Snorkelling in Malta, Gozo and Comino

Much of the Maltese coastline is rock rather than sand, and that is good news for snorkellers. Ledges, boulders and seagrass meadows sit within a few metres of the surface, and the water is usually clear enough to see the bottom from a long way off. You need little more than a mask, fins and a calm day, and many spots can be reached on foot.

In Gozo, the narrow inlet of Mgarr ix-Xini (Mġarr ix-Xini) is sheltered and has caverns along its sides, though conditions still depend on the wind. Xlendi Bay has rocky edges and a reef that rises close to the surface, and Hondoq ir-Rummien looks across the channel to Comino. On Comino, the shallow sand of the Blue Lagoon is the famous one, while the bays and caves around Santa Marija Bay are often quieter.

Spots on Malta

On the south coast, Ghar Lapsi (Għar Lapsi) is a small rocky inlet that divers use for training, so the shallows are easy to read. Near Marsaxlokk, St Peter's Pool is a natural rock pool open to the sea, popular for swimming off the flat ledges. In the north, the rocky edges of Paradise Bay and the reef at Cirkewwa next to the Gozo ferry terminal are good on calm days.

• Boat trips to Comino usually include time in the water: see Comino boat trips.
• Ready to go deeper? Try a first dive with a licensed centre: see scuba diving.
• A sea kayak trip reaches coves that are hard to reach on foot.
• Sandy family beaches are covered in the best beaches in Malta.

Check the wind before you choose a spot, as the sheltered side of the islands changes from day to day. Rocky entries are sharp and slippery, so wear water shoes, and stay well inside any buoyed swimming zone where boats are kept out.