a boat is in the clear blue water

Malta · Europe · Beaches

#202

Malta

Limestone shelves, the Blue Lagoon, and a small country of swimming ladders.

Malta's swimming is mostly rock: ladders into very clear water, a few sandy beaches, and the Blue Lagoon at Comino, which is a boat ride and a crowd. Valletta is the stone capital. The beach week and the city week fit on the same small map.

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Location

35.90° N, 14.51° EOpen in OpenStreetMap

Best time to visit

May–June, September–October

Trip planner

A Malta itinerary

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Field guide

Do not expect a long sandy coast. Expect clear water, a boat, and a capital worth the evening.

When to go

May, June, September, and October are the comfortable swim. July and August are hot and the lagoons are at capacity. The sea stays warm late into the year.

The beach

Golden Bay, Ghadira at Mellieħa, and a few other sandy bays carry the towel-and-umbrella version. Most swimming spots are limestone. Comino's Blue Lagoon is the famous water and it is best early or not in August.

In the water

Clarity is the gift. Snorkeling off the rocks is ordinary and good. The Blue Lagoon trip should be an early boat, not the midday ferry pile. Sea caves exist with operators who know the swell.

Pack this in your notes

  • Buses reach the sandy bays and take longer than the map.
  • A car or a pre-booked boat beats August improvisation.
  • Water shoes on the limestone.
  • Valletta and the Three Cities are the other half of the trip. Leave time.
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Traveler reviews

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Jonas M.

6/10

The water is the itinerary in Malta

A ladder swim at a rocky bay. Valletta after the salt dries. In Malta the color of the water does more work than any hotel list. Limestone shelves, the Blue Lagoon, and a small country of swimming ladders.

Sep 6, 2025

Camila R.

10/10

Malta in May–June

Golden Bay or Mellieħa if you want actual sand. Best window from where I sat: May–June, September–October. I would not trade this coast for a busier island.

Aug 5, 2025

Elena V.

8/10

The water is the itinerary in Malta

A Comino boat that leaves early. Golden Bay or Mellieħa if you want actual sand. In Malta the color of the water does more work than any hotel list. Limestone shelves, the Blue Lagoon, and a small country of swimming ladders.

Jul 4, 2025