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Popeye Village Viewpoint in Anchor Bay, Malta – Complete Guide

Popeye Village Viewpoint in Anchor Bay, Malta – Complete Guide

A quick travel guide to the picturesque Popeye Village viewpoint in Anchor Bay, Malta. Witness one of the best sunset viewpoints near Mellieha Bay overlooking the iconic Popeye Village Theme Park.

With its dramatic cliff-lined coast and panoramic inlets, Malta is a prime Mediterranean island for chasing sunset viewpoints. While most tourists visit the Popeye Village (Sweethaven Village) to explore the theme park built around the 1980 Robin Williams Movie, let me convince you to visit Anchor Bay for one of the best sunset locations in Malta!

Sunset at Anchor Bay, Malta

Where is Popeye Village & Anchor Bay?

Popeye Village is located in a small, picturesque inlet known as Anchor Bay, on the northwest coast of Malta island. This bay is located approximately 10-15 minutes drive from the village of Mellieħa (Għadira Bay). This is just north of the famous Golden Bay and Gnejna Bay beaches, two of the best beaches in Malta.

I've pinned the exact location of the Anchor Bay sunset viewpoint below to help you find it.

Map of Anchor Bay in Malta
Girl at Anchor Bay sunset viewpoint
Anchor Bay Sunset Viewpoint near Popeye Village
Kayaking in a sea cave malta

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How to get to the Popeye Village Viewpoint in Anchor Bay

The best way to explore all the hidden gems in Malta is to rent your own car. The best place to do so is to rent a car at Malta International Airport. Remember to compare prices for car rentals in advance using DiscoverCars or RentalCars.com as these sell out very quickly in the busy summer season.

Once you have your own set of wheels, make your way to the narrow one-way road called Triq tal-Prajjet, in the northwest of the island. This road leads directly to an adequately sized car park right next to the Popeye Village Viewpoint. If you want to explore the Popeye Village theme park (official film set), then you can walk around the bay into the town.

Popeye Village at Anchor Bay, Malta

Malta Tour to Popeye Village

For travelers wanting to make the most of their time on the island, I recommend booking the widely popular Malta Catamaran Trip, which includes a visit and a swim at Popeye Village in Anchor Bay.

These boat trips visit Anchor Bay last, which is great to catch the afternoon sunset. During the day, you'll also stop at:

  • Blue Lagoon
  • Crystal Lagoon
  • Għajn Tuffieħa Bay

These trips depart from Bugibba, which is perfect if you are staying here or in the popular hotel districts of Saint Paul's Bay, Pembroke, or St Julians.

Malta Blue Lagoon
Popeye Village in Malta

Anchor Bay & Popeye Village By Public Transport

Alternatively, travelers can reach Anchor Bay by bus routes 41 and 42 from Valletta, 222 from Sliema, 221 from Bugibba, or route 101 from Mellieħa Bay.

About Anchor Bay

While the Popeye Village is the most popular tourist attraction in this inlet, the bay itself is also a great place to visit. The edges of this narrow inlet are surrounded by rocky slopes forming a sheltered area to swim in the beautiful green-blue clear water or relax on the rocky beach.

There's also a water trampoline at the base of the inlet. However, this is only accessible to those who visit the Popeye's Village attraction.

Additionally, for scuba divers, there's a popular shore dive site here known as Scorpion Cave, a large cavern with a wide entrance. This is one of the best dive sites on the island. The Scot Craig is also another small wreck dive located approximately 500 meters from Anchor Bay's Entry.

Anchor Bay Malta

Fun Fact: Anchor Bay is named after a large anchor and enormous chain submerged in the depths of the bay. However, this is too deep for snorkelers and only visible by scuba diving, though it is an easy dive site (shore dive).


Don't Miss: The Gozo Blue Hole


My Experience at the Popeye Village Viewpoint at Anchor Bay

We sat at the rocky hillside opposite the Popeye Village for an hour enjoying one of the most breathtaking sunsets in Malta that we'd experienced so far. During this warm summer evening, the sun set directly beside the steep slope on the rocky outcrop at the side of the bay.

This was the perfect place to wind down and since the viewpoint itself is not a very popular place, we enjoyed the good weather and relaxing vibes all to ourselves.

Below I've included some of the photos from my visit to the Anchor Bay sunset viewpoint, I hope you make it here yourself!

Sunset on Malta Island
Haylea Brown watching a sunset on the Maltese Coast
Popeye Village movie set in Anchor Bay
Sunset on the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Malta

Popeye Village - The popeye Movie Set

Popeye is a classic cartoon series popularized by comic strips in the 1930s. The Popeye Movie is a very famous film directed by Robert Altman and starring Robin Williams as Popeye, and Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl.

This movie set still exists as it was in the musical today at Anchor Bay Malta. And, visitors can explore the pirate-themed park for a small entrance fee at one of the most attractive bays in Malta

The main attractions in the village include:

  • Explore the open-air museum comprising the whole set of Sweethaven Village
  • Popeye's Cabin (a highlight of the Popeye Village film set)
  • Santa's toy town (a unique attraction for young children)
  • Food outlets
  • Silversmith demonstrations
  • Puppet show & small amusement park
  • Mini-golf course
  • Small water park with water sports and sea trampoline
  • Other seasonal events
Popeye Village film set in Malta

Where to Stay in Malta

While visitors will find hotels and resorts scattered all over Malta's islands, the most popular neighborhoods to base yourself in Malta include Valletta, Sliema & St Julian's, Mellieħa Bay, and Gozo Island.

Travelers also have a broad variety of accommodation types, from 5-star resorts to traditional terraced boutique hotels. To save you time searching, below are the four best accommodation picks for Malta, based on location, reviews, and my personal experience.

  • St Julian's & Sliema Area: The Hilton
    This is Malta's premiere resort, located at the heart of the picturesque Portomaso Marina. This is a great pick if you're trying to balance great location with utmost luxury.
  • Valletta: Iniala Harbour House
    Perched atop Valletta's stunning St Barbara Bastion, this incredible boutique experience is well-regarded as one of the best accommodation options in Malta. The experience offers stunning views of the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities from traditional Maltese balconies.
  • Mellieħa - db Seabank Resort
    The db Seabank is well-regarded as the best resort in the calmer Mellieħa area. Situated just feet from the white sandy shores of Malta's longest beach, this complete all-inclusive hotel offers features five restaurants, a fitness center, a spa, multiple pools, and even a bowling alley!
  • Gozo - Quaint Boutique Hotel (Nadur)
    Accommodation on Malta's quieter sister island should reflect its more peaceful and traditional ambiance. This beautifully renovated boutique hotel is situated directly beside the Nadur Parish Church, with spacious balcony terraces looking over the town square.

Travel tip: Accommodation in Malta sells out quickly, especially for the summer vacation period. This is a location where you do not want to book at the last minute!

Iniala Harbour House
Iniala Harbour House in Valletta
Resort bay in Sliema Malta
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Sunset at Anchor Bay, Malta

More Malta Travel Guides & Adventure Inspiration

I hope you've enjoyed this quick and easy guide to visiting the Anchor Bay sunset viewpoint near Popeye Village, Malta.

While you're still here on my blog, check out one of my comprehensive Malta Travel guides above. Or, dive into one of the articles below for more Malta adventure inspiration.