From steep cliffs to turquoise bays - Malta for watersports fans

Destination tip for all watersports enthusiasts

Diving paradise in the Mediterranean

Malta's strategic location in the Mediterranean makes it one of the best spots for divers and definitely earns a place on the must-dive list.

The sloping rocky shores and clear, turquoise waters offer the perfect environment for spectacular dives. Due to the lack of tides, the underwater world is excellent for divers who like to capture their impressions and memories underwater on camera. Due to the warm Mediterranean Sea with temperatures that are never less than 16 degrees Celsius, it’s possible to dive to any depth. This makes Malta an interesting diving paradise for every diver, whether hobby, sport or technical. Those who prefer deeper dives should explore Lantern Point at the tip of Comino, a true underwater treasure.

This island offers many varied dive sites with the clearest water and up to 40-metre visibility, making it one of the best diving destinations in the Mediterranean for beginners, advanced as well as professional divers.

Malta's many caves, reefs and wrecks at depths ranging from 5 to 65 metres are accessible both from shore and by boat. The underwater archaeological heritage can be safely explored by divers: numerous ship and aircraft wrecks are accessible for controlled and supervised dives, including the wreck of the Phoenician. This ship sank around 2,700 years ago off the coast of Gozo and is the oldest shipwreck in the central Mediterranean. The wreck of the double-decker Fairey Swordfish from 1934 also lies off St Julian's at a depth of 65 metres. On supervised dives, the skeleton, engine and propeller of the plane can be admired.

Another highlight is cave diving: Explore an amazing underwater world in enchanting bays, caves and wrecks. The best-known and most popular dive site is the Blue Hole on the west coast of the neighbouring island of Gozo, which belongs to Malta. This is a cave about 15 metres deep and about 10 metres wide in the rocky bottom of the cliff at sea level. At a depth of about 7 metres, a large opening in the rock face leads to the clear underwater world of the open sea. Among the rocks, octopus, lobsters and many bright-orange and silver parrotfish can be found everywhere. A little deeper down, advanced divers can experience fascinating atmospheric reflections.

Divers who prefer shallow waters will find their ideal diving spot in Ghar Lapsi in Siggiewi on the south coast of Malta. There is a small rocky bay and a beautiful cave system that stretches over 40 metres, with several cracks and holes and various reefs. And freediving novices will also find ideal conditions here, between ridges, valleys and breakthroughs.

Thanks to the short distances between the various dive spots, diving holidaymakers can easily try out a range of different spots for shore and boat dives. In addition, there is a high level of diving safety, regardless of the weather.

Its optimal diving conditions also make Malta an ideal destination for beginners to discover the diverse world of marine flora and fauna.

Malta has over 40 dive schools with qualified instructors, all of whom hold Maltese Government Instructor's Recognition certificates, offering beginner and advanced courses as well as instructor examinations. Schools specializing in technical diving can also be found on the islands, where experienced divers are prepared for dives with mixed gases for greater depths and a longer dive times, and are safely accompanied on their dives. An additional safety precaution on shore are the two decompression chambers on Malta and Gozo.

Beginners should do an introductory dive at one of the local dive centres before venturing into the ocean. Most schools also offer the exam for internationally recognized diving certificates, such as PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or CMAS (Confederation Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiques).

First virtual underwater museum in the Mediterranean region

With 'The Virtual Museum: Underwater Malta', Malta goes one step further. For the first time, Malta's fascinating underwater world is now accessible to non-divers. But experienced divers also get their money's worth here: with the help of the virtual tour, they can prepare for their dives or get an overview of the underwater sights. These include aircraft and shipwrecks as well as cannons from the Victorian era. The depth of the exhibits ranges from two metres below the water surface to 110 metres. Currently, 20 underwater sites can be visited virtually: https://underwatermalta.org/

Explore Malta by kayak or canoe

With 300 days of sunshine a year, the Maltese islands are ideal for exploring by water in a kayak or canoe.

Experienced kayakers can easily rent a single or double kayak at several rental sites, all of which are equipped with the necessary safety equipment. Kayaking is a wonderful way to independently discover the island of Malta and its sisters Gozo and Comino, as well as the smaller and partly uninhabited rocky islets. For newcomers to kayaking and canoeing, we recommend a guided tour to enjoy the landscape in a relaxed and safe way.

The adventure tour across the open sea from Gozo to Comino is particularly impressive. The beauty of the Malta archipelago can be perfectly appreciated by water on a side trip to the stunning, idyllic Blue Lagoon with its crystal clear water and white sand. Another must-see stop is Dwejra Bay: a lovely, round cove situated behind Fungus Rock on the west coast of Gozo Island. You will immediately see why it’s called the “Cave of Blue Beauty". Equally recommended is a kayak excursion to Ramla Bay with its reddish-golden sand in a dreamlike setting with a picturesque view and historically significant Calypso Cave. As legend has it, the nymph Calypso held the shipwrecked Odysseus as a prisoner of love here for seven years. It was even mentioned by Homer, the most famous Greek poet, in his epic poem.

Coastal tours around the southern part of the island of Gozo are also very en vogue. Relax and observe the marine life in the shallows. Snorkelling equipment should definitely be packed for the kayak tour, as this part of the island in particular offers excellent opportunities for an excursion to reefs and rocky underwater caves amidst the most diverse, colourful schools of fish.

Conclusion: An outdoor adventure by kayak promises a great experience on Malta and its sister islands. Quiet and interesting places full of rustic, natural beauty, accessible only by water, are waiting to be discovered.

From the SUP board you’re only a jump away into the clear water

Another way to explore Malta from the water is on a guided stand up paddle tour. A SUP tour is an exciting experience in Malta for individuals, friends and families who share a love of the sea and adventure. On an SUP board you get up close to the impressive cliffs and caves of the Maltese coastline with a local guide. What's more, with this versatile and intuitive sport, cooling off is just a jump away in the clear waters.

A recommended SUP tour starts at the gently sloping sandy beach of Ghadira Bay. Along the cliffs of Mellieha Bay you can paddle to Coral Cave, located next to the Blue Hole in Dwejra on the west coast of Gozo, Coral Cave is one of Malta's most spectacular underground caves. This stunning cave is easy to paddle through with an SUP board and a guide.

If you want to stop off at a beach, you can do so in Slugs Bay, which has a small, secluded sandy beach and is located in the largely undeveloped area of Marfa Ridge near Mellieha. Since the beach is difficult to reach by land, it’s easy to find peace and quiet in nature there.

From there you can paddle to the Ahrax tal-Mellieha cliffs. This is a popular spot not only among stand up paddlers and divers but also spin anglers, thanks to the fascinating underground cave and the small, hidden swimming coves. From here you have a wonderful view of Mellieha Bay and the village. A further highlight is the sunset.

If you don't want to go on extended SUP tours on the sea, but just want to stand on an SUP board, you can sign up for an SUP yoga course at individual beach sites - for a relaxing full-body workout and balance training session on the board, you can choose freely from a variety of courses, depending on your experience level.