Comino and Gozo Private Boat Tour : Julie Pearl Boat

The best part of the Julie Pearl boat tour is control. Your group has the boat to itself, so you can spend more time swimming at the Blue Lagoon, move on when a bay feels crowded, or linger near the caves. Skippers Fabio and Marvic are praised for being friendly, flexible, and ready with facts about each stop.

I like two practical touches: free snorkeling masks are supplied, and a cooler with ice lets you bring your own food and drinks. The boat is spacious enough for a group of 14, and a Bluetooth speaker adds a festive touch. The main consideration is price: $716.85 is strong value for a full group, but expensive for a small party.

Key points to know before booking

• Private boat for up to 15: You share the Julie Pearl only with your own group, not with a boatload of strangers.
• Blue Lagoon plus quieter bays: The route combines Comino’s famous water with Santa Maria Bay and several Gozo stops.
• Swimming and snorkeling are central: Bring swimwear, sun protection, and anything else you need for time in the water.
• Your skipper can shape the day: Fabio and Marvic have allowed groups to choose where to stay and how long to remain.
• Bring your own picnic: Food and drinks are not included, but a cooler and ice are provided.
• The full-group price makes the difference: At the maximum of 15 people, the cost works out to about $48 per person.

Why a private boat makes Comino easier

Malta’s Comino is famous for clear water, pale rock, and small bays packed into a very small island. The Blue Lagoon is the headline attraction, but its popularity can make it feel less like a quiet island escape and more like a major swimming stop.

A private boat gives you a better way to handle that contrast. You still see the famous lagoon, but you also reach places that are harder to enjoy from land. You can swim near caves, cruise along Gozo’s southern coast, and spend time at Santa Maria Bay, which is a calmer choice just a short walk from the Blue Lagoon.

I especially like the private format for families and groups of friends. Everyone can agree on the pace. If half the group wants to snorkel and the rest wants to sit in the sun, the skipper can help make the day work without forcing everybody into the same schedule.

This is not a sightseeing cruise where you remain seated and watch the coast pass by. Swimming, snorkeling, and exploring the shoreline are the heart of the experience. If you want a boat ride with little physical activity, this may not be the right fit.

Blue Lagoon: famous for a reason

The Blue Lagoon sits on Comino’s west coast, between Malta and Gozo. Its shallow, clear water is the reason people come, and the color can be striking when the light is good.

You spend about two hours here, with time to swim and use the provided snorkeling mask. The boat anchors at a good spot in the lagoon, which matters because the right anchorage can make getting into the water much easier than trying to find a place along a busy shore.

I would treat this stop as the grand opening rather than the whole show. The Blue Lagoon is beautiful, but it is also the place most likely to feel crowded during summer. A private boat helps because you can enjoy the water without dealing with a public beach all day, though you should not expect the lagoon to feel deserted.

The water is relatively shallow, making this a friendly stop for different swimming abilities. Still, you should follow the skipper’s instructions and stay aware of boats around the anchorage. The tour is described as suitable for most people, but it remains an active outing built around open-water swimming.

Crystal Lagoon and Comino’s cave coast

The Crystal Lagoon, on Comino’s northwest side, offers a different mood. The water is clear and turquoise, and the area has several caves, including some with shallow water and sandy bottoms.

You spend about an hour and a half here. That is enough time for swimming, snorkeling, and possibly fishing, with bream fish common in the area. The crew supplies masks at no extra charge and takes you around the caves, including Lovers Cave and Popeye’s Cave.

This is one of the tour’s strongest sections because it adds variety. At the Blue Lagoon, you get the famous view and open swimming area. At Crystal Lagoon, you get rocky walls, cave entrances, and a closer look at Comino’s shoreline.

Some of the caves have been used in major film productions, including the settings associated with Lovers Cave and Popeye’s Cave. The point is not simply to recognize a movie location. The caves give the trip a sense of discovery, with the boat taking you into corners of the coast that are difficult to reach on foot.

The word snorkeling covers a lot of ground here. You may see fish and underwater rock, but the tour does not promise a guided marine-life lesson or professional equipment beyond the masks. Bring your own gear if you prefer a particular fit.

Gozo’s south coast, from Tal-Halfa to Bemberin

The Gozo section takes you along the southern coast near Qala. It includes Tal-Halfa beach, Hondoq Bay, and Bemberin gorge, with about an hour allocated to this part of the route.

Tal-Halfa is a clay-rich beach set behind a large solitary rock called Halfa Rock. The area has an unusual, rugged character, and the rock gives you a clear landmark as the boat passes.

Hondoq Bay is a pebbly beach with clear blue water. Then comes Bemberin gorge, a narrow inlet reachable only by boat. Its caves and enclosed setting make it one of the more distinctive stops on the route.

If you enjoy jumping from rocks, Bemberin is the spot that will interest you most. The area offers places for cliff jumping, but this is an optional activity, not a requirement. I would only consider it if the skipper confirms that conditions are safe and you are comfortable with the height and water below.

This Gozo section is valuable because it prevents the outing from becoming a single-island lagoon tour. You see a little more of the coast and reach a boat-only inlet. The trade-off is time. A six-hour version can give these locations breathing room, while a shorter booking may require a tighter route.

Santa Maria Bay for a quieter swim

Santa Maria Bay is a small sandy beach on Comino, close to the island’s police station. It is only about a 20-minute walk from the Blue Lagoon, but the atmosphere is generally calmer.

The bay has shallow, clear water and tamarisk trees that offer some shade. For me, this is a useful counterpoint to the Blue Lagoon. You get a place better suited to relaxing, sitting in shallow water, or taking a slower break.

