Relax and enjoy wonderful bays and sparkling blue seas
By Albert Fenech
Summer is almost mid-way through and most have already booked their home or overseas holidays, yet some have remained dependent on employment or commercial factors to enable a decision to be made – there is still time!
Put Malta and Gozo on your major and main foremost consideration choices. Why?
Malta and Gozo are two small central Mediterranean islands surrounded by sandy and rocky bays with crystal blue sea waters.
Now, 92% of swimming areas in Malta and Gozo have been classified as EXCELLENT in the annual report of the European Environment Agency in collaboration with the European Commission.
HOWEVER, some of this had already been previewed when it was reported that in a classification published by the European Best Destinations based on 103,000 tourist votes from 116 countries, Malta’s GHAJN TUFFIEHA BAY was voted as the most beautiful swimming bay in Europe from among the most selected 15 bays.
The EBD justified its choice on the basis of a bay for the highest level of cleanliness and services provided as also being recognised by the EU Commission for its sustainability.
Malta and Gozo’s swimming bays have now received even greater enhancement when the report of the European Environment Agency in collaboration with the European Commission carried out a classification on the quality of the water among 22,000 swimming areas in all European Union member states as well as Albania and Switzerland and placed Malta in the top handful.
The classifications were based on cleanliness of the water for swimming, according to information gathered through annual monitoring for the presence of different types of bacteria that can cause serious illness in humans.
This means that a total of 87 swimming areas in Malta and Gozo have been analysed, of which 80 were declared as excellent, meaning the highest standards of cleanliness and safety were achieved.
Malta placed in the top handful of European countries in regard to excellent quality of sea water last year, with a 92% mark. Out of 87 swimming areas analysed in Malta in 2023, 80 were classified as excellent, three as good and four as sufficient – topping Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece and North African bays in the final analysis.
The process of evaluation is that of excellent, good, sufficient or bad.
The average obtained among EU countries was 85.4% which puts Malta’s achievement substantially ahead and is even more outstanding because of the enormous volume of sea traffic in Maltese waters, gigantic liners and oil tankers and freight carriers – the busiest in the whole European area!
One of the greatest charms of the Maltese Islands is that despite their smallness everything is neatly packaged, accessible and within a stone’s throw away. I have lived in and travelled to countries where in a central situation it takes hours to get to the nearest sandy bay – indeed, the sea.
Hence, Malta is packed with a great number of sandy and rocky bays, indeed, coastal parts and a number of ideal and popular ones. They are so numerous, you cannot avoid them unless you decide to take a hotel or an apartment in the centre of Malta or Gozo and decide not to leave there at any time!
The bays both sandy and rocky most populated are deeply cared for as one of Malta’s economic treasures and ALL are assured of:
*Daily cleansing and removal of refuse;
*Watchful lifeguards;
*Medical health and safety provisions;
*Small restaurants and bars;
*Toilets and some have changing rooms;
*Highly accessible roads;
*Public transport services particularly in summer;
*MOST ESSENTIALY parking areas;
*The hire of deckchairs, umbrellas and tents.
The diverse localities subject to like/dislike but are definitely the most popular are:
IN MALTA
Ghajn Tuffieha Bay
Ghadira Bay
Armier Bay
Golden Bay
Paradise Bay
Pretty Bay
Pretty Bay
Wied iz-Zurrieq
Ghar Lapsi Bay
IN COMINO
The Blue Lagoon
St Mary’s Bay
IN GOZO
Ramla Bay
Xlendi Bay
Marsalforn Bay
Inland Dwejra Sea
San Blas Bay
Ħondoq it-Rummien Bay
The cruxes are in the north of Malta bordering the coast of the sea which divides Malta from Gozo and contains the very small island of Comino.
I cannot of course even begin to describe these but Ghajn Tuffieha Bay is paramount while Ghadira Bay in Mellieha is the largest and most popular sandy bay in Malta and Gozo, frequented in summer and winter. This is followed by nearby Armier Bay and Golden Bay and Paradise Bay bordering both sides of Ghajn Tuffieha.
The tiny island of Comino is a wonder of wonders within itself. Its Blue Lagoon is a scene of a dreamy panoramic beauty with its crystal blue waters. In summer daily boat trips from Malta and Gozo and recommended because finding a leisure spot on the sand is well-nigh impossible.
Ramla Bay is the competitive rival in Gozo, red sands and its romantic connections between Ulysses and the Goddess Calypso – a place to swim, enjoy the sunshine, and dream of romantic love.
Xlendi Bay is not so romantic but the bay contains the most ancient remains of sunken Phoenician and Roman ships in history – a bonanza for deep sea divers!
The Inland Sea at Dwejra is a natural geophysical development resulting in the partial collapse of the coastal rock face, creating a natural tunnel and enabling the inflow of sea to form a highly-popular inland sea at Dwejra.
Three years ago the area had greater enhancement with an independent rock archway at sea known as the Azure Window, highly popular and a magnet for visitors over hundreds of years. Unfortunately it collapsed during a storm and today only the stumps remain.
ALBERT FENECH
