7-day Malta diving itinerary: Um El Faroud, P29, Blue Hole, MV

Why Malta is a serious dive destination

Malta consistently ranks in the top 10 European dive destinations, and the wreck dives specifically put it in the top 5 globally for accessible wreck diving. The water is warm (18-27°C depending on season), visibility is exceptional (20-40m on good days), and the range of sites covers everything from beginner shore dives to serious technical dives on 80m+ wrecks.

The headline sites: Um El Faroud (40m, tanker, one of the great Mediterranean wreck dives), P29 (patrol boat, 35m, excellent for intermediate divers), MV Rozi (tugboat, 36m, famous for resident grouper), MV Imperial Eagle (42m, former ferry), and the Blue Hole in Gozo (a collapse chimney that drops into a 50m+ wall dive, genuinely exceptional).

This itinerary assumes you are a certified Open Water diver minimum. For complete beginners, we note the try-dive and PADI Open Water options within the week.

A car is useful for flexibility between dive sites, but all main dive schools offer pick-up/drop-off from accommodation.

At a glance

Day	Base	Dive Plan
1	Mellieha	Arrival, briefing, try-dive or check dive
2	Mellieha/St Pauls	Shore dives: beginners’ wrecks + reef
3	Mellieha	Boat dive: Um El Faroud (or P29)
4	Mellieha	PADI Advanced (day 1) or Rozi + reef
5	Gozo	Blue Hole, Inland Sea, Fungus Rock
6	Gozo	Ggantija Cave, Cathedral Cave, Crocodile Rock
7	St Paul’s Bay	Final dive: MV Imperial Eagle or Anchor Bay

Day 1 — Arrival and first dive

Afternoon

Base yourself in Mellieha — it’s the north Malta dive hub, closest to the best sites and the Gozo ferry. Most international dive schools in Malta are based here or in St Paul’s Bay (Bugibba/Qawra area).

Register with your chosen dive school, complete admin (medical form, C-card copy, log book check). If you haven’t dived in 6+ months, arrange a check dive or refresher:

[ Malta: Discover Scuba Diving in crystal clear waters ] — for first-timers or those who need a refresher. Shallow controlled environment (3-5m), instructor accompaniment, no certification required.

[ Malta: Guided shore dives for certified divers ] — a check/warm-up dive at a local shore site for certified divers who haven’t been underwater recently.

Evening

Briefing with your dive school about the week’s plan, site conditions, equipment. Most Mellieha dive schools have a bar or common area — good place to meet other divers.

Day 2 — Shore dives: getting your depth legs

Shore diving in Malta is excellent — some of the best accessible dive sites in the Mediterranean are reached directly from the beach or from rocks.

Morning dive: Cirkewwa (Malta’s best shore dive site)

Two dive sites at Cirkewwa ferry terminal area: the MV Rozi wreck (tugboat, 36m, famous for resident grouper — this is a boat dive from Mellieha) and the coral gardens reef at Cirkewwa. The shore entry at Cirkewwa reef is easy, visibility excellent, interesting marine life including octopus and bream.

[ Guided shore dives for certified divers ] — two dives, guide included, equipment available for rent.

Afternoon dive: P29 or St Paul’s Shipwreck

P29 is a decommissioned patrol boat sunk deliberately as an artificial reef in 2007. It sits at 35m maximum depth, bow at 12m. Excellent for intermediate OW+ divers. Visibility is typically 20-25m. A guide from your dive school will accompany.

[ Malta: Boat dive trip for certified divers ] — most boat dive packages include two boat dives per day, so this and the morning dive may be combined into a single boat trip.

Day 3 — Um El Faroud: the big one

Um El Faroud is one of the great wreck dives of the Mediterranean. The 10,000-tonne Libyan tanker sank in Grand Harbour after a maintenance accident in 1995 and was towed to its current site off Wied iż-Żurrieq (near Blue Grotto) as an artificial reef. It sits at 18-40m depth, is intact except for the hull damage, and is home to grouper, barracuda, and significant marine life.

Minimum certification: Advanced Open Water (or OW with 50+ logged dives and instructor approval). Maximum depth 40m.

[ Malta boat dive trip for certified divers ] — most dive schools offer Um El Faroud as a specific trip. Confirm it’s included when booking.

