Malta

Is Malta safe to visit?

Yes. Malta is a low-crime country: Eurostat counted 0.89 intentional homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2024, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says crime against tourists is rare. The US State Department rates it Level 1, its lowest level, and its only specific warning is about riptides. We score Malta 90, above Italy and Croatia (both 84).

The things that actually hurt visitors in Malta are ordinary: a scooter crash on a congested road, a swim on a red-flag day, heat exhaustion on a July walk around Valletta, a spiked drink in Paceville. Each one is avoidable.

Are Malta's roads dangerous?

Malta's roads are crowded rather than deadly. WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 1.9 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, one of the lowest rates in Europe. About 447,000 vehicles were licensed by early 2025 on islands of 316 km², and the National Statistics Office counted 18 road deaths in 2025, up from 12 in 2024. That is about 3.1 per 100,000 people, still lower than most of the EU. The European Transport Safety Council, using a provisional EU count of 21, notes that Malta is one of only two EU countries where road mortality is higher than in 2015.

Because the numbers are small, one bad year can change the rate a lot. The trend is the concern, not the level. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes local driving standards as poor and some roads as in poor condition. Malta drives on the left, streets are narrow and parking is scarce, and a scooter offers little protection in that traffic. Public buses reach almost everywhere, the Gozo ferry is simple, and ride-hailing apps are widely used.

Swimming and sea safety

Sea accidents are the risk visitors most often underrate. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary says riptides have caused drowning deaths among tourists, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that every year people drown in the sea and in pools. Much of the coast is rock rather than sand, with sudden depth changes and hidden ledges.

• Swim at beaches with lifeguards and learn the flag system: red means do not go in.
• Do not dive from rocks into water you have not checked first.
• Take extra care at the Blue Lagoon on Comino and other boat-trip spots, where crowds and boat traffic mix with swimmers.
• After storms, waves can reach further up rocky shores than you expect. Stay back from the edge.

Heat and other natural hazards

Malta has no serious earthquake or hurricane risk. Summer heat is the hazard: heatwaves in June and July bring temperatures in the high 30s, there is little shade on many walks, and the reflected heat from limestone makes it feel hotter. Plan sightseeing for the morning and evening, carry water, and watch older travellers and children.

Autumn storms can bring short, heavy downpours. Streets in low-lying areas and valleys flood quickly, so do not drive through running water.

Crime and nightlife

Petty crime is the main crime risk. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists pickpocketing, bag snatching, robbery and theft from parked cars, and singles out crowded summer buses between Valletta and St Julian's. Keep your phone in a front pocket and do not leave bags visible in a hire car.

The one place to be alert is Paceville, the nightlife district of St Julian's. The FCDO reports people being drugged in some bars and gentlemen's clubs, then pressured into spending large sums or assaulted. It also reports sexual assaults, including rape. Buy your own drinks, keep them in sight, check the bill before paying, and leave together.

Two local quirks: bird hunters with shotguns are out in the countryside in spring and autumn, and hunting areas are rarely marked. And drug laws are strict for visitors; cannabis is legal only for residents in limited circumstances, and smoking it in public brings a fine.

Health

Health risks are low. Tap water is safe, though often desalinated and salty, and pharmacies are everywhere; many have a doctor on site. Mater Dei Hospital in Msida is the main public hospital, and Gozo has its own general hospital. EU visitors need an EHIC; UK visitors a GHIC. Neither replaces travel insurance, which you need for private clinics and repatriation.

How to stay safe in Malta

• Use buses, ferries and ride-hailing apps instead of driving or renting a scooter.
• Follow beach flags and lifeguards, and keep children within arm's reach in the water.
• Avoid the midday sun in July and August.
• In Paceville, buy your own drinks and check every bill.
• Call 112 for police, ambulance and fire.

How we scored it

Violent crime (95) and conflict (92) are the strongest factors, based on a homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary under 1 per 100,000 and no terrorism record. Road safety (92) is strong on WHO's 2021 estimate, a little lower than that figure alone would give because deaths rose in 2025. Natural hazards (80) and petty crime (80) are the weakest, reflecting heat, sea conditions and nightlife theft and spiking.