Things to Do on Comino Beyond the Blue Lagoon (2026)

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Beyond the Blue Lagoon, Comino offers a 1618 watchtower from The Count of Monte Cristo, an 18th-century gun battery, the quiet sandy Santa Marija Bay, sea caves and the Crystal Lagoon by boat, and a loop walk of about 8–9 km over wild garrigue. Most of it is free and reachable on foot within an hour of the lagoon. The island has almost no shade, shops or water, so the trick is to plan your walking for the cooler hours and carry everything you need.

Comino is only about 3.5 km² and has a tiny resident population, no cars to speak of and protected status as a Natura 2000 site and bird sanctuary. That is exactly why it rewards people who leave the lagoon. Here are the best things to do, roughly in order of how many visitors manage them.

Comino at a glance

Activity	Where	Time needed	Cost	Effort
Swim the Blue Lagoon	West tip	2–4 hours	Free (pass required in summer)	Easy
Crystal Lagoon and sea caves	West and south coasts	30–60 min by boat	Included in many tours	Easy
Santa Marija Tower	South cliffs	1–1.5 hours return walk	Free to walk to	Moderate, uphill
Santa Marija Battery	Southwest coast	Combine with tower	Free	Moderate
Santa Marija Bay	North coast	2–3 hours with a swim	Free	Easy-moderate
Full island loop walk	Whole island	About 3 hours	Free	Moderate, rough paths
Snorkelling and diving	Lagoons and north coast	Half day	Gear or dive centre fees	Varies

1. Swim and snorkel at the Blue Lagoon (early or late)

It would be odd to skip it. The shallow channel between Comino and Cominotto is calm and astonishingly clear, and the sandy floor makes it easy for weak swimmers. Go on the first ferry or stay until late afternoon to see it without the midday crowds. In summer 2026 anyone landing needs a free timed pass; see our booking rules explainer. Swim across to Cominotto for quieter rocks and better snorkelling along its edges, but stay inside the marked swimming zone where boats are kept out.

For everything else about the lagoon itself, from facilities to costs, read our complete Blue Lagoon guide.

2. See the Crystal Lagoon and the sea caves by boat

The Crystal Lagoon is a small, deep inlet under cliffs on Comino’s west side, with water that looks almost glassy on calm days. It has no beach and is impractical to reach on foot, so the way to see it is from a boat. The same tours usually nose into the sea caves carved into Comino’s cliffs, where the light turns the water electric blue.

Most Blue Lagoon cruises include both. If the lagoon is your base for the day, the short Around Comino, Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon & Caves trip from Gozo (4.7/5 from 1,128 reviews, from about $33, Oct 2026) or the Comino Speedboat Tour: Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon & Caves from Buġibba (4.9/5 from 103 reviews, from about $34) cover the coast in a few hours. Small boat operators at the lagoon also sell short cave trips on the spot in season. Compare the two lagoons in Blue Lagoon vs Crystal Lagoon.

See Comino cave and lagoon boat trips

3. Walk up to Santa Marija Tower

Santa Marija Tower (St Mary’s Tower) is the big square fort you see on the skyline from the ferry. The Knights of St John built it in 1618 as one of the Wignacourt towers guarding the channel between Malta and Gozo, and it stood in for the Château d’If prison in the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo. It was restored in 2002–2004 and is cared for by the heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa.

The walk from the Blue Lagoon is a steady climb on a rough track, about 20–30 minutes each way. The views over Cominotto, the lagoon and Gozo are the real reward. Opening hours inside have historically been limited to certain days in the warmer months, and in 2026 some guides list the tower as closed for restoration works, so treat getting inside as a bonus rather than the reason to go.

4. Find Santa Marija Battery

A short walk west of the tower along the coast is Santa Marija Battery, built by the Order of St John in 1715–1716 to cover the Gozo channel with cannon. It is a compact, atmospheric site with a few restored guns facing the sea and a sweeping view to Gozo’s Mġarr harbour. Combine it with the tower in a single walk.

5. Escape to Santa Marija Bay

On the north coast, Santa Marija Bay is Comino’s other beach and the opposite of the lagoon: a small curve of sand, tamarisk trees for shade, and a fraction of the people. It is roughly a 20–30 minute walk from the Blue Lagoon on the island’s main track. Near the bay stands a small chapel, one of the few buildings on the island.

