Malta
Photo by Igor Sporynin on Unsplash
With over 80 wrecks spanning 3,000 years from Phoenician merchants to WWII warships, Malta is Europe's undisputed wreck-diving capital. The Maltese archipelago's soft limestone has been carved by millennia of sea into a diver's playground of caves, arches, fissures, and swim-throughs — from the iconic Blue Hole at Dwejra to the sunken ocean liner Le Polynesien. Budget European flights, English widely spoken, and a density of PADI 5* centres make it the most accessible advanced wreck-diving destination on the continent.
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14–28 °C
10–30 m
5–40 m
Mild
May through October
| Month | Summary |
|---|---|
| Jan | January brings the coldest water at 15–16 °C. Seas can be rough with winter storms, but the Grand Harbour area offers sheltered diving. Visibility drops to 10–20 m after storms. Only the most experienced winter divers venture out; 7mm wetsuit or drysuit essential. Few dive operators are running. |
| Feb | February is the coldest month at 14–15 °C water temperature. Rough seas limit dive days, but the sheltered east coast (Sliema, Grand Harbour) remains accessible. Winter visibility 10–20 m with plankton blooms adding life. Drysuit recommended. Some shops operate reduced schedules. |
| Mar | March water warms to 15–16 °C. Transition month — seas begin to calm but winter weather still possible. Visibility improving to 15–20 m. Dive shops resume full schedules. Good month for wreck diving with fewer crowds. Wetsuit still recommended; drysuit comfortable for deeper dives. |
| Apr | April water reaches 16–18 °C. Shoulder season begins — good balance of conditions and fewer crowds. Visibility 15–25 m. Plankton blooms bring vibrant marine life. Most dive shops fully operational. Excellent month for intermediate divers seeking quality dives without peak-season crowds. |
| May | May marks the start of peak season. Water warms to 19–21 °C, seas calm, visibility excellent at 20–30 m. Air temperature 25–30 °C. All dive shops running full schedules. Best month for beginners — warm enough for 5mm wetsuit, calm seas, great visibility. Ideal for the Cirkewwa Arch, Blue Hole, and shallow wreck dives. |
| Jun | June is peak tourist season. Water reaches 22–25 °C, visibility 20–30 m. Cirkewwa-Comino area busy with dive boats. Air temperature 25–35 °C. Book dive shops 2–4 weeks ahead. Still excellent conditions — the crowds are on the surface, not underwater. Best month for the Blue Lagoon and shore dives. |
| Jul | July is the warmest month — water 25–27 °C, air 30+ °C. Peak visibility 25–30 m. Plankton minimal, seas calm. Maximum occupancy at all dive shops. Best conditions for technical wreck diving with stable weather windows. The south coast can be hot and crowded; consider north coast alternatives. |
| Aug | August matches July in warmth — water 26–28 °C, the warmest of the year. Peak season continues with all dive operators at capacity. Best month for night dives and the Blue Hole. The Azure Window remnants draw photographers. Consider diving in Gozo for a quieter experience away from the Malta mainland crowds. |
| Sep | September is the sweet spot — water still warm at 25–27 °C from summer heating, but tourist crowds thinning. Visibility remains excellent at 20–30 m. Ideal conditions for advanced wreck diving. Best month to book last-minute dives with better availability. Seas calm, air warm. |
| Oct | October water cools to 23–24 °C but remains comfortable. Visibility still good at 20–25 m. Shoulder season — fewer boats, better pricing. Wreck diving excellent with stable autumn weather. 5mm wetsuit recommended. Good month for the technical wrecks with fewer divers competing for boat space. |
| Nov | November is the end of the diving season. Water drops to 20–22 °C, seas becoming rougher. Visibility 15–25 m with plankton blooms. Fewer dive operators running; some close for winter. Good for experienced divers seeking solitude. Drysuit recommended for deeper dives. |
| Dec | December brings winter conditions — water 17–19 °C, rough seas, limited dive days. Only the hardiest operators run. Grand Harbour sheltered sites remain the best option. Visibility 10–20 m. Drysuit essential. A month for dedicated winter divers who enjoy the solitude and challenge. |
3–6m · Beginner
Shallow · Shore dive · Sheltered
10–40m · Intermediate
arch · collapsed · limestone
3–12m · Beginner
Caves · Shore dive · Shallow
8–25m · Intermediate
sinkhole · Blue hole · arch
2–8m · Beginner
Shallow · Shore dive
lagoon
30–37m · Advanced
Wreck
wwii · aircraft
35–42m · Advanced
Wreck
wwii · aircraft
12–20m · Intermediate
Caves · Shore dive
arch
Species recorded in this destination's wider regional catalogue. A species being listed here does not mean it is seen at this destination — check the note on each card.
