A Farewell to the Maltese Islands

There is no easy way to write this post.

For many years, this website has been my way of sharing a place I truly loved. The Maltese Islands gave me some wonderful memories, lasting friendships and countless moments that I will always be grateful for. They were a destination I recommended wholeheartedly, and a place I returned to time and again with excitement and affection.

Sadly, that is no longer how I feel.

Over the years I have watched Malta change, and not in ways that I can honestly celebrate. Development and construction now seem relentless. Areas that once had character and breathing space have been swallowed by cranes, concrete and noise. Places that felt uniquely Maltese increasingly seem to be losing the very qualities that made them special in the first place.

The sea, once one of Malta's greatest treasures, no longer feels quite the same either. Concerns around water quality, cleanliness and environmental pressures have become increasingly difficult to ignore. Add to that growing worries about overcrowding, safety and the loss of so many open spaces, and I find myself struggling to recognise the destination that first captured my heart.

Then there is the issue of cost.

For many years, one of Malta's great strengths was that it offered a wonderful Mediterranean experience without the price tag of some of its better-known neighbours. You could stay somewhere decent without breaking the bank, enjoy excellent meals, hire a car, take a day trip to Gozo or spend an afternoon by the sea without feeling that every part of your holiday came with a premium charge attached.

That value has steadily disappeared.

Accommodation prices have risen dramatically. Restaurant prices continue to climb. Car hire, excursions, beach facilities and everyday holiday expenses all seem to increase year after year.

The latest Budget measures have only reinforced my feeling that Malta is becoming an increasingly expensive destination. From January 2027, tourists staying in hotels will pay an eco-contribution of €8 per person per night, capped at €64, while visitors staying in short-let apartments will pay €10 per person per night, capped at €80. Visitors arriving on cruise ships and disembarking in Malta will face a new €10 charge per person, while tourists visiting Comino will pay a new €5 contribution.

I should say that the Comino measure is the one change I completely understand and support. Comino is a beautiful island that has suffered badly from overtourism and pressure on its environment. If a contribution helps protect what remains of its natural beauty and limits the damage being caused there, then that is a price worth paying. But could sadly be too late.

However, when viewed alongside the increased ferry charges, the overall picture becomes difficult to ignore. The standard Gozo Channel fare for non-resident adults will rise from €4.65 to €11, children from €1.15 to €7, while a vehicle and driver will cost €22 rather than €15.70. Fast ferry passengers will also face higher charges.

None of these measures in isolation are enough to put people off visiting Malta. But taken together, they tell a story. Every year there seems to be another charge, another increase, another cost added to what was once one of the Mediterranean's best-value destinations.

What makes this particularly disappointing is that higher prices might be easier to accept if the overall visitor experience was improving alongside them. In my view, the opposite has happened. Visitors are often paying more while receiving less: more congestion, more construction, more traffic, more noise and increasing pressure on the natural environment.

I never expected Malta to remain frozen in time. Change is inevitable. But I had hoped that progress would bring improvements. Instead, I have increasingly found myself wondering why I would recommend someone spend a significant amount of money on a holiday in Malta when there are now so many destinations offering cleaner seas, better maintained surroundings, greater tranquillity and, quite often, far better value for money.

What saddens me most is not that places change.

It is the feeling that so much of what made Malta special is being sacrificed in the process.

I am also incredibly aware of how lucky I am. My family, my friends and I experienced the Malta that first stole my heart. We swam in crystal-clear bays before the crowds grew. We explored villages that still felt distinctly Maltese. We enjoyed long lunches overlooking the sea, peaceful evenings and a relaxed atmosphere that made the islands feel unlike anywhere else.

Those memories cannot be taken away, and for that I will always be thankful.

This decision has not been made lightly, but I have reached the point where I can no longer enthusiastically recommend the Maltese Islands in the way this website was originally intended. There are now many destinations that, in my opinion, offer a better overall experience, better value for money, a stronger commitment to protecting their natural environment and a quality of life that visitors can genuinely feel.

For that reason, I have decided to wind down this website.

The site will remain online until October 2027, allowing visitors to continue accessing the information and memories already shared here. However, it will no longer be updated and no new content will be added.

This is not an angry decision.

If anything, it comes from a place of sadness.

For years, Malta was woven into my life. It was the destination I looked forward to returning to, the place I encouraged family and friends to discover for themselves, and the subject of countless hours spent building and maintaining this website.

Some of my happiest travel memories were made there.

I can still picture those lazy days by the sea, lunches and dinners overlooking the water, evening walks as the sun began to set and that wonderful feeling of arriving on the islands knowing that the stresses of everyday life had been left somewhere else.

Those are the moments I will choose to remember.

Perhaps that is why this decision has taken me so long.

I kept hoping things would improve. I kept hoping that the Malta I fell in love with was still there beneath the construction sites, the traffic, the crowds and the steadily rising costs. But eventually there comes a point where you have to be honest with yourself.

For me, that point has arrived.

The truth is that I no longer feel excited about returning in the way I once did. Even harder to admit, I no longer feel comfortable recommending Malta ahead of other destinations that have done a better job of protecting what made them special.

That breaks my heart a little.

What makes it easier is knowing how fortunate my family, my friends and I were. We saw Malta at its best. We experienced the islands before so much changed. We have memories of a place that felt authentic, welcoming, beautiful and wonderfully unique.

Nobody can take those memories away.

So rather than ending with disappointment, I would rather end with gratitude.

Thank you to everyone who visited this website, sent messages, shared recommendations or simply enjoyed reading about the islands through my eyes. Thank you to the many kind Maltese people who showed such warmth and hospitality over the years. And thank you to the Malta that gave me so many wonderful memories.

This chapter is ending.

Not because I have forgotten what made Malta special.

But because I remember it so well.

And perhaps that, more than anything, is why saying goodbye feels so difficult.