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DIVING AROUND GOZO
From shore and by boat
Gozo is a small treasure in the southern Mediterranean, with a large variety of different dive spots. Diving around Gozo means a wide array of options on a very small scale.
You’ll find far more than 30 dive sites around the 7 x 14 km island; with further spots around Comino and Malta. Many of the dive sites are suitable for beginners and experienced divers alike, as they can be explored in many different ways.
One of the most fascinating thing about diving in Gozo is the stunning visibility, often around 40-50 metres, as well as the dramatic topography.
Well, come and find out for yourself!
Shallow protected bays surprise the diver with lots of delicate and colourful life, while breathtaking drop-offs, exciting wrecks, enticing caverns, caves, tunnels and curious rock formations are all waiting for you to be explored.
Most dives are easily accessible from shore, even if you have to climb over some rocky bits to get in and out. Hence we recommend booties with a solid sole; offered by us both for rent and in the shop for sale. A certain level of fitness is also helpful for shore diving on our rocky island.
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During most of the season Calypso Diving Centre also offers boat dives: day trips to Comino as well as single RHIB dives around Gozo's north and west coast, which will bring you to spots around the island which are less frequented, as well as to Malta's north coast. Be curious to discover places with enticing names such as Gudja Cave, Crocodile Rock, or Wied Il-Mielah (Salt Valley) with its beautiful "Swiss Cheese"!
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Check out our description of dive sites below.
MARSALFORN BAY
Perfect for courses and intro dives!
​General:
A shallow bay, ideal for training and night dives. Different sections with Posidonia sea gras, rocky and sandy bottoms. Very interesting around the wave breakers.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Flying gurnards, octopus, soles, lizardfish, mullets, pipefish
Depth:
2-10 metres
Level:
All levels including Intro & Bubblemaker
XWEJNI BAY
Shake down dive
General:
Picturesque, shallow bay, ideal for intro dives, training and night dives.
Access:
From shore
Fauna & Points of interest:
Posidonia, peculiar underwater landscape with canyons
Schools of young barracudas, octopus, rockfish, flying gurnards
Depth:
2-11 metres
Level:
All levels including Intro
DOUBLE ARCHES
Barracudas en masse!
General:
Spectacular dive site: two rock arches on top of each other, sardines and damselfishes schooling on the reef top. Schools of barracudas!
Access:
From boat & shore (long surface swim!).
Fauna & Points of interest:
The arches, barracudas, hunting amber jacks, schools of sardines and damselfish.
Depth:
18-40 metres
Level:
Advanced divers
ANCHOR REEF
Spot the octopus!
General:
Drop-off with shallow plateau, picturesque reef, peculiar underwater landscape.
Access:
From boat & shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Holes and overhangs to dive through,
Octopuses, barracudas, scorpionfish, moray eels, starfish
​Depth:
5- 40+ metres
​Level:
All levels
REQQAE POINT
Gozo's most northern point
General:
​An instructor's favourite due to good chances to spot larger pelagic fish such as tuna and the greater amberjack as well as big groupers and dentex. Beautiful reef with drop-off & chimney.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Hunting amberjacks & tunas, large groupers, dentex, scorpion fish, muray eels, schools of sardines and damselfish
​Depth:
15- 40+ metres
​Level:
Intermediate to advanced divers
SHRIMPS CAVE
A cave full of shrimps
General:
Shaft-like small cave with lots of shrimps in it. Only for the experienced diver, space for max. 4 divers at a time.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Shrimps! ;)
​Depth:
Entry at 35 metres
​Level:
Advanced divers
BILLINGHURST CAVE
Not for the faint-hearted
General:
Large cave on the north coast which leads approx. 70 metres deep into the rock, with air pocket at the end.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Conger eels, crayfish, shrimps, stunning light reflections, shrine
​Depth:
25 metres
​Level:
Advanced divers
GHASRI REEF & CATHEDRAL CAVE
The Med's magic Blue
General:
A large cavern with spacious air bubble. Magical blue inside the cathedral - surfacing inside is a must!
Access:
From boat & shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Sing a song inside the dome - the echo is spectacular!
Damselfish, giltheads, groupers
​Depth:
15-40 metres
​Level:
All levels
GHASRI VALLEY
A Gozitan "fjord"
General:
90 steps down to the fjord-like inlet and into a mermaid paradise!
Access:
From boat & from shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Octopuses, crabs, scorpion fish, moray eels, lobsters, garfish
​Depth:
3-15 metres
​Level:
All levels
COVID CRACK / TA' BARDA
Discovered during lockdown 2020
General:
A crack in Gozo's steep cliffs on the north coast; steep drop-off outside the cave.
Access:
From boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Freshwater influx creates a clearly visible halocline at 10 metres depth at the back of cave. Hermit crabs, shrimps, nudibranchs.
​Depth:
Entry at 25 metres
​Level:
Experienced divers
WIED IL-MIELAH
Valley of Salt
General:
Dive into a mermaids' garden with caverns, swim troughs, walls, and enjoy the beautiful light effects when diving through the Swiss Cheese. The hidden "Azure Window", a rock arch above water, is visible from underwater due to our crystal clear sea!
