The Best Malta Beaches on a Map: 14 Picks on Malta, Gozo and Comino

The best beaches in Malta are not where most people expect them. The airport and the big hotels sit on the east coast, around Sliema and St Julian’s, where the shore is mostly rock and a “beach” can mean a slab of sandstone with a metal handrail. The sand is in the north and north-west, on Gozo’s north coast, and in one shallow channel off Comino. Knowing that is half the work of planning a beach day.

The other half is the wind. The same bay can be glassy at breakfast and full of surf by mid-afternoon, and a beach that is perfect on a still day can be unswimmable when the wind blows straight at it. This guide to the beaches in Malta, Gozo and Comino ranks fourteen of them, then explains how to choose by wind, where each one sits, how warm the sea gets month by month, and what the flags mean.

Malta beaches at a glance

The table sums up the fourteen Malta beaches in the ranking. “Sand” covers anything you can lie on without a mat. “Rock” covers slabs, platforms, pebbles and shingle.

The best beaches in Malta, Gozo and Comino, ranked

The order weighs the shore and the water first, then the setting, then how easy the beach is to enjoy on an ordinary day. The best sand ranks highest, but a beach with clear water and a real sense of place beats a crowded strip with every facility.

1. Ramla Bay

The sand at Ramla Bay is a warm reddish gold that deepens to copper in the late afternoon, and it runs in a wide strand along a green valley below Xagħra on Gozo’s north coast. Entry is gradual over sand. A bus stop and a parking area are close to the beach, though parking fills by late morning in summer. In season there are sunbeds, umbrellas, a kiosk and water sports at one end, which leaves the far end quieter. Best for a full day: Ġgantija in the morning, a swim, then the short climb to Calypso’s Cave for the view. Northerly winds bring surf.

2. Golden Bay

Golden Bay is the largest of the sandy bays on Malta’s north-west coast, a broad curve of fine sand below steep cliffs. The sea floor stays sandy and shallow for some way out, which makes it a favourite with families. Buses run here from Valletta, Sliema and Bugibba, and a car park sits close to the sand. Facilities are the most complete on this coast: sunbeds, kiosks, a café, toilets and water sports in summer. It is also the busiest, so come early or after four. The bay faces west, which makes it the island’s classic sunset beach and the first to get surf in a westerly.

3. Blue Lagoon

Seen from a boat, the water in the Blue Lagoon seems lit from below: a shallow channel of pale sand between Comino and the islet of Cominotto. The bottom is sand, but the shore is mostly rock with a narrow patch of sand, so bring water shoes. There is no road, only boats from Ċirkewwa, Mġarr and several resorts. Sunbeds and a kiosk may be available in season, and shade is scarce. It is the best place in the islands for snorkelling over clear, shallow water. In July and August it is also one of the most crowded, so take the first boat of the day.

4. Mellieħa Bay

Mellieħa Bay, also called Għadira, has the longest sandy beach on Malta, and its sea floor shelves so gently that you can wade a long way before the water reaches your chest. Waves are usually small. A bus stop is beside the beach, parking runs along the road, and in season there are sunbeds, umbrellas, pedalos and cafés on the roadside. It is the best beach in Malta for toddlers. Behind the sand lies a wetland nature reserve where migrating birds stop in spring and autumn. The bay faces north-east, so a strong wind from that side is the one that spoils it.

5. Għajn Tuffieħa Bay

Red sand, pale cliffs and fields rising behind the beach give Għajn Tuffieħa Bay a wilder look than anything on the east coast, even though it sits just south of Golden Bay. Entry is straightforward over sand. The car park is almost always full in summer, so the bus or an early start is the realistic plan. Despite the wild setting, umbrellas, deckchairs and kiosks are available in season. Best for scenery and an evening swim, since it faces west. A rocky path over the headland links it with Golden Bay in about twenty minutes.

6. Ġnejna Bay

The road from Mġarr drops between fields, and then a small bowl of golden sand appears below pale cliffs, with old fishermen’s boathouses cut into the rock at its edge. Ġnejna Bay mixes sand with flat stones, and the entry is gradual. Buses reach Mġarr village, but the last stretch needs a walk, a taxi or a car, and the narrow road queues on summer weekends. Kiosks, deckchairs and water sports operate in summer. Best on a weekday, for a swim and the cliff walk towards Għajn Tuffieħa. It faces west, like its neighbours.

7. Paradise Bay

A long flight of steps leads from the road above Ċirkewwa down to Paradise Bay, a small sandy cove enclosed by rock at the northern tip of Malta. The water is clear and sheltered, the entry from the sand is gradual, and the rocky edges are good for snorkelling. Decks for sunbeds and services for food and drink operate mainly in summer, so you need not climb back up for lunch. The steps make it impractical for pushchairs or limited mobility, and the climb back is hard work at midday. Best paired with a Gozo or Comino crossing from the ferry terminal next door.

