How to Be a Respectful Tourist in Malta
Malta's economy depends heavily on tourism, and the vast majority of visitors are genuinely decent people who want to enjoy a holiday without causing problems. But over recent years, local media and Maltese residents have become increasingly vocal about a minority of tourists whose behaviour — from late-night noise to rubbish at the Blue Lagoon — makes daily life harder for the people who actually live here year-round.
Most visitors who behave badly aren't intentionally disrespectful. They just haven't been told the local norms. This guide distils what Maltese people themselves say — in Reddit threads, local news comment sections, and everyday conversations — about what they genuinely appreciate from tourists, and what really gets under their skin.
Quick Dos and Don'ts for Malta
Do:
- Dress like you would in any normal European town when you leave the beach
- Keep noise down in residential streets and buildings at night
- Use bins at beaches, coastal paths and in towns; take rubbish with you if bins are full
- Say please and thank you — in English, or try Maltese (grazzi goes a long way)
- Move aside for processions, follow instructions from police and event organisers at festas
Don't:
- Walk through towns, into shops, or onto buses in a bikini, swim shorts or shirtless
- Use your Airbnb, balcony or roof terrace as a party venue at 2–4am
- Pee in the street, shout drunk in residential alleys, or leave bottles and cups on pavements and window ledges
- Block pavements with a slow four-person-wide group while locals try to get past
- Leave rubbish — including cigarette butts — on beaches, cliffs or at beauty spots
