Xwejni Bay, Marsalforn

You get two things on one short shore walk from Marsalforn: a pebbly cove to swim from, and rock-cut salt pans just beyond it on Gozo's north coast.

Beach, Marsalforn. Meridian Dispatch.

Best time

Year-roundHarvest in summer

Effort

Short shore walkLonger hike optional

Access

Walk or driveVia Marsalforn or Żebbuġ

Guide

Not neededShore walk, no tour needed

By bus

Which bus goes to Xwejni Bay from Victoria?

Bus 310 runs from Victoria to Xwejni in about 20 minutes, and the bay is then a 10-minute walk. From Mġarr Harbour, route 322 runs to Marsalforn, much more often from May to September.

Swimming

Is Xwejni Bay good for swimming?

Yes. Xwejni and Qbajjar are both swimming zones with clear blue water over small beaches. Xwejni is quieter and rockier than Marsalforn's main beach, with boulders around shallow pools.

Age of the pans

How old are the Xwejni salt pans?

Their age is disputed. Gozo's government album dates some of the pans beyond Xwejni to Roman times, while one traveller's account puts them at about 350 years. Seawater is still turned into salt in these pans, hewn out of the limestone.

Harvest

When is salt harvested at Xwejni?

In summer, during the working salt harvest, which visitors can watch from the shore path. The rock-cut pans themselves can be seen all year round.

Entry fee

Is there an entry fee for the Xwejni salt pans?

One travel guide lists the salt pans as free to enter and open 24 hours. They sit on the open coast, with a shore walk leading there from Marsalforn.

Walking on pans

Can visitors walk on the Xwejni salt pans?

No. Visitors are advised not to walk directly on the salt pans, so the basins are not damaged. The shore path runs alongside them, which gives a clear view of the pans from the edge.

What makes it special

Xwejni and its neighbour Qbajjar are two shallow bays right next to each other, each with a small pebbly beach. Rocky stretches run down into blue water, and at Xwejni large boulders surround shallow pools.

The bays are famous for the salt pans beyond the cove, on the limestone shelf above the sea. They are rectangular pools cut into the rock, and they run along the north coast for up to 3 km. The seawater in them is used to make salt by a method centuries old, and the pans are still worked.

On the promontory between Qbajjar and Xwejni stands the 18th-century Qolla l-Bajda Battery. It is one of the few coastal fortifications left on Gozo.

Visiting

Start in Marsalforn and follow the water's edge to Qbajjar, then carry on to Xwejni. Between the bays you pass the Qolla l-Bajda Battery. Swim at Xwejni before going further.

After the swim, keep going along the shore to the salt pans. You can stroll beside them, watch the harvest in summer and read the few information boards on site.

Turn back the way you came and finish on Marsalforn's seaside promenade, which has food and drinks. With a car you can drive right up to the pans, park near the coast and start there, then work back along the two bays.

Tips

The shore around the pans is exposed and very hot in summer, so avoid the middle of the day. The pans are also a good spot to watch the sunset. A kiosk near the bay sells cold beer and pizza for after your swim.

For a longer outing, the coast walk from Marsalforn to Wied il-Għasri takes about an hour. Past the pans it reaches Reqqa Point Scenic Spot.

Know before you goOne travel guide says the small shop at the salt pans may be closed at times, so do not count on it.