The Mediterranean archipelago of Malta was awarded the 2026 Best Cave/Cavern/Grotto in Scuba Diving Magazine’s Readers Choice Award. The awards were presented in a special ceremony at the DEMA Show in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, November 11, 2026. Malta Received Eight Awards/ Diving Recognitions for Underwater Wonders and Commitment to Conscious Ocean Exploration. Accepting the awards on behalf of VisitMalta was Emily Hartwig, Public Relations Representative at The Bradford Group, representing Michelle Buttigieg, North America Representative for the Malta Tourism Authority, and Francesca Vincenti, who leads the Authority’s diving segment.
Malta, Gozo and Comino may be small in size, but beneath the waters lies a vast underwater world to explore for divers of all levels. With visibility reaching 30 meters, divers experience spectacular underwater landscapes of arches, caves, tunnels and wrecks that make the Maltese archipelago one of the most sought-after diving destinations.
Malta won a total of eight awards including:
- 1st Place – Best Cave/Cavern/Grotto
- 2nd Place – Wreck Diving
- 2nd Place – Shore Diving
- One of the Best – Best Value
- One of the Best – Best Overall
- One of the Best – Beginner Diving
- One of the Best – Advanced Diving
- One of the Best – Wall Diving
Whether taking a first open water dive or being a technical diver, Malta provides world-class instruction, support, and facilities with over 60 licensed dive centers across the islands.
Francesca Vincenti leading the Diving Segment of Malta Tourism Authority shared “These awards celebrate not only our remarkable underwater environment but also the dedicated diving community, from the professional schools to the instructors themselves, the conservationists and experts who are working tirelessly to create opportunities for marine life to thrive in our Marine Park and around our wrecks, to those who uphold Malta’s reputation for safety, sustainability and excellence in all that they do”
Aside from uncovering the mysteries that lay below the surface, on land, Malta is an open-air museum with over 8,000 years of history etched in every stone, an incredible culture, to-die for gastronomy, and three UNESCO World Heritage sites to explore.
Francesa added “To all divers who have explored our waters and to those yet to discover them — thank you for making Malta your underwater destination and second home. We invite you to keep diving, keep exploring and to keep discovering the magic that lies beneath the surface of the historical Maltese Islands.”
