No wonder that Malta is considered one of the best diving spots in the waters of the Mediterranean. Beneath the archipelago’s rocky coastlines is the crystal-clear blue waters and amazing marine life- from curious octopus, to the quirky macro like nudibranchs.
Malta’s varied dive sites feature coral-covered, carved rocky reefs filled with fish, hidden caves and caverns, world-class wrecks that have become manmade coral reefs and sheer walls where pelagic species glide casually by.
Diving In Malta
Rocky Reefs & Drop-Offs
Malta’s rich marine biodiversity thrives thanks to limestone overhangs, sculpted over the years, creating excellent hiding spots, nurseries, and hunting domains for an uncountable number of sea creatures. The dramatic drop-offs serve as a magnet for large predator fish such as barracudas and tunas underneath the sheer underwater cliffs.
Malta’s Wrecks, Caves, and Caverns
Beyond impressive wreck diving, Malta offers exceptional cave and cavern diving where marine life ranges from small invertebrates to larger fish that seek shelter. The man-made wrecks, particularly the Um El Faroud and P29, have transformed into thriving artificial reefs, teeming with life.
The Seagrass Beds of Malta
The seagrass bed meadows of Posidonia oceanica provide crucial ecosystem services. They offer protection for fish, serve as nurseries for juvenile life, and assist in sustaining entire food webs. Though less striking than caves or wrecks, seagrass beds are vital in supporting Malta’s marine biodiversity.
Fish Species Divers Commonly Encounter
Reef & Rocky Bottom Dwellers
Malta’s shallow rocky reefs are buzzing with activity and life. Colourful parrotfish crunch their way along algae-encrusted rocks, white rainbow wrasse dart between crevices and damselfish guard their territories. Scorpion fish blend perfectly with rocky bottoms, masters of camouflage with intricate patterns and an alien-like appearance, perfect for macro photography. Just remember, look with your eyes only, as those spines aren’t just for show.
Mediterranean moray eels are common among Malta’s reefs. If you spot one, don’t be alarmed if it has its mouth hanging open – this is not a sign of aggression. Moray eels open their mouths to breathe underwater. At dramatic walls and wreck sites, you’ll often see large, solitary groupers.
Pelagic & Predatory Fish
In Malta’s deeper waters, sleek amberjack glide like silver torpedoes, while barracudas form impressive schools creating walls of silver that reflect light around divers. Although fierce-looking, they’re more interested in smaller fish than divers. Tuna make an occasional appearance, but are usually too fast for more than a fleeting glimpse.
Invertebrates & Cephalopods
Cephalopods
The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) shows great curiosity toward divers. Look for octopus gardens – heaps of shells, stones, and debris they have arranged and collected outside their dens. Their hunting and colour-changing abilities are like watching an underwater magician’s performance.
Sandy bottoms hide camouflaged cuttlefish, magnificent when spotted during the mating season when their camouflage displays go wild! During night dives, squid can also appear around shallow piers, moving gracefully in small groups creating epic light performances.
Crustaceans
Spiny lobsters patrol Malta’s reefs like armoured knights, especially around Gozo’s dive sites like Reqqa Point. They’re active at night, though during the day their long antennae can be seen poking out between rocks.
Cleaner shrimp maintain key symbiotic relationships with fish, while edible crabs and hermit crabs are often spotted crawling through reefs during night dives as they actively hunt for food.
Echinoderms and More
The reef floor contains red starfish, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, and different kinds of urchins that help filter seawater. Despite their stunning iridescent appearance, fireworms should be enjoyed from a distance as their bristles deliver painful stings. Eagle-eyed divers can also spot breathtaking nudibranchs like Flabellina affinis among Malta’s micro-life.
Marine Flora and Attached Organisms
Posidonia oceania seagrass meadows are the lungs of the Mediterranean. In addition to producing oxygen, they support enormous quantities of juvenile fish. These meadows may seem less impressive than coral reefs, yet they are equally, if not more, important to Malta’s marine ecosystem. Also found in Malta, brown algal forests, dominated by species of Cystoseira, along with a range of green algae, form submersed gardens teeming with small fish and invertebrates.
Hard surfaces on walls and wrecks around Malta get colonised by sponges, tunicates, and bryozoans, turning dull dive sites into lively and ever-changing patchworks of colour. Every wreck is transformed by encrusting life and develops a unique community.
Experienced dive guides can take you to some of the deeper sites where you can find beautiful red coral (Corallium rubrum) formations, which are heavily protected due to their slow growth rate and overexploitation for the jewellery trade.
Rare, Curious & Exciting Sightings
Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) are Malta’s most exciting marine visitors. These ancient species are typically spotted June-September, often around deeper dive sites. Encountering a turtle underwater is always magical as they glide through the water!
Seahorses are camouflage masters that hide among seagrass beds near shallow shore dives like Marsaskala or around Manoel Island. Finding one requires patience and a keen eye, as they are rare, but the reward is worth the effort. Flying gurnards are among Malta’s most unusual fish. When threatened, they spread their wing-like pectoral fins in a display that’s both beautiful and startling. They’re typically found on sandy bottoms and are rare enough that spotting one is a real treat.
Stingrays and eagle rays are often seen at dusk, either gliding gracefully over sandy areas or buried in sediment with just their eyes visible. Eagle rays in particular are magnificent creatures that seem to fly underwater.
Shark encounters are rare but not impossible around Malta. Small-spotted catsharks or dogfish might be spotted during deeper dives, especially in areas with good current flow. Sunfish (Mola mola) occasionally appear in open water during spring or early summer. These bizarre, disc-shaped giants are always a surprise when they materialise out of the blue.
Top Dive Sites for Malta Marine Life
- Cirkewwa: Reliable for marine life with a combination of reefs and the P29 wreck, ideal for everything from curious cuttlefish to schools of barracuda.
- The Blue Hole & Inland Sea (Gozo): Iconic arch dive and dramatic underwater drop-offs where octopus hunt, amberjacks patrol the waters, and scorpionfish hide in the reef.
- Xatt l-Ahmer (Gozo): Boasting three shipwrecks that have created artificial reefs home to large groupers, countless nudibranchs, and different species of bream.
- Reqqa Point: A classic wall dive where moray eels peer from crevices, large pelagics cruise the wall and drop-off, and various rays, particularly eagle rays.
- Lantern Point (Comino): Epic swim-throughs, tunnels, and small caves. Marine life is teeming in every corner here – from fireworms, starfish, and groupers to colourful sponges, crabs, damsel fish, shrimp, and tiny macro species that make underwater photography super rewarding.
TOP TIP: Did you know that morning dives typically offer better natural light and more fish activity, whilst night dives open a whole new underwater experience with cephalopods and crustaceans making an appearance. Malta’s marine life operates on different schedules, so the same dive site offers a completely different experience at different times of the year/day.
