Private Yacht Charter in Malta, Gozo & Comino – Full Day

The best part of this private yacht charter is control. You can spend longer in a quiet cove, move on when a bay gets crowded, or ask Captain Wayne and Sheldon to find calmer water. The route takes in Comino’s Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon, Gozo’s Mgarr ix-Xini, caves near L-Aħrax, and Paradise Bay.

I like the small private group and the practical setup. Up to eight people share the boat, so you are not tied to a large tour schedule. I also like that water sports gear is provided, the boat has shade and comfortable places to sit, and lunch can be arranged at a restaurant or brought aboard.

The main consideration is price. At $1,505.14 per group, this makes the most sense for a full group of eight, not a couple looking for the cheapest way to reach Comino. The route also depends on weather and sea conditions, so the exact mix of bays may change.

Key points before you book

• Private boat for up to eight: Your group has the yacht and crew to itself, with no strangers shaping the day.
• Comino gets the most time: The Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon, and Santa Maria Bay can fill much of the schedule.
• Wayne and Sheldon tailor the route: You can favor swimming, snorkeling, caves, quiet coves, or simply time in the sun.
• Water gear is included: Snorkeling equipment and other water sports gear are supplied, while paddleboards are available on request.
• Lunch is flexible: Stop at a restaurant on Gozo or bring your own food and drinks at your expense.
• Bad weather has a safety net: You can move the booking or receive a full refund if conditions force cancellation.

A full day built around your group

This is an eight-hour charter starting at 9:00 a.m. from Island Life Charters at Mellieha Bay. The meeting point is listed near public transportation and is described as easy to locate, which matters when you are trying to get a group of eight moving in the morning.

You will return to the same meeting point at the end of the day. There is no need to arrange a second pickup across the island, and the private format keeps the morning simple: arrive, board, and let the crew shape the route with you.

The boat is a strong part of the appeal. It offers shade as well as open places to sit in the sun, along with fridges and cutlery for food and drinks. That turns lunch into more than a quick snack between stops. You can make the middle of the day part of the outing instead of leaving the water for a long restaurant visit.

Captain Wayne and Sheldon are named as the main crew. Their role is not just to drive the boat. They provide brief background on the bays and land around you, point out places worth seeing, and adjust the route to suit your group. One especially useful detail is their willingness to seek calmer water for someone prone to motion sickness.

L-Aħrax and the smugglers cave

The first listed stop is L-Aħrax, where you make a short visit to a smugglers cave. The stop is about 10 minutes, so think of it as a quick photo and orientation stop rather than a major shore visit.

The cave gives you a good early picture of what this charter does best: it can get close to places that are easy to miss from a standard route. You can pose with the cave behind you, take in the rock along the coast, and get your bearings before the longer swimming stops begin.

Do not expect a long exploration here. Ten minutes passes quickly, especially if everyone wants photos. That short timing is useful, though, because the day gives most of its attention to Comino and the swimming coves.

Comino’s Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon

Comino is the heart of the day. The route includes the Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon, and Santa Maria Bay, with the exact choices guided by the weather and the condition of the sea.

The Blue Lagoon is the famous stop, and for good reason. Its clear water and enclosed setting make it ideal for swimming and photos. It is also the place most likely to feel busy, so a private boat gives you an important advantage: you can visit, swim, and then move to a quieter cove instead of spending the whole day in one crowded patch of water.

Crystal Lagoon offers a different feel, with clear water and access to caves and rocky edges. The crew can take you toward spots where you can swim inside or near caves, something that is difficult to do from a larger boat or a fixed ferry schedule. You will want to follow the crew’s guidance around rocks and cave entrances, particularly if the sea changes.

Santa Maria Bay gives the crew another option if conditions make one of the better-known lagoons less comfortable. This flexibility is one of the real reasons to book privately. A route fixed in advance may look perfect on paper, but wind and waves can change the best place to swim that morning.

The schedule lists three hours for the Blue Lagoon and three hours for the Crystal Lagoon. Read those times as a broad allocation for the Comino portion, not a guarantee of three separate hours in each location. The crew may use several swimming spots, and you can choose to stay longer in one place if the conditions and timing allow.

This is where the provided equipment earns its keep. You can snorkel, swim, explore the water around the caves, or use other water sports gear without packing a full kit of your own. Paddleboards are available on request, so ask about them when arranging the booking rather than assuming one will be waiting on the boat.

The water life can be a pleasant surprise. One outing included close looks at fish, non-poisonous jellyfish, and two octopuses that were caught briefly for people to see and then released. That is not a promised part of every trip, but it shows the kind of small encounter that can make a private day feel personal rather than programmed.

Gozo’s Mgarr ix-Xini and lunch choices

After Comino, the boat can head toward Gozo and Mgarr ix-Xini. This is described as a quiet spot with clean, clear water, and it offers a useful change of pace after the better-known lagoons.

I would use this part of the day for a slower swim or a rest on the boat. The listed timing is about one hour, enough to get into the water without making the stop feel rushed. If your group includes children, this can also be a welcome break from moving between several sites.

