This trip was very much a “for the plot” moment. I booked it only two days before flying, which at the time felt spontaneous and exciting, but realistically meant a bit of chaos. Malta had been on my list for a while and as a flight attendant for Ryanair i had already been here…on the airport runway… during a medical… so it felt like the perfect last-minute getaway as i had seen the gorgeous views out the window and felt the heat.
The reality hit when the alarm went off in the middle of the night for our 6am flight from Edinburgh. We had to be at the airport around 3.45-4am, and I hadn’t slept at all. Between packing last minute and the excitement, it just didn’t happen. I thought I’d catch up on sleep on the plane, but no chance, especially after forgetting my neck pillow, which made it ten times worse.
Instead, we ended up buying a couple of mini bottles of wine on the Ryanair flight, which felt like a good idea at the time but probably didn’t help the exhaustion. By the time we landed, I was already running on zero energy.
One thing I will say straight away is how easy Malta was to navigate. Ubers were cheap, quick and really reliable, which made getting around stress-free. It took us about 50 minutes to get from the airport to St Paul’s Bay and only cost around €18, which is so reasonable. Another thing that genuinely surprised me was how easy communication was. English is one of Malta’s official languages, so everything from signs to menus was in English too, and I never once struggled with a language barrier. It just made the whole trip feel really comfortable.
Also, the people. Maltese people are genuinely so lovely. Everyone was friendly, chatty and welcoming. I even went for a pedicure at a local salon and ended up chatting away the whole time, having a proper little gossip like I’d known her for years. It’s those small moments that actually stick with you just as much as the bigger experiences.
We stayed in a 4-star all-inclusive hotel in Qawra, St Paul’s Bay, and if I’m being honest, it wasn’t quite what I expected. I do understand it was December, so off-season, but there just wasn’t much going on. There was no visible entertainment team, the outdoor pool didn’t open until 10am, breakfast felt quite late, and even the indoor spa didn’t open until around midday. It just felt very quiet and a bit underwhelming for a 4-star. The indoor pool was warm, but the chemicals were so strong it actually stung my eyes to the point I had to get out almost straight away.
I personally wouldn’t stay there again, especially after seeing the Odyssey hotel next door. We actually went in to ask about staying there when we extended our trip, and although they normally require a 7-night minimum for all-inclusive, they offered to make an exception for us if we stayed 2 nights, which was amazing. Unfortunately my fiancé had to get back for work, but you could instantly tell it was a completely different level. It felt more modern, more luxurious, and had things like water slides, which our hotel didn’t.
Weather-wise, this is where I think it’s important to be really honest. Before going, I saw temperatures between 16 and 19°C and thought that sounded absolutely fine. I’d been to Barcelona in similar temperatures and it felt warm enough. But Malta felt completely different. Even when it said 18°C, it felt more like 13°C, and there was always a chill in the air, especially with the wind. It would look sunny, but not feel warm enough to properly relax outside, and as soon as the sun went in, it got cold very quickly.
We also had one day where the weather completely took over. There was thunder, lightning and really heavy rain, to the point it was actually flooding. That was the day we had planned to explore Valletta, which we ended up missing completely. We had even tried to book a pub crawl a couple of days before, but it was fully booked, which was surprising considering it was off-season. Instead, we were stuck inside the hotel while the storm passed.
At one point, even the bar staff were telling people to stay away from the windows and avoid going outside because of how bad the weather was. It definitely wasn’t what I had imagined when booking the trip.
That said, we got really lucky with one thing, the boat trip. We booked a 7-hour Gozo, Comino and Blue Lagoon tour for £22 per person, which is honestly such good value, and it ended up being on the warmest and sunniest day of the entire trip. It was still only around 17 to 18°C, so a bit chilly on the open water, they even had blankets out, but compared to the rest of the trip it felt amazing.
The views were unreal. Sailing past caves, cliffs and that clear blue water felt like a completely different version of Malta. The atmosphere on the boat was also such a good vibe, we ended up chatting to loads of people and it just felt really fun and relaxed.
The biggest surprise for me was the Blue Lagoon. I expected it to be freezing, but it was actually warm enough to properly swim in. Others also commented on how it felt warmer than the spanish sea which was so surprising, it actually heated me up and felt warmer being in than out. We also stopped in Gozo for a few hours, which I really enjoyed. It was warm enough to walk around, explore and sit outside for lunch, which felt like a completely different experience compared to the rest of the trip. But again, the second the sun disappeared, the temperature dropped quickly.
Looking back, I do feel a bit disappointed that we only really got one proper “good” day, but that’s just the reality of travelling in December. It also made me realise that checking the temperature alone doesn’t always tell the full story. An 18°C in Malta felt completely different to an 18°C in Barcelona.
At the time of writing this in April, it’s around 20°C and feels like 18°C in the evening, which honestly sounds like a much better balance. I’ve also read how busy Malta gets in summer, so I actually think somewhere like spring might be the perfect time to go. Warm enough to enjoy it properly, but without the peak season crowds.
Overall, I am really glad I went, especially for the boat trip, which completely made the experience. Malta itself is beautiful, and I would absolutely go back, just at a different time of year to experience it in a way that matches the destination a bit more.
