Monday, August 30, 2010

Surprising Finds on Comino Island in Malta

I’m always a little skeptical when I plan a trip and people, whether friends or locals, tell me that I should reconsider going or staying there. That’s what happened recently when I planned to stay two nights on Comino Island, the smallest of the three Maltese Islands.


I was told that the Comino Hotel -- the only accommodation on the wee island that measures about 3.5 square km -- is falling apart, literally. That this car-free island is a complete snore with basically nothing to do. In fact, locals on the main island of Malta and the middle-sized greener island of Gozo said I could walk the entire circumference of Comino in two hours. After that and a swim in the pristine waters of the Blue Lagoon, I should take the next ferry back to Gozo.(Comino is snuggled in the channel between Malta and Gozo.)

Needless to say, after a week of hearing these comments, I was reconsidering my two night stay on Comino that has a year-round population of four people. Good thing I didn’t change my plans because neither the friendly, charming, comfortable hotel nor the unspoiled island lived up to the bad reputation I was prepared for. In fact, quite the opposite. After spending two activity-laden days and eating some very yummie food at the hotel, I wished I had a third day just to relax, reading a book while gazing at the waterways or sitting beside a tidal pool or cove.

Here’s what I found on Comino, an island that’s definitely worth a two and maybe a three-day visit if you really want to get caught up in nature and history while living the very low-key, laid-back life.

1. Yes, the Comino Hotel does feel stuck in the 1960s and the interior does need some work. But it’s not falling apart, by any means. In fact, my room #297 had perfect views of San Nicklaw Bay where I could sit on the tiny balcony and watch the sunrise every morning. And given that this hotel is an amazing deal considering the seaside location and that the staff couldn't do enough for its guests, I overlooked the tired and sometimes tattered interior.

2. There are no restaurants on the island -- we’re talking a desolate island, remember -- except for the one at the Comino Hotel and the truck kiosks that sell burgers and such beside the tourist laden Blue Lagoon. But that worked out great because the hotel’s extensive dinner buffet was fresh with something for all palates. For dinner, these were some of my favorite buffet items: salads, including cucumber and mint, octopus, and baby shrimp with cauliflower; fried calamari; roast turkey with mustard/sage gravy; vegetable quiche, cream of pumpkin soup, a cheese platter that included the local gbejniet cheese that’s either served fresh or coated in black pepper, fresh fruits, and some scrumptious desserts: lemon mousse and a chocolate layer cake. (It’s a good thing I was walking five hours a day to burn off all these calories.)

3. The first day I walked almost five hours along the island’s network of dirt roads and paths passing fragrant wild thyme, blooming oleander and caper bushes, clumps of pines and a scattering of orchards. Walking along the clifftops and headlands, I spied curious offshore islets with odd erosion holes that gave you a glimpse of the sea on the other side.
4. St. Mary’s Tower, a 17th century watchtower build by the Knights of St. James, makes for an interesting visit where you can spot the well where the knights would gather their water and the basement that was once accessed by a long rope ladder. Once I crossed the footbridge, I prowled around this tower that that was built to protect the channel from ship piracy. The rooftop provides panoramic views of the island from this almost 300-foot-tall perch.

5. Carrying lunch from the hotel that consisted of a sandwich made of thick Maltese ftira bread filled with tuna, olives, onions, capers and tomatoes, I found a perfect place for a much-needed shady picnic: the patio of the island’s old isolation hospital. (This sprawling building is where the island's four residents live, but one of them saw me approaching and gave me the go ahead to lunch in the shade.)

6. I checked out the iridescent azure-toned Blue Lagoon at 7:30 am knowing that it would become packed with lounge chairs and umbrellas, starting at 8 am. The lazy atmosphere with nary a sound beyond the crashing waves, completely transforms to a chaotic atmosphere the rest of the day until the last boats depart late in the day. Each morning, I took the short walk here before breakfast to enjoy the solitude.

