When planning a trip to Malta, the Blue Lagoon by Comino is a natural wonder you don’t want to skip.

The lagoon’s crystal clear yet vibrant waters can easily make any visitor feel like they’ve found paradise. Spending a day gently floating around while surrounded by cool turquoise hues is the epitome of relaxation.

Unfortunately, when doing a quick Google search about the Blue Lagoon, you may stumble upon a few disgruntled reviews. A beautiful place like the Blue Lagoon doesn’t go unnoticed, and it’s safe to say that it is one of Malta’s major tourist hotspots.

However, after spending a number of days on mainland Malta before going on a day trip to the Blue Lagoon, I’m pretty sure I managed to figure out one of the major reasons for the discontent:

Limited online and onsite information about planning a trip to Comino’s Blue Lagoon often causes travellers to compromise and cramp their travel styles (yes, I’ll admit that I like to be Boujee on a Budget at times).

So in this post, I’m going to lay out as many options and resources as possible for planning your perfect Blue Lagoon boat trip.

And at the end, I’ll share with you why a day trip with Hornblower Cruises was the perfect fit for me. (FYI: not sponsored in any way. I just truly had a blast!)

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Getting to the Blue Lagoon

By Public Transportation

The Blue Lagoon is located just off of Comino, the smallest island in the Maltese Archipelago. Fortunately, it is possible to reach the lagoon by public transportation and a ferry.

You can take a bus or two from almost anywhere in Malta in order to reach Cirkewwa (Ferry Terminal) or Marfa on the island’s northern tip. Then, you can catch a ferry to Comino.

Visit Malta recommends Ebsons Comino Ferries or Comino Ferries Co-Op Ltd. A round trip by ferry to Comino and back to Malta will cost you 8 to 13 Euros. A single journey bus ticket costs 1.50 Euros in the winter and 2.00 Euros in the summer. (A one-way bus ticket is valid for up to 2 hours).

Keep In Mind:

Even though Malta is a small island, bus trips in Malta aren’t short. Taking a bus from Malta’s capital, Valletta, to one of the ferry departure points can take 1 hour and 30 minutes.

If you’re not keen on spending hours on public transportation, you may consider visiting the Blue Lagoon via boat cruise.

With a Boat Cruise

Many boat cruises head over to the Blue Lagoon from March to October on an almost daily basis. Taking a boat cruise is the way to go if you want the responsibility of travel planning taken off your hands. You can find cruises departing from a whole variety of Malta’s harbours. Despite what a whole bunch of hotels, hostels, and websites may say, there is more than one tour provider organizing day trips to Comino’s Blue Lagoon. (Sorry, Captain Morgan Cruises).

When choosing the company you would like to book with, it’s important to keep in mind that different providers offer different amenities and services onboard their ships. To start, you can check out the tour companies below:

On top of browsing through a tour provider’s Blue Lagoon trip overview, I recommend checking out tour reviews on TripAdvisor.

Since I chose Hornblower Cruises, you can simply scroll on down to learn more about my Blue Lagoon experience.

Here’s a sneak peek of Hornblower’s ship on the left. Yes, it’s the one with the epic slide.

One the way to the Blue Lagoon, Hornblower’s ship stopped by some of Malta’s stunning sea caves.

What You Need to Know about Boat Cruises to the Blue Lagoon

As a tourist hotspot, Comino’s Blue Lagoon gets pretty busy nearly everyday. When choosing your boat cruise:

Consider going with a tour that departs for the Lagoon before the others. You’ll arrive at the Lagoon and be able to hop in for a swim before it gets too crowded.
Find out whether your boat docks at the Lagoon and lets you hang onboard the ship or simply drops you off on Comino before cruising away for a few hours. The actual island of Comino is very rocky and offers little shade. On hot summer days, being able lounge on your cruise ship can be a blessing.
Know if you can swim from the ship. Some ships have a slide that dips right into the turquoise lagoon. On others, it’s only possible to pop in for a swim from the island (a.k.a. you must disembark the ship).
Learn where the tour departs from in relation to your accommodation as different tours depart from a variety of harbours all around the main island. If your accommodation is a fair distance away from your departure point, be sure to give yourself enough time to get there.

TIP: For a small additional fee, some tour providers organize shuttle buses to pick you up from your accommodation. If this interests you, make sure to inquire!

Find out which meals and drinks are included and which ones are not. On some tours, meals, a buffet, and/or drinks are included. On others, refreshments and food can only be purchased for an additional cost.
Make sure that the ship has the services and facilities you need, such as washrooms, a sundeck, lockers for your valuables, etc.