Morning: Two dives on Um El Faroud (the second shallower to allow nitrogen off-gassing).

Afternoon: Rest. Diving two dives at 30-40m is physically demanding. Use the afternoon for equipment rinse, log book entries, and early dinner.

Evening: [ Malta: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course ] — if you’re not yet Advanced certified but want to access Um El Faroud and the deeper Gozo sites, the PADI AOW can be completed in 2 days. Days 3-4 in this itinerary can be restructured to include AOW training.

Day 4 — Mellieha sites: MV Rozi and Anchor Bay

Morning: MV Rozi

The MV Rozi tugboat wreck sits at 36m off Cirkewwa, deliberately sunk in 1992. It is one of the most popular dives in Malta for good reason: intact structure, excellent resident grouper population (some massive), good penetration options with natural light. The wreck is completely accessible at 36m for Advanced divers.

Afternoon: Anchor Bay (Popeye Village area)

Shore dive from the rocks at Anchor Bay (near Popeye Village). Shallow reef site, good for marine life, octopus commonly seen. Excellent for a decompression dive after the morning wreck.

[ Malta: 1-day PADI Scuba Diver beginner course ] — if you have non-diving companions, this is the day to get them their basic certification. The 1-day course allows them to join guided dives to 12m from day 5 onwards.

Evening: If your partner or travel companion isn’t diving: [ Comino and Blue Lagoon jet ski safari ] for the surface-dwellers in your group — a different kind of water experience.

Day 5 — Gozo: Blue Hole and Inland Sea

Today is the headline day for experienced divers. The drive or boat to Gozo, the Dwejra sites.

Morning: Inland Sea and tunnel dive

The Inland Sea at Dwejra is a lagoon connected to the open sea by a 50m underwater tunnel through the rock. Diving the tunnel is a genuinely extraordinary experience — you swim from the enclosed lagoon, through 5m of darkness (torch essential), into open sea on the other side. Maximum depth 25m. Guide required for first-timers.

Afternoon: Blue Hole

The Blue Hole is a collapsed sea cave — you descend a chimney (3m diameter, 12m deep) that opens onto a wall dive dropping to 50m+. The walls are covered in sponges, gorgonians, and anthias. Visibility is typically exceptional (30-40m). This is one of the top 10 dive sites in Europe by most diver rankings.

[ Gozo: Discover Scuba Diving for beginners ] — beginners can experience Gozo’s clear water at shallow sites while experienced divers do the Blue Hole. A Gozo dive school handles both simultaneously.

Note on conditions: The Blue Hole can be closed or rough in winter (November-March) due to the exposed Atlantic swell channelled through the Azure Window site. Always check current conditions. Summer (June-September) is reliable. April-May and October are usually good.

Day 6 — Gozo: Cathedral Cave and wreck sites

Morning: Cathedral Cave (Billinghurst Cave)

North Gozo, near Reqqa Point. A cave system accessed from the sea — the main cave is 30m in length with a large air pocket at the back (genuinely cathedral-like, hence the name). Strong swimmers and good buoyancy control required. Guide essential.

Afternoon: Crocodile Rock / Reqqa Point

Reqqa Point is a dramatic wall dive — the cliffside continues underwater as a sheer drop to 60m+. Exceptional marine life, large grouper, schools of barracuda, occasional eagle rays. Advanced divers, 25m+ minimum comfortable depth.

Stay overnight in Gozo if you have the flexibility — waking up on the island for early morning dives before the day-trip boats arrive is an advantage. [ Gozo and Comino snorkeling adventure ] — for non-diving companions on day 6.

Day 7 — Return to Malta: MV Imperial Eagle

Morning: MV Imperial Eagle

One of Malta’s most famous wrecks — a former passenger ferry deliberately sunk in 1999 off Sliema. The wreck sits at 42m maximum, is 67m long, and is regularly visited by schools of barracuda, amberjack, and bream. The funnels are particularly photogenic.

Maximum depth 42m — Advanced certification and 25+ logged dives recommended. [ Malta: 2 scuba fun dives for certified divers ] from Sliema often includes the Imperial Eagle.