Access:
From boat
Fauna & Points of interest:
Caverns & swim-troughs; barracudas, giant groupers, mola mola with some luck
Depth:
10-40 metres
​Level:
Medium experienced and advanced
GUDJA CAVE
Where seawater meets freshwater
General:
Corridor-like cave with freshwater source in the back creating a milky thermocline due to its different temperatures; steep drop-off outside the cave.
Access:
From boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Phenomenon of visible mix of fresh- and seawater, stunning light effects, hermit crabs, shrimps.
​Depth:
Entry at 30 metres
​Level:
Experienced divers
SAN DIMITRI POINT
Find Żgugina's lamp
General:
Boat dive to the most western point of Gozo, a beautiful reef with a fun swim-through. Meet the Saint who went chasing pirates: Legend has it, that you can still see a lamp's light inside a sunk chapel from underwater.
Access:
From boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Baracudas and the most magic azure blue you can imagine!
​Depth:
5-35 metres
​Level:
Medium experienced and advanced divers
INLAND SEA
One of the Med's highlights!
General:
Spectacular dive from a seawater lagoon through an opening formed by a natural, half sub-merged 80 metres long tunnel into the Mediterranean Sea. Stunning deep-blue light and a steep walls to both sides ares expecting you!
Access:
From Shore.
What to look for:
John Dory, nudibranchs, sponges, amberjacks
​Depth:
12-35 metres
​Level:
Medium experienced and advanced divers
BLUE HOLE
Welcome to
Gozo's most famous dive site
​
General:
A spectacular underwater landscape with amazing light effects, caverns & chimneys.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
The remains of the Azure Window, now called the "Azure Alps"- huge boulders with several swim-troughs in different depths.
Schools of sardines hunted by jacks, seabream and salema, conger eels inside the cave.
​Depth:
10-40+ metres
​Level:
All levels
CORAL CAVE
A cave as large as a family home!
General:
This large cavern, big enough to fit an entire house inside, is situated at the bottom of a drop-off below Coral Gardens.
Fauna and Points of interest:
The walls and ceiling of this magnificent cavern are covered with many different types of encrusting coral sponges, glass bell tunicates, virgin lace coral & more. Look out for slipper lobsters in between them!
Access:
From shore
​Depth:
5-30 metres
​Level:
Medium experienced to advanced divers
CROCODILE ROCK
Wall Dive
General:
Shallow plateau reef with a spectacular wall dropping off to 40+ metres, less frequented dive site.
Access:
From boat & shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Groupers, barracudas, sardines, octopus, amberjacks hunting
​Depth:
5-40 metres
​Level:
Medium experienced to advanced divers
XLENDI TUNNEL
An easy dive in a picturesque bay
General:
This shallow bay surprises with an easy to dive, 60 metres long tunnel in shallow water from 3 to 7 metres!
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Mediterranean barracudas schooling in cycles, stunning light effects inside the tunnel.
​Depth:
3-18 metres
​Level:
All levels
TA' CENC
100 steps into delight
General:
Small, shallow inlet connected to Mgarr Ix-Xini. Discover easy to dive caverns and follow the wall leading out to the sea.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Seahorses, posidonia pipefishes, nudibranches, cuttlefishes, flying gurnards
​Depth:
5-30 metres
​Level:
All levels
Please note that temporarily we are not able to dive here from shore as the access to the dive site has been blocked.
MGARR IX-XINI
A photographer's favorite!
General:
Beautiful shallow inlet leading out to the sea with two small caverns. Makes for the perfect bimble dive, and is very popular with photographers! Take your macro lense.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Seahorses, posidonia pipefishes, electric rays, cuttlefishes, flying gurnards, stargazers, scorpion fishes
​Depth:
2-15 metres
​Level:
All levels including Introdivers
MIDDLEFINGER / RAS IL-HOBZ
Fish Soup included ;)
General:
Probably Gozo's dive site with the most fish population! Entered from a shallow bay which leads to a large pinnacle from 9 - 40+ metres with breathtaking drop offs all around. Splendid dive!
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Discover many different type of nudibranchs, find moray eels and large schools of different breams at the reef. Look out into the blue for amber jacks and tuna hunting sardines!
​Depth:
10-40+ metres
​Level:
All levels
XATT L' AHMAR REEF
Find the seahorse!
General:
Shallow reef with drop-off, a great place to find seahorses - not so easy to spot them though!
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Seahorses, cuttlefish, scorpion fish, gras pipe fish, baby moray eels, octopuses
​Depth:
4-30 metres
​Level:
All levels
M/V XLENDI
Upside down
General:
Old Danish-built ferry, used to connect Malta and Gozo, scuttled in 1999 for divers, lays upside down on a sandy bottom.
For your own safety, please respect the ban to enter!
Next to the wreck the remains of a car can be spotted in the sand.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
The propellers, the car
Depth:
32-40 metres
​Level:
Advanced divers
M/V KARWELA
A good reason for a deep dive!
