Bengħisa Reef - Comino
Sim Reef, for us, is one of those places you go when you’re looking to truly immerse yourself in the GBR’s quieter side. It’s not the flashiest site, no dramatic walls or crazy swim-throughs, but it has this incredible, subtle beauty. We love dropping in on the northern end, drifting slowly over the hard coral bommies that rise from a sandy bottom. You often find a lone Telescopefish here, just hanging, and the Flowerpot and Fluorescence grass corals give the whole scene this soft, almost ethereal glow. The real magic here, though, is in the small stuff. We’ve spent whole dives just watching the Actor Coral Gobies darting between the polyps of a massive Porites colony, or trying to spot the Sneaky Wrasse, which lives up to its name. If you're into macro and don't mind taking your time, Sim Reef is fantastic. We’d suggest going in the late morning, the light penetration really brings out the colours in the yellow scroll corals and makes the whole place feel alive. It’s a gentle dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to slow down and absorb the reef.
- Location
- Comino, Malta, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 35.805000, 14.547220
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Rdumijiet ta’ Malta: Wied Moqbol sal-Ponta ta’ Bengħisa
Best Time to Dive in Comino
The warmest water temperatures in Comino occur in August, averaging 28.1°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 15.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 16.4°C
- February: 15.5°C
- March: 15.3°C
- April: 16.2°C
- May: 18.7°C
- June: 22.9°C
- July: 26.9°C
- August: 28.1°C
- September: 27.3°C
- October: 24.9°C
- November: 22.2°C
- December: 19.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Comino
- ABINGDON - 14m (wreck)
- Alex's Cave Dive Site (cave)
- Anadrian - 60m (wreck)
- Anchor Reef Dive Site (reef)
- ANTONIO E FRANCESCO - 55m (wreck)
- BARGE 1 - 60m (wreck)
- Bengħisa Patch (reef)
- BLACK PEARL - 2m (wreck)
- BLENHEIM BOMBER - 28m (wreck)
- Blue Lagoon Tunnel Dive Site (cave)
- Blue Waters Dive Cove - 5-20m (reef)
- BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER - 35m (wreck)
- CAROLINA - 11m (wreck)
- Ċirkewwa Arch Dive Site (cave)
- Cominotto Arch Dive Site (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to Bengħisa Reef
- ABC Diving - PADI
- Aquamarina
- Aquatica Scuba Diving
- Atlantis Diving Centre - PADI, BSAC, VDST, TDI
- Blue Waters Dive Cove - ["PADI"]
- Bubbles Dive Shop
Marine Life in Comino
Home to 24 recorded species including 12 reef fish, 4 sharks & rays, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 seagrass & algae, 2 hard corals, 1 other.
Notable Species
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) - Reef Fish
- Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- sting ray (Dasyatis pastinaca) - Sharks & Rays
- killer alga (Caulerpa taxifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Bengħisa Reef
Based on average water temperature of 21.1°C, currents 2 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 21°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories