Oh, paradise… Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful spots in the Mediterranean, Comino is Malta and Gozo’s smallest sibling. The tiny 3.5km² island attracts enormous amounts of visitors on a daily basis who flock to the famed Blue Lagoon – a bay with the most pristine blue waters you’ll ever see.

The thing is: most people never get past the Blue Lagoon, and Comino has a lot more to offer! From all shades of blue to a very well-preserved 17th-century tower, here’s the perfect guide to exploring this petite gem!

Also see: Top 10 Instagram Accounts to inspire your next trip to Malta

Map

Let’s start with a comprehensive map! Make sure to save it for when you’re visiting the island!

Blue Lagoon

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already aware of the famed Blue Lagoon. But in case you’re not, here’s a quick glimpse as to why this is such a craved destination.

Paradise indeed, huh?! It’s always good to notice that the lagoon is super crowded during summertime, with boats bringing hundreds of people every morning and making experiencing paradise a bit stressful.

And so here’s where you can go instead:

Cominotto Beach

Tired of the crowds? Swim your way to Cominotto Beach (or pay a few euros for a boat to take you there). Right across the Blue Lagoon, the rocky formation has a small patch of sand, a cave that makes its way to the open sea, and a few hiking trails all the way up for a different perspective of the island.

Crystal Lagoon

A few minutes walking from Blue Lagoon you’ll find its sibling: the Crystal Lagoon. The sea here is painted with all shades of blue and it’s usually where the private boats will anchor for the day. There’s an accessible platform where you can safely enter the sea, and for the more adventurous, here’s the perfect place to cliff-jump into it.

Saint Mary’s Tower

Walk for about 20 minutes South of the Crystal Lagoon and you’ll reach Saint Mary’s Tower. Built in 1618 by Grand Master de Wignacourt, the tower was used as a part of a defence and communication system between the Cittadella in Gozo and Mdina. You can now visit the tower for 2 euros and go up to its rooftop!

Santa Marija Beach

On the other side of the island, you’ll find a couple of hidden gems too and Santa Marija Beach is one of them. This sandy beach is usually accessed by private boats only, but it’s located just a 20-minute walk from Blue Lagoon, so definitely worth checking!

Saint Niklaw Bay

Another gem on the northern part of the island, Saint Nikolaw Bay is a sandy beach that’s also home to the now-abandoned Comino Hotel. We’ll make a quick note that we tried to access the beach by foot in June 2022 and the paths were blocked by metal barriers which don’t look like will be removed anytime soon.

Hidden Creek next to Saint Niklaw Bay

Right next to Saint Niklaw Bay, there’s a hidden creek that we had just for ourselves when we visited! While people were crowding themselves in Blue Lagoon, we were swimming alone and refreshing ourselves here.

Note: There’s no ladder to go in or out of the water, so don’t go in if you don’t have proper water shoes to climb the rocks out. If you’re not comfortable with climbing rocks to get out of the water, we don’t recommend swimming here (Nick would be stuck here if Bruno wasn’t out of the water to help her out!!)

Daħlet il-Ħmara

Just a 10-minute walk north of Blue Lagoon you will find Daħlet il-Ħmara, a small inlet that is the perfect place for snorkelling! The bay is much quieter and the rocky shore is full of sea life.

By Boat:

So far all of the places can be visited on foot but if you can, get a boat tour and visit the following places too! You can book your tour at the stands on Blue Lagoon as well as with any of the boat operators that take you to Comino, either from Malta or Gozo.

Santa Maria Caves and the Elephant Rock

This is usually a pit stop on the way to Blue Lagoon and definitely worth visiting! On the way back to Malta you can also spot The Elephant Rock.

The Roofless Cave (L-Għar ta’ Bla Saqaf)

L-Għar ta’ Bla Saqaf is such an impressive formation! You can visit it by boat but we also recommend anchoring the boat at Crystal Lagoon and SUPing your way there!