Malta – Gozo & Comino

Gozo is the quieter dive island of the Maltese archipelago, with sheltered bays, caves and some of the Mediterranean's most famous walls. At Dwejra on the west coast the Blue Hole, the Inland Sea tunnel, Crocodile Rock and Fungus Rock form a compact complex; along the north coast Cathedral Cave, Reqqa Point and Billinghurst Cave offer cave and wall diving, and Xlendi and Mġarr ix-Xini are easy shore sites. Off Xatt l-Ahmar on the south coast three ferries and cruise ships — MV Xlendi, MV Karwela and MV Cominoland — were scuttled as artificial reefs at 30–45 m, and the small island of Comino has the Santa Marija caves and the P31 patrol-boat wreck.

Facts

• Best season: May – October (September–October often best); winter diving is possible but cold and swell-dependent
• Water: About 14–16 C in winter to 26–27 C in August; visibility often 30–40 m
• Comino: Comino lies in a marine protected area; the P29 and Rozi wrecks are off Cirkewwa on Malta's side of the channel (see Malta – Main Island)

Season

• Best months: May, Jun, Sep, Oct
• Acceptable: Apr, Jul, Aug, Nov
• Poor: Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
• Water temperature: 14–27 °C

May–October is best overall; September–October is often the best balance (warm sea, fewer crowds, strong visibility), July–August is warmest but busiest. Winter diving is possible but cold (14–16 C, 7 mm / semi-dry / drysuit) and swell can close exposed sites, especially on Gozo's west and north coast. Mean sea temperature: Jan 16, Apr 17, May 19, Jun 22, Jul 25, Aug 27, Sep 25, Oct 23, Nov 21, Dec 18 C; visibility is often 30–40 m. The month grading is our own synthesis; 'poor' means cold or weather-dependent, not undivable.

Dive sites (20)

Gozo north

• Billinghurst Cave – 35 m, advanced
• Cathedral Cave – 30 m, advanced
• Double Arch (Xwejni) – 15–45 m, advanced
• Marsalforn (Marsalforn Bay) – 10 m, beginner
• Reqqa Point – 70 m, advanced
• Wied il-Mielah (Window) – 50 m, intermediate

Dwejra & Gozo west

• Blue Hole (Dwejra) – 25 m, advanced
• Crocodile Rock (Dwejra) – 65 m, advanced
• Fungus Rock (Dwejra) – 60 m, advanced
• Inland Sea and Tunnel (Dwejra) – 3–40 m, advanced

Comino

• Lantern Point – 50 m, advanced
• P31 (Comino wreck) – 7–20 m, beginner
• Santa Marija Caves – 10 m, beginner

Gozo south (Xlendi – Xatt l-Ahmar)

• MV Cominoland – 32–40 m, advanced
• MV Karwela – 30–41 m, advanced
• MV Xlendi – 32–44 m, advanced
• Mġarr ix-Xini – 15 m, beginner
• Ras il-Hobz – 100 m, intermediate
• Xlendi Bay – 60 m, beginner
• Xlendi Cave (Xlendi Tunnel) – 10 m, beginner

Operators (4)

• Gozo Dive (St Andrew's Divers Cove) – dive centre, Xlendi, Gozo
• Gozo Dive Aqua Sports – dive centre, Marsalforn, Gozo
• Calypso Diving Centre – dive centre, Marsalforn, Gozo
• Ritual Dive Centre – dive centre, Xlendi, Gozo

Routes (2)

• Guided dives from Xlendi (Gozo Dive St Andrew's)
• 10-dive package (Calypso Diving Centre)

Site positions are approximate (community-published, not independently checked against a chart) and are for orientation only — never for navigation. Wreck and cave sites need training and a local operator; protected wrecks need a Heritage Malta permit or a licensed operator.