Captain Morgan Cruises arriving at the Blue Lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon is nothing short of stunning from every possible angle.

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Things To Do In and Around the Blue Lagoon

Swim the Day Away in the Blue Lagoon Of Course.

It’s practically impossible to resist these turquoise hues.

Catch Some Vitamin D.

I rocked some pretty awesome tanlines after this day trip.

Opt for a Speedboat Tour into Comino’s Caves (10 Euro Fee).

Some boat cruise companies collaborate with other local guides, such as Tony from Oki Ko Ki Banis, to provide speedboat tours around Comino. During this speedboat ride, you get the chance to enter some of the island’s stunning sea caves.

Fun Fact: Tony recently turned 70 and he’s been offering Comino and Lagoon tours for 45 years. He’s also known as Mr. Crazy, and his famous catchphrase is “Merry Christmas!” …even in July. You’ll have a blast!

Explore Comino Island

If you’re feeling adventurous, grab a pair of sturdy shoes and go for a walk or hike on the island of Comino. Keep an eye out for St. Mary’s Tower, which is one of the island’s most famous landmarks (FYI the watchtower was built in the early 17^th century).

St. Mary’s Tower in the distance.

Hike Over to the Crystal Lagoon

The vibrant Crystal Lagoon is just over half a kilometre away from the Blue Lagoon. Not as many ships dock in this Lagoon, which makes it the perfect place to go to if you’re on a mission to escape the crowds at the Blue Lagoon.

Visit Santa Marija Bay

If you prefer sandy beaches over the rocky cliffs surrounding the Blue Lagoon, you can walk over to Comino’s Santa Marija Bay.

What to Pack for the Blue Lagoon

To make your trip to Comino and the Blue Lagoon as enjoyable as possible, here are some things you should definitely bring:

Bathing suit
Sunscreen
Hat
Beach towel
Large water bottle filled with water. (You can buy bottled water on your ship and on Comino, but prices tend to be higher)
Snacks and a lunch (unless you’re buying onboard your boat or on the island)
Camera (…all those gorgeous views!)
Running/hiking shoes if you’re planning on walking around Comino
A floaty! (I bought a giant donut in Paceville, Malta the day before my cruise, and it was seriously the best decision I had made. I could have floated around the Lagoon for days).
Spare change

Just me and my prized donut with a view of the Blue Lagoon.

Why I Chose Hornblower Cruises

When planning my trip to Comino’s Blue Lagoon, I chose Hornblower Cruises in a heartbeat… and I would just as easily choose them again. Not only was their day trip to the Lagoon super affordable (20 Euros for the entire day), but it also offered the schedule, and all the services and amenities I was looking for:

The ship left for the Blue Lagoon rather early, which meant that we were one of the first few cruises to arrive.
Hornblower offered hotel transfers, so I didn’t have to try to navigate Malta’s public transportation system in order to get from St. Julian’s to Bugibba Jetty.
The ship docked at the Blue Lagoon for over a total of 4 hours, which gave us loads of time to lounge in the Lagoon and explore Comino. The ship stayed at the Lagoon the entire time except for the 20 minutes it took to drop off a few groups on the Island of Gozo. As an added bonus, even if we hadn’t booked a tour of Gozo, we could still stay onboard for the boat ride to Gozo and back.
Horblower’s ship had a sundeck (no extra fee to use), a handful of shaded areas, and an wild slide descending right into the Lagoon.
Storage lockers for valuables were available on board the ship, which is perfect for solo travellers. (The 5 Euro key deposit is given back when you return your key).
On the way to the Blue Lagoon and back, Hornblower’s ship passed and identified a whole variety of Malta’s and Comino’s landmarks, such as St. Paul’s Islands, the Elephant’s Head, and Santa Maria Cave.
The staff was incredibly kind and helpful throughout the entire day.

Hornblower’s ship featuring the sundeck, shaded spaces, and my personal favourite – the slide.

More snaps of incredible rock formations and sea caves on the way to the Blue Lagoon.

Can you spot the Elephant’s Head? (Hint: look to the left).

There’s no denying that Comino’s Blue Lagoon is one gorgeous place. Crowds or no crowds – I believe that it’s worth a whole day trip either way. Simply use the tips and resources in this post to plan your perfect day.

Have you been to the Blue Lagoon? Would you like to? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!

Comino, Malta’s Blue Lagoon: Planning the Perfect Day Trip