BBC Calls Comino “Malta’s Paradise Island Turned ‘Hell On Earth’

The BBC has recently highlighted that Malta’s tiny Mediterranean paradise of Comino has long been overrun by tourists.

Concerns over the island’s overcrowding have been growing, with visitors sharing their frustrations in the Facebook group Malta Holiday Experiences.

Once a peaceful retreat, many now describe the island as a “scam,” citing the crowded and disappointing day-trip experience.

One visitor summed up the summer misery: “It’s wonderful at this time of year, but in summer? You couldn’t pay me to go near it. It’s hell on Earth.”

In 2022, local activists Movimenti Graffiti took action, removing deckchairs and sunbeds to protest the commercial exploitation of public space. Their message was clear: Comino should be protected, not plundered.

Malta tour guide Joanne Gatt often hears a familiar complaint from tourists: their visit to the small island falls short of expectations. “Visitors come to Comino hoping for paradise, only to leave disappointed,” she explains. “It’s overcrowded and chaotic. The new cap on visitors should hopefully bring about a positive change.”

In response, Maltese authorities are set to implement a visitor cap this year, reducing the number of daily tour boat trips from 10,000 to 5,000 in an effort to alleviate pressure on the island during peak times.

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