Blue Grotto - Gozo
Carbón is one of those surprisingly tranquil spots, a pleasant escape from the city bustle. We're not talking vibrant coral here, but rather a sandy expanse that, for the observant diver, delivers a quiet charm. Our pick for a relaxed afternoon dive, especially for those new to temperate waters or photographers who like to slow down. Don't come expecting wall-to-wall fish; Carbón is more about the details. We've spent easy dives here, finning slowly over the rippled sand, spotting barred pipefish blending perfectly with the bottom. Keep your eyes peeled for the Pacific speckled crabs scuttling past, and we've often seen small schools of anchovy shimmering overhead, creating a silver ceiling. The max depth of 13m and general lack of current make it an ideal site for stretching out your bottom time, giving you ample opportunity to really hunt for those smaller critters. Visibility averages a modest 4m, so it’s not a site for grand vistas, but it’s perfect for focusing on macro life and enjoying the calm.
- Location
- Gozo, Malta, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 35.819300, 14.436000
- Type
- cave
Marine Protected Area: Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi ta\' Għar Lapsi u ta\' Filfla
Best Time to Dive in Gozo
The warmest water temperatures in Gozo occur in August, averaging 27.7°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 15.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 16.4°C
- February: 15.3°C
- March: 15.3°C
- April: 16.1°C
- May: 18.5°C
- June: 22.6°C
- July: 26.3°C
- August: 27.7°C
- September: 27.1°C
- October: 24.5°C
- November: 22.0°C
- December: 18.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Gozo
- ARIANNA PRIMA - 7m (wreck)
- ARSIA - 6m (wreck)
- Atlantis Diving Centre - 5-20m (shore)
- Big Bear-Little Bear - 10-25m (pinnacle)
- Billinghurst Cave - 10-25m (cave)
- Billinghurst Cave - 10-25m (cave)
- Blue Grotto (cave)
- Blue Hole (cave)
- Bottleneck Cave (Dive Site) (cave)
- Calypso Cave (cave)
- Cathedral Cave (cave)
- Cave of Wheat (cave)
- CHIOS REEFER - 26m (wreck)
- Cirkewwa - 10-30m (reef)
- Comino Caves (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to Blue Grotto
Marine Life in Gozo
Home to 24 recorded species including 12 reef fish, 3 hard corals, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 seagrass & algae, 2 sharks & rays, 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
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) - Jellyfish
- killer alga (Caulerpa taxifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
Recommended Packing List for Blue Grotto
Based on average water temperature of 20.9°C, currents 9 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