Malta

[Sligo Hornet]

As a relatively new scuba diver, and having only dived in the Maldives ( spoilt I know! ) I am going to Malta in May for a long weekend to try diving here.

Anyone have any suggestions for some good sites? ( I will be staying in Bugibba/St.Paul's Bay )

[Block G Raptor]

Stayed in St Paul's bay back in 2000. great spot. never went Diving unfortunately
so cant help you there. will say though make sure and visit Valletta and mdina(the old capital)

[stann]

Don't dive either but you won't lack places to do it there, there's a multitude of sites, from deep and shallow wrecks (incl many WWII ships and aircraft) to superb natural structures. The water there is absolutely crystal!
I remember from the brochures that there's one place on Gozo called the Azure Window / Inland Sea which on the surface has a sea arch and collapsed cave close by each other, but there was supposed to be exceptional diving just on the seaward side of this Inland Sea with a sheer wall going many tens of metres straight down and full of all the exotic kinds of stuff ye fellas like to look at.
I might still have that brochure actually, will have a look tomorrow.

[stann]

Can't find the brochure, Hornet, must have thrown the b*****d out, but have a gander here for ideas, and particularly click on the interactive map on this page.
The map has (slightly eccentric ) descriptions of a load of dive sites, including, I was surprised and delighted to see, the HMS Maori which was one of the destroyers that took part in the sinking of the Bismarck. The vertical wall I was on about can be found at the West end of Gozo, but there seems to be quite a few of these type of dives, as well as caves, reefs, chimneys, planes and ships.
As a guide the prices are still given in Maltese Lira though they are on the Euro there since January 1st. I seem to remember the exchange rate in October was about 2.4 yo-yos to the Lira, so what'd that be, about £1.70, £1.80 I'd think?
Now can do no more for ya.

[Sligo Hornet]

Many thanks Stann.....excellent information, and site links....sadly most of the wrecks ( in fact ALL bar one ) are outside my level of experience ( i.e. too deep or too technical )

However, from the info you have given me there are loads of great alternatives, and will help me get more experience.

St.Paul's bay looks good too!

[The Banner Man]

As a relatively new scuba diver, and having only dived in the Maldives ( spoilt I know! ) I am going to Malta in May for a long weekend to try diving here.

Anyone have any suggestions for some good sites? ( I will be staying in Bugibba/St.Paul's Bay )

Was in Malta twice, 1989 & 1990. Stayed in Bugibba, I think the best place for diving would be the Blue Grotto, check Malta Tourism. Try hiring a car, taxis are very expensive. Valetta is a very old & interesting city. St. Pauls & St. Julians are more lively. You can get the ferry to Gozo.

[Sam_Heggy]

Just booking our honeymoon in Malta, herself has been told by a work collegue that its a great place. Anyone on here been there recently?

[Block G Raptor]

was there in 2000. The most romantic, Beautiful place I've been to. Stayed in Buggiba but it's not an issue where you stay as the Island is only a handful of miles Sq. would recommend Medina for the history and architecture and Valletta for those and Shopping
every 2nd shop on the main st is a jewelers and they are Dirt cheap. would also recommend the craft village in the center of the Island were you can see glass blowers and jewelers /artists at work and buy their wares relatively cheap, also it's right next to the stadium were Ireland qualified for Italia 90. if you're looking to party then st julians is the place to be. make sure and use the buses at least once as they are a great experience in themselves. the Mosta cathedral is really interesting also as it has the 2nd largest freestanding Dome in Europe (after st peters) and there is a fantastic story about it: During the war malta was bombed by the Nazi's on one of the Biggest feast Day's in the catholic calendar (may of been good friday can't quite remember) anyway tthe cathedral was packed with about 3,000 malteese when the bombing started, during the raid a bomb dropped on the cathedral, penetrating the Dome(you can still see the hole) landed and rolled up the Isle coming to a rest at the foot of the altar without exploding, they still have the bomb (which I'm assuming was made safe ) on display in the cathedral

[Sam_Heggy]

was there in 2000. The most romantic, Beautiful place I've been to. Stayed in Buggiba but it's not an issue where you stay as the Island is only a handful of miles Sq. would recommend Medina for the history and architecture and Valletta for those and Shopping
every 2nd shop on the main st is a jewelers and they are Dirt cheap. would also recommend the craft village in the center of the Island were you can see glass blowers and jewelers /artists at work and buy their wares relatively cheap, also it's right next to the stadium were Ireland qualified for Italia 90. if you're looking to party then st julians is the place to be. make sure and use the buses at least once as they are a great experience in themselves. the Mosta cathedral is really interesting also as it has the 2nd largest freestanding Dome in Europe (after st peters) and there is a fantastic story about it: During the war malta was bombed by the Nazi's on one of the Biggest feast Day's in the catholic calendar (may of been good friday can't quite remember) anyway tthe cathedral was packed with about 3,000 malteese when the bombing started, during the raid a bomb dropped on the cathedral, penetrating the Dome(you can still see the hole) landed and rolled up the Isle coming to a rest at the foot of the altar without exploding, they still have the bomb (which I'm assuming was made safe ) on display in the cathedral

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

[lofty9]

Just booking our honeymoon in Malta, herself has been told by a work collegue that its a great place. Anyone on here been there recently?

