Valletta walking then to Gozo for kayaking

[TBruc]

We would like to walk around Valletta a bit then go to Gozo for kayaking. Is that possible? Anyone know if a tour that would accomplish that or we could take the bus and then ferry to Gozo for kayak? Our ship docks at 8am and leaves at 6. 

[edinburgher]

On 6/2/2024 at 6:56 PM, TBruc said:

Anyone know if a tour that would accomplish that or we could take the bus and then ferry to Gozo for kayak? Our ship docks at 8am and leaves at 6. 

When cruising, no matter which country in the world you are in,  it is usually more sensible to go to the furthest point first and work your way back towards the ship, so I advise you switch your plans around and visit Gozo first and Valletta last.

 

Having said that, the main ferry port on Gozo is at Mgarr and unless they offer kayaking in the harbour (most unlikely) you will need to travel further to wherever the kayaking is. Being a small island there is less public transport, but I do not know about taxis. You would need to research all of that online.

 

I personally think that going to a small island is quite high risk, because for your return to Malta, should a ferry break down or not run for any reason including weather issues, you will be stuck there as there is no other option that I am aware of.

 

Should you decide to take that risk, there used to be fast ferries from Valletta Grand Harbour, not far from where your ship will dock,  to Gozo, and if these still operate, that would be your fastest way to get to Gozo and back as the buses to the Gozo ferry  take longer than you might think to reach the opposite end of Malta and the ferry port.. You could check online.

 

Other members may disagree, but throwing my thoughts your way might help you understand the logistics.

[edinburgher]

On 6/2/2024 at 6:56 PM, TBruc said:

Our ship docks at 8am and leaves at 6. 

Wanting to explain why I wrote the above post and warned you but I ran out of time yesterday. I should also add that we  are almost always independent travellers, only booking a shorex or private tour with others if the itinerary would be too difficult to do independently  or if the destination is too far out of our personal comfort zone.

 

We had visited Valletta a number of times on cruise ships and had been tempted by Gozo but were not convinced we could visit independently within docking time frames  nor was it offered as a shorex, until one time it was offered  as a shorex which we booked.

 

It was to be a full day with lunch in a beach restaurant visiting some sights and free time in the capital Victoria.  We were to leave the ship in Valletta on a privately chartered boat which would take us directly  to Mgarr harbour on Gozo where we would switch to jeeps for a tour of several of the highlights of the island by jeep, including some free time in Victoria, the capital, and return to Valleta once more on the same privately chartered boat.

 

The privately chartered boat didn't arrive in Valletta  and a coach (delay 1)had to be chartered there and then,but this meant driving to the far end of Malta to the public ferry boat dock.(delay2)  The little ferries could not accommodate all of us plus other passengers who wanted to cross, so we were put onto different  ferries a few at a time mixed in with "ordinary" passengers who had  bought tickets and who had been waiting in lines for ferries. (Delay 3..) Finally arrived into Magrr Harbour which was very busy with people already in lines for public buses which thankfully we did not need..  Once all the group had arrived off different ferries, we got into our jeeps and finally set off, but were already almost 2 hours late due to the boat/wait for coach / long drive to ferries/ fiasco on Malta also the ferry numbers issues.

 

This meant that "lunch at a beach restaurant" was reduced to something like 15/20 minutes to eat--one single slice of pizza each. No choice, only tuna which wasn't ideal for everyone, but it made up some of the lost time. Next to be dropped to make up more of the lost time was the  free time in Victoria which we barely glimpsed as we drove fast along the outskirts to get to our next "sight".  

 

The return journey had to be repeated with the group split onto different ferries as there wasn't a private charter boat available. (delay4)  back on Malta there was a coach but again it was a long drive back to the port (delay 5) where we finally arrived  over  2 hours late, having delayed ship departure by an hour or so. Gangway was pulled up as the last of our tour group boarded. Fortunately we were on a shorex and it waited for us.   Neither of us can remember which our next port was, but a delayed departure must have been preferable to moving 50 left behind  passengers on an official shorex from Malta to the next port as getting off islands can be tricky and it may not have happened the same day.  We were all given generous partial refunds of the cost of that shorex which was memorable for all the wrong reasons.   We did actually enjoy what we saw of Gozo, also the ferry trips there and back, but it wasn't how we expected the day to turn out.

 

I hope you have better luck with your own plans.

Edited June 5 by edinburgher

[edinburgher]

were already almost 2 hours late

 

Checked some info and it should have read almost 3 hours late at that point(and we never did find out why the private charter boat which would whizz us to and from Gozo never turned up).

Edited June 5 by edinburgher

[Hlitner]

Edinburgher and I are of the same mind, that when doing independent port days it is wise to go to your most distant point, early in the day, and plan on being back in the area of the port, a few hours early.  That simply philosophy has served us well, during more than 50 years of extensive world cruising with mostly independent port days.

 

Hank

[TBruc]

Ok thank you. There’s a high speed ferry that leaves at 9:45 at gets there at 10:30so that should give us plenty of time for our 8-6 in port. Looking at kayaking with Kayak Gozo which get ls great reviews. 
 

Wow that certainly scares me! We are a group of 26. We booked it but should the ferry schedule no align with what I’ve been told, we’ll cancel. 🙏it all goes well and hopefully we can purchase ferry tickets ahead of time!! Thanks I’ll let you know how it goes. Our trip isn’t until October. 

[edinburgher]

20 hours ago, TBruc said:

Wow that certainly scares me! We are a group of 26. We booked it but should the ferry schedule no align with what I’ve been told, we’ll cancel. 🙏it all goes well and hopefully we can purchase ferry tickets ahead of time!! Thanks I’ll let you know how it goes. Our trip isn’t until October. 

Our biggest delaying issue was at the very beginning,  the lack of the ship chartered private boat, and the time it took to find a replacement coach and driver which was available at the last minute, although we were told that staff had been working on it as soon as they were notified about the lack of the boat. Between that wait, the drive to the ferry port and the splitting of the group onto different ferries, we were 3 hours late by the time we actually arrived on Gozo and only made up one hour along the way. I think you will all like the ferry ride.  It was scenic especially as we passed close to Comino.

 

26 of you is a big number and I hope the fast ferry is large enough to accommodate you all on one crossing. Our ferry boats were small and for foot passengers only although some may now be larger and hold vehicles.

 

And yes, do please post about how it all went as there is very little about Gozo on CC and others may be tempted to go there, not necessarilly to kayak, but simply to visit.  The fast ferries from Valletta should make all the difference to your timings rather than the bus/ferry combo you initially mentioned.