Mrs Kelly- Sounds like you should have asked a few questions on here before booking. I feel so sad when people who have worked hard to save for a holiday, are disappointed with their choice.

Especially as it's not that bad.
We are currently staying in Qawra/Bugibba and have experienced none of the above at all! You can't blame a place if there are stray cats everywhere (in fact I've only see 2) Yes, there are no beaches as such, but you can get access to the sea from the rocks quite easily. Proper sandy beaches are fairly close by and the buses are soooo cheap it's no bother getting to the sandy ones.
Dog poo is down to the owners, you can't blame a place for that, there are plenty of poo bins available just the same as in the UK.

As Helen T said, shame more questions weren't asked. I saved myself from staying somewhere unsuitable for us by asking loads of questions on here for which I am eternally grateful for !

I thought most people were aware that Bugibba had only a few sandy beaches. Obviously someone that did not do any homework at all before booking. I'm not sure if you have just returned from there but perhaps the height of season is not the best time to visit a hot country. Malta can be quite dusty at times - we usually visit in January/February which is lovely.

With regard to the run down buildings I think that is part of Malta's attraction. They probably aren't as delapidated as they look - just a different style of building. True, there are some hotels that have closed and are gradually being knocked down but it does take a little time to re-build again.

My Mum (aged 83) who loves history adores Malta and goes every year. She stays in Bugibba - primarily because she can get anywhere by bus from there and also because just a short walk from the hotel is a lovely promenade where you can walk all the way round to St Paul's Bay.

We have been to Malta 6 times and stayed several times at the Coastline in Salina Bay - sadly now going over to Saga only from September. Like most people I have my preferences as to where I stay and prefer to be in a quiet location like the Coastline rather than in the centre of Bugibba or Qawra but I still like to have a walk round there on occasions. Valetta is beautiful - both in the centre and round the walls - lovely views all the way round.

Pippa

I have to say that we fully agree with Mrs Kelly on this, we have been to wonderfull Malta nearly 30 times now, and while the rest of the island is fab especially the real Malta, Qawra / Bugibba is a really dismal looking dump of a place and seems to get worse every time we have the misfortune to pass through it, Malta and Ghawdex are great ! in fact there is no where better, but I honestly believe that if Qawra / Bugibba is ones first taste of Malta then it could be enough to put some people off the islands for good.

well said gillymiff

Bugibba /Qawra is indeed not that bad, much of it is not a tourist area but a residential area and as such has many things like cats, dogs & litter (much of it caused by inconsiderate tourists), the same as all destinations and countries in the world including the UK.

Run down buildings

As for many of the buildings being run down, a lot of this area is a residential area and as such these are mainly peoples houses who don't have the financial means to repair our maintain their homes to a high standard, but what they lack on the outside they will more than make up for in the inside with family values, hospitality and kindness that is very much in the way of the Maltese nature.

Sub standard bars / restaurants........Toilets in bars/restaurants dirty and smelly.

Again this is not a situation unique to Bugibba, every resort will have some facilities that do not come up to your expectations, bars & restaurants in Bugibba are NO different from what you will find in any holiday destination.

It is relatively easy in this day and age to go online and ask a few questions, get reviews and view pictures and videos of area's you want to visit, if you had done so you would have found out, the well known fact, that the majority of bathing is done from the rocks, as there are no major beaches except those mainly in the north of the island.
As gillymiff said the busses are so cheap and reliable it is easy to get to beaches like Golden Bay, Mellieha, Paradise Bay etc or even go further a field and visit the Lovely Gozo and their many beaches including Ramla Bay, Marsalforn, Xlendi.


An important lesson learned for the future, a bit of homework first !

