St Paul's Bay

A wide-bay resort area that pairs biblical heritage with Knights of Malta watchtowers, Malta's deepest mid-market hotels and the Comino Blue Lagoon — broken down by category below.



🏞️ Nature & Outdoor Activities

• Day trip by ferry to Comino's Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon
• Walk the 2km seafront promenade from St Paul's Bay village to Qawra Point
• Boat trip to the St Paul's Islands at the mouth of the bay
• Hike to the Roman Apiary archaeological site at Xemxija
• Scuba dive at the offshore wrecks with Octopus Garden Dive Centre

🏖️ Beaches

• Bugibba Perched Beach — small artificial sandy beach inserted on the central seafront
• Qawra Point — flat limestone swimming rocks at the eastern peninsula tip
• Mistra Bay — small protected swimming bay 4km west of the village
• Mellieħa Bay (12km north) — Malta's longest sandy beach, the closest sandy option

🍽️ Food & Drink

• Order fenkata (rabbit stew) at Tal-Kaptan in St Paul's Bay village — long-running fenkata specialist
• Try fresh-grilled lampuki (seasonal Maltese fish, August to November) at Gillieru Harbour Hotel restaurant
• Sample pastizzi (ricotta or pea-stuffed flaky pastries) at Vella Pastizzeria on Triq San Pawl
• Order ftira (Maltese flatbread) with tuna and capers at the seafront cafés
• Sip Cisk lager (Malta's national beer, since 1928) at the Wignacourt Tower seafront terraces

🎉 Nightlife & Entertainment

• Bars and pubs around Bugibba Square (the social heart for the wider bay)
• Live cover bands at the Amazonia Bar on Triq it-Turisti (Buġibba)
• Sundowners at Gillieru Harbour Hotel rooftop on the bay
• Maltese folk evenings at the Mediterraneo Marine Park (5km south at Bahar ic-Caghaq)
• Late drinks at the Pebbles Boutique Aparthotel rooftop bar (Qawra)

📸 Instagram-Worthy Spots

• The traditional Maltese luzzu fishing boats at St Paul's Bay village harbour
• The 19th-century St Paul statue on the larger St Paul's Island
• The 1610 Wignacourt Tower against the bay at golden hour
• The Comino Blue Lagoon turquoise water from the cliff-top viewpoint
• The 5,000-year-old Bugibba Megalithic Temple inside the Dolmen Resort Hotel grounds (Buġibba)

Best Value Deals

🏨 All-Inclusive Holidays

St Paul's Bay (with Buġibba and Qawra) runs the deepest UK family AI market on Malta, with Topaz Hotel, Sunny Coast Resort, Hotel Santana and Dolmen Resort Hotel (built around the megalithic temple) leading the rankings. db San Antonio Hotel + Spa and AX Sunny Coast Resort & Spa add the upper-tier family AI options. Shoulder-season weeks with UK flights typically open from £299pp in May or October, climbing to £849pp at August half-term — among the lowest-priced AI deals in mainland-Mediterranean Europe.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Holidays

The wider bay area is one of Malta's strongest family-resort destinations. The 2km flat seafront promenade is buggy-friendly end-to-end, the small Bugibba Perched Beach has lifeguards in summer, and the Malta National Aquarium, Mediterraneo Marine Park (5km south, with dolphin shows), Splash & Fun Water Park (5km south) and Comino ferries cover non-beach days. Topaz Hotel, Sunny Coast Resort and db San Antonio Hotel + Spa lead the family inventory.

💎 Luxury Holidays

True five-star inventory in St Paul's Bay itself is limited — the resort sits firmly in the mid-market segment. Dolmen Resort Hotel (Buġibba, set around the 5,000-year-old megalithic temple) and Hotel Santana are the leading polished options. For genuine Malta luxury, head 18km south to Sliema and St Julian's — where Phoenicia Malta (Floriana, set in 1947 colonial gardens), Corinthia Hotel St George's Bay and InterContinental Malta sit. The new Hugo's Boutique Hotel in Sliema and Iniala Harbour House (Valletta old town) add the boutique-luxury alternatives.



