With over 30 beaches in Malta and Gozo, swimming and a spot of sunbathing are a must when you visit.

Given the close proximity of some of the bays and beaches, you can plan to visit more than one in a day and check out whether you prefer the sand or the rocks. You might even find yourself heading for an autumn or winter dip, as good weather graces the islands practically all year round.

At the moment, 11 beaches in Malta and Gozo are proudly flying the Blue Flag awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Blue Flag status indicates that a beach meets and maintains environmental, educational, safety, and access-related criteria. Our 11 Blue Flag bays and beaches are:

• Saint George’s Bay, St Julian’s
• Fond Għadir Bay, Sliema
• Westin Dragonara Beach Resort, St Julian’s
• Qawra Rock Beach
• Buġibba Perched Beach
• Għadira Bay, Mellieħa
• Golden Sands Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa
• Għajn Tuffieħa Bay, Mgarr
• Ramla l-Ħamra Bay, Xagħra Gozo
• Ħondoq Bay, Qala Gozo
• Marsalforn Bay, Marsalforn Gozo

Moreover, according to the European Environment Agency’s report on bathing water quality, over 97% of bathing sites in Malta are of excellent quality! This puts Malta among the top three countries boasting waters that are excellent for swimming in.

Beyond beaches, the enthralling underwater world surrounding the Maltese archipelago attracts some 110,000 divers every year. Diving schools have mushroomed on the islands, so you need not worry about finding the best diving spots and equipment rental. The Maltese islands have scooped up many awards over the years, with the most recent title having been awarded in 2019 after readers of Diver Magazine voted the archipelago second best dive destination of the year.

If you would like to get a taste of Malta’s underwater world has to offer, we invite you to take the virtual plunge by watching the two documentaries below, which were produced with the support of the Malta Airport Foundation.