Wied Il Ghasri – one of Gozo’s Most Beautiful Spots

Gozo is full of small, beautiful spots, and Wied Il Ghasri (Maltese: Wied Il-Għasri) on the northern side of the island is one of them. While the name technically refers to the entire valley, most people visit it to see the small pebble beach and the long narrow inlet that leads to the ocean.

The s-shaped inlet is around 250 meters long and is framed by cliffs. The water is usually crystal-clear and on most days there are close to no waves inside the inlet. This makes it one of Gozo’s most impressive swimming and snorkeling spots.

It is unlike any other spot in Gozo with the most similar spot being the significantly wider Mgarr ix-Xini on the other side of the island. And at first glance, it somewhat reminded me of Canal d’Amour in Corfu, Greece.

While it has gained popularity in recent years, it is still somewhat of a hidden gem thanks to its somewhat remote location. Add the fact that you have to climb down around 100 steps that were dug into the cliffside, and you have a wonderful spot to escape most touristic crowds.

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What to know about Wied Il Ghasri

Wied Il-Għasri, or Għasri Valley, begins at Ta’ Dbiegi Hill near Għasri village and ends as a water-filled canyon. And while the water is often crystal-clear, this is not always the case. I visited it twice and saw two very different colors of the water. On a windy day, the water inside the inlet looked a milky blue, while it was crystal-clear, vibrant turquoise when I visited Wied Il Ghasri a few days later on a sunny day.

You have some of the best views of the inlet from the top to the right of the steps, so take some time to take in the view before you head down to the beach. Look where you are walking as the ground is uneven and do not walk too close to the edge. While up here, your sole focus should never be on taking photos and selfies as doing so is incredibly dangerous.

Taking in the view from up here also has the advantage that you do not block the path of people walking up and down the stairs to take photos – something that is an issue at this location when the sporadic group tours descend on the location.

Please know that there are no amenities on-site, so you have to bring drinks and snacks with you. To my knowledge, the nearest public toilets and showers are behind the kiosk at Xwejni Bay.

The Best Time to Visit it

Wied Il Ghasri is worth visiting year-round, but if you want to go for a swim in the inlet, the hotter months from May to September are the best as the water temperature is higher. However, these months are also the most touristic months, which means there will be more people at the small beach.

Therefore, it is best to make your way to Wied Il Ghasri in the morning or in the late afternoon. This way you will find a place to spread your towel on the small pebble beach or maybe even on the flat roof of an abandoned building next to the beach. And of course, visiting the inlet during this time of the day also means you can avoid the midday sun.

Additionally, you should try to avoid the weekend and public holidays as that is when national tourists from the main island of Malta flock to Gozo.

While some group tours include the inlet and beach in their schedule, you do not have to worry too much. The tours only stop here for around 20 minutes and many people never even walk all the way down to the pebble beach.

Warning concerning very windy days: Do not enter the water if it looks milky and you can hear the sound of crashing waves. During those times there are bound to be undercurrents that pull the water back towards the open water, which makes entering the water incredibly dangerous. Simply relax at the small beach and enjoy the sound of the waves instead.

Watch out for Divers

These days, Wied Il Ghasri is also popular among divers as the valley is the best access to Cathedral Cave, one of the most spectacular dive sites in Gozo.

Also, do not be surprised if you suddenly see something big and colorful below you while you are swimming here – it is just a diver’s colorful gear. I popped up in the valley at the end of the dive and surprised a swimmer by doing so. The lady had seen my pink fins moving in the water but had no idea what they were, which made for a rather funny short conversation.

Things to Do

Many people visit Wied Il Ghasri to sunbathe and go for a swim, but you should definitely bring snorkeling gear as the inlet is a fantastic place to snorkel. The water is crystal-clear, so you can see plenty of fish in the channel.

If you stay at the surface, you will see most of them under the outcroppings of the cliffs, but if you can dive down while snorkeling, you have the chance to spot much more. The rocks below the surface are overgrown and make for great hiding places where you can find everything from scorpion fish (do not touch them!) to nudibranchs (if you know what to look for).

