Malta Diving
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I remember it very well. The first time I went down under.
I found myself 18 meters below sea level, among the exquisite coral reef of the Honduran Caribbean, and experienced a confusing emotional mixture of ecstatic delight and heart-shattering frustration. On the one hand I was high-fiving myself for taking that transformative step to go out there and spend the time, efforts, and money to finally get my PADI… on the other hand I couldn’t bloody believe it that I was at about country #50 at the time, but I only explored the lands, while totally ignoring the endlessly intriguing and highly diverse underwater world I was in the close proximity of. It felt like I basically had to start all over again.
Luckily, when I made my way to the tiny European island of Malta, tucked away in the very heart of the Mediterranean, I was trained and ready to plunge right in.
I found myself 18 meters below sea level, among the exquisite coral reef of the Honduran Caribbean, and experienced a confusing emotional mixture of ecstatic delight and heart-shattering frustration. On the one hand I was high-fiving myself for taking that transformative step to go out there and spend the time, efforts, and money to finally get my PADI… on the other hand I couldn’t bloody believe it that I was at about country #50 at the time, but I only explored the lands, while totally ignoring the endlessly intriguing and highly diverse underwater world I was in the close proximity of. It felt like I basically had to start all over again.
Luckily, when I made my way to the tiny European island of Malta, tucked away in the very heart of the Mediterranean, I was trained and ready to plunge right in.
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Recommended Dive School
Visiting Malta without exploring its marine life could be considered as visiting Peru and skipping on all the Inca-stuff, or heading to the Swiss Alps without including skiing or hiking in the program. Therefore, the supply of diving schools in Malta is rather overwhelming, and it can be properly stressful to filter out the best one to fit your needs. Personally, I had a great experience with Corsair Diving, where I received professional guidance from well-trained instructors. What I liked about from this dive school is their approach of combining the pleasure of diving with learning moments. In the past, I have been spoilt a tad too much (very much to my own disadvantage) by fully-catered dive trips where all my gear was already set up and all the thinking was basically done for me. This made my kind of lazy and prone to forget the absolute essentials of scuba diving. Luckily, Gordon and Chris from Corsair wouldn’t have that: They carefully monitored me during both the preparation, dive and wrap-up – their corrections and feedback putting me right back into the game.
Visiting Malta without exploring its marine life could be considered as visiting Peru and skipping on all the Inca-stuff, or heading to the Swiss Alps without including skiing or hiking in the program. Therefore, the supply of diving schools in Malta is rather overwhelming, and it can be properly stressful to filter out the best one to fit your needs. Personally, I had a great experience with Corsair Diving, where I received professional guidance from well-trained instructors. What I liked about from this dive school is their approach of combining the pleasure of diving with learning moments. In the past, I have been spoilt a tad too much (very much to my own disadvantage) by fully-catered dive trips where all my gear was already set up and all the thinking was basically done for me. This made my kind of lazy and prone to forget the absolute essentials of scuba diving. Luckily, Gordon and Chris from Corsair wouldn’t have that: They carefully monitored me during both the preparation, dive and wrap-up – their corrections and feedback putting me right back into the game.
Map Credits
A very useful interactive dive-site map of Malta, including descriptions, details, photos and videos of all 228 local dive-sites, can be found on Maltadives.com.
Personal Suggestions
I wish I could say I have visited and explored all diving locations in Malta. Even 7 months later I regretfully have to conclude that this is not the case. Part of the reason is that during covid-times, scuba diving was suspended (the Maltese government somehow concluded that being 20 meters below sea level with a mask on and breathing your own tank of air is a serious threat)… but another explanation can be found in the fact that it’s simply hard to run out of dive sites on an island literally surrounded by the splendid crystal clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. I purchased a cost-effective 10-pack in order to get a first taste.
Budget Bucket List’s Dives:
1. Inland Sea (Gozo)
You heard me frenzying about Gozo when it comes to hiking… I’m going to do the same here for scuba diving. Gozo simply does nature extremely well. My absolute favorite diving experience in Malta took place at the northernmost tip of this island: the Inland Sea. I had passed this location on several occasions during my hikes, and it didn’t seem like much… but as stated in the intro above: The realities on land and in the deep waters can be considered two entirely different worlds. Little did I know that below that little bay there is a mysterious entrance into a long, deep tunnel, forming a gateway through a network of underwater caverns. The mystical play of light and shadows made me forget that we are in fact on Planet Earth, triggering my senses with inter-galactical daydreams and reveries of me resembling the Little Mermaid gracefully swimming down into Ursula’s haunted sanctuary. On the spot I got promptly faced with the urge to invent some brand-new underwater sign language: making wild explosion-signs next to my head… properly mind-blown!
