Where to stay

The Maltese Islands are small in size and surrounded by over 100 dive sites, which makes scuba diving accessible wherever you stay in Malta or Gozo.

BUGIBBA The sheltered waters off Bugibba’s rocky beach are ideal for basking in the sunshine and enjoying water sports. Bugibba boasts an idyllic promenade lined with a selection of bars, restaurants and cafés to choose from.

QAWRA Located in St. Paul’s Bay, Qawra is a lively resort home to a bustling promenade lined with cafés, restaurants and bars. Take a walk to the historical 17th century Qawra Point watch tower, overlooking a small bay popular with sunbathers, or visit Ta’ Fra Ben beach, perfect for swimming and snorkelling.

ST. JULIAN’S & SLIEMA Built around the stunning Spinola Bay, St. Julian’s is the perfect location if you want to be close to the action. After a morning of scuba diving, relax on the sandy beach of St. George’s Bay in St. Julian’s, or enjoy the afternoon shopping in neighbouring Sliema. MELLIEHA This quiet area in the north of the island is ideal if you’re looking for a relaxed atmosphere. Home to Malta’s longest white sandy beach with great views over the Mediterranean-Sea, this is one of the most peaceful resorts on the island.

VALLETTA With its rich heritage and bustling centre, Valletta is ideal for travellers wanting to spend their time in Malta's thriving cultural centre. The Baroque capital boasts stunning boutique hotels and waterfront alfresco dining overlooking the spectacular Grand Harbour.

GOZO Gozo is just a 25-minute ferry crossing from Malta, and boasts a picturesque rural landscape teamed with tranquil sea views. There are plenty of hotels in Gozo, but if it’s relaxation and scuba diving you’re after, why not stay in a Gozitan farmhouse? There are plenty of adventure activities to try here too, from rock-climbing to kayaking.

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LEARN TO DIVE

Explore bucket-list dive sites whilst learning to scuba dive in Malta or Gozo. Boasting over 300 days of sunshine and just a threehour flight from the UK; there’s every reason to take your dive qualification on the Mediterranean archipelago.

The waters surrounding Malta, Gozo and Comino are known for their warmth, un-rivalled visibility and world-class dive sites. There are no tides and few strong currents, making the Maltese Islands the premier destination in Europe to experience scuba diving for the first time, or obtain a dive qualification.

DIVE CENTRES The Mediterranean archipelago offers a wide choice of dive centres where English-speaking, professional, qualified diving staff are trained to teach all levels, from beginner to instructor courses. Dive centres are located throughout Malta and Gozo and will provide all the equipment you need.

DIVE QUALIFICATIONS Both, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) have presence on the islands. The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases; online or independent study to understand the basic principles of scuba diving, confined water dives to learn basic scuba skills and open water dives to use your skills to explore the ocean. The course can be taken over 4 days and started from the age of 10.

The BSAC Ocean Diver Course develops your skills to ensure you are competent to dive safely in open water through six theory modules, five sessions in a pool or sheltered water and five openwater dives. The course can be taken over 5 days and from the age of 12.

Remeber to factor in your 12-hour minimal surface interval before flying.

DIVE SITES The islands boast over 100 dive sites, some of which can be explored whilst taking a dive course.

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