Pristine Malta!

Malta, a small gem of an island in the southern Mediterranean Sea, appeals to every person. It is small enough to be covered in a few days. At the same time, vast that it can take months to cover the natural beauty. It felt like a vast country in the cosmos. And like a small and humble village in the far north. Both form a crucial link between the past and the future. I found the Maltese people hard-working, kind, and welcoming. The Malta archipelago has beautiful islands, the mainland, and the popular Comino and Gozo. Its pristine blue beaches and green islands are a solace. The further north I travelled, the idyllic villages, the green farms, and their proud dwellers gave a glimpse of the bygone era, which is trying to embrace modern techniques and other worldly people.

Malta is blessed with scenic beauty, ample sunshine, and a pleasant breeze washing over the clear blue water on all sides. Adding to this is fresh and excellent food at comparable prices, hence alluring tourists who want to make the most of their time here. Every time I walked through the city or villages, I marvelled at the views of large or small water bodies and felt how lucky the people were to have nature at their doorsteps. It is a paradise for walking if you can navigate the slopes and hikes. Frankly, I struggled to navigate the narrow lanes walking up the hill.

Amongst the numerous natural beauty spots, I loved the small boat ride on Gozo Island. It was from the Dwejra Inland Sea to the Main Sea through a 100-metre mountain tunnel. The tunnel is naturally formed in the mountains over the centuries. It has created a unique lagoon on the inside and a vast blue ink-like sea on the outside. I was skeptical about taking the small boat ride through the tunnel as it was narrow. However, I did take the ride. I marveled at nature’s play and the tranquil vistas. It was spectacular to go through a dark, narrow, cold cave and come out to a sun-kissed blue sea on the other side.

In the olden days, fishermen took their small boats through the tunnel to the Main sea called Blue Hole for fishing. However, it is a prime attraction for divers and tour operators today. In a short duration, we saw a few other small caves that had reddish-orange coral on the surface. The vast blue sea surrounded by mountains was alluring and calm. We glimpsed the famous Azure window, the divers prime spot, the fungus rock, and the crocodile-shaped rock on the mountaintop. Once out, I traversed the rocky formations and wondered at the strange-looking potholes. Dwejra is a paradise for divers and geology experts with its sinkholes, fossil formations, caves, and natural arches. I have rarely visited such a phenomenal area of natural beauty free of cost.

On the far northeast of Gozo sits the red sand beach called Ramla Bay. The sand was soft under the feet, the water clean and clear to see your reflections, and the atmosphere calming enough to doze off. I appreciated the courage of the locals and government to keep this beach a commercial-free property to preserve tranquillity and give some sanity to the people looking for natural beauty. But I will hastily add that there was a washroom and shower, which was very thoughtful. I stood, like others, at the small village bus stop, with just one plank showing the bus times that are guidelines only overlooking the green vineyards and basked in the simple, slow, calm, and beautiful pace of their life.

Heading back to Valletta, the capital city of Malta, filled with old monuments, government buildings, and commercial properties. The hustle and bustle of tourists felt a bit weird. It is Europe’s smallest capital city with ports on most sides. Although a small area, it has a lot to offer. I loved the Upper and Lower Barrakka gardens on either end, offering excellent views of the port and green olive trees lined with benches around the remembrance monuments. The piazzas and narrow streets hosting antique shops, cafes, and ice-cream stores add to the charm.

The other areas of the main island of Malta are equally beautiful. All the major roads have gardens and footpaths, and many offer sea views. However, growing constructions and oncoming tourists have created a metro city-like situation with frequent traffic jams. To the dismay of the locals, all the popular bay areas are packed with hotels and restaurants competing for the views of the blue sea. There was hardly a picture without a construction crane in it. There is growing anger among the citizens as this is putting pressure on the transport, shrinking greenspaces, and rising costs. I wish that this beautiful, small, and clean (as of now) country does not fall prey to over-tourism over the coming years.