiebaħ (Selmun) Bay: quiet undeveloped sandy bay below Selmun, Mellieħa. Narrow road, short walk down, no facilities. What to know.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
15 Mistra Bay
Mistra Bay, Xemxija: sheltered pebble bay with calm, shallow water and a restaurant. Bus stop, parking and swimming tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
16 Rinella Bay
Rinella Bay, Kalkara: a small sandy beach close to Valletta with calm, shallow water, a kiosk nearby and bus 3 stopping at the bay.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
17 San Blas Bay
San Blas Bay, Nadur: a small red-sand beach in Gozo reached down a very steep road, with a summer kiosk and clear water for snorkelling.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
18 St. Thomas Bay
St Thomas Bay, Marsaskala: a shallow, part-sandy bay popular with families and windsurfers. Buses, parking and facilities explained.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
19 Xatt L-Aħmar
Xatt l-Aħmar, Għajnsielem: a quiet rocky bay in Gozo known for its scuttled-ferry dive sites. Road access, parking and swimming tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
20 Xrobb L-Għaġin
Xrobb l-Għaġin, Delimara: rocky swimming from a nature park on Malta's south-east tip. Parking, park hours, access and safety tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
21 Ħondoq ir-Rummien
Ħondoq ir-Rummien, Qala: small sandy cove facing Comino, popular for snorkelling. Road from Mġarr, bus 303, parking and kiosk info.
Sea today, parking and facilities
Frequently asked questions
Where can you anchor in Malta for a swim?
Popular anchorages include the Blue Lagoon and Santa Maria Bay on Comino, Għajn Tuffieħa and Golden Bay on the west coast in calm or easterly weather, and St Peter's Pool and Mġarr ix-Xini in a north-westerly.
Can I swim off a boat anywhere?
Keep outside the swimming zones marked by yellow buoys, which are closed to boats in summer, and watch for divers' surface buoys.