iMalta Boat Trips

iMalta Boat Trips is a family run operator that takes small groups to Comino, the Blue Lagoon and Gozo on private boats. Tours leave from Ċirkewwa in the north of Malta or from Mgarr in Gozo, and every trip is private, so your group has the boat and the skipper to itself. Alongside skippered tours, the business offers jet ski rental and safaris, self-drive boat hire, watersports and shore excursions for cruise passengers.

For a UK visitor, the appeal is simple. Instead of joining a crowded ferry style trip, you choose how long you want to be out, where you want to swim and how relaxed or adventurous the day should be. Our boat charter directory and tour operators directory list other options if you would like to compare, and the operator is also listed under water sports in Malta.

A family firm built on the sea

The company was founded in 2015 by two brothers from the north of Gozo, Sam and Josef. They grew up fishing, spearfishing and snorkelling with their father and grandfather. Josef stayed in Malta working in tourism and watersports, while Sam spent more than a decade travelling through Southeast Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East and learning about adventure travel. On returning in 2015, Sam saw a gap for private, personal boat charters, and the brothers bought a 21 foot Astra named Hakunamatata and began offering Comino trips and snorkelling.

A second boat, a Mingolla Brava 25, joined in 2017, together with their cousins Justin Paul and Joe, who know Comino's caves well. Sam's wife Janet looks after bookings and social media. Jet skis arrived in 2022, using Sea-Doo and Yamaha machines, and self-drive boats followed in 2025. The mission is a personal, unhurried day on the water, with respect for the sea, warmth and Maltese hospitality, and a focus on the quietest and bluest spots rather than the busiest.

Private boat tours with a skipper

The skippered tours are the core of the business. All of them are private and never shared with other guests, and each skipper doubles as a guide with knowledge of the caves, lagoons and sea life. Prices are shown per boat, not per person, so a larger group splits the cost.

The range runs from a one hour express tour of the Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon, from €99, to a two hour Comino highlights tour from €199, and a three hour tour from €289 that adds Santa Marija Bay, Cominotto reef and Gozo's south coast. A six hour full day charter, from €539, loops all round Comino and along the entire south of Gozo. Four hour and eight hour tours are also listed, and an early bird offer of €20 off private boat tours has been advertised.

There is also a three hour private sunset tour from €289, which includes swimming and snorkelling stops in the Crystal Lagoon or Blue Lagoon before dusk and a chance to watch the sun go down over Comino and Gozo. It suits couples, small groups and celebrations, and the sunset departure time varies with the season. Our Blue Lagoon guide gives more background on the area.

Every trip can be shaped around your group. If you would rather spend longer swimming, tell the skipper, and if you prefer sightseeing and photographs, the route can change to suit. The tours suit couples, families with children, friends, honeymooners and cruise passengers, and the skipper adapts the pace to whoever is on board. Boats carry safety gear and comfortable seating, and they are licensed, insured and maintained to high safety standards. Booking times are flexible, with a choice of durations and departure times.

Where the boats go

Around Comino, trips can visit Lovers Cave, Popeye's Cave, Lantern Point, the Santa Marija Caves, the Comino Arch and Elephant Rock. The skipper anchors in the Crystal Lagoon for swimming and snorkelling, then continues to Cominotto, Pigeon Island and San Niklaw Bay. At the Blue Lagoon the boat anchors in the bluest water away from the shore crowds, so you can swim directly from the boat. Where sea conditions are safe, skippers take the boat into some caves, and weather permitting the route can include the P31 wreck near Comino.

Beyond the lagoons, the skipper can point out rock formations and tell the stories of the places you pass. Longer trips continue to Gozo's south coast, including Hondoq Bay, Halfa Rock, Qala Point, Mgarr ix-Xini Bay and Minka Cave. On request, some longer tours can go all the way round Gozo, taking in San Blas Bay, Ramla Beach, the Inland Sea and Dwejra. Our Gozo guide covers the sister island, and the weather and sea conditions can change the route, so our Malta weather guide is worth a look when you plan.

What is included and what to bring

A typical private tour includes the skipper, fuel, port fees, snorkel gear, life jackets, an ice box with ice, cushioned seating, shade, and a Bluetooth speaker for your own music. The three hour tour also lists a freshwater shower, and access fees for the Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon and Comino are included on those tours. Towels and food are not provided.

Trips are bring your own. You can take snacks, meals and drinks, and responsible alcohol is allowed on private tours with a skipper, with cans or plastic bottles recommended over glass. A suggested kit is swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, water and a camera, and a full checklist is sent after booking. The boats suit between 6 and 14 people comfortably, and boats for 20 or more can be arranged. The operator can also help to plan a birthday or proposal on board. Experienced divers can jump in near reefs and wrecks, but diving gear is not supplied.

Jet skis, self-drive boats and watersports

For a more active day, the business rents jet skis from Ċirkewwa and runs guided jet ski safaris, with no licence needed. Jet ski rentals start with a 10 minute ride at €25, then 20 minutes at €45, 30 minutes at €65 and 40 minutes at €80. Guided safaris cover caves and cliffs, at €119 for one hour and €199 for two hours. The fleet includes Sea-Doo and Yamaha machines, and guides lead the safaris so that every skill level can enjoy the coastline of Comino and the Blue Lagoon at speed.

Self-drive boats also need no licence. A three hour rental costs €199 and a six hour rental costs €299, which gives families and couples freedom to explore Comino and Gozo at their own pace. Towable fun includes the Crazy Sofa, Aqua Rocket and banana rides, and the Subwing, which lets you glide underwater to see marine life, is priced at €39.

Cruise ship shore excursions

Passengers arriving at Valletta Cruise Port can book a private four hour or five hour excursion, with pickup from the port and a return planned well before the ship departs. The itinerary mixes a private boat trip to the Blue Lagoon and Comino's caves with a taxi tour of Mdina and the cliffs of the Blue Grotto, and prices are available on request. Our Valletta guide and Blue Grotto guide show what these stops offer.

The same family runs the whole trip itself and does not sell tickets through third parties, and the plan can be tailored with local guides. Because everything is handled directly, the aim is a smooth day from ship to shore with the highlights of the island packed into a few hours.

Getting started

The booking pages are available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Most tours start at Ċirkewwa, near the Gozo ferry in the Mellieħa area, and many can start at Mgarr in Gozo instead. Staying nearby makes mornings easier, and our hotels in Mellieħa and Mellieħa guide show your options. Another operator in our directory covering similar waters is Aloha Boat Charters Malta.

To ask about a tour, a jet ski, a boat rental or a shore excursion, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page, and we will pass your message to iMalta Boat Trips.