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►Diving Sites In Malta, Gozo & Comino

Find Below a good selection or number of dive sites in Malta and Gozo, with a brief description of the location including the depth. Next to each location you will find abbreviations in different colors which will illustrate whether one can go Snorkeling, Boat Diving or Shore Diving, open water dives and whether there is a Wreck or a Cave in that location of Malta. Please use the legend on the right to identify the meaning of the abbreviations. We hope that you will find all information about dive sites of Malta, scuba diving schools and more.

Here is a Map of Malta and Gozo where you can find the diving locations detailed hereunder.

►HMS MAORI

Location: In front of the entrance to the dockyard creek at St. Elmo’s Bay (Valletta)

Maximum depth: 18m (60ft)

HMS MAORI (1937): She was sunk in 1942.This is the ship that was involved in the chase that led to the sinking of the  famous German 'Bismark'. Divers are able to gain easy access to her remains, with exits all the way through.

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BD

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►Qawra Reef

Location:  500m off the northwest tip of Qawra point. (Bugibba)

Maximum depth: 50m (165ft)

This is a boat dive. There are many caves to explore on this spectacular reef. These are all safe for divers.

BD

►Ahrax Point

Location:  Off the NE point of the Marfa Ridge (Marfa-Mellieha)

Maximum depth: 25m (80ft)

This is one of the most spectacular sites. Here there are huge, dense, luscious Posedonia meadows were over 300 species of marine life breed and spawn. Moving further seaward you will encounter one amazing drop off which take you from 7m down to past 20m.The visibility here is pristine.

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►Rdum L-Ahmar (Red Cliffs)

Location: Very close to Ahrax Point (Marfa)

Maximum depth: 36m (120ft)

Large numbers of massive rocks create wonderful swim throughs. This is yet another great diving site due its impeccable visibility beyond 30m. You could observe some bigger fish here like Jacks and Dentex.

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►Qammieh Point

Location:  At the Western end of Marfa, off the SW of Qammieh Point (Mellieha near Red Tower)

Maximum Depth: Beyond 70m

This site drops near vertically to the seabed 50m below and then slopes off to very deep water.  There is a very old cave on the southern side of the slope too. This is what drop offs are all about. This is a boat dive.

BD

►M'Tahleb -

Location: Off the east coast at the end of the road leading to Rdum tas-Sarg north of Ras id-Dawwara Bay

Maximum depth:  Beyond 70m (230ft)

This is a relatively unexplored site due to its inaccessibility.  Walking down 300m of rugged headland may be fine but climbing back up is the impossible task. This site features vertical walls, ledges, caves and caverns but it's best done by boat.

BD

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►Migrah Ferha - (Mtahleb)

Location:   Off the Dingli Cliffs on the SW coast

Maximum depth:  Beyond 60m (200ft)

Unless you would like to do this site by boat, here you'll have to negotiate over 150 steps. Entry is into 8m of water, from where you head SE.  Along the wall there is an archway and cave at 12m which rises up inside to 4m, often with a layer of fresh water at the top.

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►Ghar Lapsi (Zurrieq/Siggiewi)

Location: Off the south coast near the Mnajdra & Hagar Qim Temples.

Maximum Depth: 15m (50ft)

An easy dive. Entrance is in a small enclosure in 3m. Heading out seaward towards the sand, ( direction Filfla island), keep to the right side of the headland. You'll find a trench. Follow it for 10m until you reach the famous cave. This shallow cave will take you back through into the small enclosure you began your dive in. Excellent visibility & marine life.

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►Wreck UM-El-Faroud (Zurrieq)

Location: 140m (460ft) southwest of Wied iz-Zurrieq

Maximum Depth:  34m (115ft)

This 110m tanker was scuttled & sunk in 1998.  This operation was a great success as she sits upright on a sandy seabed.  She has attracted many different forms of marine life from Barracudas to sun fish & trigger fish. The species that are most abundant here, like everywhere around the Maltese islands, are Damsel fish, Sea bream, Painted Combers, Silver Fish, Mullets, Parrot fish, Wrasses & more. It was also highly interesting to see the first colonisers take over this wreck. Inevitably sea grasses, plants, algae, jellies and other species took over first attracting the herbivores like Parrot fish & Salemas. Following closely Baracuda's & Amber Jack's hoped for a quick pick on this great wreck. Entering this wreck requires experience, familiarity, good planning and the right equipment ..ex.. torches ! Enter with caution. Plan this dive properly and stick to it. You may encounter some currents leaving the wreck. I would advise in this situation to dive off the wreck into deeper water heading towards your exit point keeping the posedonia slope ridge to your left. Leave the wreck with still 90/100 bars of air for added precaution. Taking a compass heading & using a dive computer are added safety features that I would strongly recommend. Use a 15lit. tank or greater too.

