Xatt l-Aħmar Dive Site - Gozo
Xatt l-Aħmar offers a relaxed shore dive, perfect for a sunny afternoon in Gozo. The entry is pretty straightforward, over some smooth rocks, and once you're in, you’ll find a gently sloping reef, with a few small caves and overhangs to explore. We’ve spotted everything from curious parrotfish and ornate wrasse flitting between the bushy corals to the elusive Mediterranean slipper lobster tucked away in crevices. Keep an eye out for dusky groupers lurking in the deeper sections. It’s a comfortable dive, not too deep, making it a good choice for newer divers or those looking for a couple of easy dives.
- Location
- Gozo, Malta, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 36.017845, 14.288018
- Type
- shore
- Maximum Depth
- 10-40m
Marine Protected Area: Ġebla Fessej
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 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)
Nearest Dive Centres to Xatt l-Aħmar Dive Site
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 Xatt l-Aħmar Dive Site
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