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Beaches in Malta

Whatever your ideal beach looks like, Malta has it.  From sandy beaches to rocky, from secluded to more popular touristic beaches.  Some of the most popular beaches around the island are Mellieha Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha, St. Peter’s Pool, Golden Bay, Pretty Bay, Paradise Bay and Armier.  Blue Lagoon is a picturesque beach in Comino, so be sure to visit at least once.  Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo is another beautiful beach with a long stretch of red sand nestled by the countryside.

Mellieha Bay is also known as Ghadira Bay and is one of the largest and most popular sandy beaches in Malta. It is located in the northern part of the island and is ideal for beginner swimmers as the water is very shallow for about 50 meters from land. The bay hardly ever experiences rough seas, making it ideal for families and children.
Ghajn Tuffieha consists of three bays; Golden Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, and Gnejna Bay. The three beaches are separated by natural rock formations and are distinguished by their own characteristics. Ghajn tuffieha is located at the northern part of the island and is a great spot for you to anchor your boat further out in the bay and view the hustle and bustle these bays attract, especially during the summer period.
St. Peter’s Pools is a stunning natural swimming pool located in the south of Malta in Delimara, close to Marsaxlokk. The sea is crystal clear blue-green and the flat rocks which surround the bay make it ideal for sunbathing. The bay is quite secluded and not as easily accessible from land as other beaches in Malta, making this bay a bit quieter during the summer months than other bays.

Pretty bay is located in Birzebbuga, in the south of the island. It is a man-made large sandy beach, with plenty of cafes, bars, restaurants, and other amenities surrounding the shore. Pretty Bay is located in a port, making it very protected and especially ideal for when seas are a bit rough.

Paradise Bay is found at the very north of Malta and is one of the smallest beaches in Malta. Paradise Bay offers unobstructed views of both Gozo and Comino.

Armier Bay is situated in Mellieha, in the Northern Region of Malta. It consists of two beaches; the biggest beach is known as Armier and the other as Little Armier. The sea surrounding the bay is crystal blue and resembles the sea at Blue Lagoon, which is in Comino, right across from Armier.

Blue Lagoon is probably one of the most popular beaches in the archipelago, and is situated between the Island of Comino and the islet of Cominotto. The long and narrow bay is surrounded by rocks and some sand, and the blue sea makes it almost look like a pool.
Ramla l-Hamra is situated in Malta’s sister island, Gozo, and is probably one of the most popular beaches in Gozo. It’s particular golden-reddish sand is what gives it its name, which translates to Red Beach.

Anchor Bay is situated at the North of Malta and is mostly popular for Popeye Village, which is the original set used for the filming for the 1980 musical production ‘Popeye’, featuring Robin Williams.  Anchor Bay is a popular site for diving, especially for beginners, due to the shallow depths of the area.

Dahlet Qorrot is a small pebbly and sandy beach in the East of Gozo, close to Nadur and Qala.  A number of boat houses can be found at the base of the cliffs, which are used by fisherman, which can often be seen mending their nets or doing maintenance to their boats.

Gnejna Bay is located on the western coast of Malta, roughly one kilometer from Mgarr.  It is mostly a sandy beach.  The clay slopes and limestone cliffs nearby make Gnejna Bay a unique location on the island.  The bay is next to two other popular beaches; Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha, however Gnejna is smaller and usually less crowded, making it an ideal place for a quieter spot.

Golden Bay is located in the North West of Malta and is probably the most popular sandy beach on the island.  It is one of three beaches next to each other, with the other two being Ghajn Tuffieha and Gnejna Bay.  The blue sea, light coloured sand and surrounding cliffs make the Bay picturesque, offering some of the most spectacular sunsets in Malta.

Hondoq ir-Rummien is situated along the southern coast of Gozo.  It is a small sandy and pebbly beach with a stunning, clear, azure sea.  Hondoq ir-Rummien is particularly popular with locals, and it is not difficult to see why.  The bay lies directly opposite the island of Comino.

Little Armier is a beach situated in an area known as l-Ahrax in Mellieha.  It is part of a beach called Armier Bay.  The beautiful surrounding crystal blue sea resembles the sea at Blue Lagoon not far away.

Marsalforn is very popular in summer and is one of the largest and most overdeveloped seaside resort in Gozo.  The beach with sand and small pebbles is quite small but it is backed by a promenade which runs all around the bay, making it ideal even for a walk on summery evening.

Mgarr ix-Xini beach is a small, but very picturesque bay set within a creek and a steep sided natural valley.  It is one of the most secluded beaches in Gozo.  Mgarr ix-Xini has a pebble beach and is surrounded by rough and high rocks on both sides of the bay.  On the rocks at the entrance to the bay of Mġarr Ix-Xini is this historic Knights-period coastal defence tower which was built in 1661.

