Comino: Private boat tour with Snorkeling activities & caves

Comino is best seen from the water. This four-hour private trip circles the island aboard a traditional 12-meter luzzu, stopping at the Blue Lagoon, Santa Marija Caves, Crystal Lagoon, and several quieter swimming spots. I like the small private-group setup, which lets you spend more time in the places that suit your party, and I like the unusual cave access, including a swim to a pond inside Santa Marija Cave.

The boat also has a toilet, freshwater shower, refrigerator, shade, coolers, and a bar area, useful comforts on a warm day at sea. The main drawback is the schedule: four hours moves quickly, and Comino’s famous spots can still feel busy in high summer. Food and drinks cost extra, so plan for that before boarding.

Comino by private boat: the key points

• A 12-meter traditional luzzu: You get a colorful Maltese fishing boat rather than a large sightseeing vessel, with room for up to 20 people.
• Cave access with a guide: The crew accompanies you into Santa Marija Caves and other sea caves, including a cave with an interior swimming pond.
• Several swim stops: Blue Lagoon, Cominotto Beach, San Niklaw Bay, Crystal Lagoon, Cominotto Reef, and other coastal sites are included.
• Snorkeling equipment provided: Masks, a stand-up paddle board, fishing equipment, and ice coolers are included.
• Useful onboard comforts: A toilet, freshwater shower, refrigerator, and shaded rear area make the boat easier to enjoy between swims.
• Strong value for a full group: At $506 for up to 20 people, the price works out to about $25 per person if the boat is filled.

Why a private luzzu changes the Comino day

Comino is small, but its shore is full of small inlets, caves, reefs, and rock shelves that are easiest to reach by boat. A private charter gives you a flexible base for the day instead of tying you to one crowded beach.

The boat is a traditional luzzu, a type of Maltese fishing boat known for its colorful appearance and sturdy design. It was built for fishing, but today it also offers an appealing way to see the coast. You get the character of a local boat with the practical space of a 12-meter vessel.

The group limit is 20 people. That is not an intimate two-person cruise, but it is still much more personal than a large public boat. If you book with family or friends, you control the guest list and can settle into your own shaded area. You can also play your own music, according to the onboard details.

The crew includes a captain and deckhand. They guide you around the caves and beaches, and they know the safest way into the natural passages. That matters here. Some cave entrances are reached from the water, and the route inside can be hard to judge from the boat alone.

The four-hour length is enough to see a lot of Comino without turning the day into a full endurance test. At the same time, you should expect a brisk pace. If your group wants long, lazy swims at every stop, you may need to choose your priorities.

Blue Lagoon and Cominotto: the busy opening act

The tour begins with a short sightseeing cruise before reaching the Blue Lagoon. This is Comino’s best-known stretch of water, with bright, clear water, a sandy beach, kiosks, snacks, ice cream, and drinks. Water sports, including parasailing, are also available in the area.

The private boat gives you a better way to enjoy the lagoon than simply arriving on foot and searching for space on the beach. You can swim from the boat, use the provided snorkeling masks, and look for the natural cave that can be swum through. The Blue Lagoon Pass is included.

Still, this is the stop where crowds are most likely to affect your mood. The lagoon is famous for good reason, but its popularity means it can feel more like a major attraction than a quiet island cove. I would treat the Blue Lagoon as a scenic swim and orientation stop, not the only reason to book the trip.

Nearby Cominotto Beach offers another chance to get into the water and look for marine life. The change of setting is useful because you are not stuck at one busy patch of shoreline. You can also enjoy the views from the boat, which often gives you a better sense of the color and shape of the coast than standing on the beach.

San Niklaw Bay and the quieter side of Comino

After the first lagoon stops, the boat continues toward San Niklaw Bay for around 30 minutes of swimming and snorkeling. This bay offers a more peaceful break than the Blue Lagoon, although conditions can vary with the day and the number of boats nearby.

This is a good point in the trip to use the masks and look below the surface. The tour focuses on clear water, reefs, and marine life rather than a formal wildlife presentation, so your experience depends on visibility and sea conditions.

If your group includes children, the calmer swimming stops may be more comfortable than the open-water cave sections. The tour also includes two sandy beaches at Santa Marija, described as suitable for parents with young children. Even so, the crew decides the safest approach based on conditions, and all water activities require sensible supervision.

A stand-up paddle board is included. That gives you an option besides swimming and snorkeling, especially if someone in your group wants to enjoy the bay without spending the whole stop in the water. Fishing equipment is also available, though the supplied details do not promise a specific fishing activity or catch.

Santa Marija Caves: the tour’s most unusual stop

Santa Marija Caves are the real reason to choose this trip over a simple Blue Lagoon transfer. The boat takes you close to the caves, and the guide helps you enter one of the natural passages from the sea.

The route involves swimming to the cave entrance, getting onto land with help from the guide, and walking about 10 meters inside. There, you find a small pond within the cave. You can swim in it, and strong swimmers may be able to pass underwater through to the other side.

I like this stop because it feels more active and personal than a quick boat pass. You are not just taking photographs of a cave mouth. You are entering it, walking inside, and swimming in a space shaped by the sea.

The cave was also used during filming of The Count of Monte Cristo, which adds a fun bit of film trivia to the visit. Several other caves are visible around Santa Marija, so the crew can point out more of the coast even if you do not enter every opening.

This part calls for comfort in the water and steady footing. The supplied information does not specify protective footwear, so ask the operator if you have sensitive feet or are unsure about walking on the cave surface. The guide accompanies you inside, but you still need to be comfortable swimming from the boat to shore.

Elephant Rock and Crystal Lagoon

The boat passes Elephant Rock, a naturally formed rock shape that makes a good coastal photograph. It is a short sighting rather than a long stop, so keep your camera ready.

