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📷 Leonardo Lamas · Pexels

Santa Marija Reef Dive Site

3.9 — based on 17 community signals
4.3 12 species 38 contributors

Santa Marija Reef offers year-round diving off Malta's Comino island with documented sightings of 12 marine species and community video guides.

⭐ Best for beginners.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
PhotoFriendlyShore entry

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Best months
Year-round
Marine life
Great barracuda

Top operators here

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Map

This spot Operators Airport Nearby spots
Santa Marija Reef Dive Site location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
1.8 kn
Wave
0.28 m
Water
28.3°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: ESE (26%)
Now: S (186°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.25m

Today: High 02:00 (-0.38m), Low 06:00 (-0.39m)

+-0.3 m-0.6 m
▲ 02:00 · -0.38m ▼ 06:00 · -0.39m ▲ 07:00 · -0.38m ▼ 12:00 · -0.39m Now -0.4m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV2.6 · low Air PM2.56 · good 06:47 19:04
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 6.7 0.3 3 1mm
09-20 4.3 0.32 5 5mm
09-21 6 0.26 7 0mm
09-22 5.4 0.24 7 0mm
09-23 9.3 0.32 6 3mm
09-24 9.1 0.44 6 4mm
09-25 10.4 0.3 6 1mm

About this spot

Santa Marija Reef sits in Malta's waters near Comino, a diving destination that works across all seasons. The site attracts divers looking to explore a reef system with established marine life. Twelve species observations have been recorded at the site, giving you a solid baseline for what you might encounter below. Local dive communities have documented the reef through video content—three videos are available showing real dives at Santa Marija. These clips help you understand the site's layout and conditions before you plan your trip. The reef lies outside a Marine Protected Area, which affects access and local regulations you'll want to verify with local dive operators. Malta's diving season runs year-round, so Santa Marija Reef is accessible whenever you can travel. The reef system supports enough marine life to make it a meaningful dive target for both exploration and species spotting. Water conditions, depth ranges, and difficulty ratings vary seasonally and by exact entry point, so connect with local operators who know current conditions before booking.

📖 Guide: Diving in Malta: 40 Sites, Wrecks & Caves Year-Round

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Marine life

Great barracuda

Dive types

Reef

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type G · 230V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 48%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 2080km · ~478kg · €9

From your departure country

United States
Origin score: 77/100
  • Visa: Visa-free · 90 days max
  • Flight: 7h · direct
  • Jet-lag: 6h east · 4 days recovery

FAQ

What's the best time to dive Santa Marija Reef?

Santa Marija Reef is diveable year-round off Malta. Water conditions and visibility vary by season, so check with local dive operators for current conditions before your trip.

What marine life is at Santa Marija Reef?

Twelve marine species have been documented at the site. Local dive videos show real observations, so watch community footage to see what's been spotted recently.

How deep is Santa Marija Reef?

Specific depth data isn't available here. Contact local Malta dive operators—they'll give you exact depths, difficulty ratings, and current conditions for this reef.

Do I need permits to dive Santa Marija Reef?

Santa Marija Reef lies outside a Marine Protected Area. However, always confirm local regulations and dive operator requirements with Maltese authorities or local shops before diving.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

Blue Waters Dive Cove

2.6 km
Dive centre

Scuba Life Malta

7.2 km
Dive centre

ABC Diving

8.7 km
Dive centre
Hours: Everyday 8.00am until 5.00pm

Nautic Team Gozo

9.3 km
Dive centre

Octopus Garden Scuba Diving

9.7 km
Dive centre
Hours: Mo-Su 08:30-17:00

Paradise Diving

3.7 km
Dive centre
Hours: 08:30-17:00

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

Scuba diving at Santa Maria Caves dive site on Comino in Malta.

Water We Doing Here

Freediving Santa Maria Caves | Comino Island | Malta

Omni Reef

Santa Marija Reef Dive In Comino, Malta

Adam Sant

Local knowledge

OpenStreetMap Notes
  • "Is this path still accessible by bike? We have some reports from the RouteYou community that it is not accessible anymore."

    Kevin@RouteYou · 2026-04-22
  • "Dieser Weg existiert nicht. Es sieht nach einer aufgelassenen Baustelle aus, der der Weg zum Opfer gefallen ist."

    Stephan Lengauer · 2026-03-12
wind peaks Jan-Mar-Dec, calmest Aug-Jul-Jun, dry Jan-Dec.

5-year monthly climate

60 samples
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
p25–p75 range Median Wind (kn) Air (°C)
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Jun (100/100) Worst: Jan (0/100) Now: Sep (93/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

Nearby spots

Santa Marija Caves Dive Site Malta Diving
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