Ċirkewwa dive site: reef, arch and wrecks at Malta's tip

Ċirkewwa is Malta’s classic shore-dive hub at the island’s northern tip, with a natural arch, an easy reef, and two photogenic wrecks in clear water. It works for a first Maltese checkout and for repeat dives, because you can keep it shallow on the reef or drop to the wrecks when you have the training and the sea is settled.

What you get out of the site depends on experience and conditions. It is suitable for all levels, and the training-friendly Susie's Pool lets you practice skills before you head out. The wrecks sit in the mid-30s and need proper gas planning, while winter can bring swell even though diving is possible year-round. In summer the car park fills quickly, so if you want a quiet kit-up and a relaxed descent, go early in the morning.

Ċirkewwa sits on Malta’s northern tip next to the main ferry terminal to Gozo. Crucially, boats to Comino operate from Ċirkewwa, so it is easy to combine a morning shore dive with an afternoon hop to the Blue Lagoon Comino or Crystal Lagoon. Beaches such as Paradise Bay and Mellieħa Bay are nearby if you are mixing diving with a beach day.

Getting here is straightforward by road, and it takes about 50 minutes from Malta International Airport by car or taxi. If you are not driving, several PADI dive centres run guided dives and courses here, and many provide transfers as part of dive packages. With the Gozo ferries right next door, you can also base yourself in the north and roll this into a wider plan that includes Gozo days.

Shore access is one of the big draws at Ċirkewwa, because there are several stairs and railings for entry and exit and the walk from the car to the water is short. Shore access is easy, so kit trolleys are rare here and most teams simply kit up at the tailgate. In light swell you can choose the most sheltered set of steps and still reach the same routes underwater.

Parking is available nearby and there is a special parking area for divers, which is why you should put your diving certification card on the dashboard to avoid a parking ticket. This small detail keeps wardens from mistaking you for a beach parker while you are underwater. In peak season the diver bays fill early, another reason to get here before the first courses start.

Facilities are better than at most Maltese shore sites. Toilets are available nearby, and cafes and snacks are available close enough to grab a coffee between dives. You are next to major boat services as well, which makes surface intervals easy to manage even on a busy day.

Underwater, Ċirkewwa offers variety in a compact footprint, which explains its popularity. Visibility often up to 30 m makes orientation and buddy shots easy, and the site carries a steady 4 out of 5 rating from visiting divers. It is busiest in June to August, and the most reliable stretch for calm seas tends to be May through October, although locals will still dive it on settled winter days.

The topography starts on the reef plateau with average depths from a few metres, then breaks into walls and sand. The headline natural feature is The Arch on the reef edge. The Arch sits 12 m below the surface, with 8 m above the seabed, so photographers can frame it from either side without stirring up sand. Look for the small Madonna statue tucked into a little cave halfway along the reef wall, and keep an eye out for octopus, moray eels and the odd barracuda sliding past in the blue.

Ċirkewwa’s wrecks are the reason many divers come back. Rozi Tugboat rests at 34 m, she is 35 m long and was scuttled in 1992 so she is well colonised now. P29 Patrol Boat is 52 m long and sits on the sand at roughly the same depth, scuttled in 2007 to build out the site. Both wrecks were scuttled as a diving attraction and sit close enough that experienced teams can plan separate dives without long swims. If you like it deeper, the reef beyond Rozi keeps stepping down to over 40 m, which is outside the scope of a recreational checkout but a tempting route for technical training days.

This headland is not just busy with divers, it is officially on Malta’s radar for conservation, with a Cirkewwa Marine Park management plan launched to balance access with protection. That is good news for the long term, because the site mixes cave, reef, wall and wreck features in one place, and it sits next to two of the country’s most travelled boat routes. Treat it like a marine park already and it will keep giving you clear-water days for years.

Common questions

Last checked: 21 September 2026. Prices, opening hours and timetables change, verify anything time-sensitive before you travel. Photo: Mrcrycrash, CC BY-SA 4.0.