TRAVEL
A Group Travel Guide to Europe’s Malta by Christopher P. Weaver & Michael Salvarezza , ecophotoexplorers.com
T HE MEDITERRANEAN SEA begins where the Rock of Gibraltar strains to meet Morocco to the west and splashes on the shores of Syria, Israel and Lebanon to the east. Europe stretches to the north and Africa to the south. It is a body of water that is home to a rich history of civilizations past and present that have plied these waters for economic benefit, cultural exchanges and furious conflicts. And in the center of this legendary sea is the archipelago of Malta. The islands of Malta, Comino and Gozo lie just one hour south of Sicily by fast boat and due north of Tripoli in Libya. Strategically important because of their location in this vast body of water, Malta has been fought over for gen- erations by various empires and nations. For divers, Malta’s crystal-clear waters and intriguing un- derwater terrain, coupled with fascinating sunken history, create an exciting dive destination. Indeed, this is no secret among European divers who visit these islands frequently but for North American divers, Malta remains exotic and somewhat underpublicized. This guide to diving Malta can be used by dive shops looking to include Malta as a group travel destination for their customers or dive clubs, or by individuals looking to experience Mediterranean diving at its best. Why Dive Malta? Malta is a stable European country with a rich history dating back centuries, an emerging and vibrant cultural scene along with a plethora of unique dive opportunities fueled by a diver-friendly govern- ment. Those planning travel to these islands will find: Many world-class diver-friendly ▪ shore diving locations Plenty of hotels and resorts to accommodate different ▪ budgets Great restaurants and food options ▪ World class shipwrecks, both historical and purpose- ▪ sunk for divers Recreational and tech diving services for all skill levels, ▪ with dives to deep wrecks and caves available for properly certified divers
Easy travel logistics with many gateway cities throughout ▪ Europe When is the best time to visit Malta? The best time to visit Malta is between June and October, when the waters are warmest (73-80F degrees) and visibility reaches 100 feet. Many divers feel that September is the best month of all to visit. The Malta dive year looks like this: Summer (June– August): Hottest weather and warmest water (73-80F degrees water temperature) perfect for boat and night diving. Autumn (September – October): Highly recommended for comfortable water, great visibility, and fewer crowds. Winter (December – March): Possible to dive with drysuits/thick wetsuits; water temperatures drop below 60F degrees, but the waters are generally calm. Spring (April – May): Water warms up, visibility increases, and marine life becomes more active. Malta has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, boasting over 300 days of sunshine annually. What are some of the diving highlights? The archipelago of Malta (including Malta, Gozo and Comino) features a diverse set of dive experiences. For shipwreck enthusiasts, several purpose-sunk ships in 100 feet of water are reachable via shore dives, along with the Um El-Faroud , a 10,000 ton Libyan oil tanker that exploded while in dry dock in Grand Harbor, Malta on the night of February 3, 1995. Deeper
shipwrecks, including World War II casualties and sunken aircraft lie in the range of tech divers. Geologically, Malta and her sister islands present intriguing dive op- portunities to explore blue holes, caves, caverns and massive boulder formations. Logistics: Travel to Malta through a gateway ▪ city in Europe.
The smoke stack of the Um El-Faroud
Arrange your diving through one or more of the local ▪ dive operators. There are plenty to choose from, spread throughout the country and on Gozo. Dives are often a combination of shore dives and boat dives; contact the dive operators to find out which offers the type of diving you are interested in. A wide variety of accommodations are available through- ▪ out Malta.
FORTY-FOUR | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY
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