Pretty Bay

Pretty Bay is the town beach of Birzebbuga (Birżebbuġa), a small seaside resort in south-east Malta a short drive from Marsaxlokk. It has been a favourite bathing spot for Maltese families for decades, though it looks different today from how it once did. According to the Malta Tourism Authority, there was almost no sand here until some years ago and bathers swam off flat rocks and platforms; the bay was later filled with sand recovered from the seabed during dredging for a nearby project. The result is one of the larger sandy beaches on Malta.

Because the beach sits right in the town centre, it is convenient to reach and to spend a day at. Cafes, bars, restaurants and shops line the promenade behind the sand, and the bay is listed by Visit Malta as a venue for watersports such as windsurfing. It is a local's beach rather than a resort strip, busiest on summer weekends and evenings when families come down after work. The water shelves gently from the sand, which suits children and paddlers. Across the water you will see the cranes of the Malta Freeport, so this is a practical, convenient beach rather than a scenic one.

Good to know

• Seasonal lifeguard provision is documented; check current duty notices before swimming. Cover is not guaranteed outside the season or duty hours.
• Sandy beach in the centre of Birzebbuga with a promenade behind it.
• Bars, cafes, restaurants, shops and public toilets close by; parking in town.
• Visit Malta lists the bay as a venue for watersports including windsurfing; check local availability.
• Calm, shallow water near the shore is good for families.

Pretty Bay pairs well with the rock swimming at St Peter's Pool on the Delimara peninsula and a fish lunch in Marsaxlokk. The south's big prehistoric sites, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, and the sea caves of the Blue Grotto are a short drive west along the coast.