Is a Comino Boat Tour to Blue Lagoon Worth It?

Last updated on October 29, 2025

After seeing pictures of the shockingly clear water near Comino Island we knew we had to visit on our trip to Malta. Blue Lagoon is Malta’s most popular beach in Malta and was a huge draw of visiting Comino Island. But after diving deeper, we realized there was so much to do and see from the water.

Which made us wonder, is a Comino boat tour to Blue Lagoon worth it? And if so, what Comino boat tour was best?

After taking a six hour cruise to Comino Island last September, I can confidently say—yes, a comino boat tour in Malta is worth it! However, there are a lot of things you should know and consider before booking your own cruise.

This guide will help you find the best Comino Blue Lagoon boat trip, tell you what to bring for a great day on the water, and what to expect on the cruise.

Things to consider when selecting a Comino boat trip

Before you click “book” on a Comino boat tour, make sure you know what you’re booking. While most boat tours will bring you to the same Comino Island destinations like Blue Lagoon and Crystal Lagoon, there are other several other factors to consider.

Full day or half day boat tour

How long you should spend on the boat is one of the top questions people ask when planning their Comino boat trip. Some tours only take you out for two or three hours, while others are full day tours, lasting five to seven hours.

Seven hours is a big day and I totally get being intimidated by such a lengthy period of time on the water and in the sun. But we definitely think Comino Island is worthy of a full day and feel a six to seven hour cruise is perfect.

There is so much to see in and around Comino. The longer your cruise is, the more time you have to swim, relax, or explore in each destination. We booked this six-hour cruise and were super happy with the time allotted. We visited three destinations with an hour at each swimming cove, and two hours to spend at Blue Lagoon.

Boat Size

Aside from time on the water, one of the biggest decisions to consider is the size of the boat. You’ll find everything from small private boats that can seat up to eight or nine people to huge catamarans and pirate-esque sailboats that hold 200 people.

Bigger boats have perks like more amenities (which I’ll cover shortly), but there are a lot of places they can’t go. We didn’t see any big boats at the two coves we visited because of size constraints. You also have a lot more people on the ship, which if you’re like us, doesn’t sound like a relaxing day on the water.

Consider the vibe you want on your Comino boat tour. If you want something smaller, more nimble, and relaxing, look for a smaller boat. If you want more of a party vibe, with luxurious amenities, and lots of people, go for a bigger boat.

Our Comino boat could hold up to 40 people at a time. It was still a lot of people, but it wasn’t overwhelming compared to some of the other ships we saw.

Boat Amenities

Boat amenities are one of the big perks of going with a larger boat for your Comino Blue Lagoon tour. Bigger ships will have more seating areas, lounge chairs, shaded places to relax, bathrooms, bars, and possibly even food. We even saw some mid-size and large ships with slides going into the water!

Small boats, like the ones you’d get if you book a private charter, will simply have a small seating area for you with a shade canopy. Most provide a cooler to pack any refreshments or snacks you bring. But that’s it.

Our mid-size boat had a shaded deck with tables down below and an open deck with lounge chairs up top. It also had a small bar area that served soda, water, and wine (for only €3) along with two bathrooms. They provided noodles for swimming and had two platforms for people to dive or jump into the water.

We were happy with the amenities provided on our ship. Although, there were only 10 lounge chairs which were claimed immediately. We also wished we had chosen a boat with a slide—they looked really fun!

Boat tour cost

Budget is always a consideration when traveling. Thankfully, most Comino Blue Lagoon boat trips are fairly affordable, costing anywhere from $25 to $40 per person. Private boat charters are usually $200+ for two or three hour cruises, costing as much as $600 or more for a full day on the water. But if you’re splitting that with a large group, say eight people, the cost ends up being closer to $25 – $35 per person.

Typically, the larger the ship, the cheaper the cruise will cost, but you should look at boat costs for each cruise if you’re on budget.

Departure location

The last thing to consider is where the Comino boat tour is departing from. Despite us staying in Sliema, we opted to depart from Marfa (north of Malta) because it was the closest location to Comino and meant we had more time exploring each cove or beach, rather than wasting time on the water.

However, it may be more convenient (and affordable) to simply get on a boat tour from the city you’re staying in.

If you’re staying in Valletta, you can take a ferry to Sliema that has several boat tours to Comino Island departing from the same ferry terminal. Alternatively, you can take the bus from Valletta directly to Marfa or St. Paul’s to get on your boat there.

We took the bus back from our boat tour. The ride was only €2.50 per person and took 40 minutes. It was really easy to navigate and a pleasant experience! Always look at the meeting location before booking to ensure the tour makes sense for your based on where you are staying in Malta.

➡ Read Next: Best Way to Get Around Malta: Car Rental vs Bolt vs Bus ⬅

Best Comino Boat Tours

Of course, the best comino boat tour will depend on your personal preferences, budget, and desired departing location. However, below are a few of the best rated Comino boat tours by departing location.