Mistra Bay is a pebble beach located between Xemxija Bay and Selmun.  This enclosed bay is often well protected from the elements due to the surrounding landscape. The bay is more common among locals rather than tourists and is usually overtaken by Maltese, however, this gives the few tourists who visit a real taste of a Maltese day spent by the beach.

Qbajjar Bay is a small bay near Marsalforn, in the limits of Żebbuġ on the island of Gozo, Malta.  Qbajjar’s sandy bay area is not very suitable for young children as the water is deep, however it is a good spot for snorkelling.

Slug’s Bay is a secluded, tiny beach with a few square metres of sand located in the Marfa ridge overlooking Mellieħa.  It is probably the tiniest of all Malta beaches with just enough sand to lay down four towels.  The fact that it is hard to get to means that the bay rarely gets more than three or four groups of people at its busiest time.

Santa Marija Bay is only a 20 minute walk away from the Blue Lagoon and is often a quieter option for bathers looking to relax.  It has shallow, clear waters and is set just next to Comino’s small police station.  Santa Marija Bay is the only real sandy beach on the Island of Comino.

St. Nicholas Bay is a pretty beach with beautiful crystal clear waters. It consists of two small sandy beaches which are usually less crowded and more tranquil than the Blue Lagoon.  St Nicholas Bay is the ideal choice for many water sports, especially diving and snorkelling, on the island of Comino.

St. Thomas Bay is a large bay with smaller sandy banks in the South of Malta, mostly popular with the locals and with windsurfers.  It offers a variety of small and shallow sandy beaches, flat rocks and concrete platforms all next to each other perfect for bathing.  it is also possible to hike to the Munxar cliffs which offer stunning views of the white cliffs as well as the opportunity to swim in some of the clearest waters.  Sea urchins can be found in abundance here and it is also possible to see locals snorkeling in the area collecting them for a local favourite Mediterranean pasta dish.

Wied il-Ghasri is a fantastic place for a country walk, especially in spring or winter.  It is very popular with divers who like to explore the surrounding underwater caves.  The very narrow and secluded bay is also a haven for those who seek a quiet bathing area.

Xlendi Bay is a popular swimming, snorkelling and diving spot, with a small sandy beach leading into shallow waters.  It is surrounded by high cliffs and majestic views, with plenty of restaurants and bars to visit as well.  To enjoy spectacular views, climb up the stairs to the top of the cliffs.

Balluta Bay lies on a long stretch of rocky coastline that goes all the way from Qui-si-Sana, Sliema to St. Julian's. This coastline is packed with sunbathers during the peak summer months.  Every so often, you will find steps and handrails which provide easy access to the water. There are plenty of flat rocks to spread a towel on. The sea here is deep, and generally clean, clear and safe to swim. It is also excellent for snorkelling.  There are plenty of snack bars and restaurants on the coast road and kiosks near the shoreline.

The shore is rocky and the flat rocks provide places for sunbathing.  There are also several access points for swimmers.  The water is deep, but generally clean, clear and safe for bathing.  Bugibba is very popular especially throughout the summer.

Dwejra Bay used to be mostly popular for the Azure Window, which collapsed in 2017.  However, the area still offers a lot to see, having some of the most remarkable scenery on the Islands -  the Inland Sea, Fungus Rock, sheer cliffs and a rocky coastline.  Apart from the beautiful scenery visible from land, there are also some fascinating underwater caves which provide excellent dive sites.

Fond Għadir is one of the most popular areas of the Tas-Sliema coastline.  The area is filled with salt pans dug out of the rock that were once used for the production of sea salt.  While they do not function for their original purpose, they are nowadays used mostly as a flat surface for sunbathing.

Perched beach is a man-made sandy beach located along the Buġibba promenade, artificially created over a rocky surface.  Platforms provide direct access between the sandy part and the sea, including one that is accessible by wheelchair users.

Qawra Point is a rocky shore, but still with a lot of appeal.  The flat rocks provide places for sunbathing and there are access points every so often for swimmers.  The water is deep and generally clean, clear and safe for bathing.

St. George’s Bay is a very small sandy beach, located close to the very popular nightlife area, Paceville.  While it offers very little space, it is very close to a lot of restaurants, bars and shops and offers plenty of activities in nearby areas.

The coastline of St Paul’s Bay provides wonderful open sea views with St. Paul's Island seen across.  According to legend, the ship carrying the Apostle is said to have been wrecked on St. Paul’s Island.  This marked the start of Christianity on the Maltese islands.  The site of the wreck is marked by a statue commemorating the event.