Sliema to Blue Lagoon Malta — The Complete Guide 2026
Sliema is one of the most popular bases in Malta — and from here, the Blue Lagoon is entirely achievable as a day trip. But how you get there makes an enormous difference to what kind of day you actually have.
There is no direct ferry from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon. However there are multiple routes — and the one most tourists choose instinctively is consistently the least rewarding. This guide explains every option honestly, with real timings, real prices, and the advice that comes from being on this water every single day.
Written by the team at Outdoor Explorers Malta and I Malta Boat Trips — a family-run company that has been running private boat tours from Ċirkewwa to the Blue Lagoon since 2016.
Before You Go — The Blue Lagoon Access Pass
Since May 2025, anyone stepping ashore at the Blue Lagoon needs a free access pass — register at blcomino.com before your visit. Choose a time slot: morning, afternoon, or sunset.
If you swim from a private boat without going ashore — no pass is required. This is one of the key practical advantages of the private boat option. For the complete pass guide, read here.
The Honest Overview — Which Option Is Actually Best?
| Option | Total Time Sliema → Blue Lagoon | Cost Per Person | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolt + Private Boat | ~60 min | ~€45-60 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best |
| Bus + Private Boat | ~90 min | ~€50 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best Value |
| New Fast Ferry + Private Boat | ~90 min | ~€55 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best for Gozo Day |
| Group Boat Tour from Sliema | ~45 min | €30-€89 | ⭐⭐⭐ Convenient |
| Bus + Comino Ferry | ~2 hours | ~€18-20 | ⭐⭐ Cheapest |
Option 1 — Bolt or Taxi to Ċirkewwa + Private Boat ⭐ Recommended
Total time: approximately 60 minutes Sliema to Blue Lagoon Bolt cost: approximately €14 to €20 from Sliema Best for: Families, couples, groups, anyone with a fixed tour time
This is the route our team recommends. A Bolt or taxi from Sliema to Ċirkewwa takes approximately 45 to 50 minutes. From Ċirkewwa, a private boat reaches the Blue Lagoon in just 10 to 15 minutes.
For Bolt: Type “Cirkewwa Cave” into the app — this drops you at the harbour entrance next to the Ċirkewwa Cafe and the boat departure point.
The result: you are swimming in the Blue Lagoon in under one hour from your Sliema hotel — and your private skipper takes you to locations the group tours and ferry passengers never reach.
For everything about Ċirkewwa, read our complete guide here.
Choose your private boat tour:
| Tour | Duration | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Hour Express | 1 hour | €99 per boat | Quick visit, cruise passengers |
| 2-Hour Tour | 2 hours | €199 per boat | Couples, Blue Lagoon + caves |
| 3-Hour Tour | 3 hours | €289 per boat | ⭐ Most Popular — full Comino |
| 4-Hour Tour | 4 hours | €369 per boat | Comino + south Gozo |
| 8-Hour Full Day | 8 hours | €699 per boat | Complete Gozo circumnavigation |
Option 2 — Bus to Ċirkewwa + Private Boat ⭐ Best Value
Total time: approximately 80 to 90 minutes Bus cost: €2.50 single Best for: Budget-conscious guests, solo travellers, flexible timing
Bus route 222 runs from Sliema directly to Ċirkewwa — journey time approximately 70 to 80 minutes. From Ċirkewwa, a private boat reaches the Blue Lagoon in 10 to 15 minutes.
Bus tips:
- Lift your hand clearly as the bus approaches — drivers do not stop at every stop automatically
- Check live timetables on the Malta Public Transport app
- In summer, the 222 fills quickly on weekend mornings — arrive at the stop early
💡 Important: If you have a specific tour departure time booked, take a Bolt instead of the bus. Summer buses can run late. Missing a morning private boat tour because the 222 was delayed is entirely avoidable.
All tour options from Ċirkewwa: see tour table above.
Option 3 — New Sliema–Buġibba–Gozo Fast Ferry + Private Boat
Total time: approximately 80 to 90 minutes to Blue Lagoon Ferry cost: Check gozohighspeed.com/pages/fares — free Sliema to Buġibba for Tal-Linja card holders Best for: Guests who want to combine the Blue Lagoon with a Gozo experience
This is the newest option — barely known by most visitors — and one of the finest ways to structure a full day from Sliema.
Gozo Highspeed operates a fast ferry from Sliema waterfront, stopping at Buġibba (15 minutes), then continuing to Mġarr Harbour in Gozo (30 more minutes). Total Sliema to Gozo: approximately 45 to 50 minutes.
