Comino Caves: Which Caves to See and How to Reach Them

What the Comino caves are and where they sit

The caves are sea caves cut into Comino's soft limestone by wave action, and they cluster around the island rather than sitting inland. The main group runs along the north and west coast near Santa Marija Bay and the Crystal Lagoon, while the cave at Cominotto lies opposite the Blue Lagoon on the islet next door. Knowing which side of the island a cave sits on decides which departure point makes sense.

A few caves have a recorded Maltese name and a nickname, which matters when you search for them on a map or speak to a skipper. Popeye's Cave appears as L-Għar ta' Bla Saqaf, and the Crystal Lagoon Tunnel Cave as Il-Bejta tal-Fenek. Use the Maltese name to find the right pin, then the English name to match it to a tour description.

Popeye's Cave (L-Għar ta' Bla Saqaf): the collapsed ceiling

Popeye's Cave is also known as L-Għar ta' Bla Saqaf, the cave with the collapsed ceiling. That collapse is the point: a large opening in the roof lets natural light flood the interior. The cave lies just east of the Crystal Lagoon, on the same stretch of coast as the tunnel cave.

Because the skylight is open to the sky, light and conditions inside shift with the weather, so treat it as a short stop on a boat route rather than a destination in its own right.

Crystal Lagoon Tunnel Cave (Il-Bejta tal-Fenek): the 30-metre tunnel

The Crystal Lagoon Tunnel Cave, Il-Bejta tal-Fenek, is a 30-metre natural tunnel that snorkellers and divers can swim through, opening out to smaller sea caves and an overhang nearby. It sits in the Crystal Lagoon, which is rocky and harder to access from land than the Blue Lagoon. The reward is the marine life and rock formations rather than a sandy beach.

Several boat trips make the Crystal Lagoon their first stop, with views back to St Mary's Tower above the coast, before moving on to the Blue Lagoon. If the tunnel is the part you care about, ask before booking whether the trip enters it or only anchors nearby.

Lovers Cave: the 40-metre tunnel and the beach at the end

Lovers Cave is a 40-metre tunnel wide enough for motorboats to enter, with a small white sandy beach at the far end under a ceiling roughly 10 metres high. It is tucked away from the open sea, which is why it feels quieter than the lagoon caves. It is realistically reached by private charter or a boat small enough to go inside, not by swimming from the main landing areas.

If you plan to swim in the tunnel rather than stay aboard, carry a life ring or another visible floatable device so other boats can see you. That is a safety decision, not a formality, because motorboats do enter the same tunnel.

Santa Marija Caves: the north coast series

The Santa Marija Caves form a series of at least ten caves on Comino's north coast, east of the beaches at Santa Marija Bay and San Niklaw Bay, with rock formations, air pockets and some swim-throughs. Their shallow depth, no deeper than 8 metres, makes them workable for snorkellers as well as divers. They sit away from the Blue Lagoon crowds, so reaching them usually means a boat that goes further round the island.

Look for Elephant Rock nearby if your skipper takes that line along the coast. These caves reward people who want marine life and quiet water rather than a beach stop.

Monte Cristo Cave: the hidden lagoon

Monte Cristo Cave sits close to Santa Marija Tower, south of the Crystal Lagoon, and holds a hidden lagoon inside. The name comes from The Count of Monte Cristo, one of the films associated with Comino, and the cave's dark brown walls give it a different mood from the bright Blue tunnel caves. It is a boat stop rather than a swim-from-shore target, and the tower above is the landmark to watch for on the approach.

Cominotto and the Blue Lagoon cave

Cominotto is the small islet just off the Blue Lagoon, and it has its own sea cave sometimes called the Blue Lagoon Cave, though that is not its official name. Boats can moor by the islet, and it is possible to swim across from the Blue Lagoon, but there are undercurrents to respect. For most visitors the sensible choice is to see it from a boat or on a tour that anchors nearby.

