Comino Walk: The Ultimate Guide To This Epic Island Loop

The Comino Walk is a splendid coastal walk that loops around Comino Island in Malta. Yes, you read that correctly. The Comino Walk loops around the entire island, taking most people only 2.5–3.5 hours to complete! After catching the Comino ferry from either the mainland of Malta or Gozo, you’ll start the walk at the well-known Blue Lagoon. From there, you’ll enjoy Crystal Lagoon and Santa Maria Caves – two of Malta’s best natural attractions, hidden away in less explored areas of Comino Island.

In this travel guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the Comino Walk. We’ll provide an overview of the trail specs, a GPS-guided map and a trail description. We’ll then talk about other things to do on the island, where to stay and what to pack.

Overview of the Comino Island Loop Walk in Malta

The Comino Walk is one of the best hiking trails in Malta. Admittedly, most tourists who visit Comino, only visit to see and hang out at the famous Blue Lagoon. Certainly, the Blue Lagoon in Comino is a stunning natural attraction worth visiting. But, Comino Island is full of other beautiful stretches of coastline with special natural attractions.

In particular, the Santa Maria Caves and Crystal Lagoon are some of the most spectacular coastal attractions in Malta, let alone Comino. The best thing is, by doing the Comino Walk, you’ll explore the entire coastline in just one relatively short walk. So, you’ll get to explore beyond the crowded Blue Lagoon and see other less-seen parts of Comino, which are just as stunning.

FYI – this guide isn’t about the famous Camino Walk (Camino de Santiago) in Spain! Although, this walk has to be on the bucket list, right?!

Comino Walk Details and Map

• Type: Loop
• Distance: 8.8km
• Time: 2.75 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 155m
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trailhead: Blue Lagoon
• Map: Wikiloc

Comino Walk Trail Description

In this trail description, we’ll break down the route into sections to draw attention to the highlights of the walk. Indeed, the highlights of the Comino Walk in Malta include the Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon, Comino Tower, Santa Maria Caves and Saint Maria Bay. By catching the Comino ferry, you’ll arrive on the island and be able to see all of these amazing places during the walk. For more information on the Comino ferry, read below. Anyway, the Comino Walk starts at the popular Blue Lagoon.

Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta

After catching the Comino ferry, you’ll arrive at Comino Island’s Blue Lagoon. There’s a reason why the Blue Lagoon in Malta is one of the island’s most visited natural sites. The turquoise waters found at Comino’s Blue Lagoon are simply breathtaking. Certainly, upon arrival, we got in a quick swim and drone flight before the hoards of tourists arrived. Also known as Comino Beach, the Blue Lagoon is a great place for a swim. Although, there is no sand surrounding the lagoon.

After a relaxing swim, we got changed back into our hiking gear, ready to complete the Comino Island loop walk. Heading in an anti-clockwise direction, you’ll approach Malta’s glorious Crystal Lagoon.

Crystal Lagoon, Comino, Malta

The Crystal Lagoon in Comino is another stellar natural attraction. It may be Comino’s Blue Lagoon that is most well-known. But, approx. 600 metres away, you’ll find another lagoon that’s just as nice. Indeed, the Crystal Lagoon in Malta is equally impressive as the Blue Lagoon. From a few vantage points, that are parallel to Crystal Lagoon, you’ll enjoy views of both Malta’s Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon.

When you initially visited the Blue Lagoon, you would have noticed that the lagoon sits in between Comino Island and a smaller separated island called Cominotto. Similarly, Crystal Lagoon is formed in between Comino Island and an even smaller island called Islet in the Comino. From Comino Island, you’ll see epic sea caves carved into the rock formations of the Islet in the Camino.

After passing Crystal Lagoon, you’ll head towards Comino Tower – one of Malta’s most famous watchtowers!

Comino Tower (St Mary’s Tower)

Comino Tower, also known as St Mary’s Tower is a historic watchtower. In fact, it’s been used in several films, such as The Count of Monte Cristo, which used the tower to represent the prison Château d’If near Marseille. Beck watched this film many years ago and was absolutely chuffed to see the attraction in real life.

You’ll then continue along the western coastline of Comino. There, you’ll enjoy sweeping views out to sea and towards the mainland of Malta.

Along the west coast of Comino, you’ll eventually reach Saint Mary’s Battery. It was built by the Order of Saint John between 1715 and 1716 as a coastal fortification. From there, the official route then takes you past an abandoned pig farm and heads north towards Santa Maria Caves. But, it’s possible to follow a barely defined trail, along the amazing rugged eastern coastline. Keep in mind, this part of the trail is pathless, crossing over rocky and uneven terrain. Take care when navigating near the coast. Soon enough, you’ll reach Santa Maria Caves.

Santa Maria Caves: The Best Comino Caves

The Santa Maria Caves in Malta are simply incredible. Definitely, the Santa Maria Caves are one of the main highlights of the Comino Walk. Sure, the sea caves on display at Islet in the Comino are also superb. But, these caves on the north coast of the island are hard to beat. By following along the coastline, you’ll enjoy mindblowing views of the Santa Maria Caves from the high cliffs above. After you safely navigate this part of the coast, you’ll head towards Saint Maria Bay.

Saint Maria Bay: The Best Comino Beach

Around the corner from the Santa Maria Caves is Saint Maria Bay. Given the popularity of Comino’s Blue Lagoon, not many visitors will head to Saint Maria Bay. But, in terms of the best Comino beaches, it’s likely Saint Maria Bay is the nicest on the island. Unlike the Blue Lagoon, you’ll find a small strip of sand that surrounds this bay. After passing by, you’ll then head inland, as the next stretch of coast lies on private property. The road will guide you back towards the Blue Lagoon, where you can explore more of the breathtaking surrounding coastline before finishing the walk.

How to Get There: Comino Ferry

To get to Comino independently, you’ll need to catch a ferry from either the mainland of Malta or from the neighbouring island, Gozo. Let’s look at these options below.

Comino Ferry From Malta

Getting the ferry to Comino from the mainland is quite easy. Most tourists will visit Comino from the mainland. So, there are plenty of private companies offering this service. One of the most popular options is the Comino Malta Ferry service run by Comino Ferries Co-Op Ltd. They offer return tickets to and from Comino for around €13 ($13USD), with their first service departing at 8:30am and final service at 4pm. This service runs from both the Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal and the smaller Marfa Ferry Terminal with a journey time of around 20–30 minutes.

It’s possible to buy tickets online, but it’s just as easy to arrive at these ferry terminals and buy tickets in person. For more information on departure times, check out their schedule. Personally, Beck and I got the Comino ferry from the Marfa Ferry Terminal, which is located just out the front of LABRANDA Riviera Hotel & Spa. This ferry departs from a wharf located by the ticket stall.

Getting to the Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal or the Marfa Ferry Terminal

The easiest way to get to either the Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal or the Marfa Ferry Terminal is to drive there yourself. We got the Comino ferry from the Marfa Ferry Terminal, so we parked here next to LABRANDA Riviera Hotel & Spa for free.

We hired a manual car from Malta International Airport for only €17/day ($17USD).

To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.

If you’re needing to get public transport to either the Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal or Marfa Ferry Terminal, you’ll ideally catch the X1, X1A or 41/42 bus. Head to Malta Public Transport to plan your trip.

Comino Ferry From Gozo

Getting the ferry southeast from Gozo to Comino is another easy option. Again, there are plenty of private boat companies offering the return service to Comino from Gozo for around €10 ($10USD) from the Gozo Ferry Terminal (Mgarr Harbour). Services generally run hourly from around 9am–5pm. The journey time takes around 15 minutes. We didn’t take any Comino ferries from Gozo, so we can’t recommend a specific company. But, you’ll find plenty of these companies offering tickets online or in-person at the ferry terminal.

