Pack The Suitcases uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!
If you’re planning a trip to Malta, get Ghajn Tuffieha bay on your itinerary. It’s a beautiful and unspoilt sandy beach with some stunning clifftop walks, overlooking the turquoise sea and lined with brightly coloured wildflowers. You might even spot a cute little Mediterranean chameleon wandering along the path down to the shore because the area is full of wildlife.
For some reason, there’s a myth that Malta only has rocky beaches. It does have plenty of them, but it has a few sandy beaches too, and Ghajn Tuffieha bay is the best of these. I really recommend making the journey there for a relaxing afternoon. It’s the perfect place to take in the blue skies and golden sand with a drink in hand.
Here’s my little guide to Ghajn Tuffieha bay and how to enjoy a day there. Get your suncream at the ready and start planning your trip…
Malta’s most beautiful sandy beach: key information
Ghajn Tuffieha means ‘Apple’s eye’ in Maltese, and it’s definitely a beauty with its dramatic clifftop scenery and beautiful turquoise waters.
It’s a spotlessly clean beach. Apparently, the water is good for swimming in summer, as long as there’s a lifeguard there because it does have really strong undercurrents. I have no idea what I’m talking about here as I can’t swim, but I thought it might be handy for my blog readers to know so I noted it down off a sign en route to the bay. Please try not to drown. Thanks.
Ghajn Tuffieha bay is actually set between two other bays, Gnejna Bay and Golden Bay. But it’s completely separated by a rocky peninsula on each side, making it a nice little secluded sandwich-filling of a beach.
The cliff on the north side of the bay is home to one of Malta’s seven coastal watchtowers built by the Grand Master of the day back in the 1600s, Għajn Mixkuka Tower. This is a great vantage point for admiring views across the water. If you’re there in spring or summer, the view will be punctuated by colourful wildflowers. And if you have time and can stay later, it’s a lovely spot to watch the sky turning pink and gold as the sun begins to set.
How to get to Ghajn Tuffieha bay
It’s a bit of a trek to get to Ghajn Tuffieha bay from the capital Valletta, where you’ll most likely be staying while visiting Malta. But it’s worth it.
Get the 44 bus from Valletta. This costs just 2€ one way, which is a bargain. It takes around 45 minutes and the journey takes you through increasingly pretty and agricultural landscapes.
If you want to go straight to the beach, get off at Riviera. But I recommend staying on one more stop to Ghajn Tuffieha as you’ll get to do a short but pretty coastal walk to the bay. This takes about 15 minutes (including time for a photoshoot) and it’s signposted. The bus here actually drops you above the neighbouring beach, Golden Bay. Do not stop at Golden Bay, though. It’s nowhere near as nice as Ghajn Tuffieha bay and is only worth a brief pause for lunch (see below).
Once you’ve done the clifftop walk, you have to climb down about 200 stairs to get to the beach itself. It’s not too awful. But if it sounds like too much hard work on the way back up, keep an eye out for the windy path nearby. This takes longer but is way less strenuous.
Make sure you make a note of the bus timetable in case you don’t have any phone signal on the beach to check it online. Try not to miss your bus back, or I’ll feel really bad for sending you there! Also, watch out for the ridiculous behaviour at the bus stop. Tourists from all over Europe seem to lose any ability to queue and just shove their way to the front. I was warned about this before I went but it was still annoying.
Where to eat at Ghajn Tuffieha bay
I recommend two options for food and a drink around Ghajn Tuffieha bay.
- When you get off the bus overlooking Golden Bay, head straight to eat at Apple’s Eye before you walk along the clifftop to Ghajn Tuffieha. The restaurant may look like somewhere very touristy that I’d normally avoid with a bargepole but it’s actually gorgeous. In fact, Malta’s food is solidly excellent. You rarely get anything overpriced and never find anything nasty. I highly recommend the veggie pizza here, which is delicious.
- If you’d rather eat and drink on Ghajn Tuffieha bay itself, your only option is Singita Miracle Beach Bar. And luckily the food is simple but tasty, and the menu is very small. It’s really all about the drinks though and I recommend working your way through their cocktail menu throughout the day. See it as a challenge…
Where to stay in Ghajn Tuffieha bay, Malta if you want to stay overnight
If you’re visiting Malta, I wouldn’t actually recommend staying in Ghajn Tuffieha bay as it’s so tiny and not near other attractions. You should stay in Valletta (try 19 Rooms or Paulos Valletta if you want my recommendations for there).
However, if you do want to do Ghajn Tuffieha bay overnight rather than as a day trip, there’s one hotel in the area. This is the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands, which is about 200€ a night. Even though I normally avoid recommending chain hotels, I’ve checked it out and to be fair it’s incredibly well rated and has some glowing reviews.
When to plan your visit
I went to Malta in April, when it was busy but also unseasonably cold and windy all week. Not a good combination. However, the weather was lovely the day I went to Ghajn Tuffieha bay, as it’s so sheltered. And it seemed to be a good time of year to spot these little lads, Mediterranean chameleons, who were strutting along the paths around the bay. Rather cute.
Like with many places in Europe, spring and late summer/early autumn tend to be ideal for visiting Malta. Avoid in the height of summer as it can get heaving and far too hot to be able to explore comfortably. I wouldn’t fancy the beach full of tourists in August, either.
Save and share: A guide to Ghajn Tuffieha bay, Malta
If you enjoyed this blog post on how to visit Ghajn Tuffieha bay, why not pin it to your Pinterest board?
You might also like my other Malta-based posts:
- 26 things to do in Valletta: Malta’s tiny capital city
- Things to do in Gozo, Malta, without a car
- A guide to Mdina: the silent city of Malta.
And if you’ve used one of my travel guides and enjoyed it, you can also buy me a drink. Cheers.
5 Comments
Yet again a very comprehensive and detailed guide, thank you so much for sharing your impressions and experience. Sorry to hear Malta wasn’t vibing too high for you. That can happen. Your pictures are beautiful though and I enjoyed reading about the Ghajn Tuffieha day out. I was a bit confused with the £200 comment haha thanks for telling me the joke. I looked it up and found out Malta is considering paying tourists up to £200 to holiday there this year and to support local hotels financially. Not too close, right?
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
Very informative, Ghajn Tuffieha looks a great place and although I have been to Malta a few times I didn’t know of its existence ! That pizza looks good too ! Malta is such an underrated destination, there really is so much to do – cheers !
🙂
Very beautiful indeed!
🙂