Cominotto was used as a filming location for Troy, one of several film associations around Comino. Treat that as context rather than a reason to plan the day around the islet.

Why most caves are reached by boat, not on foot

Most of the main caves worth seeing are not reachable on foot, which is the single most useful thing to know before you plan a day on Comino. The island itself is small enough to cross, but the caves sit in the water at the base of the cliffs, so a boat is the practical tool. That makes the ferry and a boat trip different things: the ferry gets you to the island, and a trip gets you into the caves.

If you are coming from Gozo and want to see the island alongside the caves, our guide to a day trip to Gozo from Malta sets out how the two islands combine in one day, though the caves themselves need a boat.

Organised boat trips: what they cover and what they cost

Organised boat trips are the more expensive route to the caves, with published prices ranging from about €30 to over €100 depending on the trip. A Blue Lagoon & Sea Caves Tour from Buġibba Jetty is listed at €30 to €45 per person, running six to seven hours in the morning or four to five hours in the evening, with the Crystal Lagoon as the first stop and a couple of hours at the Blue Lagoon.

Boats used on these trips typically carry a cushioned sun deck, shade, a bar and a toilet, which matters over a long day in the sun. Book a cave-focused trip rather than a general lagoon transfer if the rock formations are your reason for going.

Small-group cave tours run three to four hours with a cap on numbers and travel closer to the coastline, entering the sea caves. Cave-focused trips are worth choosing over a general lagoon transfer if the rock formations are your reason for going.

Private charters and when they make sense

Private charters are the realistic way to reach Lovers Cave and to build a route around the caves that matter to you, since you are not tied to a group itinerary. They cost more than a seat on a shared trip, and the value comes from flexibility rather than from seeing more caves for less. Choose one if the tunnel caves and the Santa Marija series are the priority, or if you want time inside a cave rather than a pass-by.

Ask how close the boat can get to each cave and whether it enters the tunnels, because boat size decides that. A charter that only anchors in the lagoons will not give you the same day.

Ferry services and what they can reach

The ferry services run to Comino and get you onto the island, but they are not a cave tour, so treat them as transport rather than sightseeing. Fares, timetables and crossing times are set by the operators, and you confirm them directly when you book. Pair a ferry crossing with a short cave-focused trip if you want both.

Coming from the Gozo side, use a Gozo map to see where Comino sits relative to Mġarr and the north coast.

Safety around the caves and boat traffic

Several caves have traffic inside them, and Lovers Cave admits motorboats through a 40-metre tunnel, so visibility is what keeps swimmers safe. Carry a life ring or another floatable device that boats can see, and stay aware of the channel when you swim near an entrance. Snorkellers in the Santa Marija Caves have shallow water on their side, but the surface is still shared with boats.

Swimming across to Cominotto is possible, but the undercurrents are the reason many visitors choose to stay with the boat. Heat is the other factor, and a long morning on the water with no shade is a poor plan.

How to fit the caves into a day on Comino

Anchor the day on one part of the island: the Crystal Lagoon, the tunnel cave and Popeye's Cave sit close together in the west, while the Santa Marija Caves and Monte Cristo Cave run along a different stretch. Trying to cover both in one boat trip means a longer route and less time in the water. With one day, pick the cluster that matches what you want to see.

Beyond the caves, the rest of the archipelago is worth a day of its own, and the Gozo attractions hub gathers the islands' forts, temples and villages in one place. Use it to build the days either side of your Comino trip rather than adding stops on the same afternoon.

Which cave trip should you book?

Book a cave-focused boat trip if the tunnels, the skylight cave and the Santa Marija series are the point of your day; book a ferry crossing plus a short trip if you mainly want time on the island. Choose a private charter only when Lovers Cave or a specific cave is non-negotiable, because the cost is higher and the benefit is route control.

Whichever you choose, confirm the departure point and current fare with the operator when you book, and check which caves the boat actually enters.