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Scuba Diving in Cirkewwa
The northern tip of Malta, beside the Gozo ferry terminal, and the island's most celebrated shore-diving area. Two purpose-sunk wrecks and a natural reef arch sit within easy swimming distance of the entry steps.
Why here
Cirkewwa, on Malta's northern tip beside the Gozo ferry, is the island's most celebrated shore dive and one of the best in the Mediterranean. Two purpose-sunk wrecks sit within a short swim of the entry steps: the Rozi, a 30-metre tug scuttled in 1992 and now upright at around 30 metres, and the P29, a 52-metre former patrol boat sent down in 2007 with an easily penetrated engine room. Between them runs the Cirkewwa Arch, a natural rock archway on a reef wall that draws barracuda, groupers and the occasional seahorse. Everything is reachable from land, so there is no boat schedule to keep, the water is warm and clear from late spring through autumn, and the site suits training dives and photographers as much as experienced wreck divers. Two established, instructor-led centres run daily guided dives and courses here.
Best months
Cirkewwa dives best from May to October, when the sea is calm and warm and visibility often reaches 30 metres. The Rozi sits shallow enough for guided Open Water divers, while the P29 at around 30 metres and the deeper reef edges are Advanced-level dives. It is an exposed north-facing site, so strong northwesterly winds can close it, and centres switch to sheltered alternatives on rough days.
Getting there & around
Cirkewwa is at the northern end of Malta, about a 45-minute drive from the airport and Valletta and a short walk from the Gozo ferry terminal. The main sites are dived from shore, entering down purpose-built steps, so there is no boat transfer, and parking and a dive-friendly cafe sit above the entry. The two centres are based nearby in Bugibba and at Cirkewwa itself and run scheduled guided dives daily in season.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Buddies Dive Cove
SchoolA family-run PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre based in Bugibba on Malta's north coast, a short drive from the Cirkewwa shore-dive sites. Led by Martin, the centre keeps its own resident PADI Course Director, so training runs from first-timers through Divemaster and Instructor level, alongside technical and rebreather diving. Daily shore and boat dives cover the P29 and Rozi wrecks and the Cirkewwa Arch, as well as sites across Gozo and Comino.
Paradise Diving
SchoolA PADI 5 Star dive centre on the Cirkewwa waterfront, running speedboat and shore dives from the private Blue Flag beach at Paradise Bay on Malta's northern tip. The school is led by Neville, a Silver Elite PADI Course Director, with instructor Rob, and has won Malta's national tourism award for best diving instructor. Open year round, it reaches the Cirkewwa wrecks and reef along with Gozo, Comino and Cominotto, and teaches in six languages.