The Inland Sea is one of Gozo’s most scenic, most visited tourist attractions, a natural sea water pool with a deep, narrow, 80 metre long tunnel through the cliff leading to the open sea. White pebbles form a semi-circular beach surrounded by boathouses, one of which was conveniently turned into a café. Small boats whizz tourists out of the tunnel on sightseeing trips to the caves and the cliffs near to where the Azure window once stood. The sea is deep and most recreational divers dive on the wall far from the seabed. The Inland Sea’s easy shore access and sheer depth make it perfect for deeper dives. Experienced first level divers who have mastered their buoyancy can also dive high on the Inland Sea walls without exceeding their depth limits.
The Inland Sea is at Dwejra on Gozo’s west coast next to the equally famous Blue Hole, a 20 minute drive from our dive shop in Xlendi. Access to the Inland Sea is from the shore. Dive trucks park close to the water’s edge making this one of the dives with easiest access on Gozo. Caution though is required as divers walk into the Inland Sea near a very slippery slipway and onto a bed of uneven pebbles.
Divers walk into the Inland Sea but usually surface swim to the tunnel entrance before starting the dive. They first descend onto a rock at 5 metres, then onto another at 9 and another at 15 metres. The white pebble bottom in the tunnel is at 26 metres but most head out towards the open sea in mid water. The tunnel is initially dark and many dive with a torch. The exit is visible from a distance, a spectacular rectangular column of translucent deep indigo blue water sandwiched between the steep Inland Sea walls a few metres apart. The view of the tunnel exit is an unforgettable one and for many the highlight of this dive.
On exiting the Inland Sea tunnel, divers may choose to follow the wall on the left hand side towards the Blue Hole or to the right towards Ta’ Barba cavern. The walls are full of vertical and horizontal fissures that can be explored at different depths. Marine life is abundant. The steep walls are alive with colourful Sponges, Anemones, Corallites, Nudibranchs and Fire worms. Dentex and Amberjacks can often be seen hunting up and down on the walls.
Divers usually turn back towards the Inland Sea and make the return journey at shallower depth before entering the tunnel and getting progressively shallower while exploring the walls in the tunnel and the biodiversity on them. The safety stop is usually done on the 5 metre platform near the exit of the tunnel. Divers are urged to surface on the sides of the tunnel and make themselves visible to the boat men whizzing tourists in and out of the Inland Sea.
Thank you for contacting us.
One of our Staff will get back to you as soon as possible.
