Ħondoq Bay, the east Gozo cove that looks across to Comino

Almost the entire east coast of Gozo is rock, which is why Ħondoq ir-Rummien has become the go-to beach at this end of the island. It’s a sand-and-pebble cove with facilities, clear water and Comino directly opposite. It isn’t Gozo’s wildest spot, but it’s the easiest on the east side, and for some plans I think it’s the best.

A cove on Qala’s rocky shore

Ħondoq ir-Rummien lies a short distance from the centre of Qala, Gozo’s easternmost village. The Ministry for Gozo explains that Qala’s coastline is rough and rocky apart from a few sheltered inlets, of which Ħondoq is the most popular. The name translates as the pomegranate creek, and the village’s own name means port, probably after this very bay and its landing place.

The beach is a mix of sand and pebbles. There are shallow areas that suit children and deeper water for anyone who wants to swim or dive. In front is the channel and, across it, Comino island, close enough that you can hire a boat or kayak at the cove and pop over.

Facilities and getting there

You don’t need to lug everything down. The Ministry for Gozo lists sunbeds for hire, showers, toilets and kiosks, and singles out the latter’s tuna ftira. If you’d rather save money, bring a picnic from a village shop, as the ministry itself suggests.

It’s easy to reach, which is a big part of its appeal on an island where many coves involve a scramble. By car, there’s ample parking near the beach. By bus, route 303 stops at Kunċizzjoni, from where it’s about 15 minutes on foot. And if you like walking, there’s a coastal path from Mġarr harbour, with Comino and the channel in view throughout.

The Blue Flag, with caveats

Ħondoq appears on the Malta Tourism Authority’s 2019 list of Blue Flag beaches, alongside Marsalforn on Gozo. The Ministry for Gozo still presents it with the award. The part I can’t verify is whether it holds one in 2026, because the MTA doesn’t publish the current list, so treat it as unconfirmed. The scheme itself will be familiar from British beaches, run by the Foundation for Environmental Education with 32 criteria and represented in Malta by Nature Trust Malta, according to the MTA.

It is worth learning the MTA’s flag code, though. A red-over-yellow flag means lifeguards are on duty, green means calm water, yellow a moderate hazard and purple jellyfish. Red signals high danger, and under a double red swimming is forbidden.

More than a swim

Ħondoq offers a good deal beyond bathing. You can hire kayaks, paddleboards and jet skis, and there’s waterskiing too. The ministry also mentions cliff jumping and hidden inlets nearby, such as Ta’ Bemberin. With Comino in front of me, what I’d most fancy is a kayak first thing, while the cove is still calm.

Look around you as well. On a rocky outcrop stands a chapel to the Immaculate Conception, with Our Lady Star of the Sea in the niche, built, legend has it, by sailors fulfilling a vow. On the other side is a disused hardstone quarry, where the blocks for the Mġarr and Valletta Grand Harbour breakwaters were cut.

Underwater, off Ħondoq

For divers, the surroundings have plenty to offer. The Ministry for Gozo names Ħondoq among the Gozo spots where fishing trips, boat trips and all sorts of fun in the sea are easy to arrange, and Qala’s coast has caves you can only reach by water, such as Għar Minka. Off this same stretch of coast, at 72 metres, lies a Second World War Spitfire that Heritage Malta opens to technical divers with approved centres. It’s not one for a try-dive, but it says a lot about what this corner of the channel holds.

Sunrise and the walking route

The cove faces east, and the Ministry for Gozo rates it among the island’s best places for sunrise. That’s the plan I’d follow here, arriving with the first light, swimming while the cove is empty and heading up to Qala for breakfast. If you’d rather walk, the ministry’s Ħondoq ir-Rummien Walk is a circuit that sets off from Mġarr and passes through Qala, Nadur and then Għajnsielem, with a stop at the cove. The rest of the island’s coast, sandy and rocky, is covered in my guide to Gozo beaches.