And on sunny days, you can also see light rays penetrate the water in the slightly deeper water around 100 meters into the inlet.

Make your vacation more eco-friendly: Help protect the environment by using reef-safe sunscreen or do even better by wearing UV-protective clothing. Hereby a stingersuit is the ideal option as the waters around Malta and Gozo are sometimes full of jellyfish.

Getting to Wied Il Ghasri

There are different ways to get to Wied Il Ghasri, but all of them require walking down (and later up) around 100 steps that were carved into the walls of the valley.

Driving to Wied Il Ghasri

The easiest and most flexible way to get to the pebble beach and inlet is by driving there yourself. But if you do so, you should keep in mind that the last parts of the 5.4 km drive from Victoria are on an unsealed road that not all cars will be able to traverse. I recommend renting a car with a higher ground clearance so you do not encounter any issues.

In addition to this, the parking spots on site are limited, so it is advised to arrive in the morning during the summer months.

Getting there by Public Transport

If you want to get there by public transport, you should know that there is no bus stop near it. In fact, the closest bus stop is 1.2 km away in Żebbuġ. If you do not mind the 15 minutes long walk, you can take bus route 309 from Victoria to the ‘Onici‘ bus stop. Wied Il Gharsi is also not included in the hop-on hop-off bus routes.

Hiking there

If you want a real adventure, you can hike to Wied Il Ghasri instead of driving there. Hereby, you can choose between several routes that vary in length and where they will take you. Just keep in mind that it is only recommended to do so from October to May, as the torching heat of summer is not suitable for hiking.

If you prefer a shorter walk but still want a scenic view, you can also walk to Wied Il Ghasri from the Xwejni Salt Pans. The distance is 2 km one-way and it takes around 25 minutes.

Private & Group Tours

If you do not want to explore Gozo on your own, you can also opt for group tours as well as private tours. They are a good option if you do not feel comfortable navigating the island on your own, but also if you want the convenience of a guide.

The following group tour of Gozo includes a stop at Wied Il Ghasri:

Guided Self-Drive Quad Tour from Malta or Gozo (including hotel pick-up) – a guided quad tour that also stops at Xlendi, Dwerja Bay (Blue Hole), Wied Il-Mielah & the Xwenji Salt Pans

Please keep in mind that your time at the individual stops will be limited if you join a group tour. It is not possible to stick around to relax at the pebble beach or to go for a swim in Wied Il Ghasri. If you want more flexibility but want to have a driver, the following private tour is ideal for you:

Private Tour of Gozo (4 hours or full day) – while this private tour for a group of up to 4 people has a suggested itinerary, you can adjust it according to your wishes. I recommend opting for fewer stops than listed on the suggested itinerary so you can actually enjoy the locations you see instead of just rushing from one spot to the next.

Nearby Places to See

Gozo is full of beautiful spots, so of course there are other spots worth a visit nearby. Be sure to check out the following places to see and things to do in Gozo:

Xwejni Salt Pans — There are many historic salt pans all around Gozo, but these ones are still in use. Be sure to stop here to observe the salt harvesting process from May to October and to buy some salt flakes.

Tal-Massar Winery — If you are a wine lover, a wine tasting here is a must. You can do so every Tuesday and Saturday.

Is Wied Il Ghasri worth visiting?

Wied Il Ghasri is undeniably worth a visit as it is one of Gozo’s most picturesque spots. It is a location full of natural beauty above and below the surface and highlights how stunning the nature of Gozo is. Whether you just want to relax at a beach, go for a refreshing swim in the ocean or observe the aquatic life – you cannot go wrong with this inlet.

Do not let the lack of amenities on-site deter you from spending two hours or more here so you can enjoy it to the fullest. This spot still feels rather unspoiled and deserves to be appreciated instead of just serving as an instagrammable spot where you only take a photo before rushing off to the next place.