Two winds close more bays than any other. The majjistral (the north-west wind) is the most common wind here. The grigal (the north-east wind) is the one that stops the Gozo ferry.
Each of our 69 bay pages records how much open sea the bay faces in every direction. Twelve face no open sea at all between north west and north east.
26 bays are sheltered from the grigal and 28 from the majjistral. These twelve are on both lists.
In Malta
- Għar Lapsi has food, drinks, toilets and parking.
- Wied iż-Żurrieq has food, drinks, toilets and parking. The Blue Grotto boats leave from here.
- Żonqor Point has drinks and parking.
- Mistra Bay has parking.
- Il-Prajjet (Anchor Bay) is open to the sea only to the west.
- Il-Kalanka is open to the sea only to the east.
- Wied ix-Xoqqa has no facilities recorded.
In Gozo and Comino
- Ħondoq ir-Rummien has the most of the twelve: sunbeds, umbrellas, food, toilets, water sports and step-free access.
- Xlendi Bay has food, drinks, toilets and step-free access. It is open to the sea only to the south west.
- Żewwieqa Bay has no facilities recorded.
- Daħla taċ-Ċawl has no facilities recorded.
- Crystal Lagoon, in Comino, has no facilities recorded. You reach it by boat.
When to go somewhere else
A bay sheltered from the north is usually open to the south. Most of these twelve face the xlokk (the south-east wind) or the lbiċ (the south-west wind).
On those days the north coast is calmer. Il-Kalanka and Mistra Bay are the exceptions, because they face east.
A strong grigal can still push swell round into Marsaskala and St Paul’s Bay. Żonqor Point and Mistra Bay are the two to check first.
The sea conditions page shows which way the wind is blowing today. What each wind does is explained in the four winds.
