6 minute read
ALL AROUND MALTA IN WEEK
travels
ALL AROUND MALTA IN WEEK
Text Aleksandra Łysek
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
Triton Fountain, Valletta
This island, located in the Mediterranean, is the perfect place both for those who are looking for underwater thrills, as well as those who value onshore adventures more.
For a week we’ve been staying at St. Paul’s Bay, where our dive experience was provided by the Polish diving center Dive On Malta. Wonderful people, when put together with picturesque views, astonishing weather and incredible underwater sights ensured that the (really) early morning wake up calls we’ve had everyday did not cause any of us any trouble. Each and every one of us, smarter with yesterday’s experiences and craving for more, reported fully ready to dive in the early morning hours.
The most popular form of diving in Malta are shore dives, that is why every day the center’s cars took as to another dive site and since the weather was on our side, we managed to complete all our diving plans.
One cannot omit the abundance offered by the waters around Malta, which ensures satisfaction for all divers, both newbie enthusiast and the seasoned veterans :)
WHAT WOULD BE MY TOP PICKS FORDIVING HERE?
TUG BOAT 2
This wreck lies at a depth of 20 m. During a storm, it was dragged on the seabed over a distance of some 50 m and driven into the reef. More and more sea creates inhabit the wreck every year.
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
HMS MAORI
A wreck that dates back to the times of WW2, it was sunk during a German bombing raid in 1942 at Valetta. The wreck lies at some 20 meters, on a sandy seabed. A large number of holes and penetrations grants it an exceptional feel. You can dive this wreck all year long, as it lies in a small cove and is protected against wind. Unfortunately, numerous storms have caused its structure to become less and less stable, that is why wreck penetration is not recommended in this case.
Photo Sebastian Głowacki
Photo Sebastian Głowacki
P29
One of the wrecks at Cirkewwa, sunk especially for tourists. The maximum depth on this wreck is 32 m, it is located some 5 minutes away from the shore. What immediately catches your eye is the magnificent mast. All dangerous items were removed from this wreck, so it’s easy and safe for penetration. Weather needs to smile down on you in order for you to be able to see it. During windy days, descending into the water can be very tricky.
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
ROZI
This is the second wreck at the Cirkewwa shore. Maximum depth on this wreck is 32 m. Rozi lies closer to the end of the cape, therefore you have much more chances of seeing the currents between Malta and Comino manifesting there. They impact the wildlife inhabiting the wreck, as even though Rozi sank earlier than P29, mentioned before, there is less growth on it, with much more animals.
Zdjęcie Photo Anna Brojewska
Entrance to Rozi and P29
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
GWAR LAPSI
It’s a picturesque small village on the southern coast of Malta. Diving here will not take you deeper than 22 m. This place is famous for its reefs and beautiful caves, available for divers at various training levels. A lot of fish, jellyfish, octopi and even lobsters await you under the water here. But before seeing all this, you have to tackle the magical stairs challenge.
Photo Sebastian Głowacki
Descent to Lapsi
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
UM EL FAROUD
This is Malta’s absolute “must see”! This site is extremely popular with tourists also because of the Blue Grotto. At 10 in the morning this place is already swarming with tourists and it’s really hard to find a parking spot, so I recommend seeing Faroud early in the morning. During repair works at a shipyard, the tanker was damaged by a gas explosion. It was sunk off the coast of Malta as an artificial reef. Diving here is exquisite, but not always that simple...there are often strong currents here, making your trip to the wreck more difficult. The wreck is broken in half and lies at a depth of between 30 and 35 m.
Photo: Sebastian Głowacki
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
As a diver, I fell in love with Malta. I recommend the Maltese waters to anyone, along with Dive On Malta – you don’t have to worry about anything with them, they’ve got you covered :)
And out of the water, on land...well? Every tourist guidebook will give you tons of information about a multitude of places worth seeing when on Malta. I’ve spent most of my time there diving and even if I was out of the water, a wetsuit is not exactly the proper attire for sightseeing :) I can surely say that whoever visits Malta should go and see their capital, Valetta. You can use public transport to move around the entire island and, what’s important, they have comfortable and air-conditioned buses :)
The Tritons’ Fountain is one of the characteristic spots in Malta’s capital, located just outside of the city walls, close to the bus stops. On hot days, this place will provide much-needed refreshment.
Upper Barrakka Gardens is somewhere you should go, regardless of the season. A flood of green and colorful flowers, combined with a breath-taking view, provide the perfect background for cannon fire and the entire accompanying ceremony. You should also visit this place because of a Polish element in its history. This is where the plate commemorating the Polish navy ship ORP Kujawiak is located.
Tablica pamiątkowa ORP Kujawiak
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
For all those who still find time and the energy for additional sightseeing when out of the water, I recommend seeing Malta’s old capital – Mdina, which is located in the central part of the island. This medieval city, with its narrow streets, located on the top of a mounting, offers an astonishing vista of the entire island. Malta is wonderful and unpredictable... At times, this place looks like this... While at others like this... But it’s always absolutely worth it!
Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
Sources:https://diveonmalta.com/home-page/
