Best Beaches and Swimming Spots in Gozo

Which Gozo Beach or Swimming Spot Should You Choose?

Last updated: September 2026

Gozo has everything from sandy beaches to rocky swimming spots and dramatic coastal inlets. Ramla Bay is our personal favourite beach in Gozo and across the Maltese Islands, and our first choice for a proper sandy beach day.

For clear-water swimming, Ħondoq ir-Rummien is one of our strongest recommendations, while Xlendi and Marsalforn are ideal if you want to combine a swim with restaurants beside the sea. Dwejra, Wied l-Għasri and Mġarr ix-Xini are better choices when scenery, snorkelling or a more unusual coastal setting matters more than sand.

This guide focuses on the places we genuinely think are worth considering and explains what each one is best for and who it suits.

Gozo Beaches Table Of Contents

• Gozo Beaches at a Glance
• Ramla Bay
• Ħondoq ir-Rummien
• Xlendi Bay
• Marsalforn Bay
• Gozo Beaches Map
• Dwejra & Inland Sea
• Wied l-Għasri
• Mġarr ix-Xini
• Xwejni Bay
• More Gozo Beaches and Swimming Spots Worth Knowing
  • San Blas Bay
  • Daħlet Qorrot
  • Xatt l-Aħmar

Gozo Beaches at a Glance

Each Gozo beach or swimming spot suits a different type of visit, from sandy beach days and clear-water swimming to snorkelling, dramatic scenery or restaurants beside the sea.

Ramla Bay

Ramla Bay is our personal favourite beach in Gozo and across the Maltese Islands. Its wide stretch of reddish-golden sand, surrounding countryside and relatively undeveloped setting make it the Gozo beach we would recommend first for a proper beach day.

Ramla Bay beach and turquoise sea

It offers plenty of space compared with Gozo's smaller bays; the sandy entry makes it a great choice for families, and you will find useful facilities close to the beach. The protected dunes behind the shoreline help keep Ramla feeling more natural than many resort beaches. It is also worth visiting outside summer simply for the scenery.

Ħondoq ir-Rummien

Ħondoq ir-Rummien is one of our strongest recommendations in Gozo if swimming and clear water are the priority. The small beach and surrounding swimming areas look out towards Comino, and the bay has enough nearby facilities to make it practical to spend several hours by the sea.

It does not offer the space of Ramla, but it is a great alternative if you want a smaller bay with clear water, swimming, and useful facilities all in one place. Parking is available, although it can become difficult at busy summer times and weekends. 

If you are travelling without a car, bus 303 stops at Kuncizzjoni. From there, allow around 15–20 minutes or more to walk down the steep road to the bay, especially in hot weather. The uphill walk back to the bus stop is more demanding and can take longer.

Xlendi Bay

Xlendi is one of Gozo's most attractive places to swim, with a seaside village atmosphere. The bay sits between steep slopes and cliffs, with a small sandy and pebbly area near the waterfront and deeper water off the rocky sides.

Xlendi Bay waterfront and swimming area

For us, the appeal is the whole setting rather than the tiny beach itself. You can swim or snorkel in the sheltered bay and then walk straight to the restaurants lining the waterfront for lunch or dinner. It is a particularly useful choice if you want a swim and meal in one stop, rather than spending an entire day on a wide sandy beach.

Marsalforn Bay

Marsalforn is better known as a seaside resort and convenient swimming area than as one of Gozo's main sandy beaches. A small, sheltered sandy area works well for families, along with several rocky spots for swimming around the bay.

Families enjoying Marsalforn Bay sandy beach

Its biggest advantage is convenience. The promenade is lined with restaurants and cafés, so Marsalforn works particularly well if you want to combine a swim with lunch, dinner or an evening beside the sea. If your priority is a wide sandy beach and a full beach day, however, we would choose Ramla instead. For more practical details about the area, see our full Marsalforn Bay guide.

Gozo Beaches Map

Use our interactive map to explore beaches and swimming locations around Gozo. The map also includes beaches around Malta and Comino, making it useful if you are planning swimming days across more than one island.

Dwejra & Inland Sea

Dwejra is more of a dramatic coastal swimming and sightseeing destination than a traditional beach. Its unusual rock formations, open coastline, and Inland Sea make it one of Gozo's most distinctive waterfront spots, so we recommend it even to visitors not planning a conventional beach day.

Inland Sea boats beneath Dwejra cliffs

For most visitors, the Inland Sea is the most straightforward place to focus on for swimming, with a small pebbly shoreline and enclosed water surrounded by high rock. The nearby Blue Hole is internationally known, but it itis more important as a diving site than as a typical beach-style swim for everyone.