Lunch is not included in the price, so plan for it. You can stop at a restaurant, or bring your own meal and drinks. The crew can help arrange a lunch stop, and specific outings have included meals at One80 and Tortuga. Those restaurant names come from past arrangements, so confirm the current option when you book rather than treating either as guaranteed.

Bringing your own food can work well for a group that wants to stay on the boat. The yacht has fridges and cutlery, and one outing even included the crew making a sandwich for a hungry child. Still, food and drinks are your expense, and you should settle the plan before departure so lunch does not cut into your best swimming time.

A restaurant stop gives you a proper meal and a break from the sun. The tradeoff is time. A group that values every minute in the water may prefer a packed lunch, while a group celebrating a special day may enjoy sitting down together on Gozo.

Paradise Bay on the way home

Paradise Bay is usually the final swimming stop before the boat returns to Mellieha Bay. The listed time is about one hour, which is enough for a last snorkel, a final swim, and a chance to dry off before the ride back.

The water is described as clear, with good conditions for snorkeling. This last stop also gives you a natural ending to the day. Instead of squeezing in another major sight, you get one more easy swim and time to enjoy the coast without watching the clock too closely.

As with the other locations, weather can change the plan. If the sea is rough or the wind shifts, the crew may choose a different bay. That is not a flaw in the tour. It is part of using a small boat in open water, and the private format gives the crew more room to make a sensible call.

What the $1,505.14 price really buys

The price is $1,505.14 for the entire group, up to eight people. At full capacity, that works out to about $188 per person for an eight-hour private boat day. For four people, the cost is about $376 per person, so the value changes sharply with group size.

For eight friends or family members, the price can be reasonable when you compare it with the time on the water, the private crew, the flexible route, and the supplied equipment. You are not paying only for transport to Comino. You are paying for a boat that stays with your group, a crew that can alter the route, and the chance to use quiet coves and caves at your own pace.

For two people, the cost is harder to justify unless privacy, comfort, and a custom route matter more than budget. A shared boat would almost certainly be the cheaper choice, though it would not offer the same control over stops and timing.

The boat also helps the value calculation. It has shade, sun loungers or comfortable places to sit, fridges, cutlery, and a smooth ride according to the available accounts. Those details matter on an eight-hour day. A basic boat can make a full day feel long, while a well-kept yacht gives you a comfortable place to rest between swims.

Who will enjoy this charter most

This is a strong match for a group of friends, a family, or a special occasion group of up to eight. It works especially well if different people want different things: some can snorkel, some can paddleboard, some can explore caves, and others can stay shaded on the boat.

Families should note the moderate physical fitness recommendation. You will need to get on and off the boat and take part in swimming or water activities if you choose them. The crew’s help with a child’s food and their effort to find calm water may be useful, but the experience is still an active day at sea.

People who suffer from motion sickness should raise the issue before or at the start of the trip. The crew has adjusted the route to calmer waters for someone who felt unwell, but sea conditions cannot be controlled. If you are sensitive to motion, calmer bays and a flexible route are good reasons to choose a private charter, not a promise that you will feel fine all day.

This is less suitable for someone who wants a tightly fixed sightseeing program with long time on land. Most of the day is about water, swimming, snorkeling, caves, and coastal views. It is also not the best pick if your only goal is reaching the Blue Lagoon as cheaply as possible.

Practical details worth settling early

The activity is offered in English, and confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Since the average booking is made 62 days ahead, early planning is sensible, particularly if you need a certain date for a family trip or a group holiday.

The charter requires good weather. If poor conditions cause cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. If you need to cancel, do so at least 24 hours before the 9:00 a.m. start for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted, and the local time cutoff applies.

Bring what you need for a full day around water, though the supplied equipment reduces the amount of specialist gear you must pack. Confirm the paddleboard request and lunch plan ahead of time. The more clearly you explain your priorities, the easier it will be for Wayne and Sheldon to shape the day around them.

Should you book it?

Book this charter if you have a group large enough to share the cost and you want Malta, Comino, and Gozo on your own terms. The strongest reasons are the private boat, the ability to avoid staying in one crowded lagoon, the cave access, the flexible swimming plan, and the crew’s care with comfort and sea conditions.

Think twice if you are traveling as a couple on a tight budget or if you prefer sightseeing on land. For a full group that wants a relaxed day of swimming, snorkeling, food, and coastal exploring, this is one of the more practical ways to use a day around Malta’s northern islands.

FAQ

How long does the private yacht charter last?

The activity lasts approximately eight hours. It starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends back at the meeting point in Mellieha Bay.

Where does the charter start and finish?

You meet at Island Life Charters, listed at Mellieha Bay in Mellieha, Malta. The boat returns to the same meeting point at the end of the activity.

How many people can join the private charter?

The price covers one private group of up to eight people. Only your group participates in the activity.

Is lunch included?

No. You can stop at a restaurant at your own expense or bring your own lunch and drinks. The boat has fridges and cutlery.

Is water sports equipment provided?

Yes. Water sports gear is provided, and paddleboards are available on request. The route also includes opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, and exploring caves.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor conditions, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund. You can also cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund.