Għar Id-Duhhan

Duhan - Smoke Cave

Useful Information

Ghar id-Duhan.
© **Tony Oldham**, 24-FEB-2002, with kind permission.

Location:	Zonqor Point, Wied il-Għajn, Malta. On the coast, 800 m north west of Zonqor Point (Marsaska Bay). (35.868582, 14.573982)
Open:	no restrictions. [2025]
Fee:	free. [2025]
Classification:	Sea Cave Blowhole
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:
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History

Description

This is a sea cave with several blow holes. The main blow hole is 4 m across, but far more spectacular are the small blow holes which are only a few centimeters in diameter and which spout jets of water several meters into the air. It is difficult to locate until you see a blow hole in action.

Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.

Għar id-Duħħan (Smoke Cave) is a sea cave, and it has openings to the surface which blow water into the air when the waves arrive from the right direction, more or less northeast. Actually there are numerous blow holes, and it is hard to say if they are all connected to a single cave or if there are actually several caves. The caves are water filled and cannot be entered. The site is actually quite interesting and also well visited. The reason is nearby La Piscina Kiosk & Pool, along Triq Iz-Zonqor there are numerous businesses like a diving shop, a physical therapist, and a large swimming pool. And of course there is a car park. The cape is named after the historical monument Torri taż-Żonqor (Żonqor Tower), which is not accessible, and actually not very impressive. Most people do not even recognize it, because it was used as the foundation of a World War II bunker. But the main archaeological sight of the cpe are the Saltpan Basins, mostly rectangular, sometime round or polygonal, shallow basins which were dug into the limestone. The people filled them with seawater and when the sun dried the water, the salt deposited in the basin. Those at the cave are named Darmanin Salt Pans.