Golf & Adventure Activities in Malta
With an agreeable year-round climate and a variety of facilities to choose from, it will not be difficult to engage in a sport activity whilst on holiday in Malta and Gozo.
The Marsa Sports Club – Malta’s largest sports centre, is about 4km south of Valletta and lists among its numerous features an 18-hole golf course, miniature golf, tennis courts, squash courts, cricket grounds and a swimming pool. Visitors can join the club on a weekly basis. Non-members are welcome on the golf course and clubs can be rented at a small charge.
Most hotels offer facilities including tennis courts, squash courts, gym, swimming pools and saunas. Many of them also offer watersport facilities, including scuba diving, water skiing, windsurfing and sailing.
Football is Malta’s national sport, with matches played at various pitches around the islands, including the National Stadium in Ta’ Qali, limits of Ħ’Attard
Horseback riding is another popular activity with locals and visitors alike. Horse racing is one of Malta’s prime spectator sports, with races held every Sunday, between October and May.
Maltese lawn bowling called boċċi, and tenpin bowling are also very popular at a local level. Clay pigeon/skeet shooting is common, with competitive/practice shootings taking place on Sunday mornings.
The Malta Marathon is held at the end of February and attracts several long distance runners from around the world and the Malta Amateur Athletics Association also organises a great number of events such as road races, cross country races and track and field events.
Not surprisingly, watersports play a big role in the activity range on the Islands and equipment is available to rent at almost every major sandy beach or beach club.
Paragliding, windsurfing, wakeboarding, water skiing and scuba diving are all enjoyed by locals and tourists. Sailing regattas are held regularly between April and November.
Other sporting events held locally include basketball, cycling, rugby, waterpolo, climbing and abseiling, hockey, judo, wrestling, table tennis, fencing and many more.
Diving
The Maltese Islands’ clear blue Mediterranean sea is ideal for scuba diving. All three Islands offer some unique diving experiences with an abundance of reefs, caves and wrecks that make diving here some of the most interesting in the Mediterranean.
The calmness and clarity of the sea makes for excellent visibility whilst the risk of encountering dangerous fish is extremely low, creating the ultimate conditions for first time divers and beginners. For the more experienced divers, there are plenty of challenging dives to choose from.
The depths of the dives vary, from the very shallow 12-metre Għar Lapsi dive to Lantern Point, with its underwater tunnel leading down to well over 50 metres.
There are several types of diving courses and activities offered by locally licensed diving schools. Divers need to complete a medical statement form indicating fitness to dive. All schools provide the service of a doctor to provide certification at a small fee. Medicals from other countries are acceptable, provided the diving centre is presented with a copy.
Divers who wish to dive unaccompanied are required to have a buddy as well as to present a PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent certification by other agencies (e.g. CMAS Two Star Diver, BSAC Sport Diver, SSI Advanced Open Water, etc). It is always recommended to check with the diving centre as to where would be suitable to dive, depending on weather conditions and experience.
