Malta




TOP DIVE SITES - MALTA



Anchor Bay

Benghisa Point

Blenheim Bomber

Bristol Beaufighter

Carolita Barge wreck (X131)

Delimara Point

Dragonara Cave

Exiles Sliema

Filfla Island

Ghar Hasan

Ghar It Trozz

Ghar Lapsi

HMS Maori wreck

Marfa Point - The Arch

Marfa Point - The Madonna

Migrah Ferha (M’Tahleb/Im Thaleb)

Qammieh Point (Devil's Reef)

Qawra Point (Ta’Fra Ben)

Rozi wreck

Sikka I-Bajda

St. Paul's Islands

Wied Iz-Zurrieq/Blue Grotto

Wied Iz-Zurrieq/Um El Faroud wreck



Anchor Bay – there are many boulders, swimthroughs and small caverns inside the bay. There is also a small steel wreck that was used for the film Popeye. One cave (often called Scorpion Cave) has an air pocket inside, one main entrance and two other small entries and the underwater life is brilliant there. In the other part of the bay an enormous chain with a huge anchor are to be found (hence the name of the bay). The maximum depth is 12 m. Be careful as sometimes quite strong currents are found here.

Location: Anchor Bay

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Benghisa Point – there are very interesting rock formations, an arch and meadows of posidonia. The maximum depth is 20 m. Be careful as sometimes quite strong currents are found here. Benghisa Reef starts 1 km out from southeast of Benghisa Point and.

Location: south of Birzebbuga

Type of dive: shore dive
Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Blenheim Bomber – a British plane wreck from WWII at the average depth of 39 m. Many parts are unrecognizable but engine, wings and propellers still can be seen.

Location: 1 km off Delimara Point

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Bristol Beaufighter – the aircraft lies upside down at a depth of 38 m on a sandy bottom. It went down in 1943. Only the body of the Beaufighter, the wings and undercarriage remained intact.

Location: 900 m offshore St. Julian’s Point

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Carolita Barge wreck (X131) – the Carolita Barge sunk in 1942. The wreck is 23 m long and many pieces are scattered around the sea bed. The bow lies at 3 m and the propellers at 20 m deep. Unfortunately, besides the wreck, one can encounter also some rubbish.

Location: Lazzaretto creek (Manoel Island)

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: rock/sand/silt

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Delimara Point – a cliff dive with a cave, reef, vertical tunnel, wall and a small barge wreck. The maximum depth is 25 m.

Location: at the tip of the Delimara Peninsula (past Marsaxlokk)

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Dragonara Cave (Grotta di Dragonara) – a very shallow cave and tunnel system with amazing views into the ocean from out of the caverns. There is also a small inland sea (30 m wide). Maximum depth is 25 m.

Location: Dragonara Point/Ahrax Point (Mellieha)

Type of dive: shore/boat dive

Sea bed: rock

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Exiles Sliema – the main attraction of this dive site is the posidonia fields and the diversity of fish life.

Location: Sliema

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Filfla Island – the island is a National Nature Reserve. A permission of the Malta Maritime Authorities is required to dive in this area. Filfla Island was used as for target practice during WWII by the British Army and there are bombs and ammunition to be found in the water. Divers should be careful and stay away from ammunition. The maximum depth is about 70 m and the average – 25 m.

Location: off Wied Iz-Zurieq

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Ghar Hasan – number of cavities with different species of fish are to be found here. The rocky bottom is covered with water plants. The maximum depth is 40 m.

Location: west of Il-Mara

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: rock

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Ghar It Trozz – the main attractions are the renowned cave and other cavities, walls and rock formations, all covered with colourful sponges and corals. The maximum depth is about 70 m.

Location: off Gnejna Bay

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: rock

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Ghar Lapsi – one of the best Maltese cave systems (Ghar means ‘cave’). There are some reefs with small walls, caverns and caves, one of which is more than 40 m long and have many exits. The maximum depth is 15 m.

Location: Ghar Lapsi, off the south coast

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


HMS Maori wreck - a destroyer bombed in 1942, lies in Marsamxett Harbour at the depth of 8-16 m. The Maori is buried deeply by sand and only one section is dive able.

Location: near fort St. Elmo (Valletta)

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Marfa Point/The Arch – the arch formed in the rock like a huge cave with an open top at an average depth of 15 m.

Location: Cirkewwa (Marfa Point)

Type of dive: shore/boat dive

Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water (or equivalent)
 


Marfa Point/The Madonna – a statue of the Holy Mary placed in its own little grotto by the Amphibians Diving Club in 1987. It lies at a maximum depth of 28 m.

Location: Cirkewwa (Marfa Point)

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)



Migrah Ferha (M’Tahleb/Im Thaleb) – it is one of the deepest dive sites accessible from shore in Malta. The average depth is 40-60 m. The main attractions are a renowned steep wall and the magnificent cave system with tunnels and caverns. There is also a wide shelf full of cars dumped here.

Location: the south eastern coast off Dingli Cliffs

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: rock

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Qammieh Point (Devil’s Reef) – this is a deep dive with the maximum depth beyond 70 m. There is an old cave with signs of stalactites on the southern side and many other caves and caverns. This is also a good point to meet predatory fish. Be careful as sometimes quite strong currents are found here.

Location: at the western end of Marfa

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: rock

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Qawra Point (Ta’Fra Ben) – a rocky outcrop within Qawra. At the depth of 36 m there is a C-shaped cave with very narrow entrance and silty bottom. Due to the hard conditions in the cave it t is advisable to dive with an experienced guide. There is also a very high risk of currents.

Location: southern tip of St. Paul’s Bay

Type of dive: shore/boat dive

Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Rozi wreck – the wreck of a 40 meter tug boat sunk in 1991. Now it is lying intact (except for the engine, propellers and rudders) at a maximum depth of 36 m.

Location: Cirkewwa (Marfa Point)

Type of dive: shore/boat dive

Sea bed: rock/sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water (or equivalent)

 


Sikka I-Bajda – the main attraction here is a huge reef - a home to many fish species. The maximum depth is 25 m and beyond the drop off – 70 m.

Location: 2.5 km northeast of Rdum L-Ahmar

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: rock

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


St. Paul’s Islandsthese are two rocky islands named for the Apostle Paul whose ship is believed to have been pushed towards Malta during a storm around AD 60. St. Paul brought Christianity to the Maltese shores and hence the name of the islands and the village. There are a beautiful reef, various walls, drop-offs, caves, arches and small wrecks to be found here. The maximum depth is 25 m.

Location: at the western entrance to St. Paul’s Bay

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)



Wied Iz-Zurrieq/Blue Grotto – here one can encounter Bell Tower Cave (with three narrow entrances), Mouse-Hole Cave (also with a narrow entrance) and other caves and holes in the reef. There is also the Aquarium, an area with a large amount and diversity of fish life. The maximum depth is 30 m

Location: Wied Iz-Zurrieq

Type of dive: boat dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

 


Wied Iz-Zurrieq/Um El Faroud wreck – the 21 m high tanker wreck lies on a sandy seabed at 32 m. During a heavy storm in 2005 the tanker was broken in to parts. The wreck is still moving and making noises.

Location: Wied Iz-Zurrieq

Type of dive: shore dive

Sea bed: sand

Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)