Malta is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, to the south of Italy, where the two main languages spoken are English and Maltese. Malta has become an increasingly popular holiday resort in recent years, boasting a wide range of attractions and reliably lovely weather and hot dry sunny summers.
Although Malta is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, it is a small island, so the choice of good beaches is relatively limited. There are some rocky and sandy beaches that offer good sunbathing and relaxation opportunities, and are often quiet outside of the peak months (July and August) but can often get crowded in high summer. Most of the beaches offer some opportunities for water sports and many are close to sources of entertainment and nightlife.
Family friendly
Paradise Bay in the far north of Malta, close to the Gozo Ferry, is a very high-rated family-friendly beach. It is a clean beach especially good for swimming and snorkelling, and is good for children, too. The Golden Sands beach is a popular beach which is situated 4km from the St Paul's Bay area, and can be accessed from St Paul's Bay via a 15 minute bus ride. It is particularly good beach for sunbathing and swimming. There are some snack bars in the vicinity and the 5-star Radisson Hotel is very close by. Ghadira Bay at Mellieha Bay is the largest sandy beach in the Maltese islands, and is particularly suitable for families with small children.
There are good facilities for sunbathing, swimming and water sports, and the taverns, bars and restaurants nearby provide good nightlife opportunities, though the beach can often get crowded during July and August. Bugibba Beach is a primarily man-made beach, which offers good sunbathing and swimming opportunities but is not among the most picturesque of beaches. Armier Bay and Little Armier features good beaches for sunbathing and also swimming in the nearby seas, and some casual eating facilities. These bays are popular for picnics and barbeques.
Lively beaches
Ghadira Bay at Mellieha Bay, the largest beach in the Maltese islands, is close to some good beach bars and cafes and the nearby bars and restaurant offer entertainment in the evenings, particularly during the peak season. Pretty Bay at Birzeebugia is the only major beach in the south of Malta and features a range of facilities along a nearby promenade, and it offers good opportunities for swimming and snorkelling.
One of the best beaches for access to nearby entertainment and nightlife is St. George's Bay, which only offers a small stretch of beach, but is close to the clubbing hotspot of Paceville as well as close to nearby attractions such as the Eden Superbowl ten pin bowling alley.
Rocky, sandy & limestone
There are some small rocky beaches at Bahar ic-Caghaq, which are good for relaxation and snorkelling. The beach at the Blue Lagoon is full of rocks and cliffs, and makes for good exploration opportunities as well as simply being a pleasant place to just relax and sunbathe. St. George's Bay, as well as being good for proximity to entertainment and nightlife, is a popular sandy beach.
Paradise Bay in the far north of Malta, close to the Gozo Ferry, and the Golden Sands beach, situated 4km from the St Paul's Bay area, is also very sandy. The Sliema sea front contains no sandy beaches, but there are some rocky areas that are suitable for sunbathing and swimming.
Blue flag
Six beaches have been granted blue flag status in Malta. These beaches are the man-made Bugibba Beach, good for swimming and sunbathing and great for families, the popular Ghadira Bay, the secluded Ramla Bay, Qawra Point, the sandy St. George's Bay (also good for its proximity to entertainment and nightlife) and the secluded Ghajin Tuffieha, situated within a 15 minute bus journey of St Paul's Bay.
Water sports
Ghadira Bay at Mellieha Bay, the largest beach in the Maltese islands, has facilities for water skiing, parasailing and other activities such as pedalos and banana boat rides. Qawra Point also offers good water sports facilities. The Golden Sands beach has water sports facilities provided by the Golden Sands Hotel.
Boat trips
Armier Bay and Little Armier feature boathouses by the side of the bay, which are often used as summer residences by the locals. The Sliema sea front contains no sandy beaches, but various boat trips depart from the bay, including Grand Harbour cruises, and there are lots of cruises along the sea front, too.
Naturist
Ghajin Tuffieha, situated within a 15 minute bus journey of St Paul's Bay, is quite tricky to access as it requires negotiation of a long steep staircase, but it is close to a National Park and features plenty of greenery nearby. The beach at Qawra Point is good for greenery in and around the neighbouring area.
Secluded
The family-friendly beach of Paradise Bay in the far north of Malta, close to the Gozo Ferry, is in quite a secluded bay. Hola Beach, at Marfa, is a quiet beach with a good view of Gozo and Comino, and hosts palm trees and beds with mattresses and pillows, plus an on-site bar. Ghajin Tuffieha, situated within a 15 minute bus journey of St Paul's Bay, is quite secluded as it is relatively difficult to access (a long steep staircase has to be negotiated in order to get there). It is usually quiet, but as it is only a small beach, it can become crowded in July and August. It is suitable for swimming and late-evening BBQs, but not suitable for young children.
Ramla Bay on the island of Gozo is fairly well cut off from development and offers good sunbathing opportunities, and there are snack bars available. The small rocky beaches at Bahar ic-Caghaq are rather out of the way and tend not to get busy.