- Accessible with: Shore
- Dive Site Depth: 17-40 Metres
The Reqqa Point Diving Spot reigns supreme as one of Gozo’s Best dive sites, renowned for its stunning underwater topography and rich marine life. Located directly west of the famous Xwejni salt pans, this small pointed headland offers diverse features for divers of all levels. Although it can be affected by heavy seas from northwestern winds, on calm days, divers can explore a vibrant reef teeming with life, enormous boulders, submerged chimneys, vertical drop-offs, and an abundance of marine species, making it one of Malta’s premier dive destinations.
Reqqa Point on the northern coast of Gozo, boasting thrilling underwater terrain and a vibrant array of marine life.
Where is Reqqa Point?
Access to Reqqa Point is from the shore, it is very close to our dive shop in Marsalforn. Dive trucks park on the limestone shore past the salt pans, and divers walk a short distance over rocks to the water’s edge. During the main summer season, a ladder is installed to facilitate exits.
Situated close to Billinghurst Cave, Reqqa Point is one of Gozo’s top dive sites. This small, pointed headland extends about 50 meters northward, offering an underwater adventure for divers of all skill levels. Nestled beneath the village of Żebbug, Reqqa Point is renowned for its remarkable underwater topography and vibrant marine life. While it can be affected by heavy seas from northwesterly winds, the site features something for divers at every level.
The Reqqa Point Dive
Divers can start their dive on either side of Ras ir-Reqqa. The reef drops to a depth of 17 meters to the west from the left side of Reqqa Point, making it shallower on the left and deeper to the east, where the reef has numerous fissures, inlets, and crevices, leading down to a sandy bottom at 25 meters. A spectacular chimney lies between 16 and 6 meters, close to the entry/exit point.
Less experienced divers or those seeking a shallower dive can enter the water on the left side, starting in 6 meters of water before descending down the gentle slope to the reef top at 17 meters. Here, they will enjoy the site’s biodiversity and the scenic Reqqa drop-off, with various fish species hunting around the reef.
More experienced divers can start on the right side, diving westward, and descending gradually on the wall to 30 or more meters, keeping the reef on their left and heading towards Reqqa reef, which drops rapidly to over 60 meters. The clear blue water and diverse marine life are the main attractions of this part of the dive, with frequent sightings of large groupers, dentex, rays, and hunting barracudas.
A well-known feature is the ‘Reqqa bottle,’ a deep-sea chimney reserved for Technical diving. With an entrance at 58 meters and an exit at 35, it offers an unforgettable experience.
Divers typically dive counterclockwise towards the reef, climbing over boulders the size of houses. This climb is spectacular, with spiny lobsters, moray eels, and colorful nudibranchs often spotted. Back on the reef top at an average depth of 15 meters, big shoals of damselfish and bogues (Boops boops) can be seen shimmering in the sunlight like silver clouds. Divers then follow up to the shallow part of the reef for their safety stop and continue around Reqqa Point back to the entry/exit point. Some divers explore the chimney at the beginning of the dive, while others visit it towards the end.
Reqqa Point Aquatic Life
The reef surrounding Reqqa Point teems with aquatic life, featuring cool things like Tompot Blennies and groupers, shrimps to Dentax fish and amazing Nudibranch like Krohn’s Doris. Search around expansive boulders, submerged chimneys, vertical drop-offs, and an abundance of marine species. The vertical walls, cut by fissures and crevices, create a captivating underwater landscape. Large boulders along the wall serve as shelter for groupers, octopuses, and sizable scorpionfish.
Exploring Reqqa Point reveals additional wonders, such as a chimney on the eastern side descending from 6 meters to 17 meters. To the west lies Shrimps’ Cave, adding further diversity to this exceptional dive site. Despite its popularity, Reqqa Point continues to captivate divers with its dynamic underwater scenery and diverse marine ecosystem, making it a must-visit location on Gozo’s north coast.