From Mġarr Harbour in Gozo, your Outdoor Explorers Malta private boat skipper is waiting at the slipway — a 2-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Because you are departing from Gozo, the tour covers the extraordinary south Gozo coastline first before crossing to Comino and the Blue Lagoon — locations that Sliema-based group tours never include:
- Minka Cave — extraordinary sea cave right outside Mġarr
- Ħondoq Bay — outstanding snorkelling with the Blue Lagoon visible on the horizon
- Ta’ Bamberin Gorge — hidden gorge with sea caves and natural air pockets
- Ħalfa Rock — natural clay hill embedded with calcite crystals — apply to skin, dry in the sun, rinse in the sea
- Full Comino circuit — Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon, all sea caves, Cominotto island
Fast ferry schedule: gozohighspeed.com/pages/schedule
For the complete Mġarr Harbour guide, read here. For the complete Malta to Gozo ferry guide, read here.
Option 4 — Group Boat Tour from Sliema Ferries
Total time: approximately 45 minutes transit, 7 to 8 hours total Cost: €30 to €89 per person Best for: Guests who want everything arranged with no effort
Group catamaran and shared boat tours depart from Sliema Ferries waterfront — no travel required. Typically includes buffet lunch, open bar, and stops at the Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon, and caves.
The advantages: Convenient, fully organised, departs from your doorstep.
The honest limitations: Shared with 30 to 100 other passengers. Fixed schedule — stops are timed and cannot be extended. Larger boats anchor in deeper water away from the vivid Blue Lagoon shallows. Sea caves are passed outside, not entered. If the Crystal Lagoon is extraordinary and you want to stay longer — you cannot.
An important comparison: A 2-hour private boat tour from Ċirkewwa costs €199 per boat — approximately €33 per person in a group of six. For a group of four from Sliema arriving by Bolt (€20 split = €5 each), the total is €55 per person for a completely private, fully customised experience that covers more locations than any group tour. For the complete honest comparison, read here.
Option 5 — Bus + Comino Ferry (Cheapest Option)
Total time: approximately 2 hours Total cost: approximately €18 to €22 per person Best for: Budget travellers, solo visitors, very limited budgets
Take bus 222 from Sliema to Ċirkewwa (70-80 min, €2.50), then board the public Comino ferry to the Blue Lagoon shore (25-35 min, €13-€15 return).
This covers the Blue Lagoon beach only. No Crystal Lagoon. No sea caves. No Cominotto. Fixed schedule — last return ferry typically around 18:00 to 19:00.
Remember: You must book your free Blue Lagoon access pass before arriving. Without it, you cannot access the shore.
The honest assessment: This is the cheapest option — but also the most time-consuming and the most limited experience. Two hours of buses and ferry to spend a fixed amount of time on a crowded beach, then two hours back. For guests on a genuine budget with no other option, it works. For anyone who can split a private boat cost across a small group, the value comparison shifts dramatically.
For everything about the Blue Lagoon without the crowds, read here.
Why a Private Boat Is the Best Way to See the Blue Lagoon from Sliema
This is the section that most guides avoid writing — because most guides are written by people who sell group tours. We will be honest.
When you arrive at the Blue Lagoon on a group tour or ferry, you arrive on the crowded shore with hundreds of other people from the same crossing. You swim in the most disturbed, shallowest section of the lagoon — near the beach, where the water colour is least vivid and the visibility most reduced by foot traffic. You return when the schedule returns.
When you arrive on a private boat from Ċirkewwa, you anchor in open water — in the deeper, more intensely turquoise section of the Blue Lagoon that the ferries never reach. You swim from the boat. The colour beneath you is extraordinary. Nobody else is nearby.
Furthermore, your skipper shows you things that no group tour ever includes:
Scala Nova — an ancient staircase carved directly into the Blue Lagoon rock face, descending to a cave entrance at the waterline. Centuries old. Visible only from the water. Almost no guide has ever written about it.
Cominotto island — the tiny uninhabited island directly opposite the Blue Lagoon with the finest snorkelling reef on the entire Comino coastline. The ferry never stops here.
All six Comino sea caves — Lovers Cave (40 metres deep with a hidden sandy beach), Alex Cave, Popeye Cave, Santa Marija Caves, Tunnel Cave, Damsel Cave. None accessible by group tours. All included on the 3-hour private tour.
San Niklaw Gorge — the finest free diving location on Comino, with natural air pockets inside the limestone where confident swimmers can surface within the rock.
For the complete Comino guide covering everything you can see, read here.
