Making the most of Malta

Where should you stay?

We stayed in a villa in St Julians, which is a quaint seaside town. The area is residential with a long stretch of promenade, lined with cute cafes and restaurants, ranging from casual to fancy. There are turquoise bays and white sand beaches dotting the coast and the atmosphere is super relaxed and laid back. Friendly locals wave at the passerby’s and children frolic in the gentle waves. It really could be straight out of a storybook. 

Best decision I made:

Joining the team in hiring a boat and heading out on a “bottomless booze cruise”. We were dancing and laughing in the middle of the turquoise ocean and I swear it could have been straight out of an advert. We stopped at numerous bays to explore, jumped off the edge of our boat into the teal blue sea and went swimming and snorkelling around coral reefs.

Most adventurous thing I did: 

Scuba Diving for sure. We decided to dive one reef at 18 metres as some in our group were Open Water Divers. When I was getting fitted for my wetsuit, I was given one 3 sizes too small. It took all 4 friends to get me suited up – each pulling an arm and leg. It was quite a sight and I learned that teamwork really is the dreamwork. I’ve never done a giant stride entry before so that was really cool. Basically we stood on land and had to take a big step into the sea before deflating our BCD’s and descending into the blue. The fish and coral were not as diverse as back in South Africa, but the visibility of around 30m was a welcome surprise. I also really enjoyed swimming through the caves and figuring out my buoyancy as I hadn’t dived in a while. 

Most surprised by:

Our dive instructor took a fancy to our group of scuba sisters and decided he wanted to take us sightseeing, for no extra charge. Of course we said yes and off we went in a scuba gear filled truck, bopping and bumping around the island. He made us close our eyes while we were driving for a few minutes and then told us to open them. We were at the Popeye Village where the 1980’s music video was filmed. It was a truly magical moment. 

Most scenic place I visited: 

Without a doubt – Comino. The water was the most turquoise I had ever seen in my life and I just couldn’t stop staring. Every shade of blue you could imagine and it was so clear, you could see the sealife right beneath you. It wasn’t long before we anchored and I got to dive right in… to a school of jellyfish! I also really enjoyed the hike we did around that part of the island and the delicious food. Kudos to the DJ for making the island a great place to dance in the water – that was really fun! 

Cultural Sites? We spent a day in Valletta, which is the capital of Malta. The city is dotted with churches and museums, shops, buildings, cafes and schools. The Baroque style of architecture is breathtakingly beautiful. We spent some time wandering around the Barrakka Gardens which was well manicured and offer a panoramic view of the harbour. We also whizzed on a gondola boat too and had lunch at a lovely restaurant a top of hill. 

What I learned from this trip: Friends are super important and down time is key. Make sure you have a group of girls (or guys) who will embrace adventure with you. And of course – in any hot climate – lather on the sunscreen and be sensible about your skin. Heat rash is no fun when its on your face!