This article said the 16 dog beaches include sandy ones. Only one of them, Imġiebaħ Bay, is sandy.
The rules on dogs and beaches in Malta are stricter, and more specific, than most visitors expect.
No sandy beach, ever
Except for one beach, Imġiebaħ Bay near Selmun, dogs are not allowed on any sandy beach in Malta or Gozo, at any time of year. This covers the sand and the water.
The Commissioner for Animal Welfare gives the reason as dog waste on sand. It is easily picked up by people, especially children playing on it.
Rocky beaches, most of the year
Dogs are allowed on rocky beaches all year round, with two conditions. They must be kept on a leash, and the owner has to clean up after them.
If a rocky beach is also an official bathing area, dogs cannot go in the sea there, even though they can be on the rocks. Malta and Gozo have 87 official bathing areas, and one bay can hold several.
Blue Flag beaches
Dogs are not allowed on Blue Flag beaches during the summer, when the flag is flying. Malta usually has around ten to twelve Blue Flag beaches a year.
The 16 designated dog beaches
Sixteen beaches, twelve in Malta and four in Gozo, are officially declared dog-friendly. Only one of them, Imġiebaħ Bay, is sandy. Rinella Bay in Kalkara, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq behind Splash and Fun, and Żonqor Point in Marsaskala are three of them.
The full list, and which of the 69 bays on this site allow dogs, is in the 16 official dog beaches.
The fine
Breaking the rule for the first time can cost between €232 and €4,658, or at least six months in prison. A second offence can reach €11,646 or two years.
