Mgarr Ix-Xini

Mgarr ix-Xini is a narrow rocky inlet on the south coast of Gozo, Malta, between Xlendi and Mgarr harbour. It is a shore diving site reached by climbing down into the small creek, with the dive typically running along the walls out over a reef bottom toward open water, staying within a beginner-friendly depth of around 14 metres. The inlet's steep limestone sides give it a sheltered, canyon-like feel at the entry point, and it is also known as a filming location for scenes in Game of Thrones. Flying gurnard, octopus and seahorses are regularly seen along the walls, and divers have also reported cuttlefish, grouper, lizardfish, moray eels, nudibranchs and stingrays in the area.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Flying gurnardFlying gurnardConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• GrouperGrouperReported here · unconfirmed
• CuttlefishCuttlefishReported here · unconfirmed
• Moray eelMoray eelReported here · unconfirmed
• StingrayStingrayReported here · unconfirmed
• SeahorseSeahorseConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• LizardfishLizardfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Mediterranean DamselfishChromis chromisReported here · unconfirmed
• Atlantic Purple Sea UrchinParacentrotus lividusReported here · unconfirmed
• Painted ComberSerranus scribaReported here · unconfirmed
• Madeira ScorpionfishScorpaena maderensisReported here · unconfirmed
• Mauve StingerPelagia noctilucaReported here · unconfirmed
• Cratena SlugCratena peregrinaReported here · unconfirmed
• OctopusOctopusConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
• Ornate WrasseThalassoma pavoObserved near here · iNaturalist
• European ParrotfishSparisoma cretenseObserved near here · iNaturalist