Comino by catamaran
A day on a catamaran along Malta’s north coast to the Blue Lagoon, the Crystal Lagoon and the Santa Maria Caves, with sunbeds, a waterslide and an audio guide in five languages.
Is the Comino boat trip worth it?
Is a Comino Blue Lagoon boat trip worth it?
The short answer. Yes, for anyone who wants a day of swimming in clear water on a famous stretch of Maltese sea and can plan around one rule. To get off the boat at the Blue Lagoon you need a free landing pass, booked online ahead of the day. The trip also depends on the sea, so the captain can change the route, the stops or even the departure point. It is a day on a spacious catamaran, not a walk on Comino, and the Blue Lagoon is busy in summer.
What it is
A day cruise of about six hours from Buġibba Jetty along Malta’s north coast to Comino. Every sailing includes the Blue Lagoon and the Santa Maria Caves. The Crystal Lagoon is a swimming stop from June to October, weather permitting, and a photo stop in the cooler months. Sunbeds, shade, a waterslide into the sea, fresh-water showers, toilets and a snack bar are on board, with an audio guide in five languages.
What it isn’t
It is not a fixed timetable or a fixed order of stops. It does not let you off at the Blue Lagoon without the free pass. It is not a quiet private cove, and it does not include food or snorkelling gear. The boat is not suitable for wheelchair users or for anyone with a mobility impairment, and the evening sailing is a shorter trip of about four hours.
Comino only, or Gozo too?
Choose this sailing if the swim and the lagoons are the point. Choose the longer Gozo and Comino day if you also want time on the larger island. The Comino-only day spends its hours on Comino’s water, so there is more of it for swimming, shade and sunbeds. Read the guide on choosing between the two before you book.
Four quick facts
- Where
- Comino, a 3.5-square-kilometre island between Malta and Gozo.
- The boat
- A catamaran that leaves from Buġibba Jetty and runs along Malta’s north coast.
- The water
- The Blue Lagoon lies between Comino and Cominotto, over a white sandy base.
- To step ashore
- A free Blue Lagoon booking, made online in advance.
Where the boat stops
The coves and caves, one by one
Three named places make up the day, plus the coast on the way. The captain decides the order, and the sea can change it.
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The Blue Lagoon
Wikipedia places the Blue Lagoon between Comino and the small island of Cominotto, and describes its clear cyan water over a white sandy base. Its Maltese name, Bejn il-Kmiemen, means “between the Cominos”. Stepping onto its shore needs the free pass.
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The Crystal Lagoon
A Malta travel site describes steep cliffs dropping into very clear water, with caves and tunnels, a place visible from land but really reachable only by boat. On this trip it is a swimming stop only from June to October, weather permitting.
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The Santa Maria Caves
Visit Gozo calls them a network of sea caves along the coast. Wikipedia’s entry on sea caves explains that the sea cuts such caves mainly by wave action, here into Malta’s soft limestone. On the boat they are a photo stop.
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Malta’s north coast
From Buġibba the boat follows the coast on its way to Comino. Wikipedia describes Comino’s own shore as sheer limestone cliffs dotted with deep caves, and the sailing passes cliffs, coves and rock formations along the route.
Names and positions here come from Wikipedia, Visit Gozo and a Malta travel site, each credited in the guides. The order and the swimming stops are the captain’s call on the day.
The day, in order
From the jetty to the ride back
The order of the stops can change with the sea. Your confirmation email shows the exact time for your date.
- 1 The day before
Check your email for the time slot
The operator emails the correct time slot for the Blue Lagoon pass the day before the sailing. Check the junk folder, because the pass is booked for that slot, not for any hour you like.
- 2 Boarding
Find Buġibba Jetty
The meeting point is Buġibba Jetty on Dawret il-Gżejjer in St Paul’s Bay. Sunbeds are free and first come, first served, so a little time in hand helps if you want one.
