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Comino Island, located in Malta, conceals many treasures.
Blue Lagoon is the most famous one, but did you know that Comino also has stunning caves and rock formations?
The Mediterranean Sea has carved these caves out of Malta’s characteristically soft limestone over time.
In this guide, I’ll let you discover the best Comino Caves, as well as my favourite boat trips to explore them.
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The island of Comino contains some of Malta’s finest caves, forming part of the island’s amazing natural attractions. All the caves offer a unique discovery with different characteristics, such as crystal clear waters, vibrant rock formations, and intriguing fauna.
The Comino Caves will give you a memorable and fun experience. They are the ideal playground for swimmers, snorkellers and divers alike.
Here are the main caves you find in Comino:
Popeye’s Cave is one of the most impressive Comino sea caves. It owes its name to Popeye’s 1980 movie, as it is the place where Popeye (staring Robin Williams) had to fight a giant octopus.
You will soon notice what makes this cave so special: its collapsed ceiling that lets natural light enter through a large skylight.
To find it on Google Maps, type the cave’s Maltese name: “L-Għar ta’ Bla Saqaf/ It-Tieqa/Taħt il-Ħnejja”.
Santa Maria Caves and Caverns are a popular dive site in Malta.
The caves and caverns are located on the north coast of Comino, east of the beaches of Santa Maria Bay and San Niklaw Bay.
Santa Maria Caves are an ideal place to swim in the crystal blue waters and snorkel far from the crowd that gathers at Blue Lagoon in the summer.
As Santa Maria Caves are rich in marine life, divers often encounter different species such as Shoals of Bream, Bass and Salpa Salpa.
If you explore Santa Maria Caves by boat (which I recommend; see below in the guide), you will spot interesting rock formations, such as the Elephant Rock nearby.
This sea cave can only be reached by private charters and boats.
It has a 40-metre sea tunnel (wide enough that motorboats can go in).
If you decide to swim in the tunnel, I advise you to carry a life buoy or any floatable and visible object so that the boats will see you.
You will be amazed by what awaits you at the end of the tunnel: a white sandy beach nestled in a 10-metre-high ceiling cave!
This cave is one of the Crystal Lagoon caves and will offer you a fantastic experience.
As you cross this narrow cave, you will find yourself in the open air, facing several other smaller sea caves.
Monte Cristo Cave is located between Santa Marija Cave and Santa Marija Bay.
It contains a hidden lagoon inside. The place is somehow mysterious, and the dark brown colour of the cave walls adds to the impression of mystery.
Monte Cristo Cave was used for centuries by smugglers, sailors and pirates. Monte Cristo’s name is inspired by the film in which Jim Caviezel and Henry Cavill discovered a treasure hidden inside the lagoon.
This hidden cave is accessible from the shore, by sea and even by diving. I recommend taking a boat trip to explore it (see below in the guide).
Comino’s Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular sites of the Maltese islands, boasting heavenly scenery. Facing it is the islet of Cominotto. This small island contains a magnificent cave surrounded by a blue sea and fascinating rock structures.
Blue Lagoon Cave traverses one side to the other at Cominotto Island. As you swim in the clear blue waters inside the cave, you will reach Cominotto Beach.
There, you can swim and snorkel in the lagoon, explore nearby caves for hidden treasures, or just enjoy the sights of this amazing unique destination.
The Blue Lagoon Cave is another gem that attracted filmmakers, as it is featured in the movie “Troy” (starring Brad Pitt).
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The best way to explore and enjoy the caves is by taking a day cruise to Comino island.
If you really want a good time swimming and snorkelling at any of the caves, the best option is to take a private tour. You will have a great trip and explore small caves other tourists won’t even see!
I Malta Boat Trips offers private tours to Comino Island.
Those trips, lasting from 2 hours to an entire day, are fully customisable tours. So, if you want to visit a particular cave I’ve mentioned in this guide, just ask the crew beforehand! You will also be able to spend extra time in a specific cave if you wish to.
You will spend the day exploring, swimming, snorkelling and relaxing on the boat, as the captain cruises close to the shore to let you discover the caves.
Travellers taking those tours have an unforgettable experience.
The boat departs from various locations in the North of Malta and also from Gozo, and you can agree on an exact location after booking.
First, I’d like to draw your attention to something: most tours are focused on the Blue Lagoon and the Crystal Lagoon as main attractions. They just pass by Comino Caves and don’t really stop there.
Sea Adventure Excursions offers two tours going to Comino: the Sea Adventure standard tour (several options with larger and smaller boats + sunset option) and the Sea Adventure Beaches & Bays tour. Note that the first one shows you more Comino caves that the second one.
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The tours depart from Buġibba jetty, pass by St. Paul’s Islands, and arrive at the famous Blue Lagoon.
Sea Adventure’s catamarans have many onboard facilities, such as swim ladders, male and female toilets, water slides and even an underwater viewing window (on the “Sea Adventure” catamaran). A limited number of deck chairs are available on the top deck.
Although Yippee Malta organises tours to discover Gozo in the first place, two of them also go to Comino: the Sunset tour by Tuk Tuk and the Sunset tour on Quad bikes.
The tours include swimming stops at Blue Lagoon when the weather conditions permit it.
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The other tours offered by Yippee Malta (standard Tuk Tuk and Quad tour) pass by on the way to Gozo. While cruising the south channel of Comino, you will be able to have a glimpse at the caves and take nice photos.
This catamaran tour to Comino is also a good trip to Comino Island and its caves. The departure point is Sliema, and a cold buffet lunch is included.
iSeeMalta offers cheap and great trips to Gozo and Comino islands.
Board your boat in the morning at Sliema or Buġibba, depending on where you are staying. Then, you can get off the boat in Gozo or Comino, as the trips are Hop-On Hop-Off tours.
During the cruise, you can sit on the main deck to enjoy the views.
Note that you will only pass by the Comino caves, as the catamaran sails around the island and just stops at Blue Lagoon.
The cheapest option to get to Comino and visit its caves is to take a ferry return trip with Comino Ferries Co-Op, departing from the Ċirkewwa ferry terminal and Marfa (Malta).
If you are staying in Gozo, you need to take Ebsons Comino Ferries or Bella Comino Ferry from Mġarr Harbour.
In either case, you need to take public transport to get to the Comino ferry, which can be a bit of a hassle.
Finally, if you don’t want to take a boat trip, there are other options to visit the caves.
Some caves might be reachable on foot (like Santa Marija Caves) or by swimming (Blue Lagoon Cave/ Cominotto Beach). However, reaching them this way can be tricky, sometimes even dangerous, and requires you to be physically healthy.
If you feel adventurous, you can have a great day visiting the caves by kayak or SUP. For example, Gozo Fun offers SUP tours to discover the caves.
Last but not least, the island is famous for its diving spots, including the caves I mentioned in this guide. Divers get a unique insight into the caves and the marine life they shelter.
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