Ps there IS a lovely small relatively unknow natural sandy beach in the Bugibba area

everything you say, in my eyes, is atleast partially true, Mrs K

No Beach - almost
Dirty Sea water (littered with rubbish) - yes
Dog poo all over pavements. - yes - even if owners fault not the places, its still there
Sub standard bars / restaurants - partially
Timeshare people on every corner - big problem
Run down buildings - yes
Toilets in bars/restaurants dirty and smelly - often
stray cats everywhere - partially

next time come to Gozo...

excellnt beaches
sea water generally great
little dog poo
great bars/rest
no timeshare (I've not seen one in 6 years)
run down buildings - as long as you avaoid Marsalforn, generally no
toilets - generally OK
stray cats - under control thanks to Gozo SPCA's neutering campaign...

Have to agree about the timeshare touts, they have driven us mad, both in Bugibba Square, by the Bus Station in Qawra plus all along the front in Sliema. Just have to be firm and try to be polite!! Although it is difficult sometimes.....

Guess you will always find some people will love one area while others will slate it. Difference of opinion is what makes the world go round.

Thanks for the replies.
I did do a bit of homework and some people like the people who have posted on hear saying what a great place it is probabily influenced me to go. I know its all about opinion but please........ some of the stuff sticking up for Buggibba is embarassing.

Why should i get on a non airconditioned packed bus in 120 d heat for 20 minutes to get to a beach? Im on holiday for gods sake. yes you can dive off the rocks and even sun bath off them if you want. But these are very rocky and slippery and in my opinion very dangerous for anyone over 50, thats for sure (not to mention very uncomfortable).

If not having a dig at Malta just Buggibba as its a reel dump as the majority are agreeing with. For those who love Buggibba you must lead a very sheltered holiday destination life as there really are so many many many better/cleaner/nicer places to visit in this big wide world.

I think everyone should remember that "one mans meat is another mans poison", and please respect that.

Kath x

For those who love Buggibba you must lead a very sheltered holiday destination life as there really are so many many many better/cleaner/nicer places to visit in this big wide world

NO, I am not the one that leads a sheltered holiday destination life, quite the opposite in fact, and it is for that very reason I can see that Bugibba is NOT that bad.

To list some of the places I have visited in this big wide world so far -

Malta
France (various locations)
Norway
Bulgaria (various locations)
Egypt (Various locations)
Jamaica
America (various locations)
Mexico
Greece (numerous locations)
Cuba
Spain (numerous locations)
Tunisia
Venezuela

and many more.

While you may not have enjoyed Bugibba it is certainly nowhere near as bad as the picture you have painted, there is a lot worse out in this big wide world and I have seen a lot of them during my travels.

Well Graham, would you honestly hand on heart recommend Bugibba to a friend who is looking for:
Fine restaurants
A clean litter free place
A nice beach
Clean sea
and...... a general upmarket smart resort????

Fine restaurants
A clean litter free place
A nice beach
Clean sea
and...... a general upmarket smart resort

Going by your criteria above, probably not, but then again Bugibba has at no time (as far as I am aware) ever been portrayed as that style of (Spanish) resort.

Any reviews I have ever seen, mention that it is very much a 'touristy' area, certainly never seen it mentioned anywhere as 'a general upmarket smart resort'.
If you have seen it described somewhere as ' a general up market smart resort' that is a misleading review, and the majority of other reviews not only here on HT but other reviews sites do give a good idea of what style of resort Bugibba / Qawra is and what type of facilities there are.

I am sorry, I might be missing the point but I still don't see how you can complain about the lack of a beach, you said you done your homework and checked the area ! the one thing that is nearly always mentioned is that the bathing is done from the rocks in Bugibba due to the lack of a beach.
Not unique to Bugibba / Qawra but a lot of Malta in General.

Litter is a universal problem which is generally much worse in tourist areas (sadly many tourists dump everything behind them) and when you have a mix of what is actually a vast amount of local residents and housing in the area, a vast influx of tourists and all the associated businesses to supply and maintain and service this sector, some rubbish will be evident.
The Maltese government and local authorities are working towards making vast improvements in the management of waste and rubbish, in fact there have been 300 fines handed out in the last 2 weeks in a major crackdown by police, wardens and MEPA, and there will be new bins and collections and many more incentives introduced to try and remove what is a problem for the whole island.

