Beach guide
Family-friendly beaches in Malta
With young children you want shallow water, sand, a short walk from the car or bus, and toilets and food nearby. These beaches tick most of those boxes.
Even a family beach can get rough in the wrong wind. Each beach below shows its conditions right now, and the homepage shows the calmest beach for later today and tomorrow.
Sea conditions update every hour.
Beaches we'd take the kids to
-
1 Mellieħa Bay
Shallow for a long way out, with sunbeds, food and parking.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
2 Pretty Bay
Shallow sand in Birżebbuġa with cafés along the promenade.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
3 St. Georges Bay
Small and busy, but sandy and close to St Julian's hotels.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
4 Golden Bay
Sand, lifeguards in season and every facility, but avoid it in a north-westerly.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
5 Armier Bay
Armier Bay, Mellieħa: sandy beach facing Comino with lidos, parking and the summer bus 49. Tips on wind, crowds and when parking fills.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
6 Little Armier Bay
Little Armier Bay, Mellieħa: small sandy cove facing Comino with shallow water and beach clubs. Road, bus 49, parking and tips.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
7 Perched Beach
Perched Beach, Buġibba: a small man-made sandy beach on the seafront with a ramp, views of St Paul's Islands and bars and cafés a short walk away.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
8 Ramla Ħamra Bay
Ramla Bay (Ramla l-Ħamra), Gozo: the island's biggest red-sand beach, with Blue Flag status, lifeguards in summer, sunbed hire and buses from Mġarr.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
10 St. Thomas Bay
Shallow and part sandy, popular with local families.
Sea today, parking and facilities -
11 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 -
12 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
Frequently asked questions
What is the best beach in Malta for toddlers?
Mellieħa Bay: the water stays shallow for a long way out and there are sunbeds, food and toilets. Pretty Bay in Birżebbuġa is a quieter alternative in the south.
Which beaches have lifeguards?
In summer, lifeguards cover the main beaches such as Mellieħa Bay, Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa, Paradise Bay, St George's Bay, Pretty Bay and Ramla in Gozo. Cover varies each season, so look for the lifeguard post and flags.
What do the beach flags mean?
Green means safe to swim, yellow means take care, and red means don't swim. A purple flag warns of jellyfish.