Malta is a pearl located in the Mediterranean Sea, just a bit south of Italy. It is a very small country, which makes it surrounded by beaches almost everywhere along its coast. After spending the whole month of July in Malta in 2023 and exploring the multitude of beaches that it has to offer, I am here to review the sixteen different beaches that I visited.
I have included information on the accessibility of the beach, the depth of the water, if it is a sandy or rocky beach, how crowded it is, what to do around the beaches, my overall general appreciation, and pictures of what it looks like. This can hopefully help you plan your trip to Malta in the near future.
If I had to pick my top three favourite beaches in the ones that I explored, I would say that St. Thomas’ Bay, St. Peter’s Pool and Gnejna Bay are the ones that I recommend the most. You can read further for my opinion on each beach.
If you are interested in a 1 week itinerary around Malta, click here.
Table of contents
- 1. Golden Bay
- 2. Riviera Beach
- 3. Gnejna Bay
- 4. Exiles Beach
- 5. St. Thomas’ Bay
- 6. Sliema Beach
- 7. Ghar Lapsi
- 8. Ghadira Bay
- 9. Stone Beach
- 10. Tigné Beach
- 11. White Tower Bay
- 12. Ramla Beach
- 13. Blue Lagoon
- 14. Rinella Bay
- 15. St. Peter’s Pool
- 16. Ta’ Kalanka Sea Cave
1. Golden Bay
How to get there: You can get to Golden Bay by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is right next to the beach.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. If you do not feel comfortable floating, this beach is good for hanging out by the shore.
Type of beach: Sandy beach
Crowds: Golden Bay is one of the most popular beaches in Malta, which makes it a very crowded location. However, I don’t think that it deserves all of the hype that it is. The water is a lot dirtier than the other places, probably due to the fact that there are many tourists. There was sometimes trash in the water.
What to do there or around: There are restrooms and a few restaurants at the beach. There are volleyball nets at the beach where you can play volleyball. When I was there, there were not any water sport rentals.
Overall general appreciation: This beach was one of my least favourites due to the fact that it was overcrowded and that it was dirty. Later in this blog, you will see other beaches that are also crowded, but I think do deserve the hype due to its beauty.
2. Riviera Beach
How to get there: You can get to Riviera Beach by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is close to the beach. However, depending on where your starting location is, the fastest route might not be with the bus that stops at the nearest bus station. We had to walk for 10 minutes after the bus before arriving to the beach.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. If you do not feel comfortable floating, this beach is good for hanging out by the shore.
Type of beach: Sandy beach
Crowds: We came here in the morning, where there were not that many people (as seen in the picture). However, there might be more people in the afternoon or evening. Riviera Beach is also one of the popular beaches in Malta.
What to do there or around: There is one restaurant and restrooms. There seems to be a surf school, although I did not check it out. You can also go on a small hike to Gnejna Bay, the next beach in this blog.
Overall general appreciation: This beach was a lot cleaner than Golden Bay from the time that I went. If I had to pick between Golden Bay and Riviera Beach since they are both very close, I would recommend Riviera Beach.
3. Gnejna Bay
How to get there: You can get to Gnejna Bay by bus or by uber. However, the nearest bus station is far. I would recommend taking an uber and splitting it with other people if you want to get to Gnejna Bay right away. When we went, we started at Riviera Beach (by bus) and walked all the way to Gnejna Bay, through a small hiking trail along the coast.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. If you do not feel comfortable floating in deep water, this beach is good for hanging out by the shore.
Type of beach: Sandy beach
Crowds: This beach was not that crowded.
What to do there or around: There is one small restaurant and restrooms. There are also many water sports that you can do. Among the choices, I did an hour of kayak and two hours of paddle boat. The hour of kayak costed 8 euros and the two hours of paddle boat costed 10 euros in total for one person. The paddle boat can fit maximum 5 people, which is how we were able to split it to 10 euros/person. For more information on their other water sports, click here. If you kayak, in less than 30 minutes, you can get to Ta’ Marija Cave.
Overall general appreciation: This beach was one of my favourites because it was right next to Golden Bay and Riviera Beach, but it was not as known. It also offered affordable and various activities.
4. Exiles Beach
How to get there: You can get to Exiles Beach by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is right next to the beach. I would recommend getting there by bus. It is in Sliema, a very popular spot in Malta, so many buses pass by this location.
Water depth: The depth depends on where you are. In some places, you can walk into the water. However, most entrances to the water are ladders that bring you into deep water where you are unable to stand.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: We went in the afternoon, and the beach felt a bit crowded. It was difficult to find a spot secluded from everyone else.
