The Inland Sea

The tunnel through the limestone rock. Ysangkok/Public Domain

Malta’s Inland Sea is a small, almost entirely landlocked lagoon whose shores are lined with small fishing boats. Incredibly, on days when the sea is calm, these boats are able to leave the sheltered harbor through a small crack in the cliffs that separate the lagoon from the Mediterranean Sea.

The local fishermen increase their profits by also transporting visitors through this natural arch to view the steep limestone cliffs that surround the inlet. The area is dotted with curious rock formations to explore, such as the Fungus Rock and the Azure Window ruins (the Azure Window has sadly recently collapsed).

The Inland Sea is not very deep, and you can see many small fish swimming below the surface. It is also an ideal place to dive, because it is easy to swim through the cave out into the Mediterranean, where the depth of the water plunges to 164 feet (50 meters) near the cliffs.

Know Before You Go

The sheltered lagoon, also known as Qawra, is widely considered one of the best dive sites in Malta. It is located on the western coast of the island of Gozo, in an area called Dwejra bay. Bus 311 will leave you at the roundabout at the end of the road to Dwejra, within walking distance of the Island Sea.