Coastal Cliffs
Coastal Cliffs is part of the Tentative list of Malta in order to qualify for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
The Coastal Cliffs include large parts of the coastline of the main islands of Malta and Gozo and also the smaller islands of Fifla and Kemmuna and adjacent islets. The cliffs rise to a height of 70 to 130 m above sea level and continue in some places to a depth of 80 m below. Due to their relative inaccessibility, the cliffs are important breeding grounds for seabirds and provide refuges for many endangered species of flora and fauna, including several endemics.
Map of Coastal Cliffs
Load mapThe coordinates shown for all tentative sites were produced as a community effort. They are not official and may change on inscription.
Community Reviews
Caspar Dechmann
Beside the extension of Valletta, that should have been inscribed decades ago, the Coastal Cliffs are certainly the most interesting tentative site of Malta but, as Ralf writes, it needs more precision. Nonetheless, about half of the coast of the two main islands consists of very impressive high cliffs reaching up to 130m above sea level, mainly along the southern coast. These huge cliffs are impressive from every angel: from the boat, from the plane or from various viewpoints and they contribute a lot the Malta’s history as an island fortress. The high cliffs extend often for kilometers and seems hard and undestructable but at their bottom you find everywhere seacaves of various sizes that show that the unrelenting sea over time dissolves even this hard limestone.
The cliffs are not as varied as the inscribed Jurassic coast in southern England but they are equally impressive. Here some of the best places we found: Il-Ħnejja with the blue Grotto. Fantastic is a little hike around Dingli cliff view point with bronze age remains and views in all directions! On Gozo we had unforgettable views from the Ta cenc Cliffs sunset point and from the Cliffs in the extrem NW, especially for sun set.
The nomination of Qawra should really be part of this nomination since it is one of the most spectacular spots of Gozo's coast line. We found spontaneously a man in a boat who took as from the inland sea trough the small opening out on the sea at sun set time! This is also the place of the famous lost Azure window that I hat visited as a kid about 30 years ago and even stood on top of it. When this collapsed a few years ago nothing was left remaining not even the pillar! When we came back from the boat ride it was too dark to explore much more but I got up early the next morning to come back and explore Dwejra Bay with ist fungus rock. I also drove to the Wied il-Mielaħ Window in the north, the smaller but still standing version oft he lost Azure Window.
There is no doubt that the high cliffs are the main natural highlight on the Malta Islands and that they definitely should be protected. And this is even more important as the island are densely populated, new buildings sites everywhere and protection measures seem everything but strict. Nowadays, that minor caves get inscribed all over for an obscure cave flee or a gypsum nobody has ever heard of this should be a easy inscription since it certainly offers endemic species and is so much more attractive for visitors.
And while I think that the high cliffs are the main goal of this nomination the flatter coastlines of the NE-coast are also often highly attractive: Some areas like the NE corner of Malta or the N-coast of Gozo are filled with salt pans. Most of them lie in irregular, handmade shapes directly at the sea and offer endless possibilities to walk around them and take photos. They are certainly not unique to Malta but I haven’t seen them in such numbers anywhere else. They certainly deserve protection and the attention of every visitor.
Tsunami
Japan / USA / Europe - 21-Jun-21 -
Coastal Cliffs: Fifla Islet
On my 4th day in Malta, from Valletta I visited Mdina TWHS and Maltese Catacomb Complexes TWHS and then took the bus 201 from Mdina to the bus stop "Panorama" for Blue Grotto, also stopping at Dingli Cliffs on the way for Malta South West Cliffs TWHS.
I have no idea if Blue Grotto, which is located on the South West coast of Malta, is part of the Malta South West Cliffs TWHS. But it's perhaps one of the more scenic parts of the South West coast of Malta.
From both Dingli Cliffs and Blue Grotto, Fifla Islet, which is one of the 5 components of this nomination, is visible, as you can see above the Blue Grotto in this photo.
When I think about cliffs, I typically remember Cliffs of Moher and equally scary cliffs on the Island of Aran in Ireland (which are not even nominated for WHS), so I was wondering if these cliffs are similar to them, but they weren't. But if I look down from the edge of the cliff on Fifla Islet, I would feel different. At no point of my visit was I able to identify any endangered species.
With the bus 201 you can also visit Megalithic Temples WHS at Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, which are only 1 km away from the Blue Grotto.
From "Panorama" I took the bus 74 back to Valletta.
Staying in Malta for 4 nights was hardly enough to see all the main attractions in Malta. I did not even get to go to Gozo. I might opt for coming back to Malta for a 3-month stay, as I am finding that "living" (or staying just for 3 months) in wherever I go is much more intriguing than just "visiting."
Read more from Tsunami here.
Ralf Regele
This nomination needs more focus. From the description, it is not clear which cliffs and coasts are included and which are not (and why). The super generic name doesn't help either. As it is, the nomination might include the complete coastline of Malta and the neighbouring islands, including the Dwejra area, that is part of another tentative site. I have wandered around the Dingli cliff area (where the location marker seems to be), have visited the Mnajdra temple (whose cliff area is mentioned in the description) and stared intensely at the coastline of Comino (which has its own section in the description). Have I therefore visisted the site ? Who knows. What I can say is that the cliffs are indeed gorgeous to look at and wander around, although the access can be a bit difficult. Bad for the tourists, good for the nature. The most visited area seems to be the cliffs near Dingli (Dwejra excluded - they can't really have nominated it twice). There is a road with bus stops nearby, although parking spaces are very limited. I discovered that the best views cannot be gotten from the bus stop/parking lot near the radar station, but from the rock outlook further south (at the "Zuta" bus stop). There is also a nice hiking path starting there, but no parking space at all.
Although I had a fun time here, I cannot see how this nomination can get a WHS in the current shape. Even the much better defined Dwejra site has a lot of problems with its WHS justification.
Visited in April 2019.
Importance 2/5 Beauty 3/5 Uniqueness 2/5 Environment 4/5 Experience 4/5
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Site Info
- Full Name
- Coastal Cliffs
- Country
- Malta
- Added
- 1998
- Type
- Natural
- Categories
- Natural landscape - Eroded
- Link
- By ID
Site History
1998 Added to Tentative List
Site Links
Locations
The site has 5 locations
Visitors
134 Community Members have visited.