Explore HMS Maori

With several swim-throughs and holes for divers to explore, the HMS Maori is easy to penetrate and makes for a highly interesting dive. Half buried in sand, the guns, bows and stern were removed just before the ship was scuttled, however, these were remounted at Fort Ricasoli and were eventually used as shore battery guns during the War.

Apart from the wreck itself, freedivers can also marvel at the various fish swimming in the area and other marine creatures which have made the ship their home. Scorpion fish, sea breams and cardinal fish are easily spotted here, while closer to the sandy parts of the wreck, you’ll also be able to see some seahorses, flatfish, red mullets, moray eels and cuttlefish. The shipwreck is covered with green seaweed and tube worms, whereas her many cracks and crevasses are often inhabited by octopuses.

This is a shallow dive that can be easily done from the shore. A well-known entry and exit point is near the bars at the bottom of concrete steps and over a platform and some rocks. The depth here is less than 2 metres, while the Maori can be found some 120 metres out at sea. Alternatively, you may walk down the footpath over the rocks to the most northerly point and use the ladders to enter the water.

Due to the shallow water in which the wreck lies, the Maori has been battered by storms, but whatever remains of the wreckage makes for a fascinating dive. There are plenty of things to discover both in and around the wreck, such as torpedoes, some of the anchor chains, as well as twin bollards at deck level on both sides of the vessel. The sides are well rusted through and thanks to the portholes and missing side panels, light penetrates the ship.

Once you’re done visiting the wreck, swim to the bay where you can see a motorbike wreck, old tyres and barrels.

Bonus tip: Sheltered from the winds, you can dive both St. Elmo Bay and HMS Maori throughout the year, however, beware of any boat traffic.

The capital of the Maltese Islands, Valletta is a gem of a city, brimming with history and culture. Named after its founder, the Grand Master of the Order of St. John, Jean Parisot de la Vallette, the fortress city was built on the arid rock of the Mount Sciberras peninsula, which is flanked by two deep harbours, Marsamxett and Grand Harbour. Amongst the most concentrated historic areas across the globe, Valletta has been dubbed a Baroque masterpiece, European Art City and a World Heritage City, amongst other things.

Rich in sites to explore, be it churches and cathedrals, palaces and museums, no visit to Valletta would be complete without exploring St. John’s co-Cathedral and museum, the Grand Master’s Palace, the Saluting Battery, the National Museum of Archeology, Castille Palace and the many squares like St. George’s Square, as well as fountains such as Triton’s Fountain, situated just before City Gate, Valletta’s main entrance.

If shopping is your thing, linger along Republic street or the narrow side streets where you’ll find shops for fashion and accessories, jewellery and so much more. There are also several restaurants, snack bars, cafes and bars, while you can seek refuge from the crowds in one of the beautiful gardens like the Upper Barrakka Gardens, the Lower Barrakka Gardens or Hastings Gardens.