The Best Beaches in Malta and Gozo

Here is the thing nobody tells you about Malta’s coastline: most of it is rock. The islands are limestone, the sea has been working on that limestone for a very long time, and the result is a coast of cliffs, shelves, lidos and natural pools rather than long beaches of sand. That is not a bad thing once you accept it, because the rock swimming is often beautiful and the water is the clearest in the Mediterranean, but it does mean the idea of Malta as a beach holiday island needs a small correction.

The good news is that the sandy beaches that do exist are excellent, and they crowd into a short stretch of the northwest coast and a couple of other spots. This guide sorts the real sand from the rock, names the beaches worth the trip, and covers the swimming season, so you know where to go and what to expect. The other good swimming is offshore on the Blue Lagoon and around Gozo, and the Malta itinerary works the beaches into the days.

The sandy shortlist

If sand is the goal, the list is short and worth knowing by heart. On Malta: Mellieha Bay, the longest sandy beach on the island, shallow and family friendly; Golden Bay, the broad sandy bay on the northwest coast with the best known sunset; Ghajn Tuffieha, next door, prettier and quieter; and Pretty Bay at Birzebbuga in the south, sheltered and sandy. On Gozo: Ramla Bay, the red sand beach, and the smaller coves at Mgarr ix-Xini and San Blas.

Everything else on the coast is a variation on rock. The flat rock lidos of Sliema and St Julian’s are where locals swim off the concrete, the natural pool at St Peter’s Pool is cut into the shelf at Marsaxlokk, and the beaches of the north coast have some sand but shallow, rocky edges. This is the reality to plan around, not fight: bring water shoes, treat the rock as your sun lounger, and the swimming is as good as anywhere in the Mediterranean.

Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha

Golden Bay is the postcard beach of Malta, a wide curve of sand on the northwest coast backed by low cliffs, with sunbeds, a beach bar and a car park, and a reputation built on its sunsets. It is the easiest sandy beach to reach from Valletta and Sliema by bus, which is also why it fills in summer, so come early for a spot near the water. The sand is soft, the water shelves gradually, and the afternoon shade arrives late, which makes it a full day rather than a brief stop.

Next door, and a world away in feel, is Ghajn Tuffieha, also called the Riviera. The bay is reached by a long staircase down from the road, which keeps the crowd thinner, and there are no facilities, so bring everything you need. The sand and the setting are as good as Golden Bay, and the walk down and up is the price of the quiet. Between the two, Golden Bay is the easy choice and Ghajn Tuffieha the rewarding one.

Mellieha and the north

Mellieha Bay, or Ghadira, is the longest sandy beach on Malta and the best one for families. The bay is broad and the water stays shallow a long way out, so children can paddle safely, and there are sunbeds, cafes and watersports along the sand. It sits in the north of the island, close to the Gozo ferry terminal at Cirkewwa and the Comino boats, which makes it a natural beach stop on the way to or from the islands.

The northern coast adds a few more options, including Paradise Bay near Cirkewwa and the quieter coves around Mellieha, and the whole area is where many of the all inclusive resorts cluster, because the beaches here are the island’s best. If a sandy beach holiday is the plan rather than a sightseeing trip, this is the part of Malta to book.

St Peter’s Pool and the south

St Peter’s Pool, near Marsaxlokk on the south coast, is the best rock swim on the island and one of the most fun. It is a natural pool cut into the flat limestone shelf, with deep, clear water, ledges to lie on and jump from, and no sand at all. In summer it is busy and the parking fills, so come early, wear shoes for the rock, and treat the jumping with the usual caution. The same stretch of coast holds the Blue Grotto and the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, which makes a good south coast day.

Further east, Pretty Bay at Birzebbuga is a sheltered sandy beach, popular with families and a rare patch of sand in the south. It is less scenic than Golden Bay or Mellieha, with a working harbour nearby, but it is calm, easy and good for a swim when the wind is up on the exposed coasts. Between Pretty Bay, St Peter’s Pool and the coves around Marsaxlokk and Marsaskala, the south coast has more swimming than its low profile suggests.

The Gozo beaches

Gozo has the best beach in the islands in Ramla Bay, a wide sweep of distinctive red sand below green terraced hills, with the Tal-Mixta and Calypso cave viewpoints above it. It is the island’s most popular beach and still feels open outside the peak, with shallow water and a wilder setting than the Maltese resorts. Beyond Ramla, the coves at Mgarr ix-Xini and the small red sand bay at San Blas are quieter and prettier, reached by winding roads, and Xlendi and Marsalforn are the two village beaches with restaurants and easy swimming.

The extra Gozo draw is the crossing to Comino, where the Blue Lagoon and the Crystal Lagoon give you the most famous swimming in the archipelago. A night on Gozo makes an early start on the Blue Lagoon easy, before the boats from Malta arrive, and the Comino guide has the full detail. For the underwater side of the same coast, the Malta and Gozo diving guide covers the Blue Hole, the wrecks and the best months to get in.

The swimming season

The sea is warm enough for most people from late May into October, with the peak water temperature in September, around 25 to 26 C. July and August have the warmest sea and the busiest beaches, with the sun at its strongest; June and September give you warm water with far fewer people and better light. Several of the sandy beaches hold the Blue Flag eco label for water quality and facilities, and the shallower bays warm up fastest in spring. See the month by month guide for the whole year.

The one thing to watch is the wind. The exposed northwest and north coasts can get rough when the northerly wind picks up, which is when the sheltered south coast, Pretty Bay and the inland feel of Ghajn Tuffieha, come into their own. Check the forecast, pick the coast that is sheltered that day, and the swimming is good for half the year.

Practical information