‘The saw’
Munxar is an old Maltese word for a saw, fitting the sharp headland beyond St Thomas Bay.
Malta · Kayaking
Munxar & Ħofriet
Munxar & Ħofriet
From St Thomas Bay to St Peter’s Pool
Caves, windows and two coves
A south-east coast paddle where the landmarks keep changing: cave, arch, open headland, twin coves and a final natural pool.
This loop leaves St Thomas Bay for Munxar Window, Irsejjen Cave and the open coast before reaching the Ħofriet.
The Wikiloc loop is 9.93 km, passing Munxar, the two Ħofriet and St Peter’s Pool. Distance is manageable, but wind, swell and cliff rebound determine the real difficulty.
Current navigation notice · 7 September 2026
Transport Malta currently restricts areas around Munxar Window and Il-Munxar because of falling-rock danger. Stay outside the marked zones and view the window from offshore. Read the notice.
Kayak profile
- Final stop
- St Peter’s Pool
- Distance
- 9.93 km recorded loop · 6.17 mi
- Time
- Allow a half day · Wikiloc does not list a recorded duration
- Difficulty
- Moderate · recorded Wikiloc rating
- Exposure
- Sheltered bay → open limestone coast → coves → return
- Key stops
- Munxar Window · Irsejjen Cave · Ħofriet · St Peter’s Pool
- Best conditions
- Light wind · low swell · good visibility
Place names
The coast is written into the names
Some of the route’s names describe the shape of the land almost literally; others are less certain.
Literally, ‘the holes’
Ħofriet, plural of ħofra (hole or pit), refers here to Ħofra l-Kbira and Ħofra ż-Żgħira.
‘Rabbit Point’
Ras means head or headland and fenek means rabbit: the narrow point dividing the two Ħofriet.
A natural pool in the rock
The rounded inlet and flat limestone shelves explain the ‘Pool’; the origin of ‘Peter’ is less certain.
The route
From St Thomas Bay into the carved south-east coast
The route below follows the main waypoints. Keep clear of caves, arches or cliffs whenever notices, rockfall or sea state make them unsafe.
St Thomas → Munxar → Irsejjen → Ħofriet → St Peter’s → Back
Recorded loop · 9.93 km
01
LaunchSt Thomas Bay
02
WindowMunxar Window
03
CaveIrsejjen Cave
04
CoveĦofra l-Kbira
05
HeadlandRas il-Fenek
06
CoveĦofra ż-Żgħira
07
PoolSt Peter’s Pool
Wikiloc marks the trail as hand-drawn. Use it for orientation alongside live conditions and local notices.
From shelter to the first big landmark
Launch from St Thomas Bay and follow the coast towards Il-Munxar. Keep outside the current restricted area around the window.
A cave stop after the window
Continue beyond Munxar towards Irsejjen Cave, approaching only when the sea is calm and the entrance is free of surge and traffic.
The open middle section
Leave the cave and continue along the exposed limestone coast towards the first of the two Ħofriet.
Round the headland between the coves
Cross Ħofra l-Kbira, round Ras il-Fenek and enter Ħofra ż-Żgħira before reassessing conditions for the final leg.
The final stop before the return
Continue towards St Peter’s Pool, giving swimmers and boats plenty of room around the inlet.
Leave enough in reserve for the whole way home
The return completes the roughly 10 km loop. Recheck wind, swell and daylight before heading back.
Route logic
The Wikiloc line is hand-drawn, so use it for orientation rather than exact navigation.
Why the coast looks like this
Soft limestone, hard edges
Globigerina Limestone dominates this coast, where erosion has carved platforms, caves, windows and rounded coves.
The pale rock beneath the route
Soft, fine-grained Globigerina Limestone helps create the smoother, lower shoreline seen across south-east Malta.
The sea finds the weak line
Waves exploit joints and softer layers, gradually forming notches, caves and arches such as Munxar Window.
The coast folds inward
Ħofra l-Kbira and Ħofra ż-Żgħira are divided by Ras il-Fenek, creating a sheltered break in an otherwise open coast.
Rockfall matters
That erosion also creates rockfall risk. Transport Malta’s September 2026 notice names restricted areas around Munxar Window and Il-Munxar.
Practical guide
Plan the coast, not just the kilometres
The 9.93 km distance is only part of the challenge: exposure, wind, traffic and restricted zones matter more.
Choose a topic
Plan 01
Launch & route
St Thomas Bay keeps the start and finish simple.
Loop · 9.93 km
- Launch from a clear section of St Thomas Bay without obstructing swimmers or boats.
- The Wikiloc line is hand-drawn; use it as route context rather than exact turn-by-turn navigation.
- Keep outside the Munxar restricted areas and do not pass beneath the window.
- Use St Peter’s Pool as the final major stop before returning to St Thomas Bay.
Plan 02
Sea conditions
The bay can look calmer than the coast outside it.
Check wind + swell
- Do not judge the whole route from the sheltered water inside St Thomas Bay.
- Expect more wind and reflected chop around open headlands and beneath hard cliff faces.
- Stay away from cave mouths and overhangs if there is surge, rebound, recent rockfall or poor boat control.
- Give motorboats room and avoid lingering in channels or around busy swimming coves.
A landmark does not need to be passed beneath to be worth seeing. On this coast, safe distance is part of the route.
Plan 03
When to go
Calm water beats a fixed calendar date.
Early start
- Start early enough to keep a generous daylight margin for the return.
- Summer offers warm water but also strong sun, busy swimming spots and more leisure-boat traffic.
- Spring and autumn can be excellent when wind and swell are settled.
- Turn early if conditions deteriorate; the GPX distance is not a target.
Plan 04
What to bring
Enough for a half-day coast paddle.
Water-ready kit
- Properly fitted buoyancy aid or life jacket and a kayak appropriate for open coastal water.
- Water, sun protection and footwear suitable for wet limestone.
- Dry bag or waterproof phone case secured to the kayak, plus an offline route or downloaded GPX.
- Carry a whistle, basic first-aid kit and a reliable means of communication.
- Mask and snorkel only if conditions and traffic make a stop genuinely safe.
Photo log
The route in photographs
From St Thomas Bay to Munxar Window, Irsejjen Cave, the two Ħofriet and St Peter’s Pool.
Video log
The route in motion
The same route sequence, from Munxar Window through the cave and Ħofriet to St Peter’s Pool.
Munxar WindowGoing under Munxar Window
Munxar WindowThe bay facing the window
Irsejjen CaveSea cave entrance
Irsejjen CaveGoing inside the sea cave
Ħofra l-KbiraEntering Ħofra l-Kbira
Ħofra l-KbiraSnorkelling in the cove
Ras il-FenekApproaching Ras il-Fenek
Ras il-FenekRas il-Fenek from Ħofra ż-Żgħira
Ħofra ż-ŻgħiraThe bay at Ħofra ż-Żgħira
Ħofra ż-ŻgħiraFrom the southern tip
St Peter’s PoolNear St Peter’s Pool
From the kayak
The window gets the photo. The coves make the route.
The appeal is the progression: sheltered St Thomas Bay, Irsejjen Cave, dramatic Munxar and then the open coast folding into the Ħofriet.
St Peter’s Pool marks the turn home. It is a substantial outing without being an expedition, but wind, rebound, rockfall and boat traffic can quickly change the plan.
Route context & further reading
The recorded line, current navigation restriction, local kayak context and Malta’s geological background.