Um El Faroud
Advanced onlyDepth18–36 m
A 110m former oil tanker deliberately scuttled in 1998 off Wied iż-Żurrieq, now lying on its side and large enough to warrant multiple dives.
- wreck
- penetration routes
- resident fish life
Malta
Malta & Gozo
A Mediterranean wreck-and-cave diving hub with a well-developed tourism scene and a strong European (especially French and German) diver base.
Malta and Gozo punch well above their size for wreck and cavern diving, with an unusually dense concentration of sites in clear, current-light water reachable from shore or a short boat ride. It's a well-trodden European dive destination rather than a remote one -- proper infrastructure, direct flights from most of Europe, and a dive scene geared as much toward technical/wreck specialists as toward first-time certifications. Gozo, a short ferry ride away, is quieter and more dramatic geologically than the Malta mainland.
IntermediateSee dive operators & prices ↓
IntermediateSee dive operators & prices ↓
Can I dive here?
Experience
Intermediate- Requirements
- Open Water minimum for standard sites. Deeper wrecks, cavern/cave sites and the Blue Hole area's more exposed dives are best done Advanced or with a local guide.
- Medical/safety access
- Malta has its own recompression chamber at Mater Dei Hospital, a real safety advantage for divers doing deeper wreck or technical diving here.
Conditions
- Currents
- generally mild and easy at Malta's shore sites; some Gozo sites (e.g. the Blue Hole area) and open-water wreck dives see stronger current and swell depending on the day
- Depth range
- 5–40 m
- Visibility
- 20–40 m
- Water temp
- 15–26 °C
Malta and Gozo are built around clear, current-light Mediterranean water and an unusually dense concentration of deliberately-sunk and wartime wrecks, plus dramatic limestone topography -- caves, arches, and the collapsed-arch site once known as the Azure Window. Fish life is modest by tropical standards; the draw here is visibility, wrecks and rock formations rather than marine-life density.
Season
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Also good: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
Diveable year-round, but May-Oct is when the Mediterranean is warmest and calmest; winter diving is still done (drysuit territory for most divers, roughly 15-16°C) with fewer boats running and choppier surface conditions.
Dive operators
Sorted by Google rating, weighted by how many reviews each shop has, so a well-reviewed shop outranks a higher average drawn from a handful of reviews. Every listing is checked against the operator's own published prices. Use the sort control to compare by clearest pricing, most recently checked, or name.
Photo: Arpon Nag, via Google · Google Places (user-contributed photo, displayed with attribution) · sourceScuba Malta | Diving Center
Portomaso Marina dive centre with a full published course and try-dive price list (from a €95 try dive up to a €900 Divemaster course), all stated as including full equipment, insurance and instruction materials.20 bookable offersAll-in fromEUR 95Day tripFees & taxes includedWhat other divers say
“We had an unforgettable experience with Scuba Malta! We arrived from our cruise ship and took a short taxi ride to their dive center. From the beginning, the communication and organization made us feel comfortable and well prepared.” (Google, 2026-06-27)
Photo: Dive Systems Malta, via Google · Google Places (user-contributed photo, displayed with attribution) · sourceDive Systems Malta
Sliema dive centre publishing fun-dive prices as ranges (e.g. 1 dive €65-75) rather than a single number, and running a separate technical-diving price list alongside recreational diving.8 bookable offersAll-in fromEUR 65Day tripFees & taxes includedWhat other divers say
“The instructor was great! Lovely dives in Comino, the caves and P31 wreck, stunning blue waters, great on the boat, the skipper is lovely and friendly and stopped for us in Comino during surface time to have a swim. Great day!” (Google, 2026-06-30)
Photo: Connie, via Google · Google Places (user-contributed photo, displayed with attribution) · sourceMalta Blue Diving
Sliema-based shop selling its Open Water course and fun dives as individual e-commerce products, with the Open Water price shown as a range depending on certifying agency (SSI/PADI/NOVA).6 bookable offersAll-in fromEUR 90Day tripFees & taxes includedWhat other divers say
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An amazing first scuba diving experience! I went scuba diving today for the very first time, and honestly, it was an experience I'll never forget.” (Google, 2026-09-03)
Photo: St Andrew’s Divers Cove, via Google · Google Places (user-contributed photo, displayed with attribution) · sourceGozo Dive - St Andrew's
Over-30-year Xlendi (Gozo) dive centre with an unusually complete published price list spanning RAID/SSI/SDI, FFESSM (French system) and specialty courses side by side.9 bookable offersAll-in fromEUR 100CourseFees & taxes includedWhat other divers say
“My son and I just did 4 dives with Gozo Dive - St. Andrews. Very well organized and full attention to detail. After not diving for two years, we did a refresher course which was helpful, and then carried out four accompanied dives.” (Google, 2026-07-15)
No operators found.