What to do there or around: Because it is in Sliema, there are many restaurants and shops around. There were no restrooms specific for this beach, but you can also find them around if walk a few blocks away.
Overall general appreciation: I really liked this beach. The waves got a bit big while we were there, so floating became a bit more difficult. Nevertheless, the water was super clean and enjoyable.
5. St. Thomas’ Bay
How to get there: You can get to St. Thomas’ Bay by bus or by uber. We went to St. Thomas’ Bay starting from Marsaxlokk, so the bus was simple to take. However, if you come from a different part of the island, it might not bring you to the closest bus station.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. However, at a certain point, the rock will disappear, which means that you will need to float if you want to continue to move further.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: St. Thomas’ Bay was not crowded. We went during the peak afternoon, and the picture below is the crowd that was present.
What to do there or around: There are no restrooms designated for the beach. St. Thomas’ Bay is
Overall general appreciation: This was one of my favourite beaches. The water was crystal clear, there were not that many people, the rocks were comfortable to walk on, and there were interesting rock formations near the beach that you can swim to (not seen in the picture).
6. Sliema Beach
How to get there: You can get to Sliema Beach by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is right next to the beach. I recommend taking the bus because it is accessible to many bus stops.
Water depth: Once you get in the beach either by a big side rock or by their ladders, you will be in deep water. You will have to float.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: When we went at sunset, the beach was not crowded. We also went another day during the afternoon, and it was not as crowded as I expected it to be due to its location in a popular city.
What to do there or around: There were no designated restrooms for the beach. There are many restaurants around the area.
Overall general appreciation: I enjoyed this beach, but it is not among my favourites. It did not have anything that really impressed me.
7. Ghar Lapsi
How to get there: You can get to Ghar Lapsi by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is far from the beach, so I recommend taking an uber.
Water depth: There are two sections to this beach. In the first section, you will be able to walk when you are in the water. However, we did not go here because we thought it was very crowded.
At a less crowded location, you will need to float if you want to go into the water.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: The beach is very crowded, but there is an area where it gets less crowded. You need to walk to the left side of the beach, where there is a road path and where there is a restaurant.
What to do there or around: There are only restrooms in restaurants, and most of them require for you to buy something there in order for you to use their restroom. Other than that, it is quite far from the cities.
Overall general appreciation: I overall really enjoyed this beach because it had a very unique look. The water was also very clear and enjoyable to swim in. The down side is that it isn’t easy to find space to sit. We sat on a big rock cliff that was quite uncomfortable.
8. Ghadira Bay
How to get there: You can get to Ghadira Bay by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is right next to the beach. We went by bus.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. If you do not feel comfortable floating, this beach is good for hanging out by the shore.
Type of beach: Sandy beach
Crowds: It was crowded at this beach, but there was also a lot of space for us to choose an area further away from others.
What to do there or around: There are restrooms and a few restaurants. There was an inflatable water park that required a fee. If you have time before or after going to this beach, you can check out Popeye Village and/or the Red Tower, which are near.
Overall general appreciation: I really enjoyed this beach. The sand was soft and the water was gradual to enter.
9. Stone Beach
How to get there: You can get to Stone Beach by bus or by uber. If you come by bus, you will need to walk a bit to get to the beach. It is located on a very small island, and the buses do not enter the island. However, the walk isn’t too long from the bus station.
Water depth: The water is deep, and you will need to float.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: There were little to no crowds.
What to do there or around: There are no restrooms or restaurants near stone beach. However, if you walk around 15 minutes, you will get to a multitude of restaurants and shops. In fact, you can actually see all of the restaurants and shops from the beach. The reason it takes a walk is because you need to do a detour in order to get off of the island.
Overall general appreciation: Although not in my top three, this beach is one of my favourites due to its unique location, and probably due to its significance during my trip. Also, you get a gorgeous view of the city of Valletta when swimming.
10. Tigné Beach
How to get there: You can get to Tigné Beach by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is right next to the beach, so I recommend taking the bus if it is cheaper than an uber.
Water depth: From shore, there will be a ladder to help you get into the water. The water is deep when you get inside.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: During the day, it can get quite crowded. The picture below was taken at 9:00 am, but in the afternoon, it can get busy.
What to do there or around: There are no restrooms specific to this beach, but the beach is very close to restaurants and a shopping mall. If you walk down further along this beach, you can also see people cliff jumping.
Overall general appreciation: I loved this beach. You get to see the beautiful view of Valletta, and the water is very clear. Also, it is in Sliema, so facilities are proximal.