- 3 The coast
Along Malta’s north shore
The catamaran follows Malta’s north coast, past limestone cliffs, coves and rock formations, on its way to Comino.
- 4 Blue Lagoon
Swim, stay aboard or go ashore
At the Blue Lagoon you can swim, stay on the boat or walk ashore on Comino with the pass. The waterslide drops you into the sea from the boat.
- 5 Crystal Lagoon
A swim stop in season
From June to October, weather permitting, the Crystal Lagoon is a swimming stop. In the cooler months it becomes a scenic photo stop instead.
- 6 Santa Maria Caves
A photo stop at the sea caves
The boat stops at the Santa Maria Caves on Comino’s coast for photographs of the rock and the water, then turns back toward Malta.
Three boat days from Malta
Three boat days from Malta
| Choice | What you get | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Comino catamaran from Buġibba | A day built around Comino’s water: the Blue Lagoon, the Crystal Lagoon in season, the Santa Maria Caves, sunbeds and a waterslide. | Swimmers and sun-seekers who want a full day on the sea without a land programme. |
| Gozo and Comino in one day | A longer day that adds Gozo to the Comino stops. The booking page shows the Gozo stop and how long it lasts, so read it first. | Travellers who want a taste of Gozo as well as the lagoon and are happy with a longer day. |
| Harbours and creeks from Sliema | A short cruise past the harbours and creeks of the main island. It does not go to Comino and has no swim stop. | Anyone short of time, or who wants fortifications from the water rather than a beach day. |
- The boat
- A modern catamaran with sunbeds, seating in sun and shade, waterslides into the sea, swimming ladders, fresh-water showers and toilets. Facilities can differ a little between boats.
- The route
- The north coast, then Comino’s lagoons and caves. Some sailings add another swimming stop, and the exact route and order can change with sea conditions.
- The Blue Lagoon pass
- Free, booked online, and needed to get off the boat at the Blue Lagoon. The operator emails the time slot to book the day before.
- Food, drink and gear
- Outside food and drink are not allowed on board. A bar and kitchen sell drinks, cocktails, beer, burgers, wraps and snacks. Snorkelling gear can be bought on board or brought, and towels are yours to bring.
- Languages
- A live host speaks English, and an audio guide plays in English, French, German, Italian and Polish.
- Who it doesn’t suit
- People with mobility impairments and wheelchair users, because of the boarding and the decks. Smoking is not allowed on board, and vaping is limited to designated areas.
On board and on the ticket
What one ticket gets you
Six points to settle before you pick a sailing.
Rock, water and tower
A rocky islet, a sea cave, a tower and a bay
A low rocky island above turquoise water, a sea cave in a limestone cliff, the shallows of the Blue Lagoon, St Mary’s Tower, a bay at Santa Marija and a sailing boat in a cove.
Other ways onto the water
The Comino trip, and three more boat days in Malta
Four boat days sit side by side: the Comino trip this site is about, a longer day that adds Gozo, a short harbour cruise from Sliema and a walking tour of the Three Cities with a boat ride inside it.
Gozo and Comino together
A longer day on the water that adds Gozo to the Blue Lagoon and the sea caves. Read the booking page for the Gozo stop before you choose it over the Comino-only sailing.
Harbours and creeks from Sliema
A short cruise around Malta’s harbours and creeks. It stays on the main island and does not go to Comino, so it suits a morning or an afternoon rather than a beach day.
The Three Cities and a boat ride
A four-hour tour of the Three Fortified Cities with a boat trip included. A history day, not a swimming day.
More to book in Malta
Before you sail
Practical points
Where it leaves
Buġibba Jetty, on Dawret il-Gżejjer in St Paul’s Bay. Wikipedia describes Buġibba as a popular tourist resort zone within St Paul’s Bay, in Malta’s Northern Region.
What to bring
A towel, sunscreen and a warm layer for the ride back, since reviewers say it gets chilly. Storage on board is limited, so carry only what the day needs.
