Sea Liberty

Sea Liberty is a small private charter: one boat, one skipper and one group at a time. Instead of sharing a deck with dozens of strangers on a big excursion boat, you have the whole boat for your own party of up to nine people, and the day is planned around how long you want to be on the water. The boat works the short stretch of sea between Malta, Comino and Gozo, which is where the clearest water in the islands is found.

On VisitMalta.co.uk you will find Sea Liberty in our list of boat charter companies in Malta. This page explains the trips, what each one costs, what comes with the boat and how to reach the two departure points.

Your own boat and skipper for up to nine guests

The boat is a 21 ft open motor boat with a shade canopy over the seats, a Suzuki outboard and room for nine passengers. That size suits a couple, a family or a group of friends who want to stop where they like rather than follow a fixed timetable. Because it sits low in the water and is easy to handle, it can reach coves and cave mouths that are awkward for larger excursion boats.

Your skipper is a local who knows the coast of Comino well and handles the navigation, the anchoring and the safety on board. Ask your skipper for quieter places to swim: the lagoons are popular and shared with other boats and visitors, but a small boat gives the skipper the choice of a calmer corner when conditions allow.

Trip lengths and prices

There are five trips, and every price is for the whole boat rather than per person, with fuel and the skipper included.

The 2 hour tour costs €189 and is a short private loop around Comino, with views over the lagoons, a look at the sea caves and time for a swim. The 3 hour tour costs €235 and gives longer at the Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon, with more time in the water for swimming and snorkelling. The 4 hour tour costs €310 and is a relaxed half day that adds the southern coast of Gozo, with longer stops. The 6 hour tour costs €512 and covers Comino and Gozo at an easy pace, with as many swimming stops as the day allows.

The sunset tour lasts 2 hours and costs €180. It is designed for couples, families or friends who want the coast in evening light, and a glass of complimentary local wine is part of it. Sunset times in Malta change a great deal through the year, so check the time for your date when you enquire.

Where the boat goes: the lagoons, the caves and the Gozo coast

Comino is the small island between Malta and Gozo, and the Blue Lagoon on its western side is the reason most people come. Its shallow, sheltered water over white sand turns a startling turquoise in the sun. Our Blue Lagoon guide covers the lagoon itself, the facilities ashore and the busiest hours. A short way along the coast, the Crystal Lagoon is a bay ringed by cliffs, where the water is so clear that the seabed shows through several metres down.

The sea caves are the highlight of a small boat trip. Wind and waves have cut arches and caverns into the limestone around Comino, and some are big enough for the boat to slip inside, where sunlight through the openings lights the water from below. Whether you can enter a particular cave depends on the swell on the day, and your skipper makes that call.

On the longer trips the route continues to the southern coast of Gozo, with its cliffs and quiet inlets. If you would like to spend more time on the island afterwards, our Gozo guide covers the towns, the beaches and the walks, and our pick of hotels in Gozo is the place to start for a stay on the island.

Which trip to choose

If this is your first time at Comino, or you are travelling with young children, the 2 hour tour gives you the lagoons, a look at the caves and one good swim without a long day in the sun. The 3 hour tour is the best balance for most groups: enough time to snorkel properly at both lagoons as well as the caves, and still be back for a late lunch.

Choose the 4 hour or 6 hour tour if being on the water is the point of the day. The extra time takes you along the cliffs of southern Gozo and lets you linger at the stops you like best, so pack a picnic for the cooler. The sunset tour is a different kind of trip, slower and quieter, and works well as a treat on the last evening of a holiday.

What is included on board

Every trip includes the skipper, fuel and all local port fees, so there are no harbour charges to pay on the day. Masks and snorkels are on board for everyone, along with swim noodles for floating in the lagoons. A cooler with ice keeps your drinks and snacks cold, and there is complimentary local wine and bottled water.

After a swim you can rinse off under the freshwater deck shower, and a Bluetooth stereo lets you play your own music from a phone. The shade canopy keeps the worst of the midday sun off the seats, but the sun on the water is strong from late spring to early autumn, so bring a hat and high factor sun cream. Our Malta weather guide shows the usual sea and air temperatures month by month.

Getting to Ċirkewwa or Mġarr

Ċirkewwa is at the northern tip of Malta, beyond Mellieħa, beside the terminal for the Gozo Channel ferry. From Malta International Airport the TD1 Airport Direct bus runs about every hour to Ċirkewwa, by way of Rabat, St Paul's Bay, Buġibba, Qawra, Xemxija and Mellieħa. A taxi from the airport costs about €37 for the car, not per person.

If you are staying in the north, Ċirkewwa is a short ride away. Our Mellieħa guide covers the nearest town, and our list of hotels in Mellieħa includes places within easy reach of the departure point. If you are staying in Gozo, the trip can start from Mġarr Harbour instead, where the ferries from Ċirkewwa arrive, so there is no need to cross back to Malta.

How to reserve and what to ask

Send your date, the trip length you want, your preferred departure point and the number in your group. Availability, the full price and the payment details are confirmed before anything is reserved. Ask at the same time about the deposit and the cancellation terms, and what happens if the sea is too rough to sail, because routes and cave visits always depend on safe conditions.

There is only one boat, so enquire as early as you can, especially for dates in the summer holidays. If your dates are flexible, mention it: a choice of two or three days gives the best chance of a free slot and a calm sea.

Planning the rest of your Malta trip

A private boat trip fits easily into a week in Malta. Most UK visitors fly in on flights to Malta from London in around 3 hours 20 minutes, and our holidays in Malta combine flights and a hotel in one booking. For more days by the sea, our guide to the best beaches in Malta covers the sandy bays of the north west, including Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa, and our list of things to do in Malta has ideas for the days you are on dry land.