The journal
Notes on chartering in Malta.
What a boat costs, when to go, and which rules actually apply. Written by the people who check the boats.
ONE ARTICLE A WEEK
Rules and licences
Do you need a licence to drive a boat in Malta?
For most self-drive hires the answer is no. The line sits at engine power and hull length, and it is worth knowing which side of it your boat is on before you pay.
Read this one →
Places
The Blue Lagoon, without the crowd
Between 10:00 and 16:00 in August the lagoon holds several thousand people. The water is the same at 08:30 and there are eleven of you in it.
Costs
What a boat actually costs in Malta
A price per day tells you very little. Fuel policy, skipper, and whether the quote is per boat or per head move the real number by more than the headline does.
Places
Gozo and Comino by boat, in one day
The whole archipelago is 27 km end to end. A capable hull and an early start covers the north coast, both lagoons and the Gozo cliffs before the wind gets up.
Planning
When to charter in Malta
The season runs May to October. July and August are the warmest, the busiest and the most expensive, and they are not obviously the best.
Boats
Which boat, for how many people
Capacity is printed two ways for a reason. The number a boat can legally carry under way is not the number that fits comfortably at anchor, and neither is the number you should book for.