Hello Malta Tours

Hello Malta Tours is a Sliema-based travel company that sells the day trips most visitors want from a Malta holiday: a boat to the Blue Lagoon, an open-top bus loop, a guided day in Valletta or Mdina, a crossing to Gozo and a transfer from the airport. Everything is bookable online in advance, with departures from Sliema, Buġibba and Ċirkewwa and, on some tours, pickup from your hotel.

The business has a long local pedigree. It began in 1984 when Nazzareno Abela bought his first coach, and it describes more than 40 years of welcoming travellers. On VisitMalta.co.uk it sits in our directory of tour operators in Malta, and the sections below explain each type of trip, what it costs where prices are printed, and how to plan around it.

A family coach firm that grew into a tour operator

The company started with one coach and a simple ambition: to work in Maltese transport. Over the decades it has added chauffeur-driven cars, minibuses, modern coaches, classic Maltese vintage buses, open-top sightseeing buses and organised boat trips. Few operators on Malta and Gozo can cover such a wide range, which is why travel agencies and other tour operators use it as a one-stop supplier.

For an independent traveller, the practical benefit is that one booking platform covers land and sea. The business is run by people who live on the islands, works with licensed guides and offers secure online payment. Its commercial name is Hello Malta Tours, and the company behind the website is Supreme Travel Limited. Note that the team does not book flights or hotels, so it fits best as the sightseeing backbone of a holiday you have already arranged. Our flights to Malta guide covers the journey from the UK.

Boat trips: Comino, Gozo and the harbours

A boat trip to the Blue Lagoon is the most popular excursion in Malta, and the operator offers several versions. The Comino Blue Lagoon Cruise is a straightforward day on the water with free time to swim or relax on the island. Combined cruises add Gozo: the Gozo and Comino Blue Lagoon Cruise explores Victoria and then lets you swim at the lagoon, leaving from Sliema or Buġibba from €42 per adult and €30 per child. There is also a sunset departure for those who prefer a quieter swim in the evening light, and the Three Islands Cruise on Faith, a traditional gullet with swimming stops and lunch with drinks, from €75 per adult.

Crossing times vary by departure point. Boats from Ċirkewwa take roughly 20 minutes to reach Comino, while the coastal sail from Sliema can take up to about an hour and a half, with sightseeing on the way. Day cruises generally allow three to four hours at the lagoon. Our Blue Lagoon guide explains the island itself, including the facilities and the best time of day to visit. Swimming trips to Comino operate mainly from April to October, so check our Malta weather guide when choosing dates.

For something shorter, the Traditional 2 Harbours Day Cruise leaves from Sliema and costs from €20 per adult and €12 per child. Harbour cruises last about 90 minutes, pass the bastions of Valletta and the waterfronts of Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua, and include commentary on the Great Siege and the Knights of St John. They run all year, weather permitting, and in summer there are evening departures when the floodlit fortifications are the main attraction. A night version of the two harbours cruise is also offered.

Hop-on hop-off buses and vintage tours

The open-top sightseeing buses give you a flexible way to see the island without driving. The North Route, from €25 per adult and €16 per child, calls at San Anton Gardens, Ta' Qali, Mosta, Mdina, Golden Bay and Buġibba, and the South Route heads for the Three Cities, Marsaxlokk and the Blue Grotto area. Each loop takes about three hours without stopping, so allow a full day if you plan to get off at Mdina or Marsaxlokk. Buses pass each stop roughly every 30 to 45 minutes in the summer season, and every seat has audio commentary in several languages.

Gozo has its own hop-on hop-off route on a separate ticket, and combined tickets that include the ferry crossing are available. Admission to attractions is not included in the bus fare. For something more atmospheric, the vintage bus tour of the Three Cities lasts about two hours with a guide, and a Malta by Night bus tour includes a stop in Mdina. If you want to choose which attractions deserve a stop, our things to do in Malta page is a useful companion.

Guided tours of Valletta, Mdina and the south

Guided tours are run with local guides, in half-day, full-day and night formats. Subjects include Valletta, Mdina and Rabat, the Three Cities, the prehistoric temples, the wartime sites and the fishing village of Marsaxlokk. The Rabat, Mdina and San Anton Gardens tour includes the Rabat catacombs and costs from €35 per adult and €28 per child, and the Blue Grotto and Marsaxlokk market tour combines the cliff-top view of the grotto with a stroll around the fishing harbour.

Night-time tours are a speciality. The Dark Side of Valletta, from €27 per adult, shows the capital after sunset and runs on Monday evenings in October, with free time afterwards for a drink. A Village Fireworks tour, from €28 per adult, takes visitors to a village festa. Our Valletta guide, Mdina guide and Three Cities guide give the background to these places, and the Blue Grotto guide covers the south coast. History lovers may also enjoy our overview of the Knights of Malta.

Gozo day trips

The Discovering Gozo guided tour is a full day taking in Ta' Pinu, Dwejra Bay, Victoria and the Cittadella, with hotel pickup and the ferry crossing included, from €70 per adult and €50 per child. A Gozo with a Difference tour and boat trips around Gozo are also offered, and some itineraries finish with a swim at the Blue Lagoon. The operator lists five languages for the Gozo tour. For the island itself, from the Cittadella to the coast, read our Gozo guide before you choose.

A few practical tips apply to every boat day. Pack sunscreen, a hat, a towel, swimwear and a light jacket for the breeze on the way back, because there is very little natural shade on Comino and the rocks at the lagoon can be slippery. Whether food and drink are included depends on the tour: some include lunch and an open bar, while others have a cash bar on board, so read the tour details before paying. The main Blue Lagoon area is shallow and sheltered, which suits children and less confident swimmers, and the boats carry child fares. Sunbeds and umbrellas can be rented on the rocks, though they go quickly in the morning.

Gozo day trips and Comino cruises regularly sell out between June and September, so book a few days ahead in summer. Outside the high season a day or two is usually enough.

Airport transfers, planning and how to enquire

Shuttle transfers run between Malta International Airport and hotels across the island. A one-way journey costs from €8 per person and a return from €16 per person, the price is fixed before you travel and a driver meets you in the arrivals hall. Private transport is also available for groups and corporate events, using taxis, minibuses or coaches, and the team can arrange custom itineraries.

If you are staying near the office, the hotels in Sliema are a short distance away, and the team can advise on tours that suit families. Most guided commentary is in English, and each tour page lists the languages used. Trips are available throughout the year, with boats to Comino mainly seasonal. The office at 261 Tower Road is staffed on weekdays, and requests are usually answered within 24 hours in office hours.

To ask about a tour, a transfer or a private group booking, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Hello Malta Tours.