Things to Do On the Island Other Than the Comino Walk

Other than doing the awesome Comino Walk, there are other fun ways to experience the island. Indeed, your Comino day trip may look a lot different than ours. Let’s check out other ways to explore Comino Island, other than on foot.

Comino Tours

Many people opt to do Comino tours to explore the island. This comes in the form of Comino boat trips. Let’s look at this option below.

Comino Boat Trips (Blue Lagoon Malta Tours)

A Comino boat trip is the most popular type of tour exploring the island. You can choose tours that only visit Comino, so you get to maximise your time on the island. Otherwise, you can choose to combine visiting Comino and Gozo. Similarly, you can choose a tour that combines seeing Comino and Malta’s best mainland beaches and bays.

These tours offer snorkelling, sub bathing and additional sea cave exploring. The only downside to these tours is that you won’t have time to do the Comino Walk on the same day. Perhaps, you could visit Comino independently one day to do the Comino Walk. The next day, you could do one of these brilliant tours!

Comino Diving

Comino is a great place for divers to explore underwater treasures. In particular, the Santa Maria Caves and the wreck of the P31 are excellent diving sites. Paradise Diving is one of the most reputable companies offering diving trips from the mainland. We recommend checking out their website for more details.

Where to Eat: Comino Restaurants

Comino is an unpopulated island. So, there isn’t much in the way of restaurants. Although, during peak season, there are plenty of food and drink vendors surrounding the Blue Lagoon. So, don’t worry if you haven’t packed your own food – you certainly won’t go hungry if you’re hanging out at the Blue Lagoon. Just be prepared for the tourist prices from the vendors!

Where to Stay: Comino Hotels in Malta

There’s actually just one hotel on Comino Island. It’s called the Comino Hotel, AKA Comino Hotel and Bungalows. But, as of 2022, it’s closed for refurbishments.

Comino Hotel and Bungalows

Comino Hotel and Bungalows was once a popular accommodation option for those wanting to stay on Comino. Admittedly though, it’s an aging complex that was in desperate need of a re-do. There’s no expected return date for availability at the Comino Hotel. So, it’s unclear when it’ll be possible to stay here.

Comino Campsite

Despite there being no alternate Comino hotel options, it’s possible to camp on the island! Indeed, the Tal Ful Camp Site provides an option for staying on the island. The only thing that might be offputting about Comino camping is that some locals are known to set up semi-permanent structures there. This means, lots of space at the campsite is occupied with their equipment, which isn’t even in use! Thankfully, there’s been a crackdown on this sort of practice. So, hopefully, if you visit, there’ll be plenty of space and the campers there will be using the space in an honest way.

Hiking Essentials For the Comino Walk

These are our hiking gear essentials for the Comino Walk.

To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.

Bonus Tips For Your Comino Trip and Walk

• Be prepared for hot weather: it can obviously get very hot in Malta during the summer. Make sure to pack plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat for the Comino Walk.
• The Blue Lagoon gets very busy: there’ll be crowds heading to the Blue Lagoon during peak season. So, for a more peaceful experience at Comino’s Blue Lagoon, make sure to catch the earliest ferry. Also, during the ferry ride, you’ll visit some epic sea caves around Cominotto. Make sure to have your camera ready!
• Explore all of Malta’s islands: don’t just head to Comino. You’ll also have to include a trip to Gozo on your Malta itinerary. There are superb natural attractions there as well as stunning coastal walks. Read our Xlendi Walk and Modified Dwejra Walk guides for information on the best walks in Gozo.
• Other great walking routes in Malta: read our Marsaskala to Marsaxlokk (Tas-Silg Walk), Dwejra Lines, and Golden Bay to Ġnejna Bay guides. Otherwise, read our Malta Hiking Guide to find out about the nine best hikes on the island. Or, feel free to watch our Malta hiking video.

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