I went to Malta for the first time a couple of years ago and I wish I had known some things before boarding the plane. At the time I actually got a job there, so I probably should have researched about the place before boarding the plane but everything happened so fast that I was simply happy knowing that everyone (most of the people) spoke English and that the weather was good. For this reason, I thought I would share some things with you in case you are thinking of visiting the place.
1- Ok, maybe this one is not the mooost important but Malta used to be a British colony, so they drive on the left side of the road! Yes, when I first arrived there, there was a taxi waiting for my bf and I and as I didn't know that, I automatically went to the usual passenger's side ( right side) and ended up sitting in the driver's sit before even realizing it.
2- Again because of the Brits (why do you guys have to be so different? haha) be prepared and carry an adaptor with you. In some of the big resorts and hotels, they might have the European sockets as well because of the many tourists from Europe but mostly they use the English plugs and outlets.
3- From the airport, take the bus!! So when you are in a new country, it might be a bit scary to use the public transportation because you don't know how it works to buy tickets, you don't know the stops, etc. The bus system is actually very easy to use from the airport to the main parts of the island and it is pretty cheap as well. For about 2.50 Euro you can use the buses around the whole island for 2hours, instead of paying a lot for a taxi (they are always expensive when leaving the airport anywhere in the world, even though Malta is kind of small). You can buy the tickets directly inside the bus, with the driver! But be prepared to have coins or small bills just in case.
4 - Buses are easy and cheap but they are not reliable. Now, don't be mad but it is just the truth. The buses are usually late or very full in the summer (high season) so they might just pass by without stopping and this can happen a few times in a row. The good thing about Malta is that, like I said, the island is small and depending on where you are, it might just be easier to walk. Around some of the most popular and trendy cities (they are cities but they are the same size - or smaller - than some neighborhoods) like st. Julians, Sliema and Paceville, is where it the buses get busier more often.
5 - Summer is not exactly the best season to visit. This might seem like a crazy tip because we are talking about a summer destination after all! However, the problem is that Malta gets very crowded in the summer, with a lot of tourists visiting and in my personal opinion, there are even more tourists than the island can support at some point. As consequence, the restaurants are full, buses are crowded, the clubs are packed in the evening and the beaches too. It is better to visit just before the summer (may/end of may and june) or just after the summer (end of september/october), as the weather is still amazing for a couple of months after the summer and it is much nicer everywhere there.
6 - When it is hot, it is HOT, so make sure you have an air conditioning in your room. Have you ever been to a place that was so hot, that you started sweating even before you finished showering? Well, welcome to Malta in the summer! Before going there I realized it was going to be warm but I thought I was ''heat-proof'', you know being from Brazil and all. Let's just say I learned my lesson and if I go back there in the summer I will make sure my hotel has air conditioning. Trust me on this and you will thank me later!
7 - Maltese siesta: I don't know for sure the reason behind this one, but a lot of the small shops, owned by the Maltese (so not stores like Bershka, Zara, etc) close for a few hours in the afternoon. So if you only have some small shops near your hotel and you need to buy some things there, just ask quickly if they are open all day to be sure.
8 - Happy hour! Around Paceville and Sliema (especially at Sliema Ferries), you can find a lot of bars offering happy hours during the day, everyday of the week. Some of them are from 15h to 19h and some start a bit earlier but they are totally worth the money. They usually have a huge variety of cocktails and they are tasty and strong, not just tasty water with ice, so do not underestimate them! I did that the last time I was in Malta and I was passed out by 9:30 pm so trust me on this one.
9- Use discounts! You know sites like Groupon and etc? They have those in Malta too (deal Malta) and they are really good, there are a lot of offers for spas, hotels, restaurants, and activities like boat trips on the island.
10 - Partying until morning! If you want to go out and have a blast until late late hours, you can! The party area (Paceville) has clubs and bars for all tastes and they stay open until very late. In fact, because they were very packed in the summer, my friends and I would just stay in smaller bars/pubs near by having some drinks and we would only go to the clubs around 2 am or so because they some people would leave and we would be able to actually move lol Plus, if you do decide to stay up all night, there is a beach nearby where you can watch the sunrise.
So these were some of the things I noticed and thought that could be useful to anyone visiting Malta in the future to be aware of. But I also wanted to add something very important: Malta is very safe. Of course, we must watch out for pickpockets and drunk people in clubs everywhere but in Malta you can walk around in the street, late at night, all by yourself and no one cares. I have done that after, once even after a night out, and people do not approach or bother you. It is totally fine! I also never had problems with pickpockets during the 2 and half years I lived there, neither did people I know.
Have you ever been to Malta? Are you planning on visiting? Let me know what you think and if you agree or not with the things I mentioned in this post!