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner
Depth reached: 19,5m
Marine life spotted: Amberjacks, Groupers, Damselfish, Fireworms (my diving buddy got stung by one and confirmed they do their name justice - be careful!)
2. Blue Hole (Gozo)
My second favorite dive also took place on Gozo, on the exact same day as the previous – double jackpot! The Blue Hole is in fact a very popular tourist spot, attracting especially young crowds who enjoy plumetting into the baffling blue waters right next to a previous icon of Malta: The Azure Window, which collapsed in 2017 during heavy storms. The rugged and rocky area provides a natural pool which simply invites for a refreshing swim on those notoriously dry and unbearably hot summer days. However, most people don’t get the experience to actually descend deep down into this sinkhole and look up at this this blue taunting circle from 15 meters below. An underwater archway gives direct access to the sea and leads to new subaquatic discoveries, such as The Chimney, the Azure Reef, the Coral Gardens, and a variety of irresistible caves.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Advanced
Depth reached: 29m
Marine life spotted: Amberjacks, Groupers, Fireworms – careful: the Blue Hole’s rock surfaces are scattered with sea urchins!
A very useful interactive dive-site map of Malta, including descriptions, details, photos and videos of all 228 local dive-sites, can be found on Maltadives.com.
Personal Suggestions
I wish I could say I have visited and explored all diving locations in Malta. Even 7 months later I regretfully have to conclude that this is not the case. Part of the reason is that during covid-times, scuba diving was suspended (the Maltese government somehow concluded that being 20 meters below sea level with a mask on and breathing your own tank of air is a serious threat)… but another explanation can be found in the fact that it’s simply hard to run out of dive sites on an island literally surrounded by the splendid crystal clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. I purchased a cost-effective 10-pack in order to get a first taste.
Budget Bucket List’s Dives:
1. Inland Sea (Gozo)
You heard me frenzying about Gozo when it comes to hiking… I’m going to do the same here for scuba diving. Gozo simply does nature extremely well. My absolute favorite diving experience in Malta took place at the northernmost tip of this island: the Inland Sea. I had passed this location on several occasions during my hikes, and it didn’t seem like much… but as stated in the intro above: The realities on land and in the deep waters can be considered two entirely different worlds. Little did I know that below that little bay there is a mysterious entrance into a long, deep tunnel, forming a gateway through a network of underwater caverns. The mystical play of light and shadows made me forget that we are in fact on Planet Earth, triggering my senses with inter-galactical daydreams and reveries of me resembling the Little Mermaid gracefully swimming down into Ursula’s haunted sanctuary. On the spot I got promptly faced with the urge to invent some brand-new underwater sign language: making wild explosion-signs next to my head… properly mind-blown!
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner
Depth reached: 19,5m
Marine life spotted: Amberjacks, Groupers, Damselfish, Fireworms (my diving buddy got stung by one and confirmed they do their name justice - be careful!)
2. Blue Hole (Gozo)
My second favorite dive also took place on Gozo, on the exact same day as the previous – double jackpot! The Blue Hole is in fact a very popular tourist spot, attracting especially young crowds who enjoy plumetting into the baffling blue waters right next to a previous icon of Malta: The Azure Window, which collapsed in 2017 during heavy storms. The rugged and rocky area provides a natural pool which simply invites for a refreshing swim on those notoriously dry and unbearably hot summer days. However, most people don’t get the experience to actually descend deep down into this sinkhole and look up at this this blue taunting circle from 15 meters below. An underwater archway gives direct access to the sea and leads to new subaquatic discoveries, such as The Chimney, the Azure Reef, the Coral Gardens, and a variety of irresistible caves.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Advanced
Depth reached: 29m
Marine life spotted: Amberjacks, Groupers, Fireworms – careful: the Blue Hole’s rock surfaces are scattered with sea urchins!
