Best Blue Lagoon Boat Tour Malta: Comino, Gozo and Sea Caves

• Top choice Private Comino & Gozo from US$195 Duration2 - 4 hours^[1]Rating4.98 from 117 reviews^[1]GuideLive tour guide: English^[1]Free cancellationUp to 24 hours in advance^[1] Check availability
• Catamaran beaches & bays from US$63 Duration5 - 6 hours^[3]Rating4.68 from 6,838 reviews^[3]GuideHost or greeter: English^[3]Free cancellationUp to 24 hours in advance^[3] See this tour
• Comino & Crystal Lagoon from US$40 Duration5.5 - 7.5 hours^[4]Rating4.53 from 7,774 reviews^[4]GuideDriver: English^[4]Free cancellationUp to 24 hours in advance^[4] See this tour

Why the Blue Lagoon looks the way it does

The Blue Lagoon sits in the channel between Comino and the islet of Cominotto, and the colour is the first thing anyone notices. The sandy sections give the water its famous turquoise colour, light reflecting back up through the shallow, clear water from the white sand below.^[7] Because the lagoon stays shallow a long way out, swimmers of nearly any level can enjoy it, and boats can come close enough that you step off the stern rather than wade in from a crowded beach.

Comino itself is small and remarkably quiet. The island has an official population of four.^[8] It is a bird sanctuary and nature reserve, and a Natura 2000 marine protected area.^[9] On land there is little more than low scrub, a few paths and the Santa Marija Tower, a defensive structure completed in 1618 during the reign of Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt.^[10] Most boat trips give you time for a short walk ashore, though the water and the caves are the main event.

The cliffs are busier than they look from the deck. The Yelkouan shearwater is the seabird that breeds on Kemmuna, with an estimated 150-220 pairs nesting there.^[11] You are unlikely to see one in the middle of a summer afternoon, but the reserve status has kept this coastline wild. Boats that hug the shore show you stretches of Comino that no footpath reaches.

The private boat trip booked from this site

The private boat trip booked from this site takes in the Blue Lagoon, Comino, Gozo and the sea caves, with swim stops along the way. Prices start from US$195, and it is rated 4.98 from 117 reviews.^[1] It is sold as a private group, so your party has the boat to itself, and a live tour guide speaks English.^[1]

The trip lasts 2 - 4 hours, and you check availability to see starting times for the date you want.^[1] You skip the line through a separate entrance, and the boat is wheelchair accessible.^[1] You can reserve now and pay later, and cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[1]

A private boat changes the rhythm of the day. There is no fixed route and no crowd to wait for, so you agree a plan with the skipper: longer at the Blue Lagoon when the water is glassy, a slow pass through the Santa Maria Caves, a look at the cliffs under Santa Marija Tower, or a quick run across to Gozo. Bring a towel, a dry layer for the way back and a waterproof bag for your phone.

Turquoise water and pale limestone cliffs on the run towards Comino.

Shared cruises, catamarans and group boats

Shared trips cover much of the same water. A catamaran trip to the Blue Lagoon, beaches and bays starts from US$63 and is rated 4.68 from 6,838 reviews, with a host or greeter who speaks English and a duration of 5 - 6 hours.^[3] Catamarans have wide decks and plenty of shade, which suits families and anyone who would rather not sit in a small boat on open water.

A cruise from Sliema to Comino, the Crystal Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon starts from US$40 and is rated 4.53 from 7,774 reviews, with a driver who speaks English and a duration of 5.5 - 7.5 hours.^[4] Its listed stops include St. Julian's, Qawra and St Paul's Bay, St Paul's Island, Mellieha Bay, the Crystal Lagoon, the Blue Lagoon and the Santa Maria Caves.^[4] This is the sort of day that shows you a long stretch of coast in one go.

The big island cruises are the other option. A Gozo and Comino islands trip with the Blue Lagoon and the sea caves starts from US$35 and is rated 4.45 from 20,111 reviews.^[2] It lasts 7 hours, includes an audio guide in English, French, German, Italian and Polish, and has a driver who speaks English.^[2] Expect a full day, plenty of fellow passengers and a good overview of both islands.

Private boat or shared cruise: how to choose

Start with the people you are travelling with. A private boat works well for families with young children, for anyone who wants to swim on their own schedule, and for couples who would rather not spend the day in a crowd. Group cruises suit travellers who want a fixed timetable and the company of other visitors, and they usually take in more of the coastline in a single outing.

