Meandering in Malta: Qbajjar Salt Pans

The last thing I saw before leaving the island of Gozo was the Qbajjar Salt Pans. These historic salt pans are found on the north side of Gozo, near the resort area of Marsalforn. It was January, and therefore I didn't see plenty of people there. In fact, most of the houses were boarded up, as they are mostly vacation rentals. And the hotels were also sparsely populated. Hence, it made for a very solitary walk along the coast, as I walked alongside it to find these salt pans.



These salt pans are still in use, albeit not in the winter. They are directly adjacent to the sea, which makes salt collection very easy. The water washes into the salt pans, and then the sun dries it, leaving the salt. When I visited, as it was winter, they were not in use.

I don't exactly know how old these are, but given how they are shaped, I am guessing that they aren't new at all. I find it interesting that these old methods of salt extraction still exist today, existing side by side with modern hotels and tourist infrastructure.