3. Tug 2 Wreck (Sliema)
I never made it a secret how much I dislike Sliema. However, it’s rather surprising how quickly your mind drifts off from Malta’s ugliest stretch of shoreline once you leave the land behind you to explore the adjacent sea. Who would have thought there is an actual shipwreck to explore only a short swim away?! The Tug 2 dive-site contains a former tugboat that was scuttled on purpose to form an artificial reef and diving attraction (one can argue: properly fitting with Sliema, where everything seems artificial, man-made and unauthentic). The wreck was originally located parallel to the reef, but was moved by an intense storm in 2016 and now crashed into the reef bow. Overall I’m a big sucker for shipwrecks, but this one blew my mind for two reasons: 1) With its 30m length and 9.5m height you can actually go into the ship and explore the different compartments, allowing for a true Pirates of the Caribbean escapade; 2) it has a GEOCACHE. Yes, an UNDERWATER GEOCACHE. The fact that it was actually placed here by Corsair Diving should be reason enough to select them above all other dive schools.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner-Advanced
Depth reached: 20.4m
Marine life spotted: Nudibranch, Cuttlefish (awesome!)
4. Hms Maori Wreck (Valletta)
Another shipwreck, keep ‘em coming! The 115m long HMS Maori used to be a British destroyer ship during WWII, which was eventually sunk in the Grand Harbour of Valletta by German air raid attacks in February 1942. After the war the wreck was raised, and the front was scuttled to its current position in St. Elmo Bay. I’m not sure about you, but I found it pretty damn awesome to combine the activity of scuba diving with a real-life right-in-your-face history class… talking about submerging yourself in Malta’s local history! What makes this dive spot rather popular is its proximity to the shore, allowing you to simply swim to it and save money on an expensive boat dive, as well as the relative shallowness making it accessible to all levels.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner
Depth reached: 14.3m
Marine life spotted: Nudibranch, Seastars, Fireworms
I never made it a secret how much I dislike Sliema. However, it’s rather surprising how quickly your mind drifts off from Malta’s ugliest stretch of shoreline once you leave the land behind you to explore the adjacent sea. Who would have thought there is an actual shipwreck to explore only a short swim away?! The Tug 2 dive-site contains a former tugboat that was scuttled on purpose to form an artificial reef and diving attraction (one can argue: properly fitting with Sliema, where everything seems artificial, man-made and unauthentic). The wreck was originally located parallel to the reef, but was moved by an intense storm in 2016 and now crashed into the reef bow. Overall I’m a big sucker for shipwrecks, but this one blew my mind for two reasons: 1) With its 30m length and 9.5m height you can actually go into the ship and explore the different compartments, allowing for a true Pirates of the Caribbean escapade; 2) it has a GEOCACHE. Yes, an UNDERWATER GEOCACHE. The fact that it was actually placed here by Corsair Diving should be reason enough to select them above all other dive schools.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner-Advanced
Depth reached: 20.4m
Marine life spotted: Nudibranch, Cuttlefish (awesome!)
4. Hms Maori Wreck (Valletta)
Another shipwreck, keep ‘em coming! The 115m long HMS Maori used to be a British destroyer ship during WWII, which was eventually sunk in the Grand Harbour of Valletta by German air raid attacks in February 1942. After the war the wreck was raised, and the front was scuttled to its current position in St. Elmo Bay. I’m not sure about you, but I found it pretty damn awesome to combine the activity of scuba diving with a real-life right-in-your-face history class… talking about submerging yourself in Malta’s local history! What makes this dive spot rather popular is its proximity to the shore, allowing you to simply swim to it and save money on an expensive boat dive, as well as the relative shallowness making it accessible to all levels.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner
Depth reached: 14.3m
Marine life spotted: Nudibranch, Seastars, Fireworms
5.Cirkewwa Arch (Ic-Cirkewwa)
I experienced my first two dives in Malta at this location. A lucky start, as not only did I spot the highest variety of marine life at this site, but it also entails the sight of the famous Cirkewwa underwater archway. More precisely: it is actually a cavern with a collapsed roof, leaving the arch as a result. It’s 12m below the surface and 8m above the bottom of the sea… and if air is blown into the water right under it, an almost enchanting scene can be created, displaying fairy-like reversed bubble-rain. Props to my dive instructors for adding that experience to the mix. The reef continues well beyond the arch, offering a wide variety of small caves and curiosities.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner
Depth reached: 17.9m
