Having never been to Malta before I was not too sure what to expect as I boarded my Air Malta flight for a long weekend of diving on the Mediterranean island. 2 days and 4 nights in the sun and some excellent diving to boot– just what the doctor ordered. The flight was smooth leaving Gatwick on time and in just 3 hours I had arrived. Malta is a small island and in no time at all Simon, my transfer driver, had expertly navigated his way through Malta’s winding roads to my hotel at the Fortina Spa.
Even at night Malta looks impressive. The island is simply overflowing with history and magnificent architecture. Yet in the morning I was able to appreciate just how beautiful the ancient cities looked. The Fortina Spa has a well earned reputation as one of the finest hotels on the island. Based in the district of Sliema, the hotel lies right on the mouth of Malta’s famous Grand Harbour and overlooks the capital city of Valletta opposite. Some of Malta most notable monuments can be seen from the waterfront promenade. The hotel itself boasts a complete spa on site offering just about every treatment you could ever want (perfect for those post dive aches and pains). I found it quite hard to make my mind up which to treat myself to first! There are also several restaurants on site, ranging from a modest brasserie serving Mediterranean treats to a more exotic Japanese bar. I was in heaven and I hadn’t even let the hotel yet!
The Fortina Spa is also rather conveniently less than a 2 minute walk from the Oxygene Malta dive centre – something I was happy about when it came to my first day’s diving. I was quickly introduced to the Oxygene team who clearly run a smooth operation. There are many dive centres on the Island, but the Oxygene team are proud of the fact that they are the only one that offers boat, rather than tiresome shore, diving. Trevor, the Operations Manager, showed me a map of the island and the huge range of sites they are able to access with their boat. Diving is not limited to the island itself. Some popular sites around Gozo and Camino are also accessible with maximum sailing times of about 2 hours (depending on the weather). I was keen to get going and after the obligatory paperwork I was set. If you are planning a trip do remember that you need to have logged a dive in the last 6 months or you will have to do a Scuba Review according to Maltese law. They also stipulate that all medicals must be from a hyperbaric doctor, rather than just your GP.
The Oxygene boat is a typical Maltese vessel, which means she is painted in cheery bright colours. The captain Jason had a great sense of humour and in between dives kept us all amused with his music collection. The first day was a great intro to the type of diving here. We headed off to the Um El Faroud and a wall dive close by. The Um el Faroud is an old oil tanker which has completely split in half. Whilst Malta may not boast the same bright corals as some other tropical destinations, there was so much to see, not least one of my favorite spots, an octopus. Seahorses can even be found here! I have never dived in the Med before and have heard many rumors – most of which turned out to be completely misleading. The water temperatures are seasonal but the visibility was astounding. A gorgeous wreck in Camino called the Rosie had easily 30m vis and fish life galore. I found 2 types of flabellina (love the nidubranch hunting), scorpion fish, a rather bizarre fire worm as well as the usual fishy characters all in the first 20 minutes. Malta really is a wreck divers heaven. Wrecks range in both size, history and depth meaning there is pretty much something for everyone. There is plenty of scope for technical divers as well, which is definitely something I will be coming back for. I am also keen to get back to one wreck, the Imperial Eagle, which has the unusual feature of a statue of Jesus sitting upright next to it. Malta is a deeply religious country and there is more than one site with some religious iconography to be found underwater.
After the day’s exploration underwater, I was free to explore Malta a little more on land. There really is so much to see here I only skimmed the top but I can heartily recommend a trip into Valletta, the fortressed city at the heart of the Island. At first I found the concept of the cities a little confusing as to my mind it all seems to be one big city. As Malta has grown the boundaries between one and the other has blurred. St John’s Cathedral is really the most magnificent place and I would recommend a trip to the Silent City of Medina if you get a chance and want to escape the more urban areas. Just about all the attractions I visited offered audio guides in English and were extremely reasonably priced. Day trips to Gozo or Camino can also be arranged if you fancy a look at the real rural side of Maltese life. You can more or less always see the sea wherever you go in Malta and there are plenty of great cafes where you can stop, eat some tasty grub and enjoy the view.
Malta is unique place – both above and under the water. Having lived in the Middle East I was surprised to hear some Arabic in the local language as well as some Spanish and Italian. A long weekend is no where near enough time to get to grips with a language that complex but just about every Maltese I met seems to speak some level of English. Driving on the left and with English plugs, life felt very familiar yet the scenery and outdoor life style are distinctly Mediterranean. Trevor and the team at Oxygene were absolutely fantastic and nothing was too much trouble, be it morning, noon or night. Trevor is Maltese and rightly keen to share his culture. After only a short time on the Island I can see why. Malta has long been a popular dive destination for Europeans but in the last few years has been somewhat overlooked. Yet, the mixture of the diving and topside attractions, coupled together with the fabulous Fortina and Oxygene mean that I know I will certainly be back sooner rather than later.
Caroline’s travel tip
Take a camera , visibility is great and you can get some excellent photos !
