The optimal time for the best seaside holidays in Malta is from May to September, with early fall considered the velvet season. Combining a sightseeing tour with a seaside vacation is popular, given that Malta offers more than just beaches. It's notably cost-effective compared to resorts in Italy. Malta's coastline, with its numerous bays and coves, caters to diverse preferences—sandy or stony, civilized with lounge chair rentals, or wild for a tranquil escape from crowds. The absence of tides, underwater currents, dangerous fish, or jellyfish ensures safe and enjoyable swimming.
Many seaside hotels provide free access to private beaches for their guests. Others can access these beaches by paying a fee (starting from 1 EUR). Some Beach Clubs offer private beaches independently of hotels, with paid entry for everyone. These private beaches often provide amenities like sunbeds, umbrellas, and water sports centers.
Mellieha Bay, also known as Il Hadira or Adira, stretches along the western shore of the bay of the same name, near the town of Mellieha in the north of the island. The sandy bottom and gentle, shallow waters extending 50 meters from the shore make it an ideal vacation spot for families. Sun beds, sun umbrellas, kiosks with drinks and snacks, cafes, restaurants, and rentals for water activities like water skis, windsurfers, canoes, sea bikes, scooters, paragliding, and banana boat rides are available on the beach.
Golden Bay on the west coast, nestled between two headlands, offers similar amenities to Mellieha Bay. Moving south, Ain Tufiha Beach at the northern end of Jneina Bay requires descending a long flight of stairs. The beach provides sunbeds, lounge chairs, sun umbrellas for rent, and kiosks offering drinks and light snacks. In the very northwest, Paradise Bay is a small sandy beach in Chirkevva Bay, accessible via stairs. On the southeastern coast, Pretty Bay is one of the best sandy beaches with organized rentals of sun beds, sun loungers, sun umbrellas, kiosks with drinks and snacks, and cafes.
For those who prefer Malta's stony beaches, characterized by clearer water, flat rocks for comfortable sunbathing, and safe bottoms for adults and children, options are available along the coasts of Sliema, St. Julians, Bujibba, Aura, Marsascala, and Zurik. These stony beaches are excellent for snorkeling and exploring the captivating underwater world.
Chirkevva and Marfa mark the remote edge of the earth, featuring three hotels, a small sandy beach, and a ferry pier. Here, the primary attractions for tourists include swimming, diving, and the tranquility of solitude. Convenient ferries and boats are available for trips to Gozo and Comino.
The island of Gozo boasts notable sandy beaches in the north, including Ramla, San Blas, Hondo ir Rummin. There are just two beach resorts on Gozo – Marsalforn, a town with a few hotels, and the picturesque southwest town of Schlendi, with a harbor surrounded by restaurants, a couple of hotels, and numerous houses offering apartments for rent.
Comino, also a destination for swimmers, features the Blue Lagoon nestled between the small island and the nearby microscopic Cominotto. This stunning bay with clear blue water, white sandy bottom, and abundant marine life attracts numerous tourists. Popular beaches on the island include St. Mary's Bay and St. Nicholas Bay.