Overnight camping on Comino is tightly regulated by the Environment and Resources Authority and limited to the designated Tal-Ful zone, so day-trippers should plan to be back on the last ferry.

6. Do the full island loop walk

The whole island can be walked in a loop of roughly 8–9 km with about 150 m of climbing, which takes around three hours at an easy pace without stops. A good anti-clockwise route:

1. Start at the Blue Lagoon early, before the heat.
2. Walk south-east past the Crystal Lagoon viewpoints to Santa Marija Tower.
3. Continue to Santa Marija Battery for the Gozo channel views.
4. Head north-east across the plateau towards the north coast cliffs, which look down on the Santa Marija caves.
5. Drop into Santa Marija Bay for a swim in the shade of the tamarisks.
6. Return inland on the main track to the lagoon.

Some stretches of the eastern coast are pathless and rough, and parts of the coast near the bay are private, so stay on obvious tracks. There is no water source along the way: carry at least 1.5 litres per person in summer, wear proper shoes rather than flip-flops, and avoid walking between noon and 3pm in July and August. Spring and autumn, when the garrigue is in flower or freshly green, are the best walking seasons. See the best time to visit for the month-by-month picture.

7. Snorkel or dive Comino’s coast

Comino is one of the most popular dive areas in the Maltese islands. The clear water, caves and reefs around Santa Marija caves, Cominotto and Lantern Point attract dive centres from Malta and Gozo, who run boat dives here. For snorkellers, the rocky edges of the Blue Lagoon and the north coast near Santa Marija Bay are the easiest spots. Bring a mask and fins from home or rent on the mainland: there is nowhere to buy gear on Comino.

8. Go birdwatching and look at the wild plants

Comino is a bird sanctuary, and in spring and autumn migrant birds rest on the island between Africa and Europe. Even in summer you will see and smell the wild thyme, sea squill and other garrigue plants, and the island’s limestone plateau feels a world away from Malta’s built-up coast. Stay on the paths: the vegetation is fragile and protected.

9. Add Gozo to the same day

Comino sits between Malta and Gozo, and many visitors combine both. Combo cruises such as the Boat Trip to Comino Blue Lagoon, Gozo, and Caves (4.7/5 from 3,932 reviews, from about $45, Oct 2026) stop on both islands, while land-based trips like the Full-Day Gozo UTV Tour with Lunch and Boat Ride (4.6/5 from 4,965 reviews, from about $90) explore Gozo’s interior and finish with a boat ride around Comino. Our Gozo and Comino in one day guide compares the formats.

Check a Comino cruise for your dates

Example boat trip, not the free landing pass. Confirm the departure harbour and selected option before booking.

Provider prices are in USD. Dates, participants and options affect the final amount. Check this cruise on GetYourGuide

Practical tips for exploring Comino

• Book your lagoon pass anyway. Even if you plan to walk most of the day, you land at or near the Blue Lagoon in summer and need a valid wristband.
• Carry cash and water. There is no ATM or shop; kiosks are concentrated at the lagoon.
• Wear real shoes. The tracks are stony and the limestone is sharp.
• Leave no trace. Take all rubbish back with you.
• Check the last ferry. Return boats from Comino stop in the early evening; note the time when you arrive.

Our packing list for the Blue Lagoon works just as well for a walking day on Comino.

Frequently asked questions

Is there anything to do on Comino besides the Blue Lagoon?

Yes. You can walk to Santa Marija Tower and Santa Marija Battery, swim at the quieter Santa Marija Bay, see the Crystal Lagoon and sea caves by boat, snorkel or dive, and walk a loop of the whole island in about three hours.

Can you walk around Comino?

Yes. A loop of roughly 8–9 km covers the main sights and takes about three hours. Paths are rocky and unshaded, so start early, wear proper shoes and carry plenty of water.

Can you go inside Santa Marija Tower?

Sometimes. Opening has historically been limited to certain days in the warmer months, and in 2026 some guides list it as closed for restoration. The walk and views are worth it either way.

Can you reach the Crystal Lagoon on foot?

Not practically. It is a cliff-lined inlet with no beach. You can look down on it from the path, but to swim there you need to go by boat; many Blue Lagoon tours include it.

Can you stay overnight on Comino?

There is currently no hotel to book on the island. Camping is regulated by the Environment and Resources Authority and limited to the designated Tal-Ful area, so most visitors stay on Malta or Gozo.