For people who have been before, it comes as no surprise that Malta has been voted the third best diving destination. According to Diver Magazine, only Egypt and the Maldives rate higher than Malta when it comes to diving locations. Visitors often argue that Malta is better for diving, however, because it has better visibility.

Nearly 50 miles off the coast of Sicily, Malta is the perfect place for underwater dives. The locals offer diving programmes for all skill levels. Dive sites with a gradual slope are best for beginners, while deeper dives sites require more experience and training. The really adventurous can choose a nighttime dive for a unique view of marine life.

Malta and Gozo not only have rocky reefs, marine life and ship wrecks - they also have maritime history. People prefer to dive in these areas because of the crystal clear waters that provide amazing visibility. The calm, unpolluted waters allow divers to take in the marine life, a wide variety of flora and flauna, cliffs, caves, arches, rocks, sand, colours, shipwrecks and more.

Dive Sites in Malta Northern Malta and Mellieha, a village on the northern coast of the island, offer plenty of interesting dive sites. Cirkewwa is a site where a cavern collapsed, leaving an arch formation. Divers enjoy the arches and caves and the steep drop from eight to 30 meters.

Ahrax Point, on the north eastern point of Malta, is a three to 10-meter drop with an underground entrance to a large cave and tunnels. It is a good starting point to reach the larger dive sites.

Qawra Point is on the southern tip of St. Paul's Bay. This C-shaped cave reaches metres deep. This site has fewer tourists and is ideal for boat diving. It has plateaus, ship wrecks and arches.

Anchor Bay has a gradual slope up to 25 meters with a series of large rocks arranged in formations divers can swim through. It is known for its cliffs, the scorpion cave and the presence of eel, grouper and parrotfish.

Southern Malta has its share of intriguing dive spots too. Zurrieq is popular with holidaymakers. It has a small slope that follows along with the valley. The bottom reaches 30 meters. It is well-known for the Em el Faroud ship wreck. The boat exploded and sank in 1998. Now it is home to squid, barracudas and many schools of fish. This dive site is recommended for more advanced divers.

Ghar Lapsi is a better starting point for beginning divers because it has a shallow point of entry and only goes to 15-20 meters. HMS Maori-Valletta is also 15 meters, but it is situated below Fort St. Elmo. The wreckage is covered in tube worms and weeds. However, this particular ship is easy for divers to enter and exit.

Diving in Gozo Though it isn't as popular with holidaymakers, Gozo is home to some famous dive sites, including Dwerja Point at Fungus Rock and the Blue Hole. These diving sites offer stunning colour, the best visibility, interesting overhangs, small crevices, ship wrecks, small and large caves, rocks, arches, coral and marine life.

The nice thing about diving in Malta or Gozo is that you can plan a holiday around the adventure. There are some great Malta hotels close to good beaches and they provide a great atmosphere for a relaxing trip. One thing is for sure - a Malta dive holiday is a great way to spend your time off and create lasting memories for years to come.