Malta - A divers guide
By Helen Hadley on 17 September 2008
Slowly I fin out of the steep sided gully and away from the engine noise from the small tourist boats. This is my first ever solo dive and the rush of adrenaline pushes me onward as I follow the 10m contour south out of the bay. The freedom of not having to keep an eye on anyone else allows me such freedom, and soon I find myself stopping to notice all manner of animals such as sea hares and geological formations I would normally miss.
Soon a large barren rock looms from the blue and I rest on it, watching the fish, shadows in the blue, the shafts of sunlight dancing like silk curtains in a breeze.
Malta sits in the azure waters of the Mediterranean, the scorched earth and sparse vegetation testament to the arid temperatures achieved in high summer. The seas around the island offer some excellent diving if you are on a restricted budget or are new to diving.
This small limestone island has an impressive history, with sites of huge archaeological importance being found all over the countryside.
During World War II it was of immense value to the UK as a staging point for submarines and warships as they dodged the U boats through the Mediterranean. This rich history is not only found above the waves, but below too.
“During World War II it was of immense value to the UK as a staging point for submarines and warships as they dodged the U boats through the Mediterranean”
The Island itself is quite densely populated and seemingly overdeveloped in the main tourist areas, cities and around the few sandy beaches.One of the most noticeable things is the number of buildings in disrepair, merely shells awaiting completion. This reflects one of the main political issues in Malta regarding a law which was initially used post war to attract people to stay in Malta. The law prevents landlords from discharging the tenant from their property and keeping rental agreements fixed based on the initial contract. It is therefore not uncommon to hear of people paying £50 annual rent. This has lead to there being around 150,000 properties in Malta not being used, subsequently a lot of buildings have fallen into disrepair.
How to get there
Cheap flights to Malta are available from all over the UK and Europe.
Typically, unless you book well in advance or take a last minute deal they are around £150 GBP from most UK airports. Some airlines do have the extra baggage allowance if you phone to book it in advance.
From the airport to the hotel
Taxi’s and busses are easily available from the small functional airport in the south of the island near the capital, Valetta. If you are staying in a hotel, bus transfers will take you to the resort. However, if you have organised your own holiday, you will need to arrange picking up your hire cars.
Transport
Car hire is highly recommended, especially if you have a smaller group.
Small 4×4 soft top jeeps are available but these are potentially insecure and never leave anything in public view in any vehicle. Theft from cars is rife, especially if the thief knows you are a diver you will be away from the vehicle for around an hour.
“Small 4×4 soft top jeeps are available but these are potentially insecure and never leave anything in public view in any vehicle.”
It is a good idea to shop around for hire prices, as these can vary quite a lot. Also be sure to check the insurance you get with the vehicle, for an extra GBP 5 you can usually get a no excess policy which is well worth it, considering the way people drive on the island.
T-D Warning: Drink/drug driving is quite common, especially amongst the young – the most destructive combination. Serious road accidents are a common sight, and normally occur late in the evening when people are returning from clubs.
Also be aware that it is illegal to park close to any junction, no matter what street it is and the authorities are keen on enforcing this.
Parking tickets are very common, and have to be paid for before you leave!
Driving in Malta is a strange experience, locals drive as if the whole world is in a huge hurry, but there is no road rage. The horn is the most over used part of the vehicle and you will no doubt incur the wrath of a Maltese driver at some point, but there is none of the hand waving obscenity shouting abuse you would expect in the UK, merely a beep of the horn and that is it.
Malta’s public transport system is good, with the old busses used being an experience in themselves, unfortunately they are getting rid of these beautiful circa US 1960’s style buses and replacing them with bland more modern ones. Travel is very cheap and reliable by bus and it is an excellent way to get around on non-diving days (if not a bit slow). It takes around an hour to get from Buggiba to Valetta by bus.
T-D top tip: Ask the hotel owner or Dive Shop owner about arranging a taxi, they usually know someone who will do a deal and is reliable.
Expect to receive the history of the entire island as you make your way around in a taxi. This can be very entertaining and interesting.
Where to stay
There are many new and well known hotels on the island, with the main tourist areas being around Buggiba in the north east of the island.
Buggiba is a typical Med resort, tacky gift shops and English pubs among the small local establishments, high-rise hotels and a slightly tired and worn appearance.
“The small winding streets with the high balconied houses on either side can seem to magnify the heat”
The small winding streets with the high balconied houses on either side can seem to magnify the heat, and the cacti growing in any open space add to the impression of a heat trap.
