The NIght Bus to Malta
Be sure to check out the slide show below.
Malta has these great, open-topped buses that tourist can use to explore the region. Press the stop button to get off the bus at any time; flag the bus down when you are ready to get back on. The concept is great and it is one that could work for those who want to do more than just sightsee while enjoying the Maltese sun. Of course, if that is all a visitor wants to do, the buses work for that as well. These buses tend to run during the day but can be booked for night tours as well.
Because our group consisted of university students, I cannot give anyone a good sense of what his or her vacation experience will be like with one of these buses. What I can say is that anyone who tales one of these buses and pays attention will begin to understand just how tiny Malta really is.
For me, that realization came when we stopped at Birgu and walked down to the end of the dock. Just across the harbor was Valletta. A destination that would take about an hour to get to by public transportation was within swimming distance (for someone other than me but still). I had visited Birgu, but the lower profile of public transportation, the incessant stopping at every other bus stop, and the strange detours that seem to edge away from the final destination only to be pulled back on course make it seem like endless miles of cityscape. Being able to put Valletta into place on the map in my head with Birgu is invaluable.
The bus is probably the only way I will actually see Paceville by night. Paceville (pronounced “Pa-chay-ville”) is the party capitol of Malta. It is also the only way that I would have discovered the dock where all the rich people have their boats. These boats are mansions on the water. They are huge, luxurious and completely over the top.
The rest of the trip took us through various towns, but the highlight was clearly the opportunity for students to hang out with each other in a new setting with the bonuses of getting some information and being able to orient just a little better to Malta.
One caution: If you do decide to take one of these buses, be on the lookout for branches. “That tree just slapped me” may have been the funniest thing I heard all night.
Malta has these great, open-topped buses that tourist can use to explore the region. Press the stop button to get off the bus at any time; flag the bus down when you are ready to get back on. The concept is great and it is one that could work for those who want to do more than just sightsee while enjoying the Maltese sun. Of course, if that is all a visitor wants to do, the buses work for that as well. These buses tend to run during the day but can be booked for night tours as well.
Because our group consisted of university students, I cannot give anyone a good sense of what his or her vacation experience will be like with one of these buses. What I can say is that anyone who tales one of these buses and pays attention will begin to understand just how tiny Malta really is.
For me, that realization came when we stopped at Birgu and walked down to the end of the dock. Just across the harbor was Valletta. A destination that would take about an hour to get to by public transportation was within swimming distance (for someone other than me but still). I had visited Birgu, but the lower profile of public transportation, the incessant stopping at every other bus stop, and the strange detours that seem to edge away from the final destination only to be pulled back on course make it seem like endless miles of cityscape. Being able to put Valletta into place on the map in my head with Birgu is invaluable.
The bus is probably the only way I will actually see Paceville by night. Paceville (pronounced “Pa-chay-ville”) is the party capitol of Malta. It is also the only way that I would have discovered the dock where all the rich people have their boats. These boats are mansions on the water. They are huge, luxurious and completely over the top.
The rest of the trip took us through various towns, but the highlight was clearly the opportunity for students to hang out with each other in a new setting with the bonuses of getting some information and being able to orient just a little better to Malta.
One caution: If you do decide to take one of these buses, be on the lookout for branches. “That tree just slapped me” may have been the funniest thing I heard all night.