Diving in Malta Island

Best Time to Dive in Malta Island

The warmest water temperatures in Malta Island occur in January, averaging 16.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 16.8°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

• January: 16.8°C (air: 13.8°C)
• February: 16.8°C (air: 13.8°C)
• March: 16.8°C (air: 14.3°C)
• April: 16.8°C (air: 16.2°C)
• May: 16.8°C (air: 19.8°C)
• June: 16.8°C (air: 24.1°C)
• July: 16.8°C (air: 27.2°C)
• August: 16.8°C (air: 27.7°C)
• September: 16.8°C (air: 25.6°C)
• October: 16.8°C (air: 22.3°C)
• November: 16.8°C (air: 19.1°C)
• December: 16.8°C (air: 15.8°C)

Marine Life in Malta Island

Home to 62 recorded species including 39 reef fish, 4 hard corals, 4 whales & dolphins, 3 seagrass & algae, 2 other, 2 crabs & lobsters.

Recommended Packing List for Malta Island

Based on average water temperature of 16.8°C.

• Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 17°C water
• Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
• 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

Marine Protected Areas in Malta Island

• Il-Gżejjer ta\' Filfa - Area of Ecological Importance/Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Għaram tar- Ramel fir-Ramla tat-Torri, limiti tal Mellieħa - Area of Ecological Importance/Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Għadajjar ta\' l-ilma ħelu fl-Għadira s-Safra, Għallis (l/tan-Naxxar) - Area of Ecological Importance/Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Għadajjar ta\' l-ilma ħelu fil-Qaliet (l/ta\' San Ġiljan) - Area of Ecological Importance/Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Gżejjer ta\' San Pawl (Selmunett), limiti tal-Mellieħa - Area of Ecological Importance/Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Ġebel ta\' Bejn il-Kmiemen, limiti ta\' Għajnsielem - Area of Ecological Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Manoel Island/Il-Gżira ta\' Forti Manwel - Bird Sanctuary (IUCN Category IV)
• It-Taqtiegħa u t-Taqtiegħa ta\' Delimara, limiti ta\' Marsaxlokk - Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Għaram tar-Ramel f\'Daħlet Xilep, il-Mellieħa - Area of Ecological Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Ġebla tal-Għallis, limiti tan-Naxxar - Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Ħnejja, limiti tal-Qala - Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Baħar ta\' Madwar Filfla - No Berthing Zone/No Entry Zone except for Fisheries (IUCN Category VI)
• Ġebla Fessej - Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-bajja taċ-Ċagħaq ta\' Kemmunett - Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Irdumijiet Ta\' Madwar il-Kosta f\'Ta\' Buleben, San Pawl il-Baħar - Area of Ecological Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Għaram tar-Ramel fir-Ramla tal-Mixquqa, il-Mellieħa - Area of Ecological Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Ġebla l-Ħalfa, limiti tal-Qala - Area of Ecological Importance/Site of Scientific Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Irdumijiet Ta\' Madwar Il-Kosta mill-Ponta tal-Miġnuna sal-Bajja ta\' San Tumas f\' Wied il-Għajn - Area of Ecological Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Gżira ta\' Filfla - Bird Sanctuary (IUCN Category IV)
• Filfla - Nature Reserve (Filfla) (IUCN Category Ia)
• Il-Gżejjer Selmunett (Gżejjer ta\' San Pawl) - Nature Reserve (Islands) (IUCN Category Ia)
• Il-Gżejjer ta\' San Pawl - Bird Sanctuary (IUCN Category IV)
• L-Għadira s-Safra u l-Iskoll tal-Għallis - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Filfla - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Gżejjer ta\' San Pawl / Selmunett - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Ġebla taċ-Ċawla - Special Areas of Conservation - National Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Ġebla tal-Ħalfa - Special Areas of Conservation - National Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar bejn Rdum Majjiesa u Għar Lapsi - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Bajja ta\' l-Armier - Protected Beaches (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Il-Bajja tal-Ġnejna - Protected Beaches (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Il-Bajja tax-Xlendi - Protected Beaches (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Il-Prajjiet - Protected Beaches (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Ir-Ramla ta\' Għajn Tuffieħa - Protected Beaches (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Ir-Ramla taċ-Ċirkewwa - Protected Beaches (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Ir-Ramla tal-Mixquqa - Protected Beaches (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• L-Għadira s-Safra u l-Iskoll tal-Għallis - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Il-Gżejjer ta’ San Pawl (Selmunett) - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar bejn Rdum Majjiesa u Għar Lapsi - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Rdumijiet ta’ Malta: Wied Moqbol sal-Ponta ta’ Bengħisa - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi ta\' Għar Lapsi u ta\' Filfla - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tad-Dwerja (Għawdex) - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar bejn Il-Ponta tal-Ħotba u Tal-Fessej (Għawdex) - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar bejn Il-Ponta ta’ San Dimitri (Għawdex) u Il-Qaliet - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Wied ta\' Għajn Żejtuna (limiti tal-Mellieħa) - Area of Ecological Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Fortifikazzjonijiet tal-Port - Area of High Landscape Value (IUCN Category V)
• Filfla - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Rdumijiet ta\' Malta: Wied Moqbol sal-Ponta ta\' Bengħisa - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-Inħawi ta’ Għar Lapsi u ta’ Filfla - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-Inħawi tad-Dwejra (Għawdex) - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar bejn Il-Ponta tal-Ħotba u Tal-Fessej (Għawdex) - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar bejn Il-Ponta ta’ San Dimitri (Għawdex) u Il-Qaliet - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Filfla u l-Gżejjer ta’ Madwarha - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fit-Tramuntana - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Graben tat-Tramuntana ta’ Għawdex - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Grigal - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Lvant - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fix-Xlokk - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fin-Nofsinhar - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Graben ta’ Medina - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Lbiċ - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar madwar Għawdex - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Punent - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Majjistral - Special Protection Areas (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Punent - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fit-Tramuntana - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fin-Nofsinhar - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Grigal - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Lvant - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fix-Xlokk - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Lbiċ - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar madwar Għawdex - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fil-Majjistral - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Il-bruk (Tamarix africana) fir-Ramla tat-Torri (limiti tal-Mtarfa) - Tree Protection Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Majjistral tal-Graben ta’ Malta - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Punent tal-Graben ta’ Malta - Special Areas of Conservation - International Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Il-Bajja tal-Ġnejna - Area of Ecological Importance (IUCN Category IV)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Graben ta’ Medina - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Punent tal-Graben ta’ Malta - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Majjistral tal-Graben ta’ Malta - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Graben tat-Tramuntana ta’ Għawdex - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• Filfla u l-Gżejjer ta’ Madwarha - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)

Getting to Malta Island - Nearest Airports

• Malta International Airport (MLA), Valletta - 12 km away, approx 28 min travel time
• Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), Catania - 180 km away, approx 211 min travel time
• Falcone–Borsellino Airport (PMO), Palermo - 275 km away, approx 315 min travel time