Freediving in Malta and Gozo for Beginners: An Interview with Apnea Total Malta

A ten-question interview with Apnea Total Malta — a freediving school with bases in St Paul’s Bay (Malta) and San Lawrenz (Gozo), open year-round.

• Who: Arturo, France, and Reggie — two instructors and a coordinator
• What: courses from beginner to instructor level, fun dives, wreck and cave exploration, spearfishing
• Best season: May to November for warmest and calmest seas (open year-round)
• Time needed: one day for an intro session, or 2–3 days for a certification course
• Why Malta: clear water, shore access to depth, wrecks, caves, minimal currents
• System: Apnea Total (separate from AIDA and SSI)
• Contact: [email protected] · +356 9960 4676

Apnea Total Malta was born out of a lifetime passion for freediving and spearfishing. We believe freediving is for everyone, and that it can mean something different to each person. We don’t try to impose a fixed vision of what it should be—the only real boundary is safety. Beyond that, it’s about enjoying the experience and finding your own way in the water.

The team is made up of two instructors, one based in Malta and one in Gozo, supported by a coordinator who manages bookings and scheduling. Our head instructor is an Apnea Total Instructor Trainer, which is the highest level of teaching within the system. Together, we focus on creating a safe and supportive environment, with personalised attention and an approach built on experience and proven teaching methods.

In terms of what we offer, it’s quite broad. We run courses at all levels, from complete beginners through to instructor level, as well as skill development and coaching for those who want to refine their technique. We also organise fun dives exploring wrecks, caves, and different sites around Malta and Gozo, from shore or by boat, and even with underwater scooters for a different way to explore. Alongside freediving, we offer spearfishing courses and activities for all levels.

At the core of it, the focus is on keeping things personal, safe, and enjoyable, with a strong emphasis on comfort and individual progression, so that each person can get the most out of their time in the water.

Apnea Total Malta did start long before the school itself. My uncle (Arturo’s) taught me how to spearfish when I was a teenager. That was more than 30 years ago, and it was a big part of growing up and a family tradition of sort. Freediving per se came later, while travelling. I learned proper technique, and it completely changed my relationship with the water, myself and my life. It gave me a purpose.

From there, I kept training, learning, and eventually started teaching. Over time, that led to becoming an instructor, and later an Instructor Trainer, so I’ve now been teaching freediving for over 10 years. My passion is not just for freediving but for teaching freediving, and the Mediterranean is my home and office.

Our Instructors are chosen very carefully, not just for their level, but for how they teach and how they connect with people. Keeping that approach is important to us.

Malta and Gozo stand out because they combine exceptional diving conditions, easy access to depth, and a wide variety of dive sites, all in a place that is easy to reach and enjoy.

You don’t come here hoping for a good dive window, you can usually expect one. Visibility is often crystal clear, thanks to the generally calm sea, minimal currents and lack of tides, with Neptune grass on the seabed helping to filter particles. The water is also warmer than in many other parts of the Mediterranean, which adds to the overall comfort.

The light and the landscape also play a big role. With so many sunny days, the water takes on that deep, clean blue, and the underwater scenery really comes to life. It’s not just about depth, it’s about how each dive feels.

There’s a surprising amount of variety for such a small area. You can go from shallow, easy dives to proper depth, or explore caves, arches, swim-throughs and clean drop-offs into blue water. And beyond the large number of stunning shipwrecks for all levels, you also have airplanes and even a submarine, so it never feels repetitive.

And then there’s the access. Being able to reach depth directly from shore is a big advantage. In many other Mediterranean destinations, you rely on boats or long surface swims to get to similar conditions. The diving infrastructure is also well developed, with easy sea access, ladders or platforms at many sites, and in some cases even dedicated parking, showers, and facilities for divers.

And once you are here, everything is straightforward. Travel is simple, distances are short, there are plenty of accommodation options and English is widely spoken, so the whole experience feels smooth from start to finish.

Malta is one of the easiest places in Europe to take your first breath underwater. The calm, clear seas, warm water, and sunny skies make it naturally welcoming, so even complete beginners feel at ease right away.

