Diving in Malta

This article is intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of Malta, whether as a local resident or a visitor. Information is provided without prejudice, and is not guaranteed accurate or complete. Use it at your own risk.

Understand

General topography

Climate, weather and sea conditions

Marine ecology

Equipment

Diving destinations and sites

Stunning limestone formations, steep dropoffs and good visibility make this one of the best diving destinations in the Mediterranean.

Reefs sites on Malta:

• Cirkewwa Arch|The arch at Cirkewwa — North west of the lighthouse. The arch is all that remains of a collapsed cavern. Depth of the top of the arch is about 12 metres, and the sand below is at about 20 metres.
• Anchor at Cirkewwa
• L'Ahrax Point — On the northern tip of Malta, and can be done as a shore entry with a long walk to the water or off a boat
• Għar Lapsi (Siġġiewi, Malta) — A small rocky inlet 1 km south-west of the Blue Grotto, below Dingli Cliffs. Għar Lapsi means 'Ascension Cave'.

Reef sites on Gozo:

• Blue Hole — A sinkhole in the limestone at Dwerja, near San Lawrenz. The entry point is reached via a walk over the rocks.
• The Azure Window — A natural limestone arch once stood on Gozo; created thousands of years ago when two limestone caves collapsed, it was destroyed during a 2017 storm.
• The Inland Sea — A seawater lagoon on Gozo connected to the Mediterranean Sea through a narrow natural arch.

Wrecks:

• Imperial Eagle — A small ferry that was scuttled as a diver attraction 500 metres off Qawra Point in 40 metres of water.
• P29 — A Kondor Class Minesweeper of the East German Navy, and later a Patrol Boat for the Armed Forces of Malta. Scuttled just off Cirkewwa near the tugboat Rozi, 170 metres offshore. Depth 33-35 metres
• The tugboat Rozi &mdash, Scuttled off the northwest of Malta at Cirkewwa as an attraction for tourists. Upright in about 34 metres depth.
• The Um El Faroud — A single screw motor tanker, scuttled as an artificial reef to the south west of Wied iz Surrieq, on the south coast of Malta.
• HMS Stubborn P238 — S-Class submarine at a depth of 56 meters 1.6 miles off Qawra Point.
• MV Xlendi — A 1123 gross ton train ferry scuttled off Gozo as an attraction for divers. The wreck lies upside down on a sandy slope. 40 meters at the deepest, and 30 meters at the keel.
• HMS St. Angelo — A small tug wreck at a depth of 54 meters. Diving is considered hazardous as it is near to Grand Harbour entrance and ship traffic in and out of Valletta harbour.
• X-127 Lighter (Carolita) — At 20 metres depth off Manoel Island.
• HM Drifter Eddy — Sunk after hitting a mine on 26 May 1942 seven cables off Grand Harbour. The wreck is at a depth of 56 meters
• Le Polynesien — A steam powered passenger ship sunk by a torpedo from the U-Boat UC22 7 miles outside the entrance of Valletta Grand Harbour at a depth of 60 metres
• HMS Southwold — A Hunt Class destroyer sunk by a mine. The wreck is broken in two sections. The bow to the engine room is the larger piece, and lies at a depth of nearly 70 meters on its starboard side. The stern section is upright about 300 meters away from the bow in 72 meters of water, approximately 1.5 miles off Marsascala Bay.
• HMS Russell — A Duncan class battleship sunk by a mine. The wreck lies upside down at a depth of 113 to 115 metres, with the stern section missing. *Luciston. — A 2948 grt Collier, sunk by a mine, lies 4 miles from Delimara Point at a depth of 104 meters.
• Schnellboot S- 31 — Sunk by a mine, Lies off Grand Harbour at a depth close to 70 meters.
• Hellespont — Paddle steamer tug sunk by German or Italian aircraft in 1942. After the war she was lifted and dumped at a depth of 41 meters off Grand Harbour.
• HMS Maori — A Tribal class destroyer, hit by a bomb while anchored at the entrance of Dockyard Creek, After taking what could be saved from the wreck it was scuttled outside Grand Harbour. The front half lies in 14 m of water in Marsamxetto Harbour.
• Scot Craig — Sunk to form a breakwater when the Jetty at Anchor Bay was being constructed. The wreck lies on a sandy bottom at 19m.
• Bristol Beaufighter — Ditched shortly after takeoff with severe mechanical problems - lies at a depth of 37 metres in the mouth of St. Julians Bay near Dragonara Point, Sliema.
• Zonqor Point Project — Two small harbour tugs scuttled in 21m of water as artificial reef in Marsascala Bay
• Unidentified wreck used for laying underwater communication cables found at a depth of 60 metres.

Respect

Get help

Emergency services

• . Police. 
• . Ambulance service 
• . Sea rescue 
• . Recompression chamber 
• . DAN hotline 

Get service

Learn

Buy

Rent

Do

Fix

Service details

• . 

Get around

Stay safe

See

Read