Latest update: 18 December 2024
Yay! You are going to Malta. Super fun, obviously. To prepare for your trip, I have gathered a few practical tips for you. So that you will not be faced with unwanted surprises in beautiful Malta.
Language in Malta
In Malta, people speak Maltese and English. About 90% of the Maltese speak good English. It is the official language of the island after all! Maltese is inimitable to me. It has elements of Arabic and Italian language. Both languages are used in most public places, such as road and street signs.
Money in Malta
You simply pay with the euro in Malta! In most places, you can use (contactless) pins. However, to be safe, you might want to bring a Revolut card, just in case your bank card doesn’t work (or you lose it). That is a prepaid credit card. Very handy for traveling!
Drive on the left
Malta was a British colony until 1964. After that, Queen Elizabeth was the head of state for another ten years, but since 1984 Malta has been entirely independent. They just kept driving on the left. That takes some getting used to when you rent a car!
If you want to rent a car, I advise you to check both the price and the insurance coverage. Sometimes if the price seems to good to be true, the coverage is terrible. So make sure you get the best of both worlds. You can compare your options at DiscoverCars and Rentalcars.com.
Tip! Make a to-do list with these tips for Malta.
Taxis in Malta
Taxis in Malta are incredibly cheap. Online taxis are especially highly recommended, with Bolt usually being the most affordable. It’s often cheaper than Uber, too. For example, I paid €13 from the airport to Sliema and €15 from Sliema to Riviera Beach (2023 prices). Also fun: they have different transport options. So that’s how I was in an electric tricycle that took me from Sliema to Valletta for less than € 6.
So don’t let your hotel arrange a transfer, but arrange it yourself. They pick you up right next to the airport.
Electricity plugs in Malta
Warning! Your European or American plug will not work in Malta. They use English plugs. So you can either bring an English or a world plug adapter. In some places, you can charge via your USB, but not everywhere. So take one with you. Shop yours at Amazon.
To the beach in Malta
Maybe you already knew, but Malta has sandy beaches and rocky beaches. Both are nice, but figure out which one you’re going to before you’re surprised by hard, sharp rocks. You will only find rocky beaches in Sliema, and in St. Julian’s, you have St. George’s Bay as a sandy beach option. Very busy and not so idyllic! For a beautiful sandy beach, for example, go to Riviera Beach (here), where you will also find the fun and pretty beach club Singita Miracle Beach.
Food delivery in Malta
Don’t feel like going out for dinner, cooking, or grocery shopping? Then install the Wolt app in Malta. Wolt delivers from restaurants and shops. If you can’t choose, I found the sushi from Zen To Go Sushi and More very tasty and creative.
Meer Malta inspiratie?
Handige links voor je Malta trip
- Accommodatie. Favoriet blijft toch Booking.com. Verblijf je het liefst in een hostel? Check Hostelworld.
- Activiteiten. De leukste tours en activiteiten boek je bij GetYourGuide en Viator. ‘Gratis’ wandeltours boek je bij Freetour.com of GuruWalk en voor fietstours moet je bij Baja Bikes zijn.
- Attracties en musea. Wil je met 5% korting naar musea en andere attracties? Gebruik dan deze kortingscode bij Tiqets: KIMOPREIS22
- Autohuur. Ik huur het liefst bij EasyTerra en Sunny Cars vanwege hun all-inclusive / worry-free aanbod. Kom je er daar niet uit? Vergelijk dan de prijzen op Discover Cars.
- Boot. Voor veerboten in Malta, check Direct Ferries.
- Geld. Op sommige plekken wordt je Nederlandse bankpas misschien niet geaccepteerd, regel daarom een prepaid creditcard bij Revolut.
- Reisgidsen. Ik houd van papieren reisgidsen om doorheen te bladeren, te koop bij onder andere Bol.com en Amazon.
- Simkaart. Pas op voor onverwachte hoge bel- en internetkosten. Koop een lokale simkaart ter plekke of regel er eentje online via Airalo.
- Vliegtickets. Vergelijk je opties! Check sowieso Momondo, Transavia, Skyscanner en Kiwi.
- Verzorgde reizen. Liever compleet verzorgd op vakantie naar Malta? De keuze is reuze: van ANWB vakanties tot Tui of de Vakantie Discounter. En er is ook nog D-Reizen of Sunweb.
- Yoga retreat. Of trakteer jezelf op een yoga retreat op Malta.
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