Malta's charter season runs roughly from April to October, and the months at each end are quietly the best of it.
June and September are the answer for most people
July and August have the most reliable weather and the highest prices, the fullest bays and the longest queues at every anchorage. Late May, June, September and early October give you sea temperatures that are still comfortable, settled conditions most days, and the Blue Lagoon with a fraction of the traffic.
If your dates are fixed by school holidays this is academic. If they are not, moving a week either side of August is the single biggest improvement you can make to the trip.
What the wind does
Maltese winds have names, and it is worth knowing three of them because they decide where you can go:
- Majjistral — the north-westerly. The most common wind in Malta, and in summer it is a thermal that builds through the day into a proper sailing breeze by the afternoon. It also makes the north coast and Comino uncomfortable.
- Grigal — the north-easterly. Stronger and choppier, and more a winter wind than a summer one.
- Xlokk — the south-easterly, hot and humid off the Sahara, sometimes carrying red dust. It is the wind that closes St Peter's Pool.
The practical consequence is that Malta almost always has a workable coast — the trick is knowing which one today. That is a whole subject of its own.
Shoulder-season caveats
- The water is coldest in April and warmest in September, which surprises people who assume August.
- Some operators reduce their fleet outside high season, so choice narrows even as prices fall.
- Winter charters exist but are a different proposition: shorter days, real weather, and a much higher chance of the day you booked not being sailable.
Booking ahead
High season books out, particularly catamarans and the larger motor yachts, which are the two categories with the least supply. Shoulder season is usually available at shorter notice.
Questions
- When is the best month to charter a boat in Malta?
- June and September. The sea is warm, conditions are settled most days, prices are below peak and the anchorages are far less crowded than in July and August.
- Is it windy in Malta in summer?
- Usually in the afternoon. The Majjistral, the north-westerly, is a summer thermal that builds through the day — pleasant for sailing and uncomfortable on the north coast and around Comino.