There are generally two types of first experiences available. A one-day introductory session is ideal for those who are curious about freediving but not yet fully committed. It provides a gentle, hands-on introduction to the basics in a relaxed and supportive environment. Multi-day certification courses go further, offering more in-depth technique and safety training, which is useful for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of the sport.

In both cases, what usually surprises people is how quickly it clicks when they keep an open mind and trust the process.

Most people leave feeling relaxed, confident, and pleasantly surprised by what they were able to achieve. They get to experience that calm, weightless sensation that makes freediving so unique.

What surprises most beginners is how long they can actually hold their breath. Many arrive thinking they can barely manage 30 seconds.

We recently had a couple where one partner was just tagging along for a Discover session, with no expectations at all. By the end of the session, they were so pleasantly surprised by what they could do that they signed up for a 2nd day and even ended up getting certified.

Freediving can start as curiosity, and then become something people genuinely connect with.

Malta offers some of the most reliable freediving conditions in Europe, but the sea ultimately sets the schedule.

The good thing is that the islands’ small size means there’s almost always a sheltered spot nearby, and travel between dive sites is short. We also plan sessions around the best conditions each day, sometimes adjusting locations or timing to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable.

In terms of seasonality, May to November offers warmer and calmer seas. Summer is the most comfortable, with water around 25–30°C, while spring and autumn often offer a nice balance of good conditions and fewer crowds. Winter is still very much diveable, though the water cools to around 14–18°C (which is easily manageable with the right wetsuit) and conditions can be more variable, with wind or rougher seas at times.

Visibility is one of Malta’s standout features. For much of the year it’s around 20–30 metres, and on good days it can even reach 30–40 metres, which makes diving comfortable, relaxed, visually striking, and especially reassuring for beginners.

We always monitor wind and sea conditions closely and choose the location based on the conditions of the day, the type of session, and the level of the freedivers.

Because we know Malta and Gozo well, a “bad weather day” usually means moving to a more sheltered site. We may also switch from a wreck to a cave expedition, or move a session to the afternoon to let the sea settle.

If conditions aren’t suitable anywhere, which is very uncommon, we’ll postpone or cancel. The priority is for our freedivers to be safe and actually enjoy the experience.

Combining Malta and Gozo is a great way to get the full experience, both above and below the water. The ferry between the islands is short and frequent, so moving around is easy. That said, some people prefer to base themselves in one place, and that works just as well. You really can’t go wrong.

The ideal itinerary is the one that lets you shape your freediving holiday to match your own rhythm and expectations. We don’t believe in one size fits all, not in freediving and not in life. We’re always happy to guide our participants once we understand what they’re looking for.

It’s also worth considering the character of each island because that can really influence the overall experience. Malta is busier and more cosmopolitan, while Gozo feels quieter and slightly more remote.

The best island is the one that matches the experience one is looking for.

From a freediving perspective, neither island is really “better” than the other, and both offer excellent conditions. Malta has a wide variety of sites, including numerous wrecks that are exciting to explore. Gozo, on the other hand, has more dramatic underwater landscapes, with unique spots like the Blue Hole and the Inland Sea, and it also offers more options for deeper dives.

Let’s say that for beginners, conditions are very similar, so it doesn’t make much of a difference. For experienced freedivers, the choice depends on what they’re looking for. For example, if the focus is on depth, then Gozo is a better fit.

We usually prefer not to name specific dive sites publicly, mainly to avoid encouraging people to explore on their own, beyond their level, or unprepared. That said, we understand the curiosity.

If we had to pick one from each island, Cirkewwa in Malta and Dwejra in Gozo are hard to miss.

In Malta, Ċirkewwa Marine Park offers a great mix of conditions and variety. For more relaxed dives, there are shallow swim-throughs, statues, and a reef full of marine life. For more experienced freedivers, there are wrecks like the P29 patrol boat (21-39m) and the tugboat MV Rozi (20-35m).

Dwejra Bay is one of Gozo’s most iconic spots, just a few minutes’ drive from our center. The Blue Hole is often a highlight, with its natural arch opening into the sea, surrounded by a reef and a dramatic drop-off. Nearby, the remains of the Azure Window have created a unique underwater landscape, with large boulders and interesting formations to explore.