UKC

Looking at booking a pre xmas trip to Malta for a diving and climbing holiday.

We are looking at basing ourselves in St Julians (cheap hotel deal and the dive school is close) but was wondering how easy it is to get around the island using public transport? especially to the climbing areas. Would we need to rent a car?

Also don't have a guide book (yet?) so was also wondering if it is worth taking only a sport rack? is there enough sport below 6a to keep entertained for 2 days or so, or will i need to bring the trad rack? trying to save on weight so don't fancy lugging all the trad stuff for only a couple of days.

Any other useful info that you might think i need to know would also be appreciated!

Thanks,

Ant

In reply to the ant hill mob:

Driving in Malta is for the brave. The locals are mental, and I really don't enjoy it.

The buses are OK, and have the major advantage that they are much bigger than cars! Couldn't give you chapter and verse on which crags are reachable by bus, but you can reach a fair number of them.

Trad rack is worth taking, although a lot of stuff has been retro bolted in the last couple of years.

Finally, it's worth spending an evening in Mdina. There's a good pizza place there, and a fantastic cake shop/cafe!

In reply to the ant hill mob: bite the bullet and rent a car. It's not that bad to drive around Malta and rental is cheap. Public transport won't always get you to where you want when you want.

In reply to the ant hill mob:
old Maltese saying, or was it from an old Maltese: Sometimes we drive on the left, sometimes we drive on the right, but mostly we drive in the shade.
Around Christmas time this may be less of a problem as it's cooler and, seriously, it's not too bad driving there anyway.
Mdina is worth a visit anytime for peace and quiet.

In reply to the ant hill mob: def rent a car. If you can get over to Gozo for so e diving too. The blue lagoon is nice, but plenty of other dives too.

In reply to the ant hill mob:

Get some tri-cams.

In reply to the ant hill mob:

Rent a car. There's less busses and they go to less places outside the tourist season.

Would suggest getting onto the Malta Climbing Club facebook and post when you're going, the locals love climbing with new people! They meet at their bouldering wall in Sliema (St. Julians, basically) a couple nights per week. Good place to meet peeps to climb with.

The new guide book is also out just this week I think. Well worth getting a couple days in Gozo if you can.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/maltaclimbingclub/