At a glance
- No boat sold as a party boat is listed right now. The closest is a 7-hour Comino catamaran cruise with lunch and an open bar, from US$102, rated 4.60 from 1,115 reviews.[1]
- Malta: Blue Lagoon, Beaches & Bays Trip by Catamaran is the trip booked from this site: 5 - 6 hours, from US$63, rated 4.68 from 6,838 reviews.[2]
- Comino: Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon, and Seacaves Tour runs 6 hours from US$35 and is rated 4.65 from 7,387 reviews.[3]
- In peak summer, July and August, the Blue Lagoon receives between2,500 and3,500 visitors per day.[4]
- Average sea temperature is26°C in July,27°C in August, and drops to24°C in October.[5]
| Open-bar catamaran | Catamaran cruise | Private charter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | from US$102[1] | from US$63[2] | from US$56[6] |
| Trip length | 7 hours[1] | 5 - 6 hours[2] | 1 - 7 hours[6] |
| GetYourGuide rating | 4.60 from 1,115 reviews[1] | 4.68 from6,838 reviews[2] | 4.73 from65 reviews[6] |
| Group | Shared boat | Host in English[2] | Private group[6] |
| Good for | Lunch and an open bar | Swim stops and bays | Your own group and route |
Just a stone’s throw away from the renowned Blue Lagoon lies a lesser-known and less crowded lagoon, the Crystal Lagoon!
Is the Blue Lagoon party boat worth it?
Things to check
What a Blue Lagoon party boat really is
The Blue Lagoon sits on Comino, the small island in the channel between the north of Malta and Gozo. Comino covers approximately 2.8 square kilometres.[9] A party boat is the loudest way to reach the lagoon: music on deck, a bar, a short run out from the coast and a swim stop or two once you are there. Picture a booze cruise with turquoise water around it and you have the shape of the day.
Three different days get called a Blue Lagoon party boat. Party boat Malta Blue Lagoon trips are short and loud, a Comino party cruise Malta operators run can take a full day with lunch and an open bar, and a plain ferry drops you at the island to swim as you please.[1][10] The difference matters more than the colour of the hull. One is a social afternoon with a soundtrack, one is a long swimming day with food, and one is transport. Knowing which one you booked, before you step on board, saves a lot of disappointment at the jetty.
The mood on board tends to build as the day goes on. Mornings can feel sleepy, with people finding seatsand coffee rather than cocktails; by the afternoon the same deck often has music playing anda queue at the bar. If you want a more raucous atmosphere, book a later departure; if you want more space, take the first boat of the day.
The party boat listing and what it costs
No boat sold as a party boat is listed with our partners at the moment. The closest thing is Comino: Blue Lagoon Catamaran Cruise with Lunch and Open Bar. It runs 7 hours, starts from US$102, and holds a rating of 4.60 from 1,115 reviews.[1] Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now and pay later.[1]
Put that next to the catamaran trip booked from this site: 5 to 6 hours, from US$63, rated 4.68 from 6,838 reviews, with a host who speaks English.[2] The open-bar cruise is the longer and dearer day, with lunch built into it. Ratings move with weather, music and the crowd on board, so scan the most recent reviews rather than the headline number. Check the departure harbour and the return time as well.
Deck nets, sun bedsand a lagoon stop: a catamaran day on the Comino run.
Calmer ways to do the same water
If you want the lagoon without the speakers, there are plenty of alternatives on the same water. The catamaran trip booked from this site runs 5 to6 hours from US$63 with an English host, and is rated4.68 from6,838 reviews.[2] The Comino blue lagoon, crystal lagoon and sea caves cruise runs 6 hours from US$35, rated4.65 from7,387 reviews, with audio guides in English, French, German, Italianand Polish.[3]
Boats with snorkelling, a slide and swim stops run4 to7 hours from US$35 and score4.74 from3,374 reviews.[11] If lunch and an open bar are the point of the day rather than the music, the catamaran cruise with lunch and open bar runs7 hours from US$102 and is rated4.60 from1,115 reviews.[1] For the simplest crossing, a round trip ferry from Sliemaor Bugibbais listed from US$35 over255 minutes to7 hours.[10] A ferry from Mgarris listed from US$12 and is wheelchair accessible.[12]
A slower boat has practical advantages. There is more room to spread out, shade moves around the deck as the sun does, and crew have time to point out caves, cliffs and towers along the way. On a short party run, you see the main lagoon; on a longer cruise, the coastline between swim stops becomes part of the trip.
When to go: crowds, sun and sea temperature
In peak summer, July and August, the Blue Lagoon receives between2,500 and3,500 visitors per day.[4] Malta also welcomed3.56 million visitors in2024, a record-breaking year for tourism.[13] Both numbers are worth knowing before you choose a date. Moving between baysand caves spreadsthe day out, and an early or late departure puts a different light on the same water.
