The Maltese islands have a big choice of outdoor activities to satisfy everybody’s taste. From swimming on the beach to climbing the cliffs it has many adventurous tours and ways to entertain the people. In this post I am sharing the best outdoor activities in Malta, that you may do on your holiday here, or on your days off. Let’s see the possibilities waiting for you.
Beaches and swimming
Malta and Gozo’s coastlines are made of rocks and natural pools with some sand beaches around. The best sandy beaches in Malta are in the northwest, like Golden Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, Mellieha Bay, and Paradise Bay. Gozo’s best sandy beaches are Ramla Bay and San Blas, and there are many rocky swimming coves and bays around the island. On Comino, there is Blue Lagoon, which is one of the most popular destinations for tourists. The beaches are full during the summer, but you may find some hidden rocky coves with fewer people.
Sailing
Malta is a great destination for sailing trips. It has amazing harbors, rocky coves and nice scenery that makes it ideal for sailing. There are a few yacht yards around the island, like the one in Msida, Ta’Xbiex, Portomaso, Grand Harbour Marina, and much more. Many yacht owners spend their summer around the Maltese Islands. There is a very popular yacht race every October the Rolex Middle Sea Race, which is a highly rated offshore classic staged race. Every year Lower Barakka garden hosts all of those invited to watch the race. If you don’t have an invitation you will not be able to enter. For more details about this event contact the Royal Malta Yacht Club. You can also rent a yacht for a day or a few hours. I highly recommend taking this kind of trip.
Windsurfing and Kiteboarding
Windsurfing in Malta is available all year around. There is equipment and instructions available in some of the most popular beaches. Mellieha bay offers different ways of surfing in it’s large bay. Other locations are St George’s Bay, Armier, St Thomas Bay and the channel between Malta and Gozo. Kite-boarding is not always allowed, not when there are too many people on the beaches. Mellieha is an exelent location for this kind of outdoor activity. Torri, also near Armier is a bay popular for it’s northeast winds. Golden Bay and Gnejna Bay also offer nice conditions for Kite boarding.
Kayaking and SUP
Kayaking is a great way to see the coast of the islands and it’s hidden sea caves. You can find and rent a kayak from Xlendi in Gozo, or Mellieha in Malta. These services offer kayaking only around the bays, but you may also find organized tours and take yourself on a kayaking excursion. Gozo Adventures offers different tours around the islands for 65 euros. Also Sea kayak Malta offers different kayaking tours, even up to three days. If you are more interested in stand-up paddleboard (SUP), you can find everything you need at Mellieha, Xliendi, Golden Bay, or Ghajn Tuffieha Beach. Malta Suf School has classes very often during the week.
Walking and Hiking
Malta and Gozo are great destinations for walks and hikes. The islands are very small, and in one day you can reach from one side to another side of the island. There are many tracing paths that you may find them all around the islands. In every tourist office, you can find leaflets with walking guides, or you can even download routes from VisitMalta. It is a great way to spend a few hours and get familiar with the countryside and the landmarks of the country.
Rock Climbing
The Maltese islands are also a great destination for climbers. There are more than 1500 established rock-climbing routes, and soe of the most popular places are Dingli Cliffs and Ghar Lapsi. In Gozo, those famous destinations are Munxar-Xlendi Valley and Mgarr ix-Xini, and the spectacular coastal location Wied il-Mielah Sea Arch. If you are interested in climbing the limestone of Malta you may find more information from Malta Rock Climbing Club or Malta Outdoors.
Horse Riding
Horse riding is a very popular outdoor activity and a great way to explore the beauty of the islands. Horses have played an important part in Maltese life, and they are all around. Some of the horse routs are in the northwest. You can book yourself a tour from Golden Bay Horse Riding or Bidnija Horse Riding School. For tours around Gozo you can contact Lino’s Stable.
BOOK NOW – Horse riding in the countryside
Bike Tour
Another adventurous way to explore the islands is on a bike tour. For this kind of outdoor activity, I recommend Gozo more than Malta. Sometimes in Malta the traffic can be too bad, and even risky. I’ve done an e-bike tour in Gozo, and I enjoyed it a lot. Take a look at these landscape photos for some inspiration. To rent a bike in Malta you may contact EcoBikes, they offer different choices of transportation vehicles, and different tours. In Gozo you can rent a bike from Gozo Adventures or Gozo Pride Tours
BOOK NOW – Gozo e-bike tour
These are some Malta outdoor activities, and now when I have this list I can not wait for the activities to stat taking place. For some of them you need to pay, but some of them can be organized by yourself. To find more about Malta read Travel Story Post.
Source: Lonely Planet