Stayed in the Gillieru Harbour Hotel a few years ago. Nice enough spot. Was at a hotel in Buggiba (can't remember the name) but left it as it was stinking.
At lot of people on our return flight changed hotels at their own costs as the hotels were awful. Be wary, 4 star in Malta is 1 - 2 star. I didn't find the people friendly or helpful either. I enjoyed the food there though.

Medina is beautiful, a wonderful walled town. You get a great view from there of Malta.

[Sam_Heggy]

Stayed in the Gillieru Harbour Hotel a few years ago. Nice enough spot. Was at a hotel in Buggiba (can't remember the name) but left it as it was stinking.
At lot of people on our return flight changed hotels at their own costs as the hotels were awful. Be wary, 4 star in Malta is 1 - 2 star. I didn't find the people friendly or helpful either. I enjoyed the food there though.

Medina is beautiful, a wonderful walled town. You get a great view from there of Malta.

Our hotel is the fortina (sp?) has anyone heard what standard of the hotel is like? Hope to bejaysus we don't end up moving hotels whilst out there.

[stann]

Was there only last October Sam. Have to rush off now but will post up a few bits later.

[stann]

Sorry about the delay.
We were there in late September/early October last year, and I'd been about 8 years before that too. I can't say enough good things about the place to be honest.
I don't know anything about the hotel you're in, but from a quick look it appears to be in Sliema, quite close to the capital, which is handy because it'll be a place you'll have to visit more than once. Valetta is at the tip of a promontory that splits the harbour in two, and I think you'll be on the northern shore of the north (Marsamxett) harbour if you see what I mean. You'll have some view of the walled city from there. It's all quite built up in that area, but many of the hotels have good sized private grounds so it wouldn't feel like that.
There's loads to see and do, specially if you're into snorkelling, diving, windsurfing and such and such. Very few sandy beaches though, and they're mostly in the North. The amount of history packed into such a small place is unreal.
Valetta is worth several trips, make sure you visit St. John's Co-Cathedral with a stunning Caravaggio on display there, the Grand Master's Palace, the Museum of Archaeology, which looked very good but we had to fly through it, and the WW2 museum. There's an audiovisual thingy called the Malta Experience which was interesting enough but had only still photos, nowhere near as good as some of those things you might have seen like the one in Rome. In the summer and early autumn they also put on historical pageants in the city which are supposed to be well worth seeing.
A visit to Mdina is an absolute must. A completely intact medieval walled city which is brilliant to just walk around, but has loads of small museums and churches too. And an excavated Roman Villa just up the road from the entrance gate which is worth a look.
You also absolutely must take the jeep tour of Gozo. A bus takes you to the ferry, which you must take yourselves to the smaller island, and there you hop in the back of a jeep and a local takes you all around the island for the day. As for Paul if you can.
The prehistoric temples and tombs like Hagar Qim, Tarxien, Gigantija on Gozo and the Hypogeum should be high on your list if you're into that sort of thing.
AS BGR says, the dome at Mosta, the craft centre in the middle of the island, particularly the glass workshops, and Ta'Qali stadium are worth a look. All of the Premier teams, your Sliema Wanderers, Hibernians and the like, play all their games there if you're there while the season is on.
The food and drink there are excellent, specially if you like fish. You'll have to get the red snapper at least once. Very Italian in style, but there's an undercurrent of Arab influence that can be seen most obviously in the street signs and placenames but is there in the food too. Try the little pea pies called pastizzi that you can get from small takeaways and booths. The local brews are spot on too. Cisk is the best but moreexpensive (not compared to here though). 1565 is cheap as chips but a perfectly suitable replacement. And the sparkling rosé Gellawza Frizzanté is only gorgeous.

The only downsides I can think of would be the heat if you're going to be there in Summer, and the timeshare sellers that are all over the place. I think they've been run out of every other Mediterranean country so theres loads of them. Just say no politely and firmly and move on, really, don't let them get you into a conversation under any circumstances!
Oh, and they're on the Euro there since January. And they nearly all speak English. If I think of any more I'll be back.
Or if you have any more questions fire away.

[NeilMcD]

Many thanks Stann.....excellent information, and site links....sadly most of the wrecks ( in fact ALL bar one ) are outside my level of experience ( i.e. too deep or too technical )

However, from the info you have given me there are loads of great alternatives, and will help me get more experience.

St.Paul's bay looks good too!

Sligo there is a great spot up in Donegal that has a great Diving School, mean to be a great place to go diving. Its called Muff.

[Sligo Hornet]

Sligo there is a great spot up in Donegal that has a great Diving School, mean to be a great place to go diving. Its called Muff.

Might be too technical for me........prefer to check out known caves!

[paul_oshea]

im setting up a niteclub up there soon too....