Crystal Lagoon follows, and this is another major swimming and snorkeling point. It sits behind the Blue Lagoon and offers two notable sea caves. One cave lies beneath Saint Mary’s Tower. You can swim through it toward a sandy beach at the far end, with the guide showing you the route.

The second cave is open at both ends. That makes it less dark and easier to swim through, especially for anyone who prefers a clear exit. The guide can come along into the cave, which is reassuring when you are unfamiliar with the shoreline.

Crystal Lagoon also suits people who enjoy cliff jumping. The information provided does not give a jump height or describe supervision, so you should check the local conditions and follow the crew’s advice rather than choosing a ledge at random.

Saint Mary’s Tower can be seen from the lagoon and is about a 10-minute walk away. The itinerary includes viewing the tower and hiking, but the tour remains centered on the water. Do not expect a long inland visit or a full historical tour of the tower.

Reefs, the P31 wreck, and the final swim sites

The underwater stops add variety to the day. Cominotto Reef is included for swimming, snorkeling, and marine-life viewing, while the reefs near Cominotto are also noted for wrecks.

A military wreck called the P31 lies at a depth of about 25 meters. When the sea is clear, you can see it from the boat. That does not mean you will be taken down to it, and the provided tour details do not promise an underwater wreck visit. Think of it as a visible feature beneath the surface, best appreciated from above.

The final coastal points include L-Għar ta’ Bla Saqaf, It-Tieqa, and Taħt il-Ħnejja. The crew provides a guided visit and swimming at these natural formations. The names may be difficult to pronounce, but the formations themselves are part of the pleasure of seeing Comino from sea level, where each opening and rock arch looks different.

The exact order can shift with sea conditions, timing, or local traffic. The published route lists the major stops, but you should not assume every stop will receive the same amount of time. The tour is four hours, so the captain has to balance swimming, cave access, cruising, and safe movement around the island.

Onboard comfort, gear, and what you pay for

The price is $506 for a private group of up to 20 people. If 20 people share the cost, that is roughly $25.30 per person. At 10 people, it works out to about $50.60 each, and at 5 people it becomes about $101.20 each.

That makes the charter especially attractive for a larger family, wedding party, or group of friends. A smaller party pays more per person, but receives the privacy and control that a public boat cannot offer.

Fuel is included, as are the captain, deckhand, snorkeling masks, stand-up paddle board, fishing equipment, ice coolers, and Blue Lagoon Pass. The boat also has shade in the rear, a refrigerator, toilet, and freshwater shower. These details matter more than they may sound. Four hours in sun, salt water, and swimwear is much easier when you can rinse off, store snacks, and take a break in the shade.

A bar is available onboard with alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, snacks, and ice cream. The cost of food and drinks is not included, so bring money or confirm payment arrangements before leaving. You may also want to bring sun protection and a towel, though the supplied information does not specify whether towels are provided.

Pickup at Cirkewwa or beneath Gleneagles Bar

You can board at one of two points. From Gozo, the boat is located at Pontoon A near the seaside beneath Gleneagles Bar in Mgarr. From Malta, the pickup is at Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal.

At Cirkewwa, go into the ferry marshaling area. A small kiosk sits on the right when you face the sea, with a jetty behind it reached by stairs. The boat may be moored there or waiting to berth because ferry traffic can affect the timing.

The same locations are used for drop-off. Confirm the meeting point carefully, especially if you are connecting with a ferry. The pickup information is specific, but the boat’s exact position can change briefly as other vessels load and unload.

The tour is offered in English and Italian. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later, which gives you some flexibility if your Malta plans are still moving.

Who will get the most from this tour?

I would choose this for a group that wants swimming, snorkeling, and caves in one compact outing. It suits families, couples traveling with friends, and anyone who values privacy more than a low per-person price.

It is also a good match for active visitors who enjoy getting into the water repeatedly. The Santa Marija cave route and the Crystal Lagoon passages require confidence in the water, while the paddle board offers a gentler alternative.

You may want a different plan if your main goal is a long beach stay, a formal historical tour, or a quiet boat ride with very little activity. The tour is built around movement and water access. Even the sightseeing portions support the next swim or cave stop.

The limited feedback available is especially positive about the boat itself and the crew’s service. The strongest practical points are the toilet, freshwater shower, refrigerator, shade, and paddle boards. Those features make this more comfortable than a basic open boat, and the friendly family-run feel adds to the appeal.

Should you book the Comino private boat tour?

Book it if you can fill most of the 20-person capacity, want several swim stops, and like the idea of entering caves rather than only viewing them from offshore. The price is strong for a full group, and the equipment and fuel included reduce the number of extras to arrange.

For a small party, compare the per-person cost with public boat trips before committing. You are paying for privacy, a traditional boat, direct cave guidance, and a flexible day around Comino, not simply transportation to the Blue Lagoon.

My practical advice is to make Santa Marija Caves and Crystal Lagoon your priorities. Those stops offer the most distinctive parts of the route, while the Blue Lagoon provides the famous views and the other bays fill out the swimming day. If that balance sounds right, this is a well-equipped way to see Comino from the water.

FAQ

How long is the Comino private boat tour?

The tour lasts four hours. Starting times are available according to the booking calendar.

How many people can join the private boat?

The private group can include up to 20 people.

What boat is used for the tour?

The tour uses a traditional 12-meter Maltese boat called a luzzu.

Where can I board the boat?

You can board at Pontoon A beneath Gleneagles Bar in Mgarr, Gozo, or at Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal in Malta.

Are snorkeling masks included?

Yes. Snorkeling masks are included, along with a stand-up paddle board, fishing equipment, and ice coolers.

Is food included in the price?

No. Food and drinks are not included. A bar onboard serves alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, snacks, and ice cream.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live guide service is available in English and Italian.