8. San Blas Beach

Cars stop at the top of the hill above Gozo’s north-east coast, and everyone else carries their own towel down a steep path. San Blas Beach is a short strip of reddish sand between cliffs, smaller and quieter than Ramla Bay, and the walk is the reason. The water is very clear, and the rocky sides of the cove are good for snorkelling. Deckchairs, umbrellas, kiosks and canoes are offered in season, but bring food and water anyway. The parking at the top holds only a few cars. Best for a quiet swim, ideally late in the day when the climb back is cooler.

9. Xlendi Bay

The road from Victoria drops into a narrow inlet with houses stacked up both sides and a small pebble beach at its head. Xlendi Bay in south-west Gozo is calm, shallow and warm in summer, protected by the shape of the cove, so small children can paddle near the edge. The pebbles are hard on bare feet. Buses run from Victoria, and parking is limited. Cafés, kiosks and seafood restaurants line the front. Best for a swim followed by lunch by the quay, and for divers who use the clear water along the cliffs.

10. St Peter’s Pool

Past Marsaxlokk, a rough road ends near the cliffs of the Delimara peninsula, and below lies St Peter’s Pool: a natural bay of flat, pale rock around deep, very clear water. There is no sand, no rental, no kiosk and no lifeguard. Bring your own mask, water and shade, and shoes for the uneven rock. People sunbathe on the slabs, snorkel along the walls and jump from the rocks, which needs judgement about depth on the day. The water drops quickly, so it is not for small children. Best for confident swimmers on a calm day, with lunch in Marsaxlokk afterwards.

11. Wied il-Għasri

A staircase cut into the cliff leads down to a tiny shingle landing at the end of Wied il-Għasri, a valley on Gozo’s north coast so narrow that from above the water looks no wider than a street. Entry is over pebbles and flat rock, and the water deepens fast. There are no facilities and almost no shade. On a calm day the rock walls block the swell, and the inlet stays clear for snorkelling when open bays are choppy. Divers come for the caves near the mouth. In a strong northerly wind the waves funnel in, so stay at the top.

12. Pretty Bay

The coast at Birżebbuġa was rocky until sand was added to make Pretty Bay, now one of the largest sandy beaches in the south of Malta. The sea becomes fairly deep a short way out, so watch small children at the edge. Buses come from Valletta and the airport area, and parking runs along the front. Sunbeds, kiosks and water sports operate in summer, and a football pitch beside the sand fills on summer evenings. The cranes of the Freeport are in view. Best for a local, lived-in beach day, or a last swim a few minutes from the airport before a flight.

13. St George’s Bay

The shore at St George’s Bay in St Julian’s was rocky until sand was brought in from abroad, and the result is a small, busy, built-up sandy beach surrounded by hotels, cafés and bars. Local buses and taxis make access easy, while parking is scarce. Umbrellas, deckchairs, kiosks and water-sports operators work the beach in season. It is almost always crowded in July and August. Best for convenience: a swim straight from the hotel, lunch in the next street and an evening walk to Spinola Bay. Paceville is a short walk away, so expect late noise.

14. Sliema Beach

On Tower Road the pavement gives way to a broad band of flat sandstone, and in summer Sliema Beach fills with towels and people lowering themselves into the sea by metal handrails. It is all rock: no sand, no shade on the slabs, and deep water at the edge, which suits adults better than toddlers. Lidos along the front add sunbeds, a built platform and easier entry. Buses and the Valletta ferry landing are close. Best for an hour’s swim between sights, early or late in the day before the stone heats up. Wear shoes with grip, since wet slabs are slippery.

Which beach? Choosing by the wind

Which beach Malta gives you on a particular day depends less on the ranking than on the wind. The rule is simple: a wind blowing onto a coast brings waves and churned water, while the coast on the far side of the island stays calm. The beach picker on this page applies that rule to the forecast, but it is worth understanding it yourself before you set out.

The most common wind is the north-westerly, the majjistral. It builds surf on the west-facing bays: Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna. On those days the calmer choices are the sheltered inlet at Xlendi, Pretty Bay and St Peter’s Pool on the south-east coast, and Mellieħa Bay, which is protected from many summer winds. A north-easterly, the gregale, does the opposite: it hits Mellieħa Bay, the Sliema front and Gozo’s north coast at Ramla, San Blas and Wied il-Għasri, and sends people to the west coast. A south-easterly, the xlokk, is the sirocco that gave Marsaxlokk its name, and it makes the south-east rough while the north and west stay flat.

