Armier Bay
Mellieħa · North-west · 35.991°N, 14.355°E
Armier Bay is the largest of the three neighbouring sandy beaches at Malta’s northern tip, on the eastern side of the Marfa peninsula, alongside Little Armier and White Tower Bay, facing Comino and Gozo. This is first and foremost a beach for the Maltese: Sunday families, regulars and boathouse owners come here to swim, laze around and barbecue at the end of the day, far from the bustle of Golden Bay or the Blue Lagoon. The shallow turquoise water is often compared to Comino’s, but the entry into the sea is rocky — water shoes quickly come in handy. Life on the beach revolves around its beach bars, which rent out sunbeds and parasols and serve food and drinks right on the sand, often as an all-inclusive package. The flip side: space is tight, quickly saturated at the height of summer, and the shoreline bristling with boathouses is not to everyone’s taste.
Amenities at Armier Bay
- Toilets
- Parking
- Disabled access
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Snack bar
- Sun loungers
- Umbrellas
- Snorkeling
- Family beach
Activities available at Armier Bay
Armier Bay is above all a beach for swimming and lazing around: most of the buzz comes from the clubs serving food and drinks at the sunbeds. For water sports, the neighbouring beaches and coves are the place to look.
Kayak rental is available right next door at Little Armier, from where the Coral Lagoon is an easy paddle away. For jet skiing, the best value remains renting from Bluewaves Watersports, and thrill-seekers can follow up with a jet ski trip to the Blue Lagoon departing from Marfa.
Where to stay near Armier Bay
There are no hotels along the Armier beaches at the tip of the Marfa peninsula: the nearest options are two seaside resorts on the neighbouring coast, a few minutes away by car.
The Riviera Spa Resort and the Ramla Bay Resort both overlook the sea facing Gozo, with pools and their own beach access. For a wider choice of restaurants and shops, the village of Mellieħa, a few kilometres away, makes a livelier and better-connected base.
Location of Armier Bay
Armier Bay is the largest of the three beaches strung along the north-east of the Marfa peninsula, with Little Armier right next door and White Tower Bay a little further north. Facing the channel that separates Malta from its sister islands, it enjoys open views of Comino and Gozo. The shore is lined with a village of huts and boathouses, a fixture of Maltese seaside life that some find picturesque and others intrusive. From the beach, a coastal path leads on foot to the white tower (Torri l-Abjad) overlooking White Tower Bay.
Getting to Armier Bay
By bus to Armier Bay
The three beaches of Armier Bay share the same bus stop, Xilep, served by route 49. From Mellieħa, the ride to Armier Bay takes about twenty minutes; from Valletta, the route is direct but takes close to an hour and a half. From Sliema or the airport, a change is required. Buses run roughly once an hour, so a car or scooter is far more practical.
* Summer fare Jun–Oct (€2.00 the rest of the year)
Calculate the current journey time on Malta Public Transport
By car to Armier Bay
Armier Bay lies at the far end of the Marfa peninsula, away from the main roads. A car is by far the easiest way to get there: the road across the fields leads straight to the bay, where a large free car park sits just behind the beach. At the height of summer it fills up early in the morning, in which case the roadside verges and a short walk are the fallback.
If you have rented a car for your stay, it is the ideal way to combine the three neighbouring beaches of Armier Bay in a single day.
Without a vehicle, a car with driver is more reliable than the bus, which runs infrequently on the peninsula. Maltese white taxis are best avoided in favour of a ride-hailing app: in Malta, eCabs (a local provider), Uber and Bolt are on a par in price and quality. Given the distance, allow for a short wait for the return Trip.
Reviews of Armier Bay
Armier Bay wins people over first with the colour of its water, turquoise and transparent over a pale seabed, and with its local-beach atmosphere, well off the tourist trail. Maltese families spend whole days here, often on a sunbed-and-parasol package with meals served on the spot, whose value for money has made the reputation of the bay’s beach bars.
Two reservations come up again and again. The first is the site itself: the entry into the water is rocky, water shoes are a must, and northerly winds regularly pile seaweed on the shore. The second is summer pressure: the beach is small, quickly saturated with tightly packed sunbeds, and cleanliness suffers at the peak of the season, compounded by boats moored close by and a shoreline cluttered with boathouses.
The beach is at its best out of season and on weekdays, early in the morning, when calm and clear water get the upper hand again.
Strengths
- Shallow turquoise water with a gently sloping entry, reassuring for children
- Authentic local atmosphere, popular with the Maltese, far from mass tourism
- Sunbed and parasol packages with meals served on the spot, often all-inclusive
- Well-liked food options (Victoria Bar first among them), snacks by the sand
- Open views of Comino and Gozo, renowned sunsets
- Large free car park a few steps from the beach
Weaknesses
- Rocky, sharp seabed at the entry in places: water shoes recommended
- Seaweed and posidonia frequently washed up on the sand, especially with northerly winds
- Small beach, packed with sunbeds and crowded in July and August
- Very uneven cleanliness in high season (litter, boats moored close by)
- Shoreline marked by boathouses, concrete and occasional building work
- Jellyfish possible in season, despite morning clean-ups
Frequently asked questions about Armier Bay
Where is Armier Bay and how do you get there?
Armier Bay is at Malta’s northern tip, on the Marfa peninsula. A car is ideal (large free car park behind the beach). By bus, route 49 serves the Xilep stop: quick from Mellieħa (around twenty minutes), much longer from the centre or south of the island.
Is Armier Bay a sandy beach?
Yes, the beach itself is fine sand, but the entry into the water is rocky and sharp in places. Water shoes are strongly recommended for swimming.
Do you have to pay to use the beach?
No, access is free. Sunbeds and parasols are paid for and often come with a meal included, at around €15 for two sunbeds and a parasol depending on the operator.
Is there a lot of seaweed at Armier Bay?
Posidonia frequently washes up on the shore, especially with northerly winds. The amount varies greatly from day to day and with the seasons.
Is Armier Bay suitable for children?
Yes, the water is shallow and the entry gently sloping. Just bring water shoes because of the rocks in the water.
When should you come to avoid the crowds?
Out of season and on weekdays, early in the morning. In July and August the small beach fills up fast, and weekends are the busiest.
What facilities are there?
Bars and restaurants (including the Victoria Bar), a snack kiosk, toilets, sunbed and parasol rental, and a large free car park. No showers, however.