11. White Tower Bay
How to get there: You can get to White Tower Bay by bus or by uber. The nearest bus station is quite far from the beach. I would recommend taking an uber and sharing the ride with others.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. If you do not feel comfortable floating, this beach is good for hanging out by the shore.
Type of beach: Sandy beach
Crowds: Because the beach is quite far from facilities, it is really not crowded. We went during the hot afternoon, and there were around six families.
What to do there or around: If you walk a few minutes towards east, you get to see the Coral Lagoon. There are restrooms and a small restaurant at the beach.
Overall general appreciation: Although the water was gorgeous, we did not get to swim in the water because there were a lot of jelly fishes. This was the only beach where I was able to see a multitude of them, even while at shore.
12. Ramla Beach
How to get there: Ramla Beach is situated on the island of Gozo. You can get there by bus or by uber, but you will need to take a ferry to get to Gozo. I recommend taking the bus to the port of the ferry on the island of Malta. From there, you can take a ferry. Once arrived to Gozo, you can uber to the beach.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. If you do not feel comfortable floating, this beach is good for hanging out by the shore.
Type of beach: Sandy beach
Crowds: The beach was crowded, but we were able to find quiet spots to relax. The beach is also big.
What to do there or around: There are restrooms and a small amount restaurants at the beach. There are also water sports that you can do. We did the speed boat sofa, which is when a speed boat pulls us on an inflatable sofa.
Overall general appreciation: I really enjoyed this beach. The sand was very soft, the water was very clear, the food was decent, and the water sports were very fun.
13. Blue Lagoon
How to get there: You can get to the Blue Lagoon first by bus or by uber, then by boat. The boat, starting north of Malta, will bring you to the island of Comino, where the Blue Lagoon is located.
Water depth: There is a small sandy area where you can start to walk into the water. It gradually gets deeper from there. There are also rocks around the beach, which is where the majority of the people are because the sandy area is very small. From the rocks, you can get into the water. It isn’t gradual, but you are able to stand near the rocks if you are tall.
Type of beach: Rocky and sandy beach
Crowds: The Blue Lagoon is very crowded. It was the most crowded out of all of the beaches I went to. I recommend coming here early in the morning, when you can get the first one or two hours in peace.
What to do there or around: There are showers and toilets. There are also food trucks. From the Blue Lagoon, you can also walk around the island of Comino. We walked all the way to Saint Mary’s Tower.
Overall general appreciation: Even if the Blue Lagoon was very crowded, I am very happy that I visited this island. To beat the crowds, come early in the morning! The water was insanely clear and blue.
14. Rinella Bay
How to get there: You can get to Rinella by bus or by uber. Depending on the bus that you take, it might not be right next to the beach.
Water depth: You can walk into the water, and it gradually gets deeper. If you do not feel comfortable floating, this beach is good for hanging out by the shore.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: There were barely any tourists at this beach.
What to do there or around: There are small restaurants around, and you can use their restroom if you buy something.
Overall general appreciation: Although this beach was beautiful, I did not enjoy it as much because there were a lot of industrial boats around, as you can see on the picture. It took away the peacefulness and the nature aspect of the beach.
15. St. Peter’s Pool
How to get there: I recommend getting to St. Peter’s Pool by uber. It is located far from a bus stop and far from the nearest city.
Water depth: Once in the water, either using a ladder or by going down by a rock, the water is deep. You will have to float if you want to stay in.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: St. Peter’s Pool is very crowded.
What to do there or around: There are no restrooms, shops or restaurants near by. Make sure to bring everything that you need with you. There was one food truck before arriving to St. Peter’s Pool that served simple food and drinks. At the beach, you can go cliff jumping. There are two main areas to cliff jump.
Overall general appreciation: I really loved this beach because of the cliff jumping (I love adrenaline activities). The water was also very clean. The only down sides were that it was crowded and that there were no facilities around.
16. Ta’ Kalanka Sea Cave
How to get there: I recommend getting to Ta’ Kalanka Sea Cave by uber. It is located far from a bus stop and far from the nearest city. It is also very close to St. Peter’s Pool.
Water depth: There is one ladder that brings you into the sea, and from that ladder, the water is very deep.
Type of beach: Rocky beach
Crowds: Ta’ Kalanka Sea Cave was not crowded.
What to do there or around: There weren’t any restrooms or restaurants around. It is far from the city.
Overall general appreciation: I loved this beach because there was a rock formation in the sea that we could swim to. There was plenty of salt formed on the rock.
Jessie Across the World 