Are you looking for a place to swim? These are Malta's best beaches

Surely you have already seen the pictures of Malta's beaches, with crystal clear waters. Maltese beaches are famous for the clean and clear sea that surrounds all kinds of beaches - pebble, rocky and sandy.

Three varieties of limestone, blue clay and green sand create the marvelous coastal landscape of the Maltese islands: cliffs, mysterious caves, rocks, brittle or sticky clay hills, smooth stretches of limestone and Malta's beautiful beaches with different types of sand. The beaches here can be covered with soft golden sand like Golden Bay, burnt orange sand like Ramla on Gozo or coarse white sand like Blue Lagoon on Comino, and other textures and colors. Each of them gives the beach a specific character.

Most of the sandy beaches are to the north of the island, but rocky beaches such as Ghar Lapsi and St Peter's Pool to the south offer excellent snorkeling opportunities and excellent visibility even in the height of summer. Depending on the color of the rocks and sand, Malta's beaches give way to seas of different shades of blue and green. The sea is crystal clear all along the coast and swimming in it is like in a pool, only much more beautiful.

Many Maltese beaches have obtained the Blue Flag status, which guarantees a high level of safety and quality of services. Secluded beaches are hard to come by, but well worth the effort. We would like to show you the best beaches in Malta with their best kept secrets.

Riviera Bay (Ghajn Tuffieha)

The Riviera is located in the northwest of the island, near the Golden Bay. About 180 steps lead to this beach with golden sands and a clear greenish sea surrounded by hills. Take the path that leads to the other side to the protruding rock known as Ras il-Qarraba to see the secluded beach of the same name below and the Gnejna Bay on the other side of the sea. This beautiful area is also perfect for trekking and watching the sunset.

Gnejna Bay

Gnejna has both a sandy and rocky beach, and its far right is surrounded by clay cliffs. Although it is very close to the Riviera, the road to it leads through the typical Maltese village of Mgarr. On the left side of the golden beach there is a row of boat houses, and a walk there allows you to admire the beautiful scenery. A walk to the right will take you to secluded swimming spots. Gnejna is very popular with Maltese people, and many boat houses become beach houses in summer with barbecues around.

Fomm ir-Rih

Fomm ir-Rih - the mouth of the wind - is one of the wildest beaches in Malta. It is a pebble beach surrounded by gorgeous cliffs. This secluded beach, located on the west coast of Malta, can be reached via a series of winding country roads in the Bahrija area and a 15-minute hike down a steep path. While most beaches are crowded you can still find peace here, but there are also no amenities here, so bring food, drink and something to provide shade. The beauty and tranquility of the place and the excellent snorkeling views are well worth the effort.

Il-Kalanka, Delimara

Another hard-to-reach rocky beach, but this time in the south of the island. As fewer options are available on this side, it is visited by more local people. However, there is plenty of space and you can even find some shaded spots along the smooth limestone rock and the blue sea is perfect for snorkeling.

Mellieha Bay (Ghadira), Mellieha

Malta's largest beach is located at the northern tip of the island. It is perfectly accessible and equipped with sun loungers, umbrellas, kiosks for food and drinks and ice cream, and the sea here is shallow for a long time. This makes Mellieha Bay perfect for families with children and can get very crowded. There are also canoe and rowing boat rentals as well as water games.

Mgiebah, Selmun

With any luck, you'll have the whole beach to yourself - it's one of the most secluded places. Moreover, the landscape here is gorgeous. Beautiful, unspoiled nature, dark golden beach and crystal blue sea. It can be difficult to get here and parking spaces are limited which puts a lot of people off but definitely the place is worth it. You will arrive here along a narrow country road and after a short walk down to the beach. There are no amenities here, so plan well.

Slugs Bay, L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha

Probably the smallest beach in Malta. There is space on the sand for only 4 towels. But don't worry, this little beach is nestled by the pool amidst the jagged debris that fell from the cliffs of Ahrax millions of years ago, and there are several spots here where you can lay down quite comfortably. There is little space here, but also not many people make it here as it takes a 10 minute walk from the top of the cliff to the end of Ahrax point and there are rarely more than 3-4 groups of people. Take everything you need, it's far from here to all amenities.

Paradise Bay, Cirkewwa

The azure waters and white sands of Paradise Bay are reminiscent of the Blue Lagoon of Comino. Surrounded by lush vegetation, this little cove is a natural treat. It is also equipped with a restaurant and a lido. You can get there by the same road that leads to the ferry to Gozo and you have to climb a lot of steps.

Blue Lagoon, Comino

By far the most stunning views on the Maltese islands are the splendor of the turquoise waters lying between the islands of Comino and Kemmunet. The water changes color from blue to almost pure white, and in deeper areas it becomes shiny blue. The high transparency of the water provides an amazing snorkeling experience to fully enjoy the caves and lush marine life. Be prepared to spend many hours in the water, which is probably better than sitting in a crowd of tourists on land. Board the first ferry of the day to enjoy the Blue Lagoon while it is still calm. Of all the beaches in Malta, make sure you don't miss a swim in this one.

Ramla Bay, Gozo

This beach is one of the most beautiful you can visit in the Maltese Archipelago. It is located in the northern part of the island of Gozo. The name Ramla comes from the Maltese word ir ramla - red because of the color of sand. Ramla Bay is hidden among beautiful tall green hills and the water here is shallow, which makes it warmer than anywhere else in the archipelago. The bay area is free from hotels and resorts, which makes the beach an ideal place to relax at any time of the year.

San Blas Bay, Gozo

San Blas na Gozo is relatively unknown compared to its more beloved older sister, Ramla. San Blas offers the same beautiful landscape but on a much smaller scale and is much more secluded. The burnt orange sands on a green background and the blue sea are a delight for the senses, and peace is guaranteed here. The hike downhill to the beach is long, but in the summer months, jeeps take visitors back for a nominal fee. A kiosk made of bamboo and palm leaves serves a few basic items such as beer, coffee and toast. You couldn't get any closer to paradise.

More tips?

There are many other beaches in Malta to discover. Such as Armier Bay in the north, Bahar ic-Caghaq in the east and St. Thomas Bay in the south. Or Hondoq ir-Rummien or Xlendi Bay on Gozo. You can be sure that wherever you go, you will find an amazing beach with a place to swim in the azure waters.