7. Instead of the Blue Lagoon, I visited a cove that sees few if any visitors: Smuggler’s Cove on the South Channel. It requires a longer walk and there are no kiosks, boats or lounge chairs to rent. What you do find are pristine tidal pools where you could sit and watch crustaceans and fish swim around your toes. Good swimmers can also enjoy the deep cool waters offshore.

8. The only kiosk at the Blue Lagoon that’s worth visiting is a small stand selling fresh fruits, including prickly pear cactus. One day I lunched here on nectarines, watermelon, prickly pear and yogurt while sitting under the kiosk’s expansive umbrella.

9. Two people told me about St. Mary’s Caves that are accessible not just by sea but also by foot. It took three tries wandering down several paths along the cliff front to find the massive cave complex that you can simply walk into and swim in a calm pool of seawater. (I’m told that the Count of Monte Cristo was filmed here.)

10. On my second full day on the island, I walked all the paths I missed the first day and found an old hilltop cemetery, St. Mary’s Bay that’s much more relaxed than the Blue Lagoon, lush valleys that are still verdant despite the tempertures, and a small chapel ringed by a stone wall and tall conifer trees that also provide some much needed shade and a bit of a breeze.

11. Other activities available from the hotel include aromatherapy massages, canoe or windsurf rental, diving -- and even mountain bike rental. The hotel also offers two outdoor swimming pools (one is for children) and two small strips of golden sand.

18 comments:

Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart said...

No cars and that water would be reason enough to visit this spot. Looks amazing.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Roxanne, I adore car-free islands even though there are so few of them. And having all the historical and water-based and nature-focused activities are an added bonus.

Alisa Bowman said...

This looks beautiful, but I'd need a restaurant for an overnight.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Alisa, The Hotel Comino has the yummie restaurant I mentioned in the post with some great buffet dinners. They also have the lunch items that I took on my picnic and they serve breakfast as well.

MyKidsEatSquid said...

I would be hard-pressed to find Malta on a map, but it sounds lovely. A car-free, history rich island with plenty to do and great food. I think I need to get on mapquest!

Lisa said...

Sounds great. I love places a bit off the beaten path and an island with no cars? I'm adding it to my list..

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi MyKidsEatSquid, You're in good company. Many of my travel savvy friends didn't know where Malta was either. It's so close to Sicily that on a good day you can see it from some of the watchtowers that have panoramic sea views.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Lisa, I'm such a big fan of the few car-free islands around the world. It's always a joy to spend time walking, hiking or cycling on these unique land masses.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jeanine...here is a link to a photo taken during the filiming of the Count of Monte Cristo. Taken from the same angle you took your photo of the tower.
Regards
Trevor

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Trevor, great to hear from you. But I didn't see the link you mentioned in your post.

Melanie Haiken said...

Okay, you had me at the "desolate" deserted island, but when you got to the network of caves... how could people say there wasn't enough to do? Obviously they are not hikers! This is now on my must-do list.

Jane Boursaw said...

I think it sounds lovely and wouldn't mind the 1960s feel. Our nearby Mackinac Island is car-free, and it's one of the (many) reasons people love it.

I really love your travelogues, Jeanine. You get right to the heart of things and tell folks what's great or not great about a place.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Jane, I love Mackinac Island. But I haven't been there in ages. Thanks for mentioning this lovely car-free isle. And I'm glad you enjoy my posts.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Melanie, I totally agree with you. All these people who visit Comino and say there's nothing to do obviously just like to sit on a beach and do nothing anyway. But if you enjoy being active and getting immersed in nature in a low-key way, this play can't be beat.

australian immigration said...

This is a lovely Island, and I am sure this is a nice place to visit and I think it will perfectly fit my family for a cool vacation. Thanks so much for this details...

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi australian immigration, I think you and your family will totally enjoy Comino Island for its relaxing, nature-based activities that also have a touch of history to boot.

Anonymous said...

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canvas picture said...

I really want to visit this place, hear it's nice. Have only visited Goso!