The Perfect Sliema to Blue Lagoon Day — Hour by Hour
| Time | What’s Happening |
|---|---|
| 08:30 | Bolt from Sliema hotel to Ċirkewwa — 45 min |
| 09:15 | Arrive Ċirkewwa — coffee at the Ċirkewwa Cafe |
| 09:30 | Board private boat — skipper briefing |
| 09:45 | Crystal Lagoon — anchor, swim, snorkel |
| 10:15 | Blue Lagoon — open water anchor, swim |
| 11:00 | Cominotto reef — snorkelling, sea bream feeding |
| 11:30 | Comino sea caves — Lovers Cave, Alex Cave, Popeye Cave |
| 12:15 | Santa Marija Bay — swim, chapel walk |
| 12:45 | Return to Ċirkewwa |
| 13:10 | Bolt back to Sliema — 45 min |
| 13:55 | Back in Sliema — afternoon free |
Full Blue Lagoon and Comino circuit from Sliema, door to door, in approximately 5 hours — with 3 extraordinary hours on the water.
What to Bring
- Swimwear and towel — essential
- SPF 50+ sunscreen — mandatory on open water
- Cash in euros — no ATM on Comino
- Blue Lagoon pass — if going ashore, register at blcomino.com
- Waterproof phone pouch — available at Ċirkewwa jet ski stand
For the complete packing guide, read here.
FAQ — Sliema to Blue Lagoon Malta
Is there a ferry from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon Malta?
No direct ferry. However, bus 222 from Sliema takes you to Ċirkewwa (70-80 min) where the Comino public ferry departs to the Blue Lagoon (25-35 min). The new Sliema-Buġibba-Gozo fast ferry also now connects Sliema to Mġarr Harbour in Gozo from where private boats reach the Blue Lagoon.
What is the best way to get to the Blue Lagoon from Sliema?
Bolt to Ċirkewwa (45-50 min, €14-20) then a private boat tour. Total journey under 60 minutes with the best possible Blue Lagoon experience. Book your private tour here.
How long does it take to get from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon?
Approximately 60 minutes by Bolt to Ċirkewwa and private boat. Approximately 90 minutes by bus. Approximately 45 minutes on a group boat tour from Sliema Ferries — but 7 to 8 hours total day commitment.
What bus goes from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon Malta?
Bus 222 from Sliema to Ċirkewwa — approximately 70 to 80 minutes. Single ticket €2.50. From Ċirkewwa, take a private boat (10-15 min to Blue Lagoon) or the public Comino ferry (25-35 min).
Do I need a Blue Lagoon access pass from Sliema?
Only if you plan to go ashore. Register for free at blcomino.com. No pass needed if swimming from a private boat. Full guide here.
Is a private boat or group tour better from Sliema?
Private boat is fundamentally better — you anchor in the vivid open water away from crowds, cover Crystal Lagoon, Cominotto, and all six sea caves, and your skipper adapts the entire tour to your group. A private tour divided between 6 people costs less per person than most premium group tours. Full comparison here.
What is the new fast ferry from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon?
Gozo Highspeed now operates a fast ferry from Sliema to Mġarr Harbour in Gozo via Buġibba. From Mġarr, a private boat reaches the Blue Lagoon in 20-25 minutes. Excellent option for combining the Blue Lagoon with a Gozo day. Timetable here.
What is the cheapest way from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon?
Bus 222 to Ċirkewwa (€2.50) then Comino public ferry (€13-€15 return). Total approximately €16 to €18. Requires booking a free access pass at blcomino.com to go ashore.
Can I get sea sick on the way from Sliema to the Blue Lagoon?
The channel between Malta and Comino is generally calm — particularly in the morning. For guests who are sensitive to motion, a private boat from Ċirkewwa involves just 10-15 minutes of open water — significantly less than the 45-minute group tour crossing. For the complete sea sickness guide, read here.
Further Reading
- Blue Lagoon Malta — Complete Guide 2026
- Blue Lagoon Malta Tickets & Access Pass
- Blue Lagoon Without Crowds
- How to Get to the Blue Lagoon Malta
- How Far is the Blue Lagoon from Valletta
- Buġibba to Blue Lagoon Malta
- Ċirkewwa Malta — Complete Guide
- Malta to Gozo Ferry — Complete Guide
- Mġarr Harbour Gozo — Complete Guide
- Crystal Lagoon Malta — Complete Guide
- Comino Island Malta — Complete Guide
- Private Boat Tour Malta — Complete Guide
- What to Bring on a Boat Trip Malta
- How Not to Get Sea Sick on a Malta Boat Tour
- 5 Days in Malta Itinerary
