Malta makes most sense from the water. The trips on offer run from a five-minute harbour crossing to a full day at sea. The thing to get right is matching the boat to what you want from the day.
The trips worth taking
Blue Lagoon day trips
Large boats leave from Buġibba, Sliema and Ċirkewwa for Comino. In July and August it’s also the most crowded thing on the islands.
The crowd arrives between about ten and four. Go first thing or take a late afternoon trip and it’s a substantially different place.
Booking the Blue Lagoon
Grand Harbour cruises
They run around the creeks and bastions of Valletta and the Three Cities. It’s the best view of the fortifications there is. It takes under an hour.
Good value, easy to fit into a half day, and it needs no planning at all.
One day in the harbourBook a harbour cruise
Dgħajsa and luzzu
These are small painted wooden boats, used for a harbour crossing or a short tour. The dgħajsa is the rowing boat of the Grand Harbour and the luzzu is the fishing boat you see at Marsaxlokk.
Both have the eye painted on the bow, which is older than Christianity here and supposed to ward off bad luck at sea.
Marsaxlokk market
Private charter
Much better if there are a few of you, because you choose the departure time. Timing matters more than anything else at the Blue Lagoon.
A half day covers Comino and back. A full day reaches the quieter coves and Gozo.
Charter a boat
All the options
What is on offer
- Blue Lagoon day trips
- The most popular trip on the islands, and in July and August the most crowded. Large boats leave from Buġibba, Sliema and Ċirkewwa.
- Grand Harbour cruises
- They run around the creeks and bastions of Valletta and the Three Cities. Short, cheap, and the best view of the fortifications.
- Traditional dgħajsa and luzzu
- Small painted wooden boats, usually for a harbour crossing or a short tour.
- Gozo and Comino combined days
- Long days taking in caves, swimming stops and both islands.
- Private charter
- Much better if there are a few of you. You choose the timing, and timing matters more than anything else at the Blue Lagoon.
Since 1 May 2025 anyone setting foot at the Blue Lagoon has to book in advance, whether they arrive on a commercial boat or a private vessel. It is free, it takes a minute at bluelagooncomino.mt, and it issues a QR code you show at the access points. There are three slots a day: 08:00 to 13:00, 13:30 to 17:30, and 18:00 to 22:00. Check whether your operator books it for you or expects you to.
Operators cancel on sea state. A hot cloudless day with a strong Grigal (the north-east wind) running will stop the Comino boats entirely. Check the refund terms before booking, and expect to be moved rather than refunded.
What changes with the season
You get the best walking of the year, and the island is green.
- The countryside is green from February to April and burnt brown by June, so put the walking days early in the trip.
- The sea does not really warm up until May. Treat a beach day as a coast day and you will not be disappointed.
- Holy Week moves every year and changes opening hours across a lot of towns. Check the dates before you fix a day to Valletta.
Everything is open and everything is busy. The heat sets the timetable.
- The midday heat limits you more than the distance does. Start early, stop between one and four, then go out again in the evening.
- The Blue Lagoon needs a slot booked in advance. It is free, but it is not optional.
- Beaches fill from mid-morning, and the northern buses fill with them. A full bus will drive straight past your stop.
The sea is still warm and the crowds have gone. Many people prefer October for that reason.
- The water lags the air by about a month, so swimming is still on the table through October.
- The Valletta harbour ferries switch to their winter timetable on 1 November, and the last crossing comes earlier than people expect.
- Rain returns in November. Keep one flexible day rather than booking every morning.
Swap the beach days for walking days and the itineraries still work.
- The sea is too cold for most people, so every beach day in these routes becomes a coast walk instead.
- Comino boats run to a reduced service or stop altogether, so treat the Blue Lagoon as a summer plan.
- The sites and the museums are almost empty in winter, so this is a good time to walk round them.
Every operator on this page is somebody else’s business and we have no part in any of them. If you want to see what is running, on which days and from which harbour, you can compare Malta boat trips through Klook.