What Mellieha Bay is from the water
Mellieha Bay, called Ghadira locally, is Malta’s biggest sandy beach and one of the few places on the island where the bottom shelves gradually rather than dropping off a cliff edge. From the water it’s a wide, shallow horseshoe with a long beach at the head, low cliffs to the west, and the Mellieha hill rising behind. It’s family central in summer and gets seriously busy on weekends.
Anchoring
Good holding in sand across most of the bay, in 3 to 8 metres depending on how far in you tuck. The shallower water near the beach gets crowded with swimmers, so anchor a bit further out and tender or swim in. Watch for the swim zone markers, which expand in season and are enforced by the lifeguards. Shelter is excellent from the dominant northwesterly summer wind, which makes this a reliable lunch stop for boats coming north along the coast.
In northeasterly weather it becomes uncomfortable and in proper Grigal conditions it’s untenable. The bay opens to the northeast, so swell rolls straight in.
Practical notes
The beach has full facilities, restaurants, kiosks, lifeguards, and a long stretch of sand. Tender ashore is straightforward in calm conditions. There’s no formal yacht facility, but day boats from Bugibba and Sliema use the bay constantly, so anchorage is shared with significant traffic. Avoid Saturday afternoons in July and August unless you enjoy being part of a fleet.