Whichever cruise you take, chances are you will be required to register for a free permit to enter Comino Island at Blue Lagoon. There are three time slots to register for and your tour company will tell you which to select. Make sure this is done before you arrive, as they will need to scan the QR code and give you a wrist band before you get on the boat.

From Marfa (what we took)

From St. Paul’s/Bugibba

From Sliema

What to Bring to Comino Boat Trip

What you bring to Comino, Malta will depend on how you are getting there and what you plan to do. There is food available for purchase at Blue Lagoon, but it was a lot of fried fare and way overpriced. Water and refreshments are also available for purchase there, but again you’re overpaying.

I recommend bringing 2 liters of water and lunch. Your tour company may have a buffet lunch available for purchase, but not all cruises do. We were so glad we had the forethought to get a sandwich in Sliema before our boat trip and had a way better meal than we could have purchased at Blue Lagoon.

Bring a few Euros to tip the bartender or boat tour company if desired, but if you want to purchase refreshments on the island or on board the boat, you should be able to do so with a credit card.

There are lockers on Blue Lagoon to secure your backpack or bag when you’re in the water, which is nice to know nothing will be stolen! We felt very safe leaving our belongings on the boat when we were away.

Definitely have sun protection (hat, reef safe sunscreen, sun shirt)—the sun is no joke in Malta! You may also want to bring a change of clothes for after you get off the boat. Traveling back to your hotel in wet clothes is usually not ideal. Other than that, you should bring:

• A bathing suit
• Towel
• Sun shirt (Dennis loves this bamboo sun shirt and Liz loves this Merino button down)
• Hat
• Reef safe sunblock (I love this mineral sunscreen, which is very easy to travel with)
• Sunglasses
• Water shoes safe for hiking/walking, like Tevas or Earth Runner Sandals
• Mask and snorkel
• 2 liters of water
• Lunch (sandwich, chips, fruit, or other snack)
• Camera like a Insta360 or GoPro
• Change of clothes

What to Expect on a Comino Boat Trip

Our Comino boat tour departed at 10:00 am. We were told to arrive thirty minutes early, and were glad we did. We had just enough time to go to the restroom before the boat arrived and people started boarding.

You want to be one of the first ones on the boat so you can claim the ideal spot, for example a sun lounger up top or seating by the side of the boat for nice views.

After a quick briefing about our day, we cruised for about 20 minutes before arriving to Crystal Lagoon. This is one of the most popular swimming coves on Comino Island and is truly crystal clear! The water color was absolutely unreal. There’s a really cool open sea cave you can swim into.

We had one hour to swim around in the refreshing Mediterranean sea, which was plenty of time to truly enjoy the area.

Our second stop was at Blue Lagoon, which took around 10 minutes to get to from Crystal Lagoon. We had two hours to spend at Blue Lagoon and had the option to either disembark and explore the land and beach area or stay on the boat which anchored nearby in the bay.

We decided to stay on the boat because the main area of Blue Lagoon was swamped with people and all the umbrellas were taken, so there was no shade. Dennis burns really easily and rather than be in the element for two hours straight we opted to stay on the shaded boat and explore when we wanted.

If you get off at Blue Lagoon you can get food or explore a few of the fun things to do on Comino. Blue Lagoon beach is of course a top place to hang out.

If you want a quieter beach go to Santa Maria Bay. It’s around 20 minutes away on foot, with calm shallow waters. You can also explore some of the other cool sites on the island. We hung out around Cominitio Island, which is directly across from Blue Lagoon and the closest landmass when the boat anchored.

There is a small sandy beach and a really long narrow sea cave that you can swim through to reach the other side of the ocean. You can also climb up to the top and get beautiful views of the cliffs.

Our last stop was at a cove where we had another hour to swim. This cove wasn’t nearly as picturesque as the first two, but I don’t think anyone minded. We all jumped in and enjoyed the water one last time before driving about 40 minutes back toward Marfa.

The cruise back took us around the island, passing Elephant Rock and Għemieri Window, two beautiful rock formations. It also went into several caves where the water was deep, but almost translucent. We loved that our boat was small enough to go into a few of these caves, it was a unique experience.

We returned back to the dock around 4:00 pm and hopped on the bus to head home. It was an amazing day on the water and felt like the perfect amount of cruising on the ship to time playing in the water. Hopefully, this guide has helped you realize a Comino boat tour to Blue Lagoon is 100% worth it.

You can explore so much more than the Blue Lagoon alone, and you get access to places like Crystal Lagoon and other swimming areas you simply wouldn’t without going on a Comino boat trip.

Frequently asked questions about a Comino Boat Tour

Don’t forget to explore our other blog posts to help you plan the perfect trip to Malta!

• Where to Stay in Malta: Best Areas & Hotels for All Travelers
• Complete Guide to Comino Island (Blue Lagoon + Beyond!)
• Best Way to Get Around Malta: Car Rental vs Bolt vs Bus
• 20 Best Restaurants in Malta and Must-Try Maltese Dishes
• What to Do in Malta: 15 Can’t-Miss Things to See and Do
• The Best Malta Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know
• What to Pack for Malta in Summer: Complete Packing Guide