The short verdict
Go, but go early and go outside July and August. The water genuinely is the colour it looks in photographs. That part is not a trick. What the photographs leave out is the number of boats moored in the channel at midday in high season, and the fact that there is no sand, almost no shade and very little in the way of facilities. Arrive on the first crossing of the day in June and it is one of the best swims in the Mediterranean. Arrive at noon in August and you will spend it standing on hot rock, shoulder to shoulder.
What it actually is
The Blue Lagoon is not a beach. It is a narrow channel of shallow water between Comino and the small uninhabited islet of Cominotto. The seabed there is pale sand at a shallow depth, and that is what produces the luminous turquoise, the same water twenty metres further out, over deeper rock, is ordinary deep blue.
Comino itself is effectively uninhabited: a small, dry, low island with no town, no shops and a handful of seasonal kiosks. It is a protected area and a bird sanctuary. That emptiness is a large part of the appeal, and also the reason the practicalities matter more here than at any other swimming spot in Malta.
Getting there
By ferry, independently
Passenger ferries run to Comino from Ċirkewwa and Marfa at the northern tip of Malta, and from Mġarr on Gozo. You buy a return crossing and pick your own outbound and return times. This is the option most people don't realise exists, and it is the one worth taking: you control how long you stay, and you can leave when it fills up.
Crossings are short. Services are seasonal and weather-dependent, and thin out considerably outside the summer months, in winter there may be no service at all. Check the operator's current timetable on the day rather than trusting a schedule you read online weeks earlier.
By organised boat trip
Day cruises leave from Sliema, Buġibba and St Paul's Bay, usually combining Comino with a stop at the Crystal Lagoon and a run past the caves. These are genuinely enjoyable if you want the boat to be part of the day rather than just transport. The trade-off is that you arrive and leave when the boat does, which in practice often means arriving at the busiest hour.
A note on numbers and rules. Malta has introduced measures in recent years to manage crowding on Comino, including limits on commercial deckchairs and kiosks. What is permitted has changed more than once. Check the current position before you go rather than relying on any guide, including this one.
When to go
- Late May, June and September: the sweet spot. Water is warm, crossings are running properly, and the channel is busy rather than overwhelmed.
- July and August: peak. Go on the first crossing of the day or don't go at all. By late morning the channel fills with moored boats and the rocks are full.
- October: the sea is still warm and the crowds have thinned considerably. One of the most underrated times to visit.
- November to April: expect reduced or suspended crossings, and a cold, often windy island. Comino out of season is beautiful and empty, but it is a walking trip, not a swimming one.
Time of day matters more than any of this. The first boat over and the last boat back are consistently the two best decisions you can make about Comino.
What to bring
This is where most first visits go wrong. There is no natural shade at the lagoon and the rock reflects heat. Kiosks are seasonal and you should not plan around them.
- More water than you think. There is no tap to refill from
- Sun cover you can sit under, and high-factor sun cream
- Shoes you can walk on hot, uneven rock in, the shoreline is not sand
- Food, if you want a proper lunch rather than a kiosk snack
- A dry bag if you're bringing anything you'd rather not leave unattended on a rock
Beyond the lagoon
Almost everyone stays within two hundred metres of the ferry landing, which means the rest of the island is quiet even on a busy day. If the lagoon is full, walk.
- Crystal Lagoon: deeper, darker and framed by cliffs, on the other side of the island. Usually seen from a boat rather than swum from the shore.
- Santa Marija Caves: a snorkelling and diving spot on the north coast, normally reached by boat.
- Santa Marija Tower: the lone 17th-century watchtower on the island, a hot but short walk inland, with a view across the channel to both Malta and Gozo. Almost always empty.
Tips people who've been twice know
- The rocks on the Cominotto side of the channel are usually quieter than the main landing, and it's a short swim across.
- Bring small change. Card acceptance at seasonal kiosks is unreliable.
- If the wind is up from the north, the crossing can be cancelled at short notice, have a plan B for the day rather than building your whole trip around it.
- The last return crossings are the busiest. Leaving an hour before the crowd usually costs you nothing.
What is actually bookable here
- 14 bookable options via KKday and Klook and Tiqets
- about €15 to €249 per person at the time of checking
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead on 5 of the 14
- 1 listed as wheelchair accessible
- Rated 4.7/5 by 334 travellers on the partner sites, across the 8 listings that carry ratings.
Taken from the operators' own listings, checked 15 September 2026. Ratings are theirs, not ours, and we do not host reviews.
Combine it with
Common questions
Can you get to the Blue Lagoon without a tour?
Yes, and it's usually the better option. Passenger ferries run to Comino from Ċirkewwa and Marfa on Malta and from Mġarr on Gozo during the season. You buy a return crossing and choose your own timings rather than being tied to a tour boat's schedule.
Is it worth visiting in August?
Only on the first crossing of the day. August is the busiest time of year by a wide margin: boats fill the channel and there is very little space on the rocks by late morning. The water is unchanged; the experience is not.
Is there a sandy beach?
No. The colour comes from a pale sandy seabed under shallow water, but the shoreline is bare limestone. Bring something to sit on and shoes you can walk on rock in.
How long should I allow?
About four hours on the island is comfortable, long enough to swim, walk to the tower and eat something without feeling rushed. A full day only makes sense outside peak season.
Can you stay overnight on Comino?
There is no general accommodation on the island, and camping is restricted. Comino is a day trip. Base yourself on Malta or Gozo and cross over.
Last checked: 30 August 2026. Crossing timetables, seasonal facilities and the rules on Comino change. Verify anything time-sensitive before you travel.
