People come to Comino to see the (in)famous Blue Lagoon, they are disappointed by how small and overcrowded it is after. Well, you have to plan smarter to truly discover the beauty of this tiny rocky island (and get to enjoy Blue Lagoon, too). Believe me, it is worth it. See my 3+1 tips.
Tip n.1: Spend the night
This is really crucial for an enjoyable visit, unless you come in winter 🙂 There is one hotel complex, not particularly good, not particularly bad. You can book it with half board, which is good, as there is nowhere else to eat. Don’t expect too much from the hotel, and if you don’t enjoy dozens of children running around screaming, opt for the bungalows. They are in another bay, 10 minutes walking or hotel bus ride, and the area there is very calm and cosy.
Tip n.2: Evening tour of the island
Get to the hotel with the hotel boat departing Malta at around 16:30 (remember to check a little in advance from which wharf, as it varies according to the condition of the sea). Get settled and go explore the island before dinner. The tour will take you around 2 hours. From the bungalow area clockwise you will see:
- the small Chapel of Our Lady’s Return from Egypt (there are masses as well)
- a huge abandonned pig farm worth exploring a bit
- Santa Maria Battery from the times of the Knights equipped with original cannons
- Santa Maria Tower which played the role of the If Fortress in the Monte Cristo movie and is accessible during the day
- an abandoned isolation hospital for soldiers sick with infectious diseases like plague or cholera, turned farmers accomodation, turned private property now
- beautifully shaped caves and half-caves with ultramarine water
Tip n.3: Enjoy Blue Lagoon without crowds
Before you finish your tour of the island, you will arrive at the Blue Lagoon, about 1 hour before the end of dinner time at the hotel. If you are lucky and the weather is a little bad, chances are you will be able to enjoy it all alone, just like we did, as it was raininng just a little bit. But even if not, there will only be a few people from the hotel at most at this time.
Bonus tip: Swim in Santa Maria bay
Enjoy also a very nice swim in the calm Santa Maria bay, beautiful with a strip of sand beach, the only other place on the island with access to the water. You will find it near the bungalow area. Then, get out of the island with the first hotel boat at about 10 am and set off to enjoy the rest of Malta and Gozo 🙂
