Afternoon Trek to Ghar Hanex Window

Hello there! Before I even start I would like to apologize as I don’t know if I got the name of the window / natural arch right. I did some research and the only thing I could find was a reference on Google Maps to Ghar Hanex, which should be a natural preserve just next to it. My apologies, but at the end of the day, the main point of this photo blog is to share with you another tip for (not only) a weekend trip and show you how to get there. 🙂

I drove and parked in front of the Hagar Qim Temples. If you’ve never been here before, you should definitely start by visiting Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples first. Both of them are UNESCO Heritage Sites and must-sees when in Malta.

For those who have been here before, you can recognize the entrance to Hagar Qim. This time I’m going to pass the temples by taking the path on the left, which is clearly visible on the picture above. No entrance fee is needed as we bypass the temples.

It is only a few minute walk to get around Hagar Qim and you will be back on the main path towards Mnajdra Temples.

Once you reach this crossroad you need to take left and go towards the Congreve Memorial. For those who are interested, the memorial is dedicated to Sir Walter Congreve (1862 – 1927), who served as the governor of Malta between 1924 – 1927. At his request he was buried at sea in the channel between Malta and Filfla.

And here it is! A baby “Azure Window”! This is where I am going to be taking you in this blog. I would like to say though, that is not as easily accessible as the other sites I usually go to. You have to climb quite a steep hill and sometimes I had to kind of ‘sit on my bum’ and go down slowly. It is manageable though. I met couple of people doing just the same and one of them for a middle aged Maltese man, so it’s not just for us crazy youngsters. 🙂

I went down just few meters on the right from the memorial, as there seemed to be the way, but when I climbed back up I came up exactly behind the memorial, so there are definitely at least two way to get there. I don’t know if the picture below gives it a justice, but it is a bit steep.

The area of Ghar Hanex is stunning! The panoramic views you get are pretty awesome and the fact that the area is not really green, it’s rather dry and brown, doesn’t make it any less beautiful. That’s how Maltese countryside is in the summer months and I love it anyway.

At this point I am pretty close to the ‘window’, to my final destination, but I thought I would have a look around as well. The picture above doesn’t really show how big the bay is and how high the cliffs are as you don’t have any comparison, but it’s pretty cool! You can walk to the right on top of the cliffs and that’s where I will be!

And here I am! How cute the ‘little window’ is! The very first time I noticed this natural arch was I think in March 2017, when I was visiting the temples. I walked to the edge of the cliffs to have a look and I saw this window. I didn’t have any spare time to visit back then, but I kept it in my mind and after about five months I finally managed to come back and explore. As we all know the saying ‘Good things come to those who wait’, and I did wait! 🙂

Stunning, absolutely stunning! Malta might be a small island, but there are so many beautiful places and hidden gems, just like this one, waiting to be discovered. I was sitting here for a while. Appreciating this place, appreciating the peace and quiet, appreciating life. The following pictures capture the area, whichever direction you look, you will be amazed. Well, at least I was.

Another view of the bay and Tal-Ħamrija Coastal Tower. I am not very familiar with rock climbing, as I never tried it, so not sure if this site would be good for it, but what I know for sure, it is a great for diving. While I was there I saw couple of people diving and snorkeling and I was very disappointed that I didn’t bring my swimwear and goggles, but hey, there is always next time. 🙂

I love my weekend trips because they recharge my batteries and give me something to look forward to every week. I get to spend time outside, getting my weekly amount of vitamin D and a sense of satisfaction that I have accomplished something, which I don’t always get in my full time job. I am sure you all know the feeling.

Nature is beautiful isn’t it? In today’s world when we are constantly persuaded to buy this and get that and everything is money driven, it’s becoming very difficult to appreciate simple things in life. Just like a nice walk around the Maltese coastline. I find it relaxing and therapeutic, and not everyone understands, why I do it, when I can be lying comfortably on a sunbed in a beach club. But I this is what makes me happy and I am not expecting everyone to understand. I love discovering places like this and I feel very fortunate to be able to do this.

Before going back I thought I would walk to the Ghar Hanex Window to get a different view. Would be really cool to swim underneath it, don’t you think? Next time I will get my swimwear for sure! But now it’s time to go back as I have a quite a hill to climb back up.

Below is one last view of the Ghar Hanex Window from the Tal-Ħamrija Coastal Tower. Gorgeous view with Filfla in the background. After seeing places like this I really get angry with people that tell me ‘there is nothing to do in Malta’, as it’s not Malta having nothing to offer, it’s people being to lazy and comfortable, not wanting to get out of their comfort zone and actually make some effort. But for those of you, who would like to go out and about and explore, this one is for you! 🙂

UPDATE: This beautiful little window is still there, however the cave collapsed due to rough seas and coastal erosion in April 2019. I’ve visited recently, in May 2020, and I’ve finally seen it for myself. You cannot reach the window anymore unless you come by boat or swim from a close by bay.

Be also very careful of the edges as there are more cracks and it is very likely that another part of the coastline will collapse very soon. So please, please proceed with extra caution here.

And below is an embed map with the exact location, so you shouldn’t have any difficulty finding this gorgeous place! I know it is not what it used to be, but the area is still stunning and worth exploring.