Buġibba (Bugibba), Qawra and St Paul's Bay (San Pawl il-Baħar in Maltese) follow one another along the coast, in the north of Malta. According to Visit Malta, the official tourism website, they are the largest seaside resorts on the island. Things to do in Buġibba: walk along the promenade to Qawra Point, swim from the rocks or on a man-made sandy beach, see the national aquarium, then head out to sea for Comino or Gozo.
From Valletta, bus 48 runs every 12 minutes on weekdays (the ride takes 53 to 73 minutes); from the airport, the TD1 runs every hour (about 50 minutes). Times and prices were read on the official websites on 20 October 2026: they change with the season, so check them before you go.
- Where: in the north of Malta, between St Paul's Bay and Salina Bay.
- Swimming: flat rocks, or man-made sand at Perched Beach; a large natural beach at Mellieħa Bay (bus 221, 33 minutes).
- To see: the promenade, the square redone in 2026, Wignacourt Tower, Qawra Point, the aquarium.
- At sea: boat trips to Comino and Gozo from the jetty in Buġibba.
- In the evening: the bars on the square and along the promenade, Café del Mar in season.
- A base for the north: Ċirkewwa, the ferry port for Gozo and Comino, is 43 minutes away on bus 221.
Buġibba, Qawra and St Paul's Bay: which is where?
Addresses in Buġibba and in Qawra both end with St Paul's Bay (San Pawl il-Baħar): it is the same stretch of coast. St Paul's Bay is the old fishing village, with its parish church from 1617. The modern resorts of Buġibba and Qawra spread east of the church, on the headland: Buġibba around its square, Qawra further on, with its hotels by the water (Visit Malta).
Getting to Buġibba and getting around by bus
Buses leave from the Buġibba bus terminus. Journey times and frequencies were read on 20 October 2026 in the Malta Public Transport timetables, for weekdays, from 8am to 6pm:
| From Buġibba to | Bus | Journey time | During the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valletta | 48 (or 45, 31) | 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min | every 12 minutes (48) |
| Valletta, direct | TD13 (€3) | 42 to 47 min | every 15 to 30 minutes |
| Airport | TD1 (€3.50) | 51 min | every hour |
| St Julian's, then Sliema | 212 | 32 to 39 min, then 45 to 54 min | every 20 to 30 minutes |
| Mellieħa, Għadira, Ċirkewwa | 221 | 24, 33 and 43 min | every 30 minutes |
| Għajn Tuffieħa, near Golden Bay | 223 | 27 min | every hour |
| Rabat and Mdina | 186 | 30 to 50 min | every 30 minutes |
A ticket costs €2 in winter (from 18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027) and €2.50 in summer. It is valid for 2 hours, changes included, and you buy it on the bus, in cash or with a contactless card. At weekends the timetables are different: see the bus 48 timetable.
Things to do in Buġibba: the promenade, the square and the towers
The promenade and the square
The promenade runs along the shore of St Paul's Bay to Qawra Point, facing Salina Bay: a long walk that is mostly flat, with views of the open sea and of St Paul's Islands (Visit Malta). From Wignacourt Tower to Qawra Point it is a little over 2 km as the crow flies.
Buġibba Square is the centre of evening life, with its bars and cafés (Malta Public Transport). The renovated square was inaugurated on 27 May 2026: a fountain, benches, sun shelters, trees and a rebuilt promenade (TVM).
Wignacourt Tower and Qawra Point
On the St Paul's Bay side, Wignacourt Tower, built in 1610 by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, is the oldest coastal defence post still standing in Malta (Din l-Art Ħelwa). Inside are models of fortifications and weapons of the period. It is generally open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 1pm and on the first Sunday of the month, depending on the volunteers: call before you go (21225952).
At the other end is Qawra Point, "with its tower and views over Salina Bay", as Visit Malta puts it: a 17th-century watchtower, less than 300 metres from the aquarium and Café del Mar.
Swimming in Buġibba and Qawra: rocks, a man-made beach and sand
The coast is rocky: large flat rocks for sunbathing, access points into the water every so often, and water that is deep but generally clean and clear, according to Visit Malta, which recommends Qawra Point. In Salina Bay the water along both sides is shallow, and the bay is very busy in summer.
For sand, Perched Beach, on the Buġibba promenade (Dawret il-Gżejjer), is a man-made beach: 2,000 m² of sand laid on the rock, with platforms down to the sea, one of them wheelchair accessible (Visit Malta).
For a large natural beach, Mellieħa Bay (Għadira), "Malta's largest sandy beach" according to Visit Malta, is about 6 km away, or 33 minutes on bus 221: see things to do in Mellieħa. Għajn Tuffieħa, with its "red sands", and its neighbour Golden Bay are 27 minutes away on bus 223. For the others: our guide to Malta's beaches.
Off Qawra, divers have wrecks such as the MV Imperial Eagle (down to 45 metres, according to Visit Malta), to dive with a dive centre. For mask and snorkel: our guide to snorkelling in Malta.
Malta's national aquarium, in Qawra
On Qawra Point, the Malta National Aquarium is housed in a starfish-shaped building: more than 50 tanks, more than 250 species and an underwater tunnel. It is open every day from 10am to 8pm (last entry 7.30pm), on Triq it-Trunciera. Prices read on 20 October 2026 on the national aquarium's ticket page; booking is not required:
- Adult (13 years and over): €17.90 at the ticket desk, €16.90 online.
- Child (4 to 12 years): €11.90, or €10.90 online.
