If you have been thinking of what to do while on holidays in Malta, then a sailing day can be something that will undoubtedly make your trip a lifetime experience. Sailing is quite a popular hobby on the island. By sailing, we mean sailing for boating purposes. Indeed, in Malta, one can find a great number of boats, sailing and motorboats. Maltese people love spending days out at sea, mostly in summer or whenever the weather permits.
Day trips for tourists have greatly caught up over the last years. In fact, hiring a boat in Malta is very easy; a simple Google search will provide you with loads of options for sailing boats, motorboat or luxury yachts. When considering what is included and how many people one can be, the prices are very reasonable and affordable. If you decided to spend a day (1 day) out at sea, then read on, here we give you our best itineraries for one day sailing in Malta.
If you are not sure what kind of boat to hire, you can read our “Yacht charter guide”. Hiring a sailing yacht can be the most economic and smartest decision. The benefits are not only the cost-effective, but you will also benefit from the extra space on deck for sunbathing and the fact that you can actually have real sailing experience. Here are some examples of what one could visit on a day trip:
1st option – Comino Island
If you hire a boat from the central area of Malta you most likely can make a decision between visiting the north of South of Malta. If you choose to visit the north, then you could visit the picturesque island of Comino. Comino (named after Cumin – due to the amount of it on the island) is 14 nautical miles from Valletta. That will be about 2 hours of navigation with a sailing boat, it will give you enough time to enjoy the coast on the way, get familiar with the boat while spending time with your loved ones.
- Crystal Lagoon can be a great option as a first stop on the island of Comino. This lagoon has crystal clear waters, plenty of fish to enjoy snorkelling, the possibility to anchor next to shore and even get the chance to cliff jump. You can also visit the Crystal caves which are very extremely beautiful.
Crystal Lagoon, Comino (December 2019) - Blue Lagoon is the most popular attraction one can find in the Maltese archipelago, usually, it is more crowded than the rest of the spots, but you definitely must visit this place if you are sailing in Malta.
Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta (April 2020) - Santa Marija Bay. This is close to the Comino hotel bungalows; this is a much calmer bay to enjoy the rest of the day before heading back to the marina.
St. Marija Bay, Comino, Malta (April 2020)
2nd option – Gozo Island
If you have already visited Comino, then sailing a bit further to the sister island of Gozo is a must. Gozo has many beautiful spots where one can drop anchor. Navigating to the first part of Gozo from Valletta would take around 2.5 hours.
- San Blas Bay will surely impress with its beautiful clay stone colours, sandy bottom, crystal clear waters. You are guaranteed to enjoy the tranquillity here due to the bay being so secluded.
- Ramla Bay has a particular red-ish colour of sand and therefore, is different from other sandy beaches. It is surrounded by nature and even has a cave ‘Mixta Cave’ over-looking the beach in the cliffs on one side.
- Ras il-Qala is ideally visited on your way back, as most of the other boats would have been gone already. With more space, your skipper will be able to take you closer to the inland bay, which is very beautiful.
Read also our full guide to the beaches of Gozo here: https://holidaysinmalta.net/gozo-beaches/
3rd option – South of Malta
South of Malta is usually less visited by tourists; however, it also has so much to offer. Sailing to the south of Malta is about from Valletta should take between 1 to 1.5 hours. For a one-day sailing itinerary, this option would be better structured like this:
- Marsascala is surrounded by impressive white cliffs. Swimming here will definitely make you fall in love with the south of Malta.
- Il-Hofriet, Il-Ħofra l-Kbira and Il-Ħofra ż-Żgħira both these 2 bays which when you translate from Maltese mean “The Holes” are in fact 2 holes in the island and due to its high cliffs, usually cover these bays from Northern winds which makes it them the perfect spot for such winds.
- St.Peter’s Pool. Anchoring next to St. Peter’s pool, will allow you to swim to this natural pool and even give you the chance to cliff jumps if you are interested. St.Peter’s Pool is quite a popular spot and therefore, it is usually quite crowded.
4th option – The Three Islands
- St. Paul’s islands in Malta. These islands, in st. Paul’s Bay, are on your way when sailing towards Comino or Gozo, visiting them and the Mistra Bay can be a great start for your sailing day in Malta.
- Comino. Choose one stop in Comino Island between Crystal Lagoon, Blue Lagoon or Santa Marija Bay or simply have a tour around the island without stopping.
- Gozo. Head to Gozo from Comino, it’s only about 20 minutes sail. You can visit Mgarr ix-Xini or Ras il-Qala. Both of which close and will fit perfectly in the 3 island sailing day itinerary.