Wied l-Għasri

Wied l-Għasri is one of Gozo's most unusual places for a swim, with a narrow inlet squeezed between high cliffs and a small pebbly area at the bottom of the gorge. The dramatic setting is just as important as the swimming itself, and the scenery is a major reason to visit.

Wied l-Għasri gorge and swimming inlet

A long flight of steps leads down to the water, so we would not recommend it to anyone with mobility difficulties or who struggles with staircases. The swimming area is also relatively small, making a quieter time of day more enjoyable. Choose a calm day for swimming or snorkelling, while rougher conditions are better appreciated from a safe distance above the water.

Mġarr ix-Xini

Mġarr ix-Xini is a good choice if you prefer a quieter cove with clear water and snorkelling over a large sandy beach. The narrow bay sits at the end of a steep-sided valley, giving it a more secluded feel than Gozo's resort areas, and it is also well known as a diving location.

Swimmers relaxing at Mġarr ix-Xini cove

The shoreline is mainly pebble and shingle, so getting into the water is not as comfortable as walking into the sea from Ramla's sand. We would still recommend it highly for swimming and scenery, but visitors looking for the easiest beach entry may find Ramla or Ħondoq more practical.

Xwejni Bay

Xwejni Bay is worth considering if you want a quieter Gozo swimming stop combined with distinctive coastal scenery. Rather than a wide sandy beach, expect a pebbly, rocky shoreline with shallow water near the bay and deeper swimming beyond.

Xwejni is particularly interesting for its location beside Gozo's traditional salt-pan coastline. This makes it easy to combine a swim with a walk or drive along one of the island's most recognisable coastal landscapes. It feels very different from nearby Marsalforn, so we would recommend Xwejni when the surroundings and a less resort-like setting matter as much as the swim itself.

Nearby Qbajjar Bay is also worth knowing about if you are exploring this stretch of coast. It is another small pebbly and rocky bay used for swimming and diving, sitting between the Marsalforn area and the Xwejni coastline. We would treat it as an additional stop rather than a separate must-see beach.

More Gozo Beaches and Swimming Spots Worth Knowing

The places below are also worth considering, but they offer more specific reasons to visit or come with practical limitations. They suit travellers looking for a smaller beach, quieter surroundings, rocky swimming or something beyond the easiest first-time choices.

San Blas Bay

San Blas Bay is one of Gozo's most attractive small beaches, with reddish-orange sand, clear water and a much more secluded setting than the island's larger beaches. It is a lovely choice if you want somewhere smaller and more natural, and the difficult access generally helps it feel quieter than Ramla.

The important thing to know is the approach. The final descent to San Blas is very steep and must be done on foot, followed by the climb back up. For that reason, we would treat San Blas as a bonus choice for visitors comfortable with the walk rather than one of Gozo's easiest beach recommendations. In summer, a paid jeep service may operate on the steep section, but this should not be relied on as a permanent service.

Daħlet Qorrot

Daħlet Qorrot is a small bay near Nadur that feels more traditional and low-key than Gozo's main resort areas. Local swimmers and fishermen favour it, and one of its most distinctive features is the row of old fishermen's boathouses built into the limestone around the bay.

Swimmers at traditional Daħlet Qorrot Bay

We would consider it if you want a quieter swim and a glimpse of a more traditional part of Gozo's coastline, rather than a large sandy beach with extensive facilities. It is a worthwhile alternative when exploring the eastern side of the island, particularly if you prefer smaller coastal places to busier beach areas.

Xatt l-Aħmar

Xatt l-Aħmar suits visitors who want rocky swimming, snorkelling, or diving instead of a conventional beach day. The quiet stretch of coast below Għajnsielem has clear water and a rugged setting, while the offshore wrecks make it especially popular with divers.

We would treat Xatt l-Aħmar as an additional swimming spot rather than one of Gozo's main first-time beach recommendations. It is worth considering if you enjoy rocky coastal swimming or want somewhere less resort-like, but visitors looking for sand, easy facilities or a traditional family beach day will find places such as Ramla or Ħondoq more suitable.

Want To Share This Page On Pinterest? Pin It Here!

Love this page? Spread the Maltese vibes on social media!

FacebookXPinterestTumblrWhatsAppMessenger

We are Albert and Benjamin Magro, two Malta locals who enjoy exploring the island and sharing practical advice with visitors. Our guides combine local knowledge with first-hand visits to Malta's towns, beaches, attractions and accommodation areas. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook for more Malta tips, photos and videos.

🍺 Enjoyed Our Malta Guide?

If our tips helped you plan your Malta trip, you can say thanks by buying us a Cisk! Your support helps us continue creating and updating our free travel guides.

🍺 Buy Us a Cisk