The rubbish problem is not really any different to any other country that is perhaps still developing it's tourist industry, and the rubbish in Bugabba & Qawara is cleaned regularly by local council workers.
The vast characterless resorts of countries such as Spain have much greater wealth and financial resources to help them maintain their infrastructure, however I am sure you will see many changes over the next few years now that Malta is in the EU, just as I have seen huge changes in the last 17 years since I first went to Malta.

The whole area over the last few years has had a lot of money poured in to it to improve the general look and feel of it. New promenade and square, new lighting and tree planting etc, a lot more is also planned with pedestrian projects being piloted, and to help with improvements in the area the MTA (Malta Tourism Authority) has submitted to the government a number of projects for E.U. funding.

Watch this space as far as Bugibba & Qawra is concerned

Hello all,
I have to agree with Graham here about doing your home work but I also agree that Bugibba is a dump of the highest order.
I have put before about this problem, why do they have to build a resort in an area with no beach, its the same in Slliema hotels dotted here there and everwere, both Bugibba and Sliema are town's first and resorts second both have pavments full of holes for us tourist to fall down, no proper beach and more dog pooo than most people want to see.
In the north of the Island there are some very good beaches and no development say for a few hotels with nothing round them, just take take St George's Bay lots of nice hotels, even a man made beach but the big draw back, you have to pay to go on it
I have always thought of Malta as a place to visit for its wealth of history, fine Baroque buildings and all those Fortifcations, never have I gone there thinking it is going to be like Majorca thats why I go to Majorca for a bit of sun, sea and sand along with a few beers.
So I say go to Malta have a good time but use it for what it is, I think this is why so many people never go back or can't keep away as Sliema2 used to say.
Dave

We usually get off in Malta and head straight to Gozo..but that said, the last time we went to Bugibba it was a little grotty to say the least but it has been painted as the armpit of the universe. Malta is one of those places you love or you hate. Anyone who has researched Malta thoroughly will know about the lack of beaches, the run down appearance of the buildings and the hotel standards. They will also know about the history and the culture of the place and should be able to into it with their eyes wide open if fully armed with the facts.

If you had done your homework properly Mrs Kelly then you would have seen that Bugibba does NOT advertise itself as a general upmarket smart resort or as having a beach. With the exception of a few places Malta itself is not an upmarket smart resort - but that to many is the attraction - it has character and bags of history. It is not the clinical purpose built tourist resort with no heart that you find in a lot of areas of the Med.

The fact that you did not think you should have to use a non air conditioned bus in 120 degree temperatures to get to a beach is your problem. You could have hired a car instead and got there a little quicker and in more comfort. A lot of people are attracted to Malta by the buses - quite a lot of them old relics of England. Also, if you had done your homework you would have realised that it would be very, very hot at certain times of year - that in itself can make things like rubbish and mess seem worse than if it were cooler.

My advice to you is check out future destinations carefully and thoroughly - then perhaps you won't be so dissapointed.

Pippa

Seems to me that this topic is in danger of becoming about Malta and not Bugibba, someone has already said that ridiculous urban myth that I refuse to repeat, I will say this though, Bugibba / Qawra is not the real Malta and for that matter neither to a large extent is Sliema although much nicer, the real Malta is the villages like Siggiewi, Qrendi, Zurrieq, Mqabba, Ghaxaq, Zejtun,Dingli, Mgarr etc etc etc etc, also the real Malta is it's great culture and history, the real Malta can to a large extent to be found in Valletta and to a larger extent the Cottonera, so my advice if people really want the real deal is to get out and explore, leave the resorts behind in the day and just use em for a few beers and a meal in the evening, we rarely even stay in Sliema much these days and when we do we go out of resort in the evenings to be with the locals, a lot these days we stay in the country as we get much more out of our holidays that way.

I think everyone has had their say now and we are in danger of things getting personal and out of hand, so I am going to close this topic now.

Sarah