Malta Beach Holidays

The Best Beaches In Malta

For a small island, Malta packs in a lot of coastline. Much of it is rocky, dotted with coves and swimming platforms, but the beaches it does have are worth seeking out. Getting around is easy, so you can beach-hop between the north’s big-name bays and the quieter pockets that locals love – the best beaches in Malta are never far apart. Here are some of our favourites. 

Golden Bay – best for sunsets and soft sands

Golden Bay earns its name at dusk, when the cliffs glow amber and the water mirrors the sky. This wide, sandy stretch on Malta’s northwest coast is one of the island’s most popular beaches, with gin-clear water for swimming and cafés and beach bars right by the shore. It faces west, so stay for sunset – the view as the sun slips into the sea is pure Maltese magic. Base yourself at Corinthia Hotel St George’s Bay in St Julian’s, a grand resort with panoramic sea views and top-tier service.

Mellieħa Bay – best for family-friendly fun

Malta’s largest sandy beach, Mellieħa Bay (or Għadira Bay), is a favourite for families thanks to its shallow, paddle-friendly water and long sweep of sand. The promenade has everything you need – sunbeds, water sports and plenty of cafés – but the mood stays unhurried. Arrive early to claim a front-row spot near the shallows, then wander up to Mellieħa village for a scoop of hazelnut or prickly pear gelato and hilltop views. Stay nearby at AX Odycy Malta in Qawra, an easy-going base within a short drive of Mellieħa Bay and the island’s best northern beaches.

Blue Lagoon, Comino – best for Instagram vibes 

Set on the tiny island of Comino, between Malta and Gozo, the much-photographed Blue Lagoon is a small bay of bright turquoise water framed by pale limestone cliffs. Most people visit on a boat trip from Malta or Gozo, stopping for a swim or snorkel in the lagoon’s crystal-clear shallows. Pack reef shoes and snorkel gear; the water’s so clear you’ll spot fish darting between the rocks just metres from shore. Top tip: take an early or late ferry and enjoy the lagoon before or after the day-trip crowds, just remember you’ll need a landing pass to step ashore.

Armier Bay – best for chilled local vibes 

Right at Malta’s northern tip, pretty Armier Bay feels more off-the-radar than the island’s headline beaches. Two sandy crescents look out to Comino and Gozo, and the beach clubs here are low-key cool – head to Palm Beach at sunset for lemon spritzes and chill-out tunes. Locals head to Little Armier on weekdays, the smaller bay next door, for an even quieter patch of sand and plates of grilled fish or octopus stew served just steps from the sea.

Ramla Bay, Gozo – best for red-gold sands

Gozo’s most famous beach is a beauty: a broad sweep of red-tinged sand backed by green hills and scattered dunes, and one of the island’s best Gozo beaches for swimming and snorkelling. Look for Calypso’s Cave above the bay, where legend says Odysseus was held captive by the nymph Calypso in Homer’s Odyssey. Stay on Malta’s main island at AX The Palace or The Phoenicia Malta, both ideal for day trips across to Gozo before returning to the city’s old-world charm.