Marea Beach

Marea Beach is a sunbed and umbrella rental service on Mellieħa Bay, on Malta's north-west side, where the bay is the largest sandy beach in Malta. It operates along Marfa Road in Mellieħa, and its motto is that life is better at the beach. For anyone who wants a comfortable spot on the sand without arriving at dawn to claim one, it is a simple, practical service.

The business is family owned and family run, and has been entertaining customers since 1989. It is listed on VisitMalta.co.uk under swimming pools and lidos in Malta, and it sits close to the town covered in our Mellieħa guide.

Sunbeds, umbrellas and prices

Hire is charged at €7 per sunbed or umbrella, and a side table is included free of charge. All sunbeds are premium quality, with large, sturdy umbrellas, and every set comes with its side table. That means two people sharing a pair of sunbeds and one umbrella can work out their cost easily before they arrive.

You can reserve ahead rather than taking your chance on the day. The first two rows of sunbeds, which sit closest to the water, can be reserved until 11:00 Central European Summer Time. Bookings are made by messaging the beach team on WhatsApp, and our enquiry form on this page can also pass your question to them.

Facilities on the beach

Guests can use free high-speed Wi-Fi, a beach shop, showers, toilets and changing rooms, which makes it easy to arrive straight from a hotel, swim, rinse and change before moving on to the next part of the day. Several eateries nearby sell food, drinks and ice cream, and there are restaurants close at hand, so you can buy snacks rather than packing a full picnic.

Water sport operators are also nearby for anyone who wants an active break from the sunbed. The shallow, calm water is ideal for families with young children, which is a major reason this stretch of the coast is popular with holidaymakers from the UK. As always on a beach, keep an eye on small children in the water.

Everything is set up for a day without a car. You pay a small charge for your set, leave your bag on the side table and use the shower and changing rooms when you are done, so a short stay on the sand costs little and takes no planning.

The bay and the area

Mellieħa Bay is a wide curve of sand on the north of the island, a short way from the village of Mellieħa and the ferry terminal for Gozo. Our best beaches in Malta page compares it with the other sandy bays, and Golden Bay is a popular alternative on the west coast.

Close by you will find Popeye Village, a film set turned family attraction, and the crossing described in our Gozo guide starts from the same end of the island. Boat trips to the Blue Lagoon on Comino leave from the north, so a beach day pairs well with an afternoon cruise. Our things to do in Malta page has more ideas, and the Malta weather guide shows which months are warmest for swimming.

A typical day might start with a swim and a coffee, move on to a reserved sunbed with your own side table, and finish with an early dinner in the village. Because bookings can be made until 11:00, you can decide on the morning of your visit once you have checked the forecast, and then simply message the team to secure your spot.

Staying nearby and booking

If you are choosing where to base yourself, the where to stay in Malta page compares the main resort areas, and the hotels in Mellieħa page lists places close to the bay. For wider background on the islands before you travel, read about Malta.

To ask about sunbeds or umbrellas, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the Marea Beach team.