Full Day Private charter to Crystal & Blue Lagoon, Caves & Gozo

The best part of this private Malta charter is the chance to swim into places you could not reach from shore, including a cave with a small sandy beach and another cave with a pond inside. The guide swims with you at Crystal Lagoon, which matters when the route into a cave is not obvious.

I like the private boat setting, since your group can spend more time swimming, snorkeling, or sitting on deck instead of following a large crowd. I also like the onboard freshwater shower, restroom, bar, ice coolers, paddle boards, and snorkeling gear. The main drawback is that about an hour of the seven-hour outing is spent moving between stops, and the most popular bays can become busy.

Key points

• Swim through two caves at Crystal Lagoon, including one beneath Saint Mary’s Tower with a sandy beach inside.
• Visit the Santa Maria Caves, where a pond sits inside one of the caves and the film The Count of Monte Cristo was shot.
• Enjoy a genuinely private charter for your own group, with capacity listed at up to 15 people.
• Use two stand-up paddle boards and snorkeling equipment without paying an extra rental fee.
• Choose between busy and quiet bays, from the famous Blue Lagoon to peaceful Santa Marija Bay.
• Benefit from practical boat comforts, including a restroom, freshwater shower, ice coolers, and onboard bar.

A private route through Gozo and Comino

This seven-hour charter is built around swimming stops rather than formal sightseeing. You spend much of the day on or near the water, with time to see Gozo’s coast, enter caves, use the paddle boards, and stop for food.

The charter is listed at $822.08 for a group of up to 15. That is a large sum for one person, but the value changes quickly when divided among a full group. At 15 people, the cost is about $55 per person before meals. For a family or group of friends that wants a boat to itself, the price can make sense. For only two or three people, it becomes a much bigger splurge.

The boat includes fuel, a Blue Lagoon pass, snorkeling equipment, two stand-up paddle boards, ice coolers, a restroom, a freshwater shower, and a bar. Those practical extras matter on a long day in the sun. You are not forced to rent gear at each stop or go back to shore every time someone needs a shower or restroom.

Transportation from your hotel to the pickup location can be arranged, which is useful if you do not want to work out the meeting point yourself. One past booking involving a large family group was handled by Anthony, who explained how to reach the pickup location. Skipper Albert and first mate Carmelo looked after the group on the water. Their names are worth noting if personal service is important to you.

Mġarr Harbour gives you a Gozo welcome

The first stop is Mġarr, Gozo’s main harbour town and largest fishing port. This is where ferries from Malta arrive, and the port has a practical, lived-in feel rather than a polished resort atmosphere.

Look for the traditional wooden boats in the harbour and the gothic-style church above the waterfront. Bars and restaurants sit close to the jetty, so this is an easy place to stop for seafood. The suggested one-hour visit gives you time for lunch, although you can eat elsewhere or bring your own food.

I would treat Mġarr as a useful food stop and a chance to get your bearings, not as the main reason to book the charter. The boat’s strongest experiences come later, along the caves and swimming bays. Still, a fresh seafood lunch within walking distance of the jetty can be a pleasant break from a day of cold sandwiches and snacks.

The port is also described as a nightlife spot. That detail matters less on a daytime charter, but it tells you Mġarr is more than a ferry landing. If you want a meal ashore, this is one of the easiest stops to use for it.

Blue Lagoon brings the famous water

The Blue Lagoon is the most recognizable stop on the route. You get time to swim in clear blue water, use the sandy beach, and swim through a natural cave. Saint Mary’s Tower can be seen from the area, adding a strong landmark to the seascape.

You will also find kiosks selling fast food, pizza, ice cream, and alcoholic drinks served in pineapples. Watersports are available. This makes the Blue Lagoon convenient, but convenience comes with a tradeoff: it is the sort of place that attracts plenty of people.