⏰ Last-Minute Deals

St Paul's Bay carries the strongest UK late-availability stock on Malta — the area's volume of mid-market AI inventory means consistent late-deal supply. The strongest discounts surface in mid-May to early June and from late September into late October — discounts of 25–35% inside three weeks of departure are realistic on Topaz Hotel, Sunny Coast Resort, Hotel Santana and Dolmen Resort properties. Unlike most Mediterranean resorts, the area's year-round climate keeps a meaningful core of hotels and restaurants open through winter — November to February UK winter-sun deals are achievable, with the long-stay over-55s market driving steady winter occupancy.

Why book with us:

💷 Low deposits from £49pp

🔄 Flexible payment plans with balance due 6 weeks before travel

🛡️ ATOL Protected — your money and flights are safeguarded

✅ Free amendment window on selected packages

📞 UK-based customer support, 8am–11pm every day

📅 Best Time to Visit St Paul's Bay

St Paul's Bay is one of the most year-round-able resorts in Europe. Peak season is mid-July to mid-September, with daytime highs of 30–34°C, sea temperatures of 25–27°C, and the seafront, Comino ferries and aquarium at full capacity. May, June and September are the value-strong shoulder months at 24–28°C with cheaper hotel rates and the Mdina, Valletta and Comino day trips at their best for visiting. April and October still deliver 21–24°C, with the sea around 18–20°C — pleasant for the cultural day-trips. Winter (November to March) holds at 16–18°C with 5+ hours of daily sunshine — St Paul's Bay is one of mainland Europe's most reliable UK winter-sun destinations, with the long-stay over-55s market driving year-round occupancy.

🏨 Where to Stay

• Families: Topaz Hotel (Buġibba), Sunny Coast Resort (Qawra), Dolmen Resort Hotel, db San Antonio Hotel + Spa
• Couples: Hotel Santana (Qawra), AX Sunny Coast Resort & Spa
• Luxury travellers: Phoenicia Malta (Floriana, 22km south), Corinthia Hotel St George's Bay (St Julian's), Dolmen Resort Hotel
• Budget travellers: Bay View Hotel, Hotel Santa Maria, self-catering apartments around Bugibba Square
• Long-stay & winter-sun travellers: Topaz Hotel, AX Sunny Coast Resort, Hotel Santana

🚗 Getting Around

The 22km transfer from Malta International Airport (MLA) to St Paul's Bay takes 30 minutes by taxi (around €30) via the Mosta bypass. The TM2 airport bus runs from MLA to St Paul's Bay in 50 minutes for €1.50. Public buses are excellent — the Tallinja network covers the whole island for €2 single (€1.50 in winter); buses 12, 13 and 31 connect St Paul's Bay to Sliema, bus 49 to Mellieħa Bay, bus 186 to Mdina. Hertz, Sixt and Goldcar rent cars from around €25 a day at MLA — note Malta drives on the left, like the UK. Captain Morgan and Ebsons run the Comino ferries from the central Buġibba pier daily in summer for €25 round trip. Gozo Channel Line runs the Cirkewwa to Mġarr (Gozo) ferry every 45 minutes for €4.65 round trip — Cirkewwa is 12km north.

💡 Travel Tips

• Malta runs Central European Time — one hour ahead of the UK year-round.
• The currency is the Euro (€).
• Malta has the lowest VAT rate in Europe at 18% (5% on accommodation) — restaurants and hotels are noticeably cheaper than the EU average.
• Plug type is the British three-pin Type G at 230V — UK plugs work directly without an adapter, the only Mediterranean destination where this is the case.
• Tap water is technically safe but heavily mineralised; locals drink bottled.
• English is an official language alongside Maltese — UK travellers can transact, navigate and read menus without translation.
• Cars drive on the left in Malta, like the UK — useful for hire-car drivers used to the right side.
• Restaurants in Malta typically don't fill until 8.30pm — book ahead at Gillieru Harbour Hotel and the seafront in summer.
• The Comino Blue Lagoon ferry from St Paul's Bay books out 24 hours ahead in August — reserve through the ferry website.
• The St Paul Shipwreck feast day is celebrated every 10 February — the village holds a colourful street procession that's worth timing a winter visit around.
• Malta has Europe's lowest tipping culture — round up the bill or add 5–10% in restaurants.
• The Malta Tallinja card (€21 for 7 days, unlimited buses) is the cheapest way to get around if you'll use buses repeatedly.
• The St Paul's Bay village fish market runs every Sunday morning 7am to noon along the seafront — Malta's freshest catch landed direct from the luzzu boats.