Swimming in The Blue Lagoon, Comino

In between the mainland of Malta and the island of Gozo you can find the tiny island of Comino. Only 3.5 square kilometres, the island is car-free and pretty much uninhibited with only one hotel and that’s about all.

Apart from being a paradise for snorkelers, divers and windsurfers, the main reason to visit Comino is to swim in it’s beautiful Blue Lagoon. By far one of the best beaches in Malta and home to the most crystal clear water I have even seen or swam in, the Blue Lagoon is an absolute can’t miss for anyone visiting Malta.

We had organised a private fishing boat for the day to take us on a bit of a cruise around Comino Island, stopping at different spots along the way for us to jump in the water and do some exploring, before arriving in the Blue Lagoon. Unfortunately, when we arrived there we were told that our boat couldn’t actually dock at the lagoon, and we essentially just had to admire the beauty of the crystal clear water from a distance.

This was not really okay with me.

A few of us swam over to the Blue Lagoon, but by the time we made it over there we had to catch a taxi boat back to our boat to head back to Gozo. So the next day we decided to go back, catching a taxi boat over from Ħondoq Bay to experience the Blue Lagoon and all it’s beauty in so much more detail.

A Guide To Gozo's Beaches

What to expect at the Blue Lagoon

The long narrow bay of bright blue water is surrounded by a rocky landscape, but the smooth sand at the bottom of the water make you almost feel like you’re swimming in a pool. For someone who struggles to sit and relax, I could have easily spent hours hanging out amongst the rocky shore here.

Here is some random information that you might find helpful before your trip:

→ You can hire chairs and umbrellas on the rocks from the attendants on the beach. They can be quite expensive and charge by the day most of the time, so get there early to get the most out of your spot. If you don’t hire umbrellas you will be spending most if not all of the day in the sun as there are very few shady places to hide.

the blue lagoon malta

This was the spot we managed to grab – perfect because there was about 15 of us and we had two rows of chairs in quite a private location. Amazing!

→ The island of Comino has an official population of less than 10 people, with all the boats and almost all the people leaving the island when the sun goes down.

→ You can find all sorts of food trucks at The Blue Lagoon, from ice-cream to burgers, so don’t worry about going hungry when you’re there.

→ The small island next to Comino is called Cominotto and can be seen from the main shore of the Blue Lagoon. Avoid swimming all the way across to Cominotto as the water can get deep and strong currents often occur in the area.

How to get to the Blue Lagoon

You can take a boat to Comino Island all year round with United Comino Ferries. From Gozo you can catch the ferry from Marfa and from Malta you can jump on at Cirkewwa near the ferries to Gozo. You can also catch an express taxi boat from Ħondoq Bay on Gozo, which is a little bit faster and more direct in my opinion.

You could also visit The Blue Lagoon as part of a boat day trip from the main port at Cirkewwa or one of the other tourist hot spots such as Sliema, Qawra and St. Paul’s Bay. These day trips usually include food and drinks and will show you a few different spots around Comino Island that are just beautiful for snorkelling, scuba diving, and even just bomb diving off the boat!

The Blue Lagoon might just be my favourite place on Malta. My second visit more than lived up to my memories of the place, and swimming in the azure water was just as magical as I remembered. If you’re visiting between June and August expect and prepare for giant crowds.

Check out all the tours that can take you to the Blue Lagoon