The private charter helps here because your boat is not tied to a single crowded beach schedule. You can swim, return to the boat, rinse off with the freshwater shower, or use a paddle board. Still, do not expect a quiet cove at the Blue Lagoon itself. If your ideal sea day means silence and an empty shore, save your highest expectations for Santa Marija Bay or San Niklaw Bay.

The included Blue Lagoon pass is a useful cost detail. You do not need to treat admission as a separate expense when comparing this charter with other boat days.

San Niklaw Bay offers a calmer half-hour

San Niklaw Bay is a shorter stop, lasting about 30 minutes. It has two sandy beaches and a more peaceful feel than the Blue Lagoon. The two beaches make it especially practical for families with young children, at least when sea and weather conditions allow the stop to run as planned.

Half an hour is enough for a quick swim or a look at the shore, but not enough for a long beach visit. I would think of San Niklaw as a change of pace between the busier lagoon and the longer cave stops.

The short timing also shows how this charter works. You are not spending a full day at one beach. Instead, you get a moving tour of several coastal sites, with a mixture of short pauses and longer water stops.

Santa Marija Bay slows the pace

Santa Marija Bay is aimed at people who want a quieter setting. It has a sandy beach, food kiosks, and a small church about two minutes from the shore. The planned stop is about one hour, giving you a better chance to relax than at San Niklaw.

This is a good place to use the charter’s flexibility. You can swim without making the famous Blue Lagoon your only beach experience, or you can stay on board and enjoy the coastal view if you have already had enough water.

The church is a small detail, but it gives the bay a local point of interest beyond swimming. Food kiosks also mean you can pick up something simple without committing to a full restaurant meal. Since meals are not included, that flexibility is useful.

Crystal Lagoon is the day’s main water stop

Crystal Lagoon is the strongest part of the route for active swimmers. The water is suited to snorkeling, and two caves can be seen from the lagoon.

One cave sits beneath Saint Mary’s Tower. You can swim inside and reach a small sandy beach at the end. The guide swims with you through this cave, using familiarity with the route to help you enter and exit. That support is valuable because cave swimming is more complicated than simply floating in open water.

The second cave is open at both ends. You can swim through it and come out the other side, making it a simpler choice for anyone who wants a cave experience without committing to a more enclosed route.

Crystal Lagoon also offers cliff jumping. That is an optional activity, not a requirement, and you should only consider it if you are comfortable with the conditions and the height. If you prefer not to jump, snorkeling, swimming, and the paddle boards give you plenty to do.

Saint Mary’s Tower is about a 10-minute walk from the lagoon. A military wreck sits a little farther out and can be seen from the boat when the water is clear. It lies at about 25 meters, so only strong, properly equipped underwater swimmers should consider going near it. For most people, seeing it from the boat is the practical choice.

Plan to spend about an hour here. That sounds generous, but cave swimming, snorkeling, rinsing off, and moving between the boat and shore can use the time quickly.

Santa Maria Caves put you inside the rock

The Santa Maria Caves are described as a must-do stop, and they offer something different from a standard cave cruise. You do not simply look into a dark opening from the boat. You swim to the entrance, get onto land with the guide’s help, walk about 10 meters inside, and reach a pond within the cave.

You can swim in the pond. Strong underwater swimmers can also pass beneath the surface and come out the other side. The guide shows you the route, which is particularly helpful when the entrance and interior are not obvious from the water.

This cave was used for filming The Count of Monte Cristo. That film connection is a fun extra, but the physical experience is the real reason to stop. The cave gives you a sense of how closely the route combines sea and rock. You move from open water to a sheltered interior in just a few minutes.

Take the wording about swimming seriously. You should be comfortable in the water before attempting the cave routes, and you should follow the guide’s direction. The charter suits people who want active stops, not those who prefer to remain dry on the boat.

Gozo’s Elephant Head and the coastal views

Along the northern part of Gozo, the boat passes a naturally formed rock shape called the Elephant’s Head. It is a brief viewing point rather than a full stop, but it adds variety to the long stretches of coast.

