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Ghadira, located in Mellieha Bay is the biggest stretch of sand on the Maltese islands. Although Malta and Gozo do not have the big beaches other countries have, its beaches are very picturesque and the water is as beautiful and as clear as any found in the Carribean. "Ghadira", which means lake in Maltese, gets its name from a msall marsh located inland from the beach. This area has now been turned into a bird sanctuary.

Mellieha Bay forms part of a valley with the town of Mellieha located high on the hills on the East side and the "Rdum il-Hmar" on the West side. The beach occupies the whole south end where the land meets the sea. The sand is fine and whitish. It's a great beach for children since the water is quite shallow and one has to walk quite a bit away from the beach before reaching any depth. This is the most popular beach in Malta so expect to find large crowds in the height of the summer. The beach is usually dotted with colourful beach umbrellas. Lidos located along the beach rent umbrellas and beach chairs at reasonable prices.

The countryside around the valley can be quite pleasant for walks when the sun isn't high overhead. There are some very interesting sights in the vicinity, including "it-Torri L-Ahmar" (a reddish looking tower) built during the time of the Knights of Malta and a cave dwelling located in the face of a cliff on the way to the town of Mellieha. Other areas of interest close by include Anchor Bay, only a mile to the south of Mellieha Bay. One can still find the film set of the movie Popeye at this small but charming bay. It's open to the public and you can wonder around "Popeye Village." It's great for pictures, especially if you have little children.

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