When to Visit Malta?
The best time to visit Malta is from June to August when the weather is nice and warm perfect for exploring the beautiful outdoors of Malta as well as jumping in the water and spending a few lazy days at the beach.
With a couple of islands to explore, expect to participate in several water activities, which is perfect for the summer heat during the period.
That said, it can also be expensive and gets a bit crowded during this time. If you want to avoid this, you can visit during the should seasons in May and September. The weather will be a little cooler but still present enough to enjoy what Malta has to offer.
How to Get to Malta?
From the US, there is no direct flight from the US to Malta but you can easily fly into one of the major travel hubs in Europe like Rome, Amsterdam, or London. From there, you can either rely on AirMalta or low-cost airlines like Ryanair to take you to Malta. You can browse through great direct flights from here.
From Europe, you can find plenty of flights flying from major European hubs to Malta Airport (MLA) via either AirMalta or low-cost airlines like Ryanair that will take you to the island in no more than 4 hours.
From Asia, you can either fly into Europe via local airlines and then fly to Malta via low-cost airlines or you go with Middle Eastern airlines like Emirates and where you will have to transit twice, once in Dubai and another in Larnaca, Cyprus. The journey should take approximately 16 hours.
To find a cheap flight to Malta, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.
How to Get Around Malta?
Malta is mostly connected by buses and that is the main mode of transportation we will be relying on for this itinerary.
By Bus: Buses are the cheapest way to get around Malta as most of the cities on the main island are all connected via the bus system although they are not known for being entirely reliable and timely.
There were times when the bus doesn't come on time due to an unannounced reduction of buses which can be rather inconvenient but eventually, the bus will come. You just have to be a little patient with it.
Traveling by bus in the evening and at night can also be a little challenging for first-timers as buses sometimes take shortcuts and can skip several small bus stops on the way due to heavy traffic. The technique to overcome this is to choose a bus stop that is located on the main road instead of smaller ones located around small streets.
Here's an example from my real experience traveling by bus in Malta: I wanted to travel from Tigné Point back to St. Julains and on Google Maps, it said that I can take the bus from this bus stop.
I waited and waited and no bus showed up so after about 30 minutes, I decided to walk to another bus stop on the main road nearby and in only 5 minutes, I was able to catch the bus back to St. Julian. If you are traveling by bus at night, be sure to stick to proper bus stops.
The good thing about traveling by bus is that you can buy the 15 EUR 12 Single Day Journeys bus pass which is the best deal you can get for those who are planning to stay between 2 - 5 days traveling around Malta. The bus pass will allow you to take any bus in the country 12 times before it runs out which should be more than enough for this itinerary.
You can buy the bus pass from the airport at a designated kiosk inside the arrival terminal so be sure to keep an eye out as you arrive in Malta.
By Rental Cars: You can also rent a car straight from Malta Airport and drive around Malta but for this itinerary, you won't need it. If you insist, keep in mind that the traffic in cities like Valletta can get pretty bad during peak hours and parking lots can be a challenge to find at times. To Rent a car, hit the link below:
How Much Money Do I Need for 4 days in Malta?
From this 4 days itinerary, we can calculate approximately how much money you will be spending here as follows:
Accommodation: For 5 nights in Malta, you can expect to pay around 125 EUR for accommodation minimum considering you are staying in hostels.
Food: For 4 days, 3 meals a day in Malta, you can expect to pay around 180 EUR for food considering you eat out every meal. It will be cheaper if you cook it yourself.
Transportation: For this itinerary, you can expect to pay approximately 15 EUR for transportation using only the 12 Single Day Journeys bus pass.
Activities: Depending on how much you want to follow my itinerary you can expect to pay approximately 170 EUR for activities like museums, entrance fees, as well as a tour to Gozo.
Total Budget for 4 days in Malta: 490 EUR
Is it Safe in Malta?
Malta is extremely safe in both cities and nature. You should have no trouble traveling around the country at all.
That said, of course, it's always best to exercise precautions by not leaving your belongings unattended and always, ALWAYS keep an eye out on your belongings at all times. Keep your hands in your pockets when entering or exiting crowded places like a metro or a train station and make sure you are holding your phones and wallets tightly.
Other than that, you should be fine traveling around Malta. I didn't have any problems in Malta when I was there for about a month. Keep your wits with you and you will be fine.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Malta?
There are 3 major carriers in Malta, epic, GO, and Melita, that offer prepaid sim cards tourists can buy while they are traveling in Malta. Unfortunately, with the rise of esims, having to be in the country to buy a sim card at a store is quite inconvenient and not ideal.
If you have a smartphone that supports esims, I highly recommend you take a look at this esim. They have a variety of data packages, price points, and durations for you to choose from.
The setup is fast and instant and you can buy it prior to your trip so you don't have to scramble your way to get one at the airport after a long flight. The data speed is also equivalent to what you get with a local sim card with 4G speed across the entire country.
Or if you are traveling to Malta as part of a bigger Europe trip, I highly recommend you get the regional Eurolink esim which will give you access to data from over 39 countries across Europe. I have personally used this esim on my 3-months trip around Europe and it has worked wonders.
For more information on esims in Malta, click here: Check Malta's Available eSim.
What to Pack for Malta?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Malta:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Swim Suits: A swim trunk is a must-pack item if you are planning to visit Malta in the summer, just in case there is a body of water you can jump in.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.