Afternoon: Final dive and departure prep

Last shore dive at St Paul’s Bay area — a gentle, shallow reef dive to close out the week. No deep diving on final afternoon before travel. [ Malta St Paul’s Bay: PADI Discover Scuba for beginners ] — if anyone in your group wants to try their first dive on the last day.

Pack your equipment. Salt rinse. Log your dives. Celebrate.

Dive site quick reference

Site	Type	Depth	Level	Season
Um El Faroud	Wreck	18-40m	AOW+	Year-round
P29	Wreck	12-35m	OW	Year-round
MV Rozi	Wreck	15-36m	AOW	Year-round
MV Imperial Eagle	Wreck	10-42m	AOW	Year-round
Blue Hole	Cave/Wall	6-50m+	OW+	Apr-Nov
Inland Sea Tunnel	Cave	5-25m	OW (guide)	Apr-Nov
Cathedral Cave	Cave	5-30m	OW (guide)	May-Oct
Cirkewwa Reef	Reef	5-20m	OW	Year-round
Reqqa Point	Wall	5-60m+	AOW+	May-Oct

Practical tips for dive logistics

Equipment: Most dive schools rent full equipment (BCD, regulator, wetsuit, tank) at €25-40/day. If you travel with your own mask/fins/wetsuit (3mm sufficient May-October, 5mm November-April), you rent only the technical gear.

Dive schools: Multiple reputable operators in Mellieha and St Paul’s Bay — Dive Systems Malta, Maltaqua, Umi Diving. Pre-book: popular wreck dives fill up in July-August.

PADI certification during the trip: PADI Open Water can be completed in 3-4 days (theory, pool, 4 open water dives). [ Malta PADI Open Water course ] — your most efficient option if you want to get certified this trip. Start day 1-2 and complete by day 4-5 for the Gozo sites.

Flying after diving: Do not fly within 18 hours of your last dive (single dive), 24 hours of multiple dives. Plan your last dive day accordingly relative to your flight.

Hyperbaric chamber: Malta has a recompression chamber at St Luke’s Hospital (Msida). Your dive school will brief you on the emergency procedures.

What non-divers do while the divers dive

This itinerary is specifically for divers. If you have a companion who doesn’t dive, Malta has plenty for them while you’re underwater:

Valletta walking tour and St John’s Co-Cathedral
[ Comino Blue Lagoon cruise from Sliema ] — snorkelling at the Blue Lagoon
Mdina and Rabat half-day
Gozo jeep safari or e-bike tour

How to adapt this itinerary

Beginner version: Replace days 3 and 5 with the PADI Open Water course over 3 days, then supervised OW dives on days 6-7. See try-dive and PADI guide.
Technical diving: Malta has excellent deep wreck technical diving — decompression dives on the Um El Faroud’s lowest sections, technical diver courses at several operators. Discuss with your dive school.
Without a car: All major dive schools offer pick-up from Mellieha and St Paul’s Bay accommodation. Gozo dives include ferry transfer.

Practical info

Best season: May-June (water warming to 22-24°C, visibility excellent, fewer divers than peak) or September-October (sea still 25°C, clarity superb, dive schools less crowded).
Water temperature: 18°C January-March, 22°C May, 25-26°C August-September, 20°C November.
Wetsuit: 3mm May-October, 5mm November-April.
Car: Useful for flexibility between sites. Not essential — dive schools provide transfers.

Frequently asked questions about diving in Malta

Is Malta good for beginner divers?

Yes — the calm seas, excellent visibility, and shallow reef sites make Malta very accessible for beginners. The PADI Open Water course is widely available and can be completed here.

Is Gozo better for diving than Malta?

For experienced divers, Gozo’s Blue Hole and Cathedral Cave are among the best sites in the Mediterranean. Malta has better wreck diving. Ideally, do both.

What certification do I need for the Um El Faroud?

PADI Advanced Open Water minimum, or PADI Open Water with significant logged experience and instructor approval. The maximum depth is 40m — beyond the 18m limit of basic OW certification.

Can I dive in Malta in winter?

Yes — Malta dives year-round. Water is 17-18°C in winter (use a 5mm wetsuit), and visibility can actually be better in winter (no plankton bloom). The Gozo sites (Blue Hole, Inland Sea) are weather-dependent in winter due to Atlantic swell.

Last reviewed: 2026-04-20

7-day diving itinerary: Malta and Gozo wrecks