Water Sports

Thanks to the very mild climate and an outstanding environment and clear waters, the Maltese islands invites you to try your hand at a new sport experience be it land or water sport.    In Malta, sports enthusiasts are spoilt for selection, and every sport can be practiced on an individual basis.    Many large hotels have their own sporting or recreational amenities. If not, it is also probable to go to a club or sport centre, including the Marsa sports Club, the island’s principal sporting location, where the first-class equipment is available and where the personnel is highly qualified and more than willing to assist the visitor.

A number of national organisations manage various stadiums and sports complexes in Malta and Gozo.  These centres are open to everybody who desires to practice tennis, table tennis, squash, judo, gymnastics, football, basketball, cycling, hockey, badminton, athletics, swimming, polo or even water polo, a very popular sports here.  In fact, because of the face that Malta’s winters are extremely mild, quite a few international teams use this island as a base for their winter training.

Water Skiing

A extreme sport such as Water Skiing can only be found in countries surrounded by the sea and by a warm summer style climate
Facilities are available on the main beaches.  The most popular are to be found at Malta’s Mellieha beach and Golden Bay

Windsurfing

Excitement, adrenaline, adventure, you name it....it is all about adventure!

Windsurfing boards can be hired at the main beaches in Malta.  Mellieha is particularly good.  The Sicily-Malta Windsurfing Race, held in May, and the International open Class Boardsailing Championships, held in September and October, both attract competitors at international level

Diving

The transparent waters surrounding the islands are ideal for diving and the costs are reasonable by European standards.  Diving takes place either from the shore of from boats.  For any diving course, you require a medical certificate of physical fitness.  This can be arranged locally for a fee (generally included in the price of a course).  Any experienced diver who wishes to dive independently of a diving school must get hold of a Malta Government Dive Permit, or present a certificate to the authorities.

Both snorkellers and divers should fly a code-A flag of tow a surface marker buoy to alert speedboat traffic.

Equipment can be purchased or hired locally.

Popular snorkelling spots comprise the west coast just north of Bahar ic-Caghaq, while a more deserted place is the Ghar Qawqla beach neat the Hotel Calypso at Marsalforn, Gozo.  Go past the hotel and up the flight of steps next to the public toilets.  On the other hand, the north of the island is exceptional for diving sites catering for all levels of experience.

The principal sites are: Tugboat Rozi, a tug deliberately sunk just north of Mtarfa point; Mtarfa Point, a great site with caves, reefs, promontories and tunnels at depths of 15-30m; Cirkewwa Arch, with underwater walls and a magnificent arch where you can find diverse fish; L-Ahrax Point, shallow but stunning, with an impressive drop-off and rich marine life; St.Paul’s Islands, with a reef wall which drop 34m to a sandy bottom; and Anchor Bay, with many caves and passageways.
   
Experienced divers should check out the unspoiled bays of Fomm ir-Rih and Ras ir-Raheb, both a little south of Gnejna Bay.

Underwater Safari

For a drier incredible view of what’s going on underneath the waves, the underwater Safari is the cruise for you.  Tour boats operating out of Sliema and Bugibba have a specially designed observation keel below sea level, which seats 38 passengers and allows unimpaired views of some of the clearest and cleanest waters in the Mediterranean.

There are no tropical colours of coral reefs down here but a generous sprinkling of fish food ensures an abundant following and an expert marine biologist provides a commentary throughout the tour.  On the Bugibba Safari, you will also see two wrecks: HMS Kingston was sent to the bottom during World War II, whereas MV Hanini, built in Scotland in 1924, was sunk deliberately as an artificial reef to attract fish.

Fishing

No fish license is necessary and fishing is permissible from the rocks anywhere around the island.  It is possible to go out to sea if you arrange it with a local fisherman. Ask at the village of Marsaxlokk and be prepared to bargain.