Time is the other big difference. The private trip runs 2 - 4 hours, the Gozo and Comino islands cruise 7 hours, and the catamaran 5 - 6 hours.^[1][2][3] A shorter private outing can fit around a morning in Valletta or an afternoon elsewhere on the island, while a longer group cruise fills most of the day and leaves less room for anything else.

Evening departures are worth a look. A Blue Lagoon sunset cruise with swimming, snorkelling and a slide starts from US$29, is rated 4.79 from 1,169 reviews and lasts 3.5 hours, with a host or greeter who speaks English and Italian.^[12] Low light on the limestone, cooler air and far fewer boats make the lagoon feel like a different place entirely.

When to go: crowds, sunshine and sea temperature

Summer is busy. In peak summer, July and August, Comino's Blue Lagoon receives between 2,500 and 3,500 visitors per day.^[5] Malta as a whole received roughly 3.6 million international tourists in 2024.^[13] In high season an early departure gets you into the lagoon before the day boats arrive, and a private boat lets you move away from the busiest corner of the bay whenever you like.

Sunshine is rarely the problem. Malta gets almost 3000 hours of sunshine a year.^[14] Daily mean air temperatures for Valletta, based on 1991 to 2020 climate data, range from 12.6°C in February to 27.5°C in August, with an annual average of 19.5°C.^[15] Spring and autumn days are usually warm enough for a boat trip and cool enough to enjoy walking on Comino.

For swimming, the sea matters more than the air. Average sea water temperature at Sliema is warmest in August at about 26.1°C and coldest in February at about 15.4°C.^[16] Late summer is the time for long, lazy swim stops. In spring and autumn, a short dip and a warm towel afterwards is the realistic plan.

Getting to the Blue Lagoon and Comino

You can reach the Blue Lagoon without a tour. Ebsons ferries run from Mġarr on Gozo and Ċirkewwa on Malta, and the crossing takes approximately 15 minutes each way.^[6] That suits travellers who simply want to swim and sunbathe, but the ferry does not take you into the sea caves or along the cliffs, and it follows its own timetable.

Boat tours leave from several points. The Sliema cruise lists stops at St. Julian's, Qawra and St Paul's Bay, St Paul's Island, Mellieha Bay, the Crystal Lagoon, the Blue Lagoon and the Santa Maria Caves.^[4] Other trips start from Bugibba, from St Paul's Bay or from Gozo, so check the meeting point on your booking before you plan the journey north.

Allow generous time on the day. Roads towards the northern harbours get slow in summer, car parks near the ferry terminals fill early, and buses are crowded. Arrive with time to find the berth, and keep the operator's phone number handy in case the weather changes and the skipper moves the departure.

What to bring and how to treat Comino

Pack for a day on the water rather than a day in town. Swimwear worn under your clothes, a towel, high-factor sunscreen, a hat, plenty of water and a light windproof layer cover most trips. Shoes with grip help on wet decks and on rocky paths ashore, and a dry bag keeps phones and cameras safe from spray.

The caves are the other highlight. The Santa Maria Caves consist of five caves on Comino.^[17] The Sliema cruise lists the Santa Maria Caves among its stops, and skippers usually time a slow pass so you can see the light on the rock inside.^[4] If you are a confident swimmer, ask whether a swim stop near the caves is possible.

Comino is a bird sanctuary and nature reserve, and a Natura 2000 marine protected area.^[9] The protection is also what keeps the water as clear as it is. Take all rubbish back to the boat, stay on marked paths, keep clear of roped cliff areas, and give nesting seabirds room, especially on the cliffs where the Yelkouan shearwater breeds.^[11]

How to book your boat trip

1. Choose private or shared

   Work out your group size first. A private boat gives you the itinerary; a shared cruise runs a fixed route with set stops and set times.

2. Pick your date and time

   Check availability to see starting times for your date, then choose an early departure if you want calmer water and fewer people.

3. Book with flexible terms

   Reserve now and pay later so you can hold a place without paying straight away, and cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[1]

4. Confirm the meeting point

   Departure points vary between Sliema, Bugibba, St Paul's Bay, Mellieha and Gozo, so plan your journey to the right harbour.

5. Pack for a day on deck

   Bring swimwear, a towel, sun protection, water and a light layer for the wind. Shoes with grip help on wet decks.

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