There is one honest detail to keep in mind: currents can leave dead algae along part of the shore. The beach is otherwise described as sandy and clean, but this is nature, not a manicured resort. If the beach edge does not appeal to you, the boat gives you the option of enjoying the bay from the water instead.

The one-hour stop is long enough to make Santa Maria feel like more than a quick photograph. It also gives your group a chance to spread out after the busier Blue Lagoon.

Elephant Rock and the Santa Maria Caves

At some point while passing Comino, the boat goes by Elephant Rock on the island’s east side. It is a natural arch shaped like an elephant, with its head dipping toward the water.

This is a quick viewing stop rather than a scheduled long visit, so keep your camera ready. The seabed around the formation is sandy with scattered posidonia patches, and the depth ranges from about 3 to 18 meters. That information is especially relevant to divers, though this tour is presented mainly as a swimming and snorkeling trip.

The Santa Maria Caves come later, with about 30 minutes set aside to admire the cave system. There are five shallow caves on Comino’s north side, and their entrances have appeared in the film The Count of Monte Cristo.

Half an hour is not enough for a major cave expedition, nor is this advertised as a technical cave trip. Instead, you cruise close to the formations, look into the openings, and take in the rock shapes from the boat. This short stop works well near the end of a long day when you may be ready for scenery rather than another extended swim.

What the skipper adds to the day

A private boat is only as good as the person running it. The strongest part of the experience is the personal control provided by the skipper.

Marvic is described as fun, friendly, and good at explaining the places along the route. Fabio has allowed a large group to decide where to go and how long to stay. That flexibility is important because the sea, weather, energy levels, and crowding can all affect what sounds best on the day.

The communication before the trip also appears to be a practical strength. Jeanette has handled quick replies and helped arrange transfers for groups who wanted them. That can reduce the usual uncertainty around meeting at a marina or getting back to your accommodation.

Do not assume transfers are part of the $716.85 price. Optional private taxi, van, or coach transport is available at an additional charge. The activity ends back at the meeting point, so you need to plan your own route unless you add a transfer.

Price, timing, and group value

The listed price is $716.85 per group of up to 15 people. That is a high total for two people, but a very different calculation for a large party.

At 15 people, the cost is about $47.79 each. At 14, it is about $51.20 each. For eight people, it comes to roughly $89.61 each. Those figures explain why this tour works best for a family reunion, birthday group, friend group, or other party that can fill most of the boat.

The advertised duration ranges from two to six hours. The described stops add up to about five and a half hours, so you should confirm the length selected when booking. A shorter outing cannot reasonably give every stop the same amount of time.

The opening hours shown are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Sunday, for the stated operating period. Weather matters, and poor conditions can lead to a different date or a full refund. That is sensible for an open-water trip, but it means you should avoid making the boat the only fixed plan on a very short Malta visit.

Food, equipment, and what to bring

Snorkeling equipment is included, and the boat has a cooler with ice for your food and drinks. Lunch itself is not included, so you should bring what you want to eat and drink.

One group also had the option to stop at a harbor for lunch. Treat that as something to discuss with the skipper rather than a guaranteed part of every departure. A harbor stop may affect how much time you spend at the lagoons and caves.

I would pack a swimsuit, towel, sun protection, water, a simple meal, and a dry bag for phones and cameras. The trip description confirms a cooler and snorkeling masks, but it does not list other personal items or specialist equipment.

A Bluetooth speaker has been available for at least some groups, which can make the ride more enjoyable for friends in their twenties or a celebratory party. Keep the music at a level that lets you hear the skipper’s instructions, especially around swim stops and rocky inlets.

Who will enjoy the Julie Pearl most?

I would choose this tour if you are traveling with a group of at least eight people and want a day centered on swimming rather than museums or city sights. The private setup gives you space, flexibility, and a more relaxed social experience than a standard shared boat.

It also suits families because the Blue Lagoon and Santa Maria Bay have shallow water, and most people can take part. Still, children and weaker swimmers need normal supervision around open water, boats, caves, and any rocky jumping areas.

Friends who want music, swimming, photographs, and a flexible schedule are likely to get the most from it. The trip is less suited to someone who dislikes sun, salt water, or bringing their own lunch.

The tour has a perfect five-star rating from 26 listed reviews, with 100 percent recommending it. That is encouraging, though the sample is small. The most consistent praise goes to the skipper’s friendliness, the smooth communication, the spacious boat, and the value for large groups.

Should you book it?

Book the Julie Pearl if you can share the cost with a sizeable group and want Comino and Gozo as a private day on the water. The combination of Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon, Gozo’s south coast, Santa Maria Bay, Elephant Rock, and the Santa Maria Caves gives you more range than a quick boat transfer.

I would hesitate if you are only two or three people, since the fixed group price becomes difficult to justify. I would also confirm the exact tour length, pickup cost, and preferred route before paying, especially if you want every listed stop.

For a full group, the value is clear: private use of the boat, included fuel, free masks, a cooler with ice, and a skipper who can adjust the pace. Bring your own lunch, accept that summer crowds may still surround the famous lagoon, and this can be one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a Malta day.

FAQ

How many people can join the Julie Pearl boat tour?

The private boat accommodates up to 15 people, and only your own group participates in the activity.

How long does the tour last?

The stated duration is approximately two to six hours. The listed route describes about five and a half hours of stops, so confirm the exact duration you select.

Is hotel pickup included?

Pickup is offered, but private taxi, van, or coach transfers to and from your residence cost extra. The tour ends back at the meeting point.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling masks are provided for free, and fuel surcharge is included in the tour price.

Are food and drinks included?

No. You bring your own food and drinks. A cooler with ice is provided for your use.

Can the tour be canceled because of weather?

Yes. The activity requires good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you can receive a full refund or choose a different date.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.