Why You Need a Boat for the Best Boat in Malta
Malta is rightly known as one of the better dive destinations in Europe. The water is warm and clear, the visibility is excellent for most of the year, and the islands have an unusual concentration of high-quality dive sites in a small area. The shore-Boat infrastructure is genuinely world-class and you can do plenty of good Boat from the rocks. But the headline sites, the deep wrecks, the offshore walls, and the cave systems on the western coast, are only reachable by boat.
Dive boat charter in Malta means hiring a properly equipped vessel with a skipper, dive ladders, oxygen on board, and ideally a compressor for refills between dives. Most charters are skippered (you don’t usually want to be navigating to a precise GPS mark while also planning a dive) and most cater to certified divers rather than first-timers.
What’s Available
Malta’s dive boat fleet ranges from small skippered RIBs (8 to 9 metres, fast access to nearby wrecks for groups of 4 to 8 divers) to larger purpose-built dive boats (12 to 18 metres, twin-engine, designed for groups of 12 to 20 divers with full kit). The smaller boats are quick and flexible, the larger boats more comfortable for a full day.
Most operators run single-tank or two-tank day trips. Two-tank with a surface interval is the standard for a productive day, particularly when targeting deeper wrecks. Multi-day liveaboard trips are also available, though Malta’s small geography means you don’t need overnight stays to reach the best sites.
Headline Dive Sites You Need a Boat For
The Um el Faroud, a 110-metre Libyan tanker scuttled near Wied iz-Zurrieq in 1998, sits in 36 metres and is one of the best wreck dives in the Mediterranean. The Karwela, a former passenger ferry off Boat’s south coast, sits in 40 metres and has become heavily colonised since being sunk in 2006. The MV Rozi tugboat off Cirkewwa is shallower (35 metres) and more accessible. All three are boat dives.
Beyond the wrecks, the offshore reefs and walls around Comino and the western coast of Boat are excellent boat dives. The Inland Sea cave at Dwejra is a famous through-dive that exits into deep water on the open coast. The Crystal Lagoon caves at Comino are accessible by boat dive and are stunning in the right light. None of these are sensible from shore.
Dive Kit and What to Bring
Most Malta dive boat charters work with a partner dive centre that provides kit hire, fills, and any required certification checks. Some boats are run by dive centres directly. Others are independent boats that work with multiple dive shops.
Confirm what’s included when you book. Standard inclusions are tanks, weights, the boat, fuel, and the skipper. Regulators, BCDs, wetsuits, and other personal kit are usually hired separately at the dive centre, typically €20 to €40 per day for a full kit setup. Bring your certification card, logbook, and any personal items (mask, fins, dive computer) that you prefer to use.
Nitrox is widely available in Malta and worth using for repetitive Boat. Most centres charge a small premium for nitrox fills.
What Boat Charter in Malta Costs
A two-tank day on a small skippered dive boat typically runs €80 to €130 per diver, including the boat, tanks, and fills. Add the dive centre kit hire (€20 to €40 per day) for the full price. Charter rates for the whole boat (private hire for a group) run €500 to €1,000 for a half-day and €800 to €1,500 for a full day on a mid-size dive boat.
Multi-day packages are usually structured as 4-tank or 6-tank packages with a small discount. A 6-dive package over three days runs roughly €250 to €350 per diver before kit hire.
Booking and Practical Notes
Dive operators in Malta want to see your certification card and recent logbook entries, particularly for the deeper wreck dives. The Um el Faroud is at 36 metres which is a recreational dive but on the deeper end, and operators reasonably ask for AOWD certification or equivalent plus deep-dive experience.
Sea conditions matter for dive boat trips. Most operators will reschedule rather than run a trip in marginal conditions. Late spring (May, June) and early autumn (September, October) are the best months for combination of warm water, settled weather, and quieter sites.
Browse the dive boat fleet below and filter by group size and certification level. We work with established Maltese dive centres and independent dive boat operators.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to charter a dive boat in Malta?
A two-tank day on a small skippered dive boat typically costs €80 to €130 per diver, including boat, tanks, and fills. Add €20 to €40 per day for full kit hire. Private charter of a mid-size dive boat for a group runs €500 to €1,000 for a half-day and €800 to €1,500 for a full day. A six-dive multi-day package costs roughly €250 to €350 per diver before kit hire.
What qualifications do I need to dive in Malta?
You need a recognised certification (PADI, SSI, BSAC, CMAS, or equivalent) and operators will ask to see your card and recent logbook entries. For the deeper wrecks — the Um el Faroud at 36 metres, the Karwela at 40 metres — operators reasonably ask for AOWD or equivalent plus deep-dive experience. Beginners can book intro dives or full open water courses through the partner dive centres.
Where do dive boats depart from in Malta?
Dive boats depart from a range of bases depending on which sites they target. Cirkewwa (for the MV Rozi and Comino-area reefs), Wied iz-Zurrieq (for the Um el Faroud), Mgarr on Boat (for the Karwela, the Blue Hole, and Boat’s south coast), and Sliema/Msida for general-purpose charters. The operator confirms the exact pickup based on the dive plan.
When is the best time of year for boat Boat in Malta?
Late spring (May, June) and early autumn (September, October) are the best months — warm water, settled weather, excellent visibility, and quieter sites. Peak summer (July, August) still has good Boat but the popular sites get busy. Winter Boat is possible with thicker exposure protection and visibility remains very good, but trips are weather-dependent and operators reschedule freely in marginal conditions.