Little Armier
Mellieħa · North-west · 35.990°N, 14.357°E
Little Armier is the little sister of Armier Bay, a more intimate, better-sheltered sandy cove wedged between its big neighbour and White Tower Bay on the Marfa peninsula. Its transparent water, which many compare to Comino’s Blue Lagoon, and its gently shelving seabed make it a favourite of Maltese families, who happily keep it as a local secret. The sandy stretch is run by the Tortuga Beach Club, which rents out sunbeds and parasols and offers kayaks and paddleboards, notably to paddle over to the nearby Coral Lagoon. As everywhere in Armier Bay, the flip side lies in the seaweed that builds up in this enclosed cove, patchy cleanliness in high season, and the caravans that sometimes settle in numbers above the sand.
Amenities at Little Armier
- Toilets
- Showers
- Parking
- Disabled access
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Snack bar
- Sun loungers
- Umbrellas
- Kayak
- Snorkeling
- Diving
- Family beach
Activities available at Little Armier
Of the three beaches of Armier Bay, Little Armier is the most geared towards activities, thanks to the Tortuga Beach Club set up on the sand. The club rents out kayaks to follow the coast to the Coral Lagoon and its caves, one of the area’s most popular outings, as well as paddleboards.
To go further, the rest of the peninsula rounds out the offer: jet ski rental at Bluewaves Watersports, the best value around, and a jet ski trip to the Blue Lagoon from Marfa for speed lovers.
Where to stay near Little Armier
Like its neighbours, Little Armier has no hotel on its sand: the tip of the peninsula is given over to boathouses and beaches. The two nearest places to stay are resorts on the neighbouring coast, a few minutes away by car.
The Riviera Spa Resort and the Ramla Bay Resort occupy the seafront facing Gozo, with pools and a private beach. For more restaurants, shops and evening life, Mellieħa, a few kilometres away, is the better base.
Location of Little Armier
Little Armier sits in the middle of the string of beaches along the north-east of the Marfa peninsula, between Armier Bay, its big neighbour, and White Tower Bay, a little further north. The bay opens onto Comino, whose silhouette and tower stand out offshore. The back of the beach, overlooked by a village of boathouses and dry-stone walls, keeps a typically Maltese rural character. This is where the Tortuga Beach Club’s kayaks set off for the Coral Lagoon and its caves, a few paddle strokes along the rocky coast.
Getting to Little Armier
By bus to Little Armier
Little Armier is reached from the Xilep stop on route 49, which serves the whole Armier peninsula. The bus does not stop right by the sand: allow a few minutes’ walk from the stop. The ride is quick from Mellieħa, under twenty minutes, but long from the centre and south of the island, with roughly one bus an hour. A car remains the most flexible option.
* Summer fare Jun–Oct (€2.00 the rest of the year)
Calculate the current journey time on Malta Public Transport
By car to Little Armier
Little Armier shares its access with the other beaches of the Marfa peninsula: most people come by car, along the road serving Armier Bay. A free car park stretches right behind the sand, but it fills quickly and is a tight fit; in summer, it pays to arrive early. The beach is level with the road, so there are no steps down to the sand.
If you are travelling with a rented car, it is the most convenient way to combine Little Armier, Armier Bay and White Tower Bay, all three next door to one another.
Failing a vehicle, a car with driver works better than the bus, which is infrequent on the peninsula. Maltese white taxis are best avoided; the ride-hailing apps eCabs (a local provider), Uber and Bolt offer comparable service. In this out-of-the-way spot, expect a short wait to be picked up.
Reviews of Little Armier
Little Armier plays the intimacy card. Smaller and better protected than nearby Armier Bay, it keeps remarkably clear water, which its regulars readily compare to the Blue Lagoon, over a sandy bottom ideal for children to swim. It is a beach of regulars, valued for its weekday calm and for the Tortuga Beach Club, which brings the sand to life and serves as a base for kayak trips to the Coral Lagoon.
The weak point is a recurring one: the cove is enclosed, it traps seaweed and debris, and cleanliness suffers at the height of summer as well as at the end of winter, when cleaning focuses on the private areas. Add stones in the water, sunbeds seen as pricey and invasive on such a small surface, and caravans that sometimes move in en masse.
Little Armier is therefore best savoured out of season, on weekdays and early in the morning, when the little bay recovers its tranquillity and limpid water.
Strengths
- Crystal-clear water often compared to the Blue Lagoon’s, over a gently shelving sandy bottom
- An intimate, sheltered cove, calmer when the sea picks up at Armier Bay
- Ideal for families and for learning to swim (shallow water)
- Tortuga Beach Club on site: sunbeds, bar-restaurant, kayaks and paddleboards
- Kayak access to the Coral Lagoon and its caves
- Level with the road, no steps, with free parking behind the beach
Weaknesses
- Seaweed and debris trapped in this enclosed cove, especially in summer and after winter
- Patchy cleanliness, with the odd unpleasant smell in hot weather
- Stones in the water in places: water shoes useful
- The club’s sunbeds are pricey and take over a tiny beach
- Caravans and unofficial camping above the sand, sometimes noisy at weekends
- Infrequent bus service: a car is all but essential
Frequently asked questions about Little Armier
Are Little Armier and Armier Bay the same beach?
No, they are two neighbouring but distinct beaches. Little Armier is the smaller and more sheltered of the two, with the Tortuga Beach Club on its sand. White Tower Bay completes the series a little further north.
How do you get to Little Armier?
Easiest is by car, with free parking behind the beach; the sand is level with the road, with no steps. By bus, route 49 stops at Xilep, a few minutes’ walk away, roughly once an hour.
Is the water really comparable to the Blue Lagoon?
Over a pale sandy bottom, the water is often strikingly clear, hence the frequent comparison with the Blue Lagoon. It remains at the mercy of seaweed, which varies from day to day, and of a few stones in the water.
Can you kayak to the Coral Lagoon?
Yes. The Tortuga Beach Club rents kayaks, and the signature outing is paddling along the coast to the Coral Lagoon and its caves.
Is Little Armier suitable for children?
Yes, the water is shallow and the entry gently sloping. The cove, more sheltered than Armier Bay, stays calm even when the sea picks up next door.
When should you go to avoid the crowds?
Out of season, on weekdays and early in the morning. Summer weekends concentrate the crowds, the caravans and the noise.
What facilities are there?
The Tortuga Beach Club (bar-restaurant, sunbeds, kayaks and paddleboards), toilets, showers, a snack kiosk and free parking.
