Malta is near the top of any wreck-diver’s to-do list with its array of sunken ships and fighter planes such as a Second World War Blenheim bomber that is still recognisable and reasonably intact.
Less experienced divers can explore the British HMS Maori, which sank 16m during an air raid in 1942.
The dive site Ghar Lapsi is great for night diving where colours appear almost fluorescent by torchlight. It’s probably the island’s finest place for marine life, too. Cuttlefish, squid and fascinating critters such as torpedo rays are common, while slipper lobsters and hermit crabs popped out to greet us.
The area of Cirkewwa is a popular site where you’ll find the Rozi tugboat, a small statue of the Madonna and a huge photogenic anchor covered in marine life.
A diving trip to Malta wouldn’t be complete without visiting the quieter neighbouring islands of Gozo and Comino. A dive at Lantern Point had us surrounded by barracudas, and we noted moray eels and a scorpion fish in our log books.
Caroline Ventris-Field of Oonas Divers loves diving in Malta, too. She says: ‘The underwater topography is amazing. The caves, swim-throughs, rock formations and huge boulders make it very different to diving in the Red Sea. It also has the added bonus of being closer to the UK and more affordable.’
A week-long diving trip to Malta and Gozo with Oonas Divers, including accommodation, ferry transfer and car hire, costs from £425.