What will I see?
Malta's underwater scene is defined more by geology and history than by fish density. Grouper, moray eels, octopus and nudibranchs are common on the reef and wreck sites, and the wrecks themselves -- from WWII casualties to purpose-sunk ferries and patrol boats -- have become artificial reefs with their own resident life. Winter and spring bring the best visibility for wreck photography; summer is warmer but slightly hazier in places.
Terrain
WWII and deliberately-sunk wrecks
JFMAMJJASOND
Um El Faroud, HMS Maori, SS Margit, P29 patrol boat and others -- Malta has one of the highest wreck densities in the Mediterranean.
Grouper & moray eels
JFMAMJJASOND
Common residents of the reef and wreck sites year-round.
Octopus & nudibranchs
JFMAMJJASOND
Macro life is a steady year-round presence across most sites.
Top dive sites
Cirkewwa Reef & Wrecks
Beginner-friendlyDepth6–35 m
A shore-accessible north-coast site combining reef, swim-throughs and multiple wrecks (P29, the Rozi) in a compact area -- Malta's most-dived training and repeat site.
- swim-throughs
- multiple wrecks
- shore access
- reef fish
Blue Hole & Chimney, Gozo
IntermediateDepth6–25 m
A natural limestone sinkhole leading through a chimney swim-through onto open reef, next to the collapsed Azure Window site.
- limestone chimney
- swim-through
- dramatic topography
HMS Maori
Advanced onlyDepth14–18 m
A WWII Royal Navy destroyer wreck in Valletta's Marsamxett Harbour, broken up but historically significant and a popular wreck-diving site close to shore.
- WWII wreck
- historic site
- harbour diving
Santa Maria Caves, Comino
Beginner-friendlyDepth5–15 m
A network of shallow caves and swim-throughs off Comino, calm and gentle enough for newer divers, close to the Blue Lagoon.
- caves
- swim-throughs
- calm shallow water
Plan your trip
Getting there
Malta International Airport (MLA) has frequent flights from across Europe. Gozo is reached from Malta by a short public ferry from Ċirkewwa (about 25 minutes, roughly €4.65 foot passenger, more with a car); a heliport service also connects the islands.
Certification & medical
Open Water minimum for most shore and reef sites; several signature wrecks (Um El Faroud, HMS Maori) and cave/cavern sites are Advanced-or-guided territory given depth and overhead-environment considerations. Malta has a hyperbaric chamber (Mater Dei Hospital).
Infrastructure
Malta has full tourist infrastructure -- an international airport, ATMs, supermarkets, hospitals and a dense concentration of dive shops around Sliema/St Julian's and St Paul's Bay. Gozo is quieter but still well set up for visiting divers.
Connectivity
Reliable mobile data and WiFi throughout both islands, on par with mainland Europe.
Health & safety
Malta has its own recompression chamber (Mater Dei Hospital), a real advantage for wreck and technical divers pushing depth limits. Most recreational sites are calm, current-light diving; the deeper wrecks and cavern sites are where shops brief more conservatively.
Peak season
Jun-Sep is the busiest and warmest window; May and Oct offer a good balance of warm water and thinner crowds. Winter diving continues but with colder water (drysuit territory) and fewer boats running.
Conditions and operator availability change. Always verify locally before booking.
Common questions about Malta & Gozo
Is Malta & Gozo suitable for beginner divers?
Malta & Gozo is rated "Intermediate". Open Water minimum for most shore and reef sites; several signature wrecks (Um El Faroud, HMS Maori) and cave/cavern sites are Advanced-or-guided territory given depth and overhead-environment considerations. Malta has a hyperbaric chamber (Mater Dei Hospital).
When is the best time to dive Malta & Gozo?
The best months are May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct. Diveable year-round, but May-Oct is when the Mediterranean is warmest and calmest; winter diving is still done (drysuit territory for most divers, roughly 15-16°C) with fewer boats running and choppier surface conditions.
What can you see diving in Malta & Gozo?
Divers come to Malta & Gozo for WWII and deliberately-sunk wrecks, Grouper & moray eels, Octopus & nudibranchs. Malta and Gozo are built around clear, current-light Mediterranean water and an unusually dense concentration of deliberately-sunk and wartime wrecks, plus dramatic limestone topography -- caves, arches, and the collapsed-arch site once known as the Azure Window. Fish life is modest by tropical standards; the draw here is visibility, wrecks and rock formations rather than marine-life density.
How much does diving in Malta & Gozo cost?
Guided dives and trips range from EUR 65 to EUR 900, based on operator prices verified 2026-09-16. Confirm current prices with the operator.