Marine life spotted: Octopuses, Wrasses, Parrot Fish, Scorpion Fish, Tubeworms, Seabream, Groupers, Fireworms, Seastars, Fireworms, Nudibranch
6. Wied-iz Zurrieq (Zurrieq)
Another dive location where I had the pleasure to indulge in two different dives: Wied-iz Zurrieq. In Malta, the word “wied” (valley) is used to refer to an inlet, a stretch of sea peaking into the rocky land. Such a natural construction makes for a perfect dive spot on windy days, shielding you from the strong waves and currents. This dive location includes a variety of underwater sights and encounters, such as the Um El Faroud: another shipwreck dive to an exploded Libyan oil tanker that was placed here in 1998 to serve as an artificial reef. A memorial honoring the 9 workers that lost their lives in this explosion can be visited under water, as well as a dive-helmet-statue at a depth of 28m, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Atlam Sub Aqua Club. Other exploration possibilities include the West Reef, which offers caves, drop-offs, boulders, ledges, and gullies; the East Reef sheltering a great variety of marine life; as also the “wied” itself which is mainly used for night diving and training. Once you finished diving, have a quick peek at the Blue Grotto (seen from the cliffs above), which is only a stone’s throw away.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner-Advanced
Depth reached: 29m
Marine life spotted: Lumberjacks, Murrays
I experienced my first two dives in Malta at this location. A lucky start, as not only did I spot the highest variety of marine life at this site, but it also entails the sight of the famous Cirkewwa underwater archway. More precisely: it is actually a cavern with a collapsed roof, leaving the arch as a result. It’s 12m below the surface and 8m above the bottom of the sea… and if air is blown into the water right under it, an almost enchanting scene can be created, displaying fairy-like reversed bubble-rain. Props to my dive instructors for adding that experience to the mix. The reef continues well beyond the arch, offering a wide variety of small caves and curiosities.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner
Depth reached: 17.9m
Marine life spotted: Octopuses, Wrasses, Parrot Fish, Scorpion Fish, Tubeworms, Seabream, Groupers, Fireworms, Seastars, Fireworms, Nudibranch
6. Wied-iz Zurrieq (Zurrieq)
Another dive location where I had the pleasure to indulge in two different dives: Wied-iz Zurrieq. In Malta, the word “wied” (valley) is used to refer to an inlet, a stretch of sea peaking into the rocky land. Such a natural construction makes for a perfect dive spot on windy days, shielding you from the strong waves and currents. This dive location includes a variety of underwater sights and encounters, such as the Um El Faroud: another shipwreck dive to an exploded Libyan oil tanker that was placed here in 1998 to serve as an artificial reef. A memorial honoring the 9 workers that lost their lives in this explosion can be visited under water, as well as a dive-helmet-statue at a depth of 28m, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Atlam Sub Aqua Club. Other exploration possibilities include the West Reef, which offers caves, drop-offs, boulders, ledges, and gullies; the East Reef sheltering a great variety of marine life; as also the “wied” itself which is mainly used for night diving and training. Once you finished diving, have a quick peek at the Blue Grotto (seen from the cliffs above), which is only a stone’s throw away.
Type: Shore Dive
Qualification: Beginner-Advanced
Depth reached: 29m
Marine life spotted: Lumberjacks, Murrays
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- More Malta blogs: Malta's Hiking Guide & Malta's Sand Beaches & Malta's Cities
- Getting my PADI at the island Roatán, Honduras
- Malaysia's tropical scubadive-island: Pulau Tioman
- Couchsurfing with a scubadiving-teacher in Puerto Madryn, Argentina
- Beaches in Panamá: San Blas, Santa Catalina & Costa Abajo
- My 1-month Workaway-project on an (almost) uninhabited island in Panamá: Isla San Cristóbal, Bocas del Toro
- Beach getaway: Nicoya and the Costa Rican coast
- The tropical beaches of Tortuguero, Costa Rica
- Beach and surfspot in El Salvador: El Zonte
- Explore Cyprus: Check out the Cyprus Nature, Cyprus Top-5 Cities and the North Cyprus Blogs!
- The beaches of Honduras: Tela & Roatán
- Enjoying the beaches of Nicaragua: Isla de Ometepe & Playa Gigante
- Beach hangouts in Uruguay: Cabo Polonio, Barra de Valizas & Punta del Diablo
- Argentinean beaches: Puerto Madryn & Colón
- Brazilian beaches: Florianopolis, Ilha Grande & Rio de Janeiro
- Paraguayan beach: Encarnación
- Bolivian beach: Copacabana & Isla del Sol
- Colombian beaches: Palomino, Cartagena, Santa Marta & Tayrona National Park, Colombia
- Relax at the beaches of the Algarve, Lisbon
- Spain and its beaches: Barcelona & Malagá
- The ultimate off-the-grid beach & surf spot in New Zealand: Port Waikato
- Lush, beautiful and with the bluest waters: Northland, New Zealand
- Pacific-island-hopping: Samoa & Fiji!
- Comfortable with the uncomfortable? Bohol & Panglao Island, The Philippines