The tour includes about one hour of sightseeing while moving from place to place. That time is not dead time. You see coastlines, rock formations, and many caves that are not all entered during the scheduled stops.

This is worth keeping in mind when comparing the charter with a beach transfer. You are paying for a route along the coast, not just transport to one lagoon. If you enjoy looking at sea cliffs and coastal rock from the water, the travel time becomes part of the experience. If your priority is maximum swimming time, the movement between bays may feel less efficient.

Hondoq Bay finishes with a flexible half-hour

Hondoq Bay is one of Gozo’s well-known beaches and the final listed stop. You have about 30 minutes to swim, try watersports, or enjoy the blue water along the coast. Lunch can also be taken here.

Because this is near the end of the charter, Hondoq works as a final chance to get in the water or simply sit back. The short stop is not designed for a long meal and beach session, so use it for the activity you have enjoyed most during the day.

If you bring your own food, the onboard ice coolers should help keep it usable. A traditional food platter is available as an extra, with traditional cheeses, olives, cold cuts, and bread. Meals are otherwise not included, so plan your food before departure rather than assuming lunch comes with the charter.

What the boat setup means in practice

A private boat changes the rhythm of the day. Your group is the only group on the activity, so the experience feels more personal than a standard shared cruise. The charter is listed for up to 15 people, a practical size for a family or group of friends.

The equipment is well matched to the route:

• Two stand-up paddle boards give you a way to explore the surface when you want a break from swimming.
• Snorkeling equipment lets you look below the water without arranging a separate rental.
• An onboard freshwater shower helps after saltwater swims.
• A restroom is useful during a seven-hour outing.
• Ice coolers help with food and drinks.
• The onboard bar adds convenience, though meals remain separate.

One large family booking was described as a day filled with swimming and jumping into the sea, with Albert and Carmelo taking care of the group. That gives you a useful sense of the charter’s character: active, social, and water-focused rather than formal or quiet.

Who should book this charter?

I would recommend it to a group that wants a full day on the water and is willing to share the cost. Families, groups of friends, and anyone who likes swimming, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and cave visits will get the most from it.

It also suits people who dislike rigid group tours. You have several types of stop, from the busy Blue Lagoon to the quieter bays, plus the choice of eating ashore or bringing food. The private format is the key benefit.

I would think twice if you do not swim confidently, dislike boats, or want a history-heavy Gozo tour. The route includes a church, a tower, a military wreck, and a film location, but the focus is still the sea. You should also be comfortable with a day that depends on weather and water conditions.

The charter requires good weather. If conditions force a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time, while later cancellations and changes are not refunded or accepted.

Should you book this Malta boat day?

Book it if you want to turn Gozo and Comino into a private water day, especially if you can fill most of the 15-person capacity. The cave with the sandy beach, the pond inside Santa Maria Caves, and the flexibility of a private boat give the outing more substance than a simple lagoon stop.

Skip it if the price is too high for your group size or if you mainly want a quiet beach with little movement. The route covers many places, but about an hour is spent traveling between them, and the Blue Lagoon can be busy. For active groups that value equipment, privacy, and access to caves, this is a strong choice.

FAQ

How long does the private charter last?

The experience lasts about seven hours, including time spent sightseeing along the coast and moving between stops.

How many people can join the private boat?

The price covers one private group of up to 15 people. Only your group participates in the activity.

Is lunch included?

No. Meals are not included. You can eat at restaurants or kiosks, bring your own food, or add a traditional platter with cheeses, olives, cold cuts, and bread.

What equipment is included?

The charter includes two stand-up paddle boards and snorkeling equipment. It also provides ice coolers, an onboard bar, a restroom, and a freshwater shower.

Can I swim inside the caves?

Yes. At Crystal Lagoon, you can swim through two caves, including one with a sandy beach inside. At Santa Maria Caves, you can swim in a pond inside the cave. The guide helps show you the route.

Is transportation from my hotel provided?

Transportation from your hotel to the pickup location can be arranged by the operator.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund.