Qawra, the headland at the end of St Paul's Bay

Qawra is the other half of the resort strip on St Paul’s Bay, the half that takes the headland. People often mix it up with Buġibba, which is understandable, since one runs into the other with no obvious border. The difference lies in what each has, and in Qawra that means very large hotels, an aquarium and, round the corner, a nature reserve that few visitors find and that I rate as the best thing in the area.

A headland of big hotels

The MTA’s official register, downloaded at the end of September 2026, puts Malta’s largest hotel by room count on Triq il-Qawra, the AX Odycy with 600 rooms, and the third largest on the same road, the Qawra Palace with 561, both four-star; Mellieħa’s Seabank sits between them. Close by on Dawret il-Gżejjer is the DoubleTree by Hilton with 485. These are buildings designed for week-long pool holidays, and that sets the tone of the place.

Qawra doesn’t have its own local council. It belongs to San Pawl il-Baħar, Malta’s most populous locality, and I cover the whole area, figures and history included, on the St Paul’s Bay page.

The aquarium on Qawra Point

Out on the point, in a building shaped like a starfish, is the Malta National Aquarium. It keeps long hours, from ten in the morning until eight at night, seven days a week, and reckons a visit takes between three quarters of an hour and two hours. Around it there’s a complex with a restaurant, a café, a public square and a free nautical playground. If you drive, parking costs nothing when you’re visiting the aquarium.

For me it’s the perfect afternoon with children, especially if you go in after four, when an online ticket is noticeably cheaper.

Salina, the reserve hardly anyone visits

Follow the coast east and you reach the mouth of the Burmarrad valley, where BirdLife Malta manages the Salina reserve, which it places within the limits of St Paul’s Bay. There are salt pans built by the Knights, a defensive redoubt of 1715 later turned into a salt store and, since July 2024, a free salt museum.

You can walk round it every day, 7:00 to 20:00 from April to September and 7:00 to 18:00 for the rest of the year, and the visitor centre and museum are open from 8:00 to 16:00. BirdLife reports up to 2,000 gulls on some days, with herons passing through on migration and, very occasionally, a flamingo. With a free afternoon, I’d spend it here rather than in the square.

Getting around from Qawra

The TD13, the limited-stop bus to Valletta via St Julian’s, has two stops in Qawra, Salini and Arznel. For other routes, it’s easiest to walk down to the Buġibba terminus, which has a ticket office. If you want to see the Mosta Rotunda, the parish recommends several routes from the Qawra terminus, which I list on the Mosta page.

For anyone staying here, the TD13 is the best thing going. It leaves Valletta and runs through Floriana, Msida, San Ġwann, St Julian’s, the Pembroke park and ride and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq before reaching Qawra and ending at Buġibba. With few stops, it gets you to the capital without calling at every village on the coast.

And for a swim?

Best to be straight about this. The Qawra Point shoreline is rock, and I haven’t come across a single official description of a sandy beach here. If you want sand, the 223 runs from Buġibba to Golden Bay, and I’d pair it with Għajn Tuffieħa. To decide where to stay across the whole area, see my comparison of hotels in Buġibba and Qawra.

Who Qawra suits

Families who want the aquarium and the promenade on foot, anyone who prefers a big hotel with a pool, and people after something quieter than Buġibba Square without giving up its bus terminus. For a heritage trip, on the other hand, you’re a long way from Valletta and Mdina, and you’ll feel it every day on the bus.