Average sea temperature is22°C in June,26°C in July,27°C in August and26°C in September, then24°C in October and22°C in November.[5] Air temperature averages27 C in July, the hottest month, and13 C in January, the coldest.[14] Malta gets more than3,000 hours of sunshine per year.[7] Crystal Lagoon lies a short distance from the Blue Lagoon and is described as lesser known and less crowded.[15] Ask your crew whetherthe route includes it.
The time of day changes the water as much as the month does. Early light keeps the lagoon pale greenand quieter;by mid-morningthe boat queues form at the jetty. Toward evening, most day trippers have gone, and the sea takes on a deeper blue before dusk. If your dates are flexible, weigh a sunrise or sunset option against a full day on deck.
7 hours
The Comino catamaran cruise with lunch and an open bar runs 7 hours, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.[1]
What Comino isand why the water looks like that
Comino occupies approximately 2.8 square kilometresand sits roughly halfway between Cirkewwa in the north of Malta and Mgarr Harbour in Gozo.[9] The Blue Lagoon's sandy bottom reaches14 metres at its deepest, and the light that bottom reflects gives the water its turquoise colour from above.[16] From a boat deckthe lagoon reads as a pale blue plate set between low rocky shores, and it looks brightest in the middle of the day.
The island is a Bird Sanctuary and part of the EU Natura2000 network, designated a Special Protection Area under the Birds Directive.[8] Santa Marija Tower was built in1618 by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt.[17] The Santa Marija Caves are a popular dive site with at least10 known caves that divers can explore.[18] Three productions, a2002 film, a2024 TV seriesand La Comtesse de Monte-Cristo, used locations on Comino.[19]
Seen from the water, Comino reads as a low hump of dusty rock, with terraced walls, a watchtower anda handful of bays. The scrub is shortand wind-bent, and the only movement on the hillsides is usually seabirds or a late-morning tour group making their way between the coves. The boat, not the island, carries the party.
How to plan the day, step by step
Start with the kind of day you want. An open-bar cruise suits a group that wants a drink and a long lunch on the water, a catamaran with swim stops suits swimmers, and a ferry suits anyone exploring the island at their own pace.[1][2][10] Then match the departure harbour to where you are staying, and write down the return time before you book. Listings start from harbours around the north and east of Malta, including Bugibba, Sliema and St Julian's.
Book the boat before anything else, and use the cancellation terms: the main listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance with reserve now and pay later.[1][2] In July and August the lagoon takes between 2,500 and 3,500 visitors a day.[4] If you would rather swim in calmer water, take the earliest departure you can manage. Evening options exist too, with an evening catamaran cruise from US$63.[20]
Before you pay, ask what happens whenthe boat reaches the lagoon. Some captains drop anchor for a long swim; others tie up long enough for photographsand a quick dip. If you are travelling with children or anyone who dislikes crowds, check whetherthe route stops at Crystal Lagoon firstand how much timethe boat actually spends in the water.
Practical things: swimming, shadeand the ride home
Swimming is the main event, and there is very little shade on the rocks around the lagoon, so pack a hat, waterand sunscreenand expect long stretches in the sun. Shoes that stay on your feet are safer than loose sandals on a wet deck, and a dry bag keeps a phoneand a towel usable for the ride back. If you burn easily, claim a shaded seat as soon as you board.
If you are prone to seasickness, sit lowand towards the middle of the boatand keep your eyes on the horizon. Ask the crew whenthe swim stop endsand wherethe boarding point is, and be back on time. Warm water lasts into autumn: the average sea temperature is27°C in Augustand24°C in October.[5]
A little courtesy goes a long way on a shared deck. Dry off before you sit on upholstered seats, keep bags out of walkways, and pass suncream than towels along the row. Crew members usually tell you whenthe last swim stop ends, but it is still worth wearing a watch or keeping your phone somewhere dry so you can judge how longthe ladder queue will take.
Average sea temperature by month
Average monthly sea temperatures for Malta, from the Maltalingua climate page.[5]
Blue Lagoon boat days: from-prices
From-prices in US dollars for these listings.[1][2][3][10]
When to book a Blue Lagoon boat day
Planning the boat day
Pick your boat
An open-bar cruise, a catamaran with swim stops, or a plain crossing. Compare duration and price before you commit.[1][2]
Book ahead
Reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance on the main listings.[1][2]
Pack for a wet deck
Towel, dry bag, hat, waterand shoes that stay on. Decks get slipperyand shade is scarce on the rocks.
Time your swim
The lagoon is busiest in peak summer, when it receives between2,500 and3,500 visitors a day.[4]
Check the return
Note your harbourand boarding time, and keep an ear open for announcements during the day.
Compare the Blue Lagoon catamaran tripand pick your date
from US$64Reserve now & pay later