Photo: Monachus monachus DSC 0274.jpg — Marinko Babić · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped to a square and resized to WebP for DivePass main and thumbnail images.
Mediterranean Monk Seal
General species description, not specific to this destination
One of the rarest pinnipeds in the world, with a dark brown coat and a distinctive white belly patch. Inhabits remote sea caves and rocky coastlines. Feeds on fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. Historically abundant in Malta but now extremely rare.
Loggerhead Turtle
Destination note
Regularly sighted in Maltese waters from late spring through autumn. Most common around Comino and Gozo, especially near the Blue Hole and Inland Sea.
Green Sea Turtle
Destination note
Less common than loggerheads in Maltese waters. Occasionally sighted near seagrass meadows around Comino and the north coast of Gozo.
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
Destination note
Year-round presence in Maltese waters. Most frequently seen in the Comino Channel, between Malta and Gozo, and off the south coast in winter.
Photo: Clavelina lepadiformis - Mar Piccolo.jpg — Roberto Strafella · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Full source frame fitted to a square canvas; resized and encoded as WebP for main (1280×1280) and thumbnail (400×400).
Lightbulb Sea Squirt
General species description, not specific to this destination
A translucent colonial sea squirt whose glassy zooids look like tiny lightbulbs hanging from shaded rock. In clear Maltese water, its pale colonies can be a striking macro subject.
Night Anemone
General species description, not specific to this destination
A spectacular Mediterranean anemone that expands long banded tentacles after dark while remaining contracted by day. It is one of the most memorable night-dive invertebrates in the region.
Goldblotch Grouper
General species description, not specific to this destination
A large grouper with brownish body covered in pale spots and golden blotches. Inhabits rocky reefs, caves, and wrecks from 10-150m. An ambush predator feeding on fish and crustaceans. Less common than the dusky grouper but present around deeper Maltese wrecks.
Common Guitarfish
General species description, not specific to this destination
A distinctive ray with a body shape resembling a guitar or violin, combining features of sharks and rays. Inhabits sandy and muddy bottoms from 5-100m. Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. Critically endangered in the Mediterranean due to overfishing.
Yellow-Rose Chromodorid
General species description, not specific to this destination
A colourful Mediterranean nudibranch with yellow, pink, and violet markings that grazes on encrusting sponges. It is a rewarding find for slow macro dives on rocky reefs.
Mediterranean Boxer Shrimp
General species description, not specific to this destination
A banded cleaner shrimp relative that shelters in crevices and caves, extending long white antennae from the darkness. Around Maltese rocky reefs and wrecks it is a prized macro sighting.
Photo: Ascidia roja (Halocynthia papillosa), Catania, Sicilia, Italia, 2025-04-04, DD 37.jpg — Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Full source frame fitted to a square canvas; resized and encoded as WebP for main (1280×1280) and thumbnail (400×400).
Red Sea Squirt
General species description, not specific to this destination
A vivid red solitary sea squirt that attaches to shaded rock, cave walls, and wreck structures. Its leathery body and two siphons make it one of the most recognizable Mediterranean tunicates for macro observers.
Mediterranean Feather Star
General species description, not specific to this destination
A feather star with many delicate arms used to filter food from passing currents. It clings to rocks, gorgonians, and shaded ledges, adding elegant movement to Maltese walls.
Plan Malta and Gozo diving with wrecks, caves, Blue Hole logistics, seasons, safety notes, and Mediterranean marine life highlights.
Compare Malta and Gozo's best dive sites: Blue Hole, Inland Sea, Um el Faroud, Rozi, P29, HMS Maori, Comino caves, and more.
Month-by-month Malta diving conditions: water temperature, visibility, wind exposure, wetsuits, currents, and the best seasons for Gozo and wrecks.
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