Scuba diving in Malta and Gozo is an unforgettable experience. The undersea "landscape" is varied and interesting, offering anything from bluff cliff faces to underwater caves, reefs, sea-grass meadows, sandy bottoms and more. Wreck diving in Malta is also popular, on anything from recently scuttled ships serving as submerged artificial reefs full of life to World War 2 bombers and battleships. Diving into nearly as much history below the surface as there is on land, the experience can be surreal.

Dive in clear water with good visibility all year round (even better during the winter months), and at a temperature never below 13 degrees celsius. Whatever the prevailing wind, it is always possible to dive Malta or Gozo at any one of a selection of dive sites, since a sheletered leeward shore is always to be found. Some dive sites and diving schools are situated in popular tourist resorts, and are thus very conveniently located to hotels and other Malta or Gozo accommodation. Other dive sites, especially in Gozo, are more secluded and are usually visited by divers as part of an organised dive party - the dive centre of your choice will organise the transport and logistics.

All Malta diving schools also offer scuba diving equipment rental, so especially if you only intend to dive Malta or Gozo a couple of times on your holiday, it is almost unnecessary to bring any scuba diving equipment at all with you. Rates for the rental of diving equipment are very reasonable too. Malta diving schools or dive centres generally offer the option of accompanied or unaccompanied diving, and a range of internationally recognised courses (such as PADI, CMAS, BSAC) for both experienced divers wishing to obtain advanced diver certification (such as diving instructor courses) and also for absolute beginners to the world of diving.

Boat dives are the ideal way to access some of the offshore dive sites in Malta and Gozo, in particular for wreck diving, as the wrecks are not always conveniently located! There is plenty of shoreline around Malta and Gozo where the sea bottom slopes very gradually, thus a large area is available for dives at depths accessible without the usage of specialised diving equipment. Shore diving is however very common, as the rugged coastline of the Maltese Islands offers plenty of options - in fact the better known dive sites are accessible from the shore. Night dives are also a favourite - a different set of aquatic life forms take over when the sun goes down, and on a properly equipped night dive, scuba divers may wonder at the variety and colours that take over. Night dives are also great for avoiding the inevitable crowds which frequent some of Malta's dive sites during the summer months.

There are over 70 charted dive sites around Malta and Gozo - more than enough to keep the most enthusiastic diver near-permanently submerged on even an extended Malta holiday!

Some of the best diving sites in the Maltese Islands - subject to opinion - are the following, in no particular order:

Cirkewwa, Malta – Dive within sight of Gozo and Comino. Mtahleb, Migra il-Ferha, Devil's Reef, Malta - diving into a stunningly clear blue sea where scuba divers may encounter shoals of barracuda, dentex, parrot fish, the occasional ray and tuna - a shore dive, entry to the water is via a "canyon" cutting through the cliff face. Marfa Point, Malta - one of the top sites for night dives, as is Mgarr ix-Xini, Gozo - divers will encounter the shy octopus, which generally ventures out of its den only after sundown. Blenheim Bomber, Malta - an offshore dive site onto a genuine WW2 bomber aircraft, mostly still intact. Dwejra, Gozo, diving site offering a number of individual sites for the diving enthusiast within a 1 km radius - the Azure Window, Inland Sea, Blue Hole, Fungus Rock and Coral Cave - Divers regularly encounter large grouper, lobsters, rays, starfish, soft corals, sea fans, and more. And last but not least, Comino, Lighthouse Reef - with a spectacular chimney, numerous arches, and caves peppered with violet sea urchins.

Diving Malta, Gozo and Comino within a short holiday visit is possible, even if you will probably only have time for the better known dive sites. A number of Malta diving schools and diving centres are listed, offering a unique Malta diving experience at any of the above locations. Furthermore, the Maltese Islands offer plenty to keep even the driest of visitors fully occupied – so accompanying non-diving family members and friends need not feel abandoned on the beach – allowing passionate scuba divers to indulge with a clear conscience!