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►Wied Iz-Zurrieq (Blue Grotto- Zurrieq)

Location:  Off the ferry slip at Wied iz-Zurrieq headland

Maximum depth: 30m (100ft)

A much sought-after site indeed.  After a giant stride entry into the water, one must swim across and out of the mouth of the bay and turn right (West) to follow the cliff wall.  Many caves can be found here.  At about 23m you'll meet the first cave which is to your right on the headland turning.The bigger caves are just around the corner, with 3 entrances and the exit is by retracing the route into the bay. The entrance and exit areas are the same as for the Um el faroud ship wreck.

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►Filfla Island -

Location: Off the Southern shore

Maximum depth: Beyond 70m (230ft)

One can divide this site into several diving areas. Once used for target practice during World War II, Filfla is now a National Nature Reserve, with restricted accesses.  Special and limited visiting permits are granted.  Many unexploded shells are still found here so caution and good sense must be practiced here. Divers are always advised not to remove and/or collect any marine life or artifacts found whilst enjoying this sport, even more at such a site. Boat dive only.

►Tugboat Rozi- Cirkewwa

Location:  Approximately 120m (400ft) directly out from the old steel jetty on a bearing of 280 degrees magnetic.

Maximum depth: 36m (120ft)

This tugboat was scuttled & sunk in 1992. She sits upright on a sandy bottom with her forward facing West. You could follow the reef all the way to her stern keeping the reef to your right. This is one of the best diving sites around Malta offering excellent visibility. The same caution, respect, safety & care should be practiced for all wrecks.

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►Marfa Point Caves (The Madonna) - Cirkewwa-Marfa

Location: 20m before the light house at Marfa Point (where the Malta/Gozo ferry births)

Maximum depth: 18m (60ft)

Very easy access. Walk down a 10m concrete slope into a shallow 1m pool which is ideal for last minute preparations and buddy checks. Once you make your way out from the pool turn right and drop down to 5m. Move along with the wall to your right for 20m until you arrive to one of the most impressive drop offs you'll ever see. Drop down to 17m keeping the wall to your right. There in the corner you'll see a small cave with a statue of the Holy Mary which was placed here by the Amphibians Diving Club. Leave the cave and climb up to 12m on a ridge full with Posedonia. Always with the wall to your right you will immediately see a spectacular swim through. Enter and then make your way back around to your exit point keeping the wall to your left. There are at least five different amazing dive sites in this one location. These are all shore dives.

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►Santa Marija Caves - Comino

Location:   NW of Comino.

Maximum depth: 15m (49ft)

There are about ten different caves in this one area alone. Some are dead ends whilst others offer breathtaking swim throughs. A large cave, extending horizontally to over 30 m (100ft) connects to another cave.  At the junction there is a shaft open to the sky, which makes this site a remarkable photographic opportunity.  This is an incredible site for sighting large quantities of huge Sea bream too. This is only a boat dive.

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►Cominotto Rock & Reef- Comino

Location:  NW of Cominotto island all the way to the edge of the reef's drop-off.

Maximum depth: 36m (120ft)

This is a vertical wall which drops to 39m (127ft). You could see boulders covered in colourful sponges and golden cup corals which create swim throughs and caverns. Boat dive.

►Lantern Point (Lighthouse Reef) - Comino

Location: SW point of Comino

Maximum depth: Beyond 50m (165ft)

Another remarkable drop off dive down from a shallow plateau at approx 6m. You could, either dive along the reef at about 25m and venture to both sides of the headland, or decide to start your dive at the entrance to a chimney which will take you down to approx 16m. You could keep on descending to greater depths if wished passed the large boulders, which have created some wonderful swim throughs. Only done by boat.

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MAP OF MALTA - GOZO - COMINO