- Under 4 years: free, with a ticket to collect at the ticket desk.
- After 4pm, online: €13.90 per adult and €8.90 per child.
St Paul's Islands and trips out to sea
Opposite, on St Paul's Islands, stands a large statue of the Apostle: according to legend, his ship was wrecked there, which Malta celebrates on 10 February (Visit Malta). You can see them from the promenade, or up close on Hornblower's Comino boat trip.
Boats leave from Bugibba Jetty, on Dawret il-Gżejjer: boat trips to Comino and the Blue Lagoon, with or without Gozo, and at sunset. Since May 2026, a fast ferry has also linked Buġibba with Sliema and with Gozo (Newsbook, 5 May 2026). Access, parking and times: our Bugibba Jetty article.
Our three boat trips from Buġibba, with Hornblower, leave from this jetty, with no hotel pick-up (times read on 20 October 2026):
- Comino, Blue Lagoon and caves: 10am to 5pm, including 4 hrs 30 min at the Blue Lagoon.
- Gozo and Comino: 10am to 5pm, with 1 hr 30 min at the Blue Lagoon and about 3 hours of free time on Gozo.
- Sunset: 5.15pm to 9.15pm, with a stop at the Blue Lagoon from 6pm to 8pm.
On Hornblower's calendar as read on 18 October 2026, the day trips run until 30 November 2026 and again from 1 February 2027, and the sunset trip from 1 May to 30 September 2027, except on Sundays. To go ashore at the Blue Lagoon you need a free QR code: see our Blue Lagoon guide. The trips: Comino and Blue Lagoon boat tours, boat trips in Malta.
Without a boat trip, the small ferries to Comino leave from Marfa and Ċirkewwa (Comino Ferries); bus 221 takes 43 minutes to Ċirkewwa. Details: how to get to Comino.
Evenings in Buġibba and Qawra
In the evening, life centres on Buġibba Square and the promenade, with restaurants, bars and cafés (Malta Public Transport). For nightclubs, St Julian's is 30 to 40 minutes away on bus 212: see Paceville, the party district. The last 212 back leaves there at 10.08pm on weekdays: after that, plan on a taxi.
In Qawra, within the aquarium complex, Café del Mar is a beach club on the water's edge, with an infinity pool, a restaurant and parties. Its website says it is open every day from 10am to midnight; in 2026, its sunbeds can be booked from 4 April to 25 October, the day of the closing party. We sell tickets for its parties: see Café del Mar parties and all our parties and events in Malta, and to compare, Malta's beach clubs.
Buġibba for families, and a sample day
With the family: the aquarium (free for children under 4), the sand at Perched Beach, Kennedy Grove, a park "for visitors of all ages" according to Visit Malta, about 1 km from Perched Beach, and the free salt museum at Salina. More ideas: Malta with kids.
A sample day:
- Morning: Wignacourt Tower from 10am, then the promenade to Buġibba Square.
- Midday: a swim at Perched Beach or off the rocks.
- Afternoon: Qawra Point, then the aquarium after 4pm, cheaper online.
- Evening: dinner on the square, or a party at Café del Mar in season.
Around Buġibba: the Salina salt pans and the Simar reserve
The salt pans gave Salina Bay its name (Visit Malta). BirdLife Malta's Salina reserve covers 154,000 m² of salt marsh and salt pans: gulls, herons and egrets, and very rarely a flamingo. Entry is free, with a salt museum since July 2024; from October to March it is open every day from 7am to 6pm. Bus 212 or 222, stops "Salini" or "Għasfur": the Salina reserve on the BirdLife Malta website.
In Xemxija, the Simar reserve, also run by BirdLife Malta, opens from September to May: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1.30pm to 5pm, and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, free of charge (bus 221, stops "Roti" or "Simar"). Bus 186 goes to Mdina, the old walled city. The rest of the island: things to do in Malta.
FAQ: things to do in Buġibba, Qawra and St Paul's Bay
Is it better to stay in Buġibba or in Sliema?
Sliema for Valletta, as a ferry goes there directly. Buġibba for the north, Comino and Gozo: Ċirkewwa is 43 minutes away on bus 221, compared with 73 to 77 minutes from Sliema on bus 222 (see things to do in Sliema).
Is there a sandy beach in Buġibba?
Yes, Perched Beach, a man-made sandy beach on the promenade. For a large natural beach, Mellieħa Bay is 33 minutes away on bus 221.
How do I get from Buġibba to Valletta?
Bus 48 runs every 12 minutes on weekdays and takes 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min. The direct TD13 takes 42 to 47 minutes, for €3.
How do I get to Comino from Buġibba?
On a boat trip from Bugibba Jetty (until 30 November 2026, then from 1 February 2027), or on bus 221 to Ċirkewwa and then a small ferry. To go ashore at the Blue Lagoon, book the free QR code first.
What is there to do in the evening in Buġibba?
The bars on the square and along the promenade, and Café del Mar in season (closing on 25 October 2026).
When should I go to Buġibba?
From April to October for swimming and parties. In winter, the aquarium opens every day and the day trips start again on 1 February 2027; see Malta weather and temperatures.
How do I get from the airport to Buġibba?
The TD1 runs every hour from 5am to midnight and takes 48 to 53 minutes (€3.50). The TD5 only has six departures on weekdays.
Can you see St Paul's Islands?
Yes, from the promenade, and up close on Hornblower's Comino boat trip, which passes the statue.
Comino boat tours & Blue Lagoon Malta boat trips
From Sliema, St Julian's and Bugibba
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