Some hotels charge for Air Con as an additional extra. Check before hand that the accommodation has air con, or you won’t be able to sleep in the stifling summer heat.
Private accommodation around the island is available, with many villas offering excellent value for money for larger groups.
Out & About
A non diving day is well worth spending on a visit to Valetta, the islands capital city. Old stone walls, tall, narrow streets and plenty to see make it an excellent choice. Arrival by public transport is usually at the entrance to the old city, through the impressive sandstone columns and onto the cobbled main shopping street. Here you can walk right through the centre of the old city until you reach the sea.
A short walk left will bring you to a museum which contains many exhibits from Malta’s past, many from the war which are very thought provoking. If you continue past the museum you will come to an area where you can see the expanse of part of Valetta harbour.
Immediately below in the bay sits the wreck of HMS Maori, a popular and highly enjoyable dive. Retrace your steps and continue along the road you will find the which guards the entrance of the harbour itself. This again is well worth a visit.
Beware of local men with a horse and trap in Valetta, especially if you are a woman on your own. They can be very persistent in their approaches for you to take a tour with them, and this can be seen as rather aggressive.
Dive, Dive, Dive!
There are a large number of dive centres on the island, all which will cater for the needs of any diver.
Cirkewwa is usually used as the first dive as it has a sheltered shallow area for getting weighting right.
At first sight the lack of life was a bitter disappointment, the rocks below covered in maroon seaweed and algae, devoid of life. However, as soon as you fin out of the battered gully and the life emerged, shoals of fish in the deep clear blue. Truly, it is breathtaking for someone who had only ever dived in the UK.
The rest of the Island proved itself as a very worthwhile destination with a wide variety of sites for scenic diving, cavern diving and wrecks.
Ghar Lapsi being an excellent dive, shafts of light shine through the roof onto the sandy floor below, the variety of blues are stunning. The site is accessed via stone steps into the tiny natural harbour where a small submerged hole allows access into the cave system. You can exit onto a reef and areas of eel grass and swim around back to the harbour entrance and the steps.
“The Rozi sits upright in the blue waters, teeming with shoals of barracuda and other fish”
The Rozi, a tug sunk in 1991 for tourist submarine tours sits close to the ferry terminal for Gozo is another excellent dive. She sits upright in the blue waters, teeming with shoals of barracuda and other fish.
Beware of your air supply, she is deceiving as she sits deeper than she seems and can also have a current. The other minor problem with this dive is that in many of the guidebooks the recommended entry point is much closer than where you can now get in. Major repair work is taking place on the harbour and you cannot get as close as you once could. This means a much longer swim to the wreck.
The Um El Faroud is a 110m long tanker sunk especially for divers sitting in around 36m of water. The Libyan tanker is an impressive sight as she looms out of the blue, and at 10,000 tonnes there is plenty to see. However, this dive is a long swim from the entry point, so it is well worth asking the local tourist boats to run you out to the site.
This will cost you around £1 if you share the boat between a few of you.
Be sure to follow their precise instructions about getting in the water though as these little boats can be rather unstable and a diver falling off the side at the wrong moment does not go down too well!
A couple of days boat diving is also well worth the money, with dives around Comino and Gozo being worth the sometimes rough journey. Remember to take some bread to feed the fish at the caves dive as they are very used to this treat and will eat from your hand.
DIVER WARNING: Speed boats are very common and the owners have absolutely no respect for the safety of divers. They will not see a delayed SMB as a warning to avoid this area and near misses are common.
Communications
Pay phones are plentiful on the island (but very expensive), but most UK mobiles will work. Beware of high charges though! Coverage is generally good, but some of the more remote locations may be patchy.
Health
To dive in Malta you used to need a medical, however, this has now changed to a self certification form which you can do while you are out there. However, if you have any condition which requires a medical to dive, then be sure to take your UK certificate with you.
Be sure to take plenty of the usual items to Malta, suncream etc. Even on a cloudy day it is possible to get burned as the weather can change in minutes due to its maritime climate.
If you have health problems while on the island your tour operator (if through a package deal) will be able to organise for you to see a doctor, otherwise seek assistance via your dive shop who will be able to advise you of the details of the local surgery.
Useful Numbers
- St Luke’s Hosptial: +35621241251
- Craig Hospital Victoria: +35621556851
- Government information: 153
- Police: 191
- Ambulance: 196
- Fire: 199
T-D Comment: Slightly ridiculous that they don’t have one number, what happens if you need all 3, do you have to ring all 3 number?
Contact
Author: Helen Hadley
Email: info@travel-dive.com
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