General:
Old German-built ferry which was used as excursion boat around Malta, scuttled in 2006 for divers. Easy access for penetration. The staircase is probably one of Gozo's most photographed underwater feature!
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Large scorpionfish, flabellina affinis, cratena peregrina, moray eels
​Depth:
32-40 metres
​Level:
Advanced divers
M/V COMINOLAND
Find the puppet head!
General:
Old excursion boat used around Comino, scuttled in 2006 for divers with easy access for penetration.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Large scorpionfishes, flabellinas, moray eels. Find the scary puppet head!
Depth:
32-40 metres
​Level:
Experienced divers
RED BAY
Named after the red soil
General:
A sheltered bay during northerly winds this makes an ideal site for courses and easy dives. If you swim out far enough you will reach a wall with a small cave in 30 metres depth.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Octopuses, calmar, breams
Depth:
7 - 30 metres
​Level:
All levels
HONDOQ
Fantastic view to the Blue Lagoon!
General:
Shallow bay in the south east of Gozo, sandy bottom, easy conditions, ideal for courses and intro dives. Beautiful rock arches can be found under the rock that emerges to the east of bay.
Access:
From shore.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Hondoq Arches;
Soles, octopuses, mullets, pipefishes
​Depth:
5- 12 metres
​Level:
All levels including intros
M/V P31 PASEWALK
Comino's crystal clear water
General:
Former GDR Minesweeper "Pasewalk", later used as a patrol boat in the Maltese islands. Scuttled in 2009 off Comino, well prepared for and safe to explore by divers. One of the Maltese sites with the clearest water!
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
The signs on the panels inside the wreck are the original German ones - see if you can still find some!
Depth:
11-21 metres
​Level:
All levels from Open Water Diver, ideal for those beginning their adventure of wreck diving.
COMINO CAVES
Come meet Zorro!
General:
Also called St. Marija Caves, this dive site is located in Comino's north. There are several beautiful & easy to explore caverns next to each other, with the possibility to ascend inside an air bubble.
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Stunning light effects inside the caverns,
schools of seabreams, salema
Depth:
5-15 metres
Level:
All levels
LANTERN POINT
Tunnel and swim-throughs
General:
Less frequented site in Comino's south-west. Swim trough a diagonal tunnel starting on the reef's plateau in only 5 metres and exit in 19 metres depth, where you will find many rocks with swim-troughs.
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Colourful sponges, groupers
Depth:
5-40 metres
Level:
Intermediate to Advanced divers
M/V ROZI
Tugboat in Malta's north
General:
M/V Rozi is a 40 meter long tugboat, built 1958 in Bristol, UK and was originally named Rossmore. She was sold to Malta in 1981 where she was operating in the Grand Harbour of Valletta, and finally scuttled as an artificial reef in 1992.
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Beautifully overgrown and home to many critters and fishes. Anchor in 32 metres.
Depth:
28-35 metres
Level:
Advanced
M/V P29 BOLTENHAGEN
P31's sister patrol boat
General:
The P29 with her original name Boltenhagen was built as a minesweeper in the 1960’s in former Eastern Germany. Like her sister ship, the P31, she is 52 m long and last served as a patrol boat for the Armed Forces of Malta during the mid 1990’s until 2004. Safe to penetrate.
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Triggerfish. Check the machine gun - seems it does not belong!
Depth:
26-36 metres
Level:
Advanced divers
General:
The P29 with her original name Boltenhagen was built as a minesweeper in the 1960’s in former Eastern Germany. Like her sister ship, the P31, she is 52 m long and last served as a patrol boat for the Armed Forces of Malta during the mid 1990’s until 2004. Safe to penetrate.
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Triggerfish. Check the machine gun - seems it does not belong!
Depth:
26-36 metres
Level:
Advanced divers
M/V P29 BOLTENHAGEN
M/V ROZI
Tugboat in Malta's north
General:
M/V Rozi is a 40 meter long tugboat, built 1958 in Bristol, UK and was originally named Rossmore. She was sold to Malta in 1981 where she was operating in the Grand Harbour of Valletta, and finally scuttled as an artificial reef in 1992.
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Beautifully overgrown and home to many critters and fishes. Anchor in 32 metres.
Depth:
28-35 metres
Level:
Advanced
M/V P29 BOLTENHAGEN
P31's sister patrol boat
General:
The P29 with her original name Boltenhagen was built as a minesweeper in the 1960’s in former Eastern Germany. Like her sister ship, the P31, she is 52 m long and last served as a patrol boat for the Armed Forces of Malta during the mid 1990’s until 2004. Safe to penetrate.
Access:
By boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Triggerfish. Check the machine gun - seems it does not belong!
Depth:
26-36 metres
Level:
Advanced divers
M/T HEPHAESTUS
Gozo's newest playground
General:
The M/T Hephaestus is a Swedish-built oil tanker, which ran aground off Malta in 2018. Scuttled very recently in August 2022, she sits upright outside Red Bay. At 60m long, there's a lot to explore for us divers!
Access:
By shore & boat.
Fauna & Points of interest:
Life is slowly moving in.
Depth:
33-46 metres
Level:
Experienced divers