Two habits save most wasted trips. Look at the forecast wind direction, not just its strength, the evening before. Then look at the sea from the road before you carry everything down, especially at places with steps or steep paths. If you are choosing between beaches in Malta and on Gozo for one particular day, the wind often decides it for you: a strong north-easterly is a reason to pick Xlendi over Ramla.

Smaller bays add options on awkward days. Balluta Bay in St Julian’s is sheltered enough for year-round swimmers, and on Gozo’s north-east coast the fishing cove of Dahlet Qorrot has a concrete platform and calm water when the wind is not from the north. The full list of bays, coves and swimming spots is in the beaches and bays section.

The beach map: where each beach sits

The map on this page shows all fourteen Malta beaches in the ranking, and it is the quickest way to see the pattern described above. The sandy beaches cluster in two places: the north-west corner of Malta, from Ġnejna to Mellieħa and Paradise Bay, and Gozo’s north coast around Ramla and San Blas. The rocky swimming spots line the urban east coast and the south-east around Marsaxlokk.

Use the map to pair beaches with sights rather than to tick them off. Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna are linked by a cliff path, so one bus or one parking space covers all three. Paradise Bay sits beside the Ċirkewwa ferry terminal. St Peter’s Pool and Pretty Bay share a day with Marsaxlokk and the Għar Dalam cave. On Gozo, Ramla Bay and San Blas are neighbours below Xagħra and Nadur, while Xlendi is on the opposite side of the island, closer to Victoria.

Distances look short on any map of the islands, but the last stretch to many beaches is a narrow road or a staircase. Allow for that when you plan two beaches in one day. Which beach Malta visitors can reach easily without a car also shows up here: the beaches with a bus stop close to the sand are Golden Bay, Mellieħa Bay, Ramla Bay, Pretty Bay and the town beaches, while San Blas, St Peter’s Pool and Wied il-Għasri need a walk or a car. The bus guide explains how the network reaches the coast.

Seasons and sea temperature

The swimming season on Malta beaches is longer than many visitors expect. Long-term averages for 1991 to 2020, from satellite measurements of the sea just east of Malta, show the water at about 16.1 °C in April, 18.6 °C in May and 22.2 °C in June. It peaks at about 25.3 °C in July and 26.7 °C in August, then cools slowly: around 25.8 °C in September, 23.7 °C in October and 21.1 °C in November. December averages about 18 °C, and the coldest months are February and March, at about 15.2 °C.

That lag is the useful part. The sea is warmest after the air has started to cool, so September and October give some of the best swimming of the year, with water still above 23 °C and beaches far quieter than in August. June is the mirror image: warm air, water that is pleasant but a few degrees cooler than at the end of summer, and sandy beaches that are not yet full.

July and August are the crowd months. Beach facilities are fully open, but parking at Golden Bay, Ramla and Għajn Tuffieħa fills by mid-morning on weekends, and the Blue Lagoon is packed from late morning. Arrive before ten or after four. Outside summer many kiosks and hire stands close, so bring water and food in spring and autumn. In winter the sandy beaches are empty, windswept and good for walking, and swimming is for the hardy. Month-by-month air temperatures, rain and daylight are in the Malta weather pages, and the best time to visit Malta weighs the seasons for the whole trip.

Safety flags and staying safe in the water

Where a lifeguard station is in operation, flags tell you the state of the sea. The common colour code is red for no swimming, yellow for caution and green for calm conditions, and some stations also fly a purple flag when jellyfish are about. Arrangements vary from season to season, so read the signs when you arrive, swim within sight of the lifeguard, and leave the water when asked. A blue flag is different: it is an environmental award for a beach, not a statement about the sea that day.

Many of the best Malta beaches for a swim have no lifeguard at all. At St Peter’s Pool, Wied il-Għasri, San Blas, the Sliema rocks and the Blue Lagoon’s rocky edges, your own judgement is the only safety system. Do not swim alone in deep water, do not jump from rocks without checking the depth that day, and stay out when waves are breaking over the entry point, since getting out is harder than getting in.

The smaller hazards are worth a little gear. Water shoes help on rock and pebbles and keep sea urchins out of your feet. Jellyfish appear in some summers, and a lifeguard or a local will usually know whether they are around that week. Currents can pick up near the rocky edges of sandy bays in a strong wind, so keep to the middle of the beach when the sea is lively. Watch for boats near slipways and at the Blue Lagoon, and wear a bright cap if you swim far out. The midday sun is the most common problem of all: shade is scarce on almost every beach in this list, so bring a hat, sun cream and more water than you think you need, and plan the swim for the morning or the last hours of the afternoon.