Beaches in Malta

Golden Bay is Malta's largest and most popular sandy beach, stretching roughly 500 metres along the northwest coast near Mellieħa. Its wide arc of golden sand, calm clear water and full facilities make it the benchmark beach for the island.

Mellieħa Bay — locally known as Għadira — is Malta's longest sandy beach at roughly 900 metres. Flanked by a nature reserve on one side and the Mellieħa–Ċirkewwa road on the other, it combines easy accessibility with the widest range of water sports on the island.

Ġnejna Bay is a quiet sandy cove tucked between dramatic clay hillsides on Malta's northwest coast, a few kilometres south of Golden Bay. It has a genuine local feel — quieter, less developed, and beloved by Maltese families.

St Peter's Pool is a dramatic natural rock pool and cliff-jumping site on the Delimara Peninsula near Marsaxlokk, carved by the sea into the limestone headland. With no facilities and no sandy beach, it is raw and unspoilt — popular with locals seeking something beyond the standard tourist circuit.

Pretty Bay in Birżebbuġa is the best sandy beach in south Malta — a 350-metre arc with calm, well-protected water and full beach facilities. Despite the proximity of the Freeport container terminal to the south, the beach itself is clean and well-maintained.

Armier Bay is a quiet double cove of sandy beach on Malta's far north coast, a short drive from the Gozo ferry terminal at Ċirkewwa. Less visited than Mellieħa Bay, it is popular with Maltese families who prefer a lower-key atmosphere.

Ramla Bay is Gozo's finest beach — a 600-metre sweep of distinctive reddish-orange sand unique to this bay, sheltered by the valley of Ramla and backed by lush vegetation. It is consistently rated among the best beaches in the Maltese Islands.

Xlendi is a sheltered rocky bay on the southwest coast of Gozo, set at the end of a narrow valley and lined with restaurants and hotels. It is one of Gozo's most characterful spots — a working fishing village that has evolved into a relaxed summer retreat without losing its local identity.

Marsalforn is Gozo's main seaside resort — a small town of restaurants, hotels and bars along a rocky bay on the north coast. It lacks a significant sandy beach but compensates with a lively promenade, crystal-clear water, and the extraordinary Marsalforn salt pans just west of town.

The Blue Lagoon on the islet of Comino is arguably Malta's most photographed location — a turquoise lagoon between Comino and the uninhabited islet of Cominotto, with water so clear the sandy bottom is visible at 5 metres depth.