Weather and the sea
The captain may change the route, the stops or the departure place for weather, sea or operational reasons. When the weather stops a sailing, the operator offers a new date or your money back.
The shorter evening sailing
An evening option runs as a shorter trip of about four hours. Check the booking page for what that sailing includes before you pick it.
Swimming safely
A limited number of life jackets are available against a refundable cash deposit, so bring your own if you want one for a child. Fresh-water showers and swimming ladders are on board.
Who is the operator
The trip is run by the operator Sea Trips, and you book through GetYourGuide. Use the operator name on your confirmation to find the right boat at the jetty.
Guides
Six guides to the Comino boat day
- Start here
Comino boat trip: is it worth it?
Is the Comino Blue Lagoon boat trip worth it, and what is the landing pass? A sourced answer on the day, the pass, the crowds and the sea. Read the guide → - Compare
Comino only, or Gozo and Comino?
Which Malta boat trip: the Comino-only catamaran or a longer day that adds Gozo? A sourced comparison of what each gives you, and who should pick which. Read the guide → - The pass
The Blue Lagoon landing pass
What the free Blue Lagoon landing pass is, who needs it, what it covers and what happens without it, from the Malta Tourism Authority’s own description. Read the guide → - The island
Comino, the island behind the lagoon
What Comino is: its size, its two residents, its nature reserve, its tower and its coast, and how the Blue Lagoon fits into a small island between Malta and Gozo. Read the guide → - Crowds
A calmer day at the Blue Lagoon
How busy is the Blue Lagoon, which months are quietest and which choices make a boat day calmer? A sourced look at crowds, the booking cap and quieter swimming spots. Read the guide → - Practical
What to bring on a Comino boat day
What to pack for the Comino catamaran day, what the boat does and doesn’t provide, and where it starts at Buġibba Jetty in St Paul’s Bay. Read the guide →
FAQ
Ten answers before you book the boat
Is the Comino Blue Lagoon boat trip worth it?
For swimming in clear water on a day cruise, yes. It is a boat day with sunbeds and a waterslide, not a walk on Comino. The Blue Lagoon is busy in summer, and you need a free pass to step ashore there.
What is the Blue Lagoon landing pass?
A free online booking that lets you get off the boat at the Blue Lagoon. The Malta Tourism Authority runs the booking system for the lagoon, and the operator emails the right time slot the day before your sailing.
Do I need the pass if I stay on the boat?
The pass is for getting off at the Blue Lagoon. The authority says the booking system applies exclusively to the Blue Lagoon area, not the rest of Comino.
Can I swim at the Crystal Lagoon all year?
No. The Crystal Lagoon swimming stop runs from June to October, weather permitting. In the cooler months the boat makes a scenic photo stop there instead.
What if the sea is rough?
The captain may change the route, the stops or the departure place for weather or sea conditions. When the weather stops a sailing, the operator offers a new date or your money back.
How long is the trip?
About six hours, sometimes a little longer in some seasons. The evening sailing is a shorter trip of about four hours. The booking calendar and your confirmation show the time.
Can I bring my own food and drink?
No. Outside food and drink are not permitted on board. The bar and kitchen sell drinks, cocktails, beer, burgers, wraps and snacks.
Is it suitable for wheelchair users?
No. The trip is not suitable for wheelchair users or for people with mobility impairments.
What languages are offered?
A live host speaks English. The audio guide plays in English, French, German, Italian and Polish.
Is this the operator’s own website?
No. This guide is independent. It is not the site of the boat operator, the Blue Lagoon or a Maltese authority, and it has no affiliation with them. Bookings are made with GetYourGuide.
A catamaran day from Malta to the Blue Lagoon, the Crystal Lagoon and the Santa Maria Caves, with a waterslide into the sea.
Book the Comino boat trip ↗Pick a date and the calendar shows the live price in whichever currency you choose.