Full Day Round Malta Boat Cruise with Lunch and Swim Stops

After leaving Sliema the first short swim stop is often planned at St Peter's Pool or Hofriet Bay, two natural limestone swimming holes with clear water when the sea is calm. The crew brief you before anyone enters the water and keep the stop short enough to protect the rest of the coastal loop.

If swell or wind make swimming unsafe here, the boat continues along the south coast and the crew will explain the change. Either way you get an early sense of how dramatic Malta looks from sea level.

Cruise past the Blue Grotto sea caves, famous for electric blue water and limestone arches best viewed from the boat. This stretch is usually sightseeing rather than a long swim stop, giving everyone a clear view of one of Malta's most photographed coastal landmarks.

Light and sea colour change through the morning, so keep a camera ready. The crew slow the boat where it is safe so you can take in the arches without rushing.

Pass the narrow, fjord-like inlet of Wied iz-Zurrieq and the fishing village coastline around Ghar Lapsi. These southern stretches are about cliffs, clear water and traditional harbours seen from offshore rather than long shore landings.

Conditions decide how close the boat can run. When the sea is kind you get some of the most dramatic rock scenery of the whole circumnavigation.

A longer stop near Popeye Village in Anchor Bay is typically used for lunch, swimming and a slower break in sheltered water. It is one of the most scenic pauses on the route and gives you time to eat, cool off and enjoy the bay without racing the next landmark.

Continue along Malta's stunning north coast, enjoying breathtaking views of Paradise Bay and Golden Bay before arriving at the beautiful island of Comino. Here, you'll cruise past the world-famous Blue Lagoon with its crystal-clear turquoise waters and explore the spectacular sea caves of the Crystal Lagoon, offering unforgettable sightseeing opportunities.

Return through Marsamxett Harbour with views of Valletta and the surrounding waterfront before arriving back in Sliema in the late afternoon. The crew wrap up the day, collect kit and help everyone leave the boat safely.

By this stage you have seen a full coastal loop in a single shared sailing, with swim and lunch stops woven around the weather rather than forced against it.