An average of 1.5 million tourists visit Malta every year, almost half of which arrive in the summer months from June to September. For a country of our size, I think that’s a pretty impressive number.

We all know why most foreigners choose to come here in summer: sun, sea, fun and culture in an open-air showcase. But have we ever wondered what the locals actually love about summer, especially those living far away from Malta?

Tobias Briffa moved to Vietnam in early 2012 for a change of scene. He is now a part owner of a boutique creative agency called AstroPIG as well as a Belgian wheat brewery.

Cikka Psaila Savona

Cikka Psaila Savona visited her South African boyfriend in Botswana for her birthday. Shortly after this three-week visit, she decided to move there permanently. She has now been living there since December 2009 and works as a sports teacher in a local school.

George Attard moved to Australia in 1959, following his girlfriend, now wife Rose, who had moved there with her family. He is now retired and lives in Melbourne with his family.

What is your favourite season of the year in Malta?

Tobias Briffa: Springtime, around May, just before summer, when the sun shines and all the fields are green. It’s the perfect climate.

Cikka Psaila Savona: Definitely summer. I love sports, the sea and the sun. The smell of the summer sea is just irreplaceable.

Tobias Briffa

George Attard: Summer, especially June, because the weather is good and there is so much to do around the island.

What were your summers in Malta like?

Tobias Briffa: Maltese summers are a dream: eating good food, partying all the time, drinking amazing wine, swimming in the deep blue sea, and walking around some of the world’s finest history.

Cikka Psaila Savona: I spent most of my Maltese summers on the beach, enjoying barbecues and playing sports.

George Attard: I used to enjoy fishing and swimming a lot. We had a summerhouse in St Paul’s Bay and I used to love spending time there. When I visit now I enjoy doing touristic activities like walking along the Sliema front, getting the double decker bus in Mdina, riding the ferry from Sliema to Valletta and enjoying local food and folksong.

Do you prefer the climate in Malta to the one you are living in now?

Tobias Briffa: I love Vietnam but the climate doesn’t compare to Malta’s. Vietnam is either hot and dry or hot and rainy. It’s eight months of monsoon weather and four months of summer and there’s no distinction between seasons. Malta’s climate is just perfect.

Cikka Psaila Savona: Botswana is a very hot and dry place. I would trade Malta’s humidity over feeling dry and hot any day.

George Attard: Malta is lucky enough to get three months and more of constant warm, sunny weather. Unfortunately in Melbourne it’s not the same: even in summer, you can have four seasons in one day.

Do you miss any local food?

Tobias Briffa: I miss hobż biz-żejt, especially my mum’s which is outstanding.

Cikka Psaila Savona: Timpana.

George Attard: I love many Maltese dishes and snacks like pastizzi, qassatat and rabbit with spaghetti, but I’m lucky enough to have Maltese home-cooked meals every day here thanks to my wife.

What do you love about summer in general?

Tobias Briffa: I love that everyone celebrates life. Forget work and worries and just live well. Malta is so lucky in that respect. Not so many countries have such a wonderful culture around summer.

Cikka Psaila Savona: I love the beach, the sun, the food, the fact that the sun comes up early and goes down late so you can enjoy longer days out with family and friends. I love being tanned and people tend to be happier when the sun is out.

George Attard: The warm weather and the beaches.

What do you miss most about Maltese summers when compared to your new home?

Tobias Briffa: I miss the sea. Vietnam has great beaches, white sand and coconut trees, but the water isn’t quite as clear as Malta’s. I also miss the feasts – they’re like Christmas in July. I love the fireworks and the lengths people go to getting all the streets lit up and decorated.

Cikka Psaila Savona: I love the fact that you can go diving. Botswana is landlocked so I rarely get to spend time by the sea. I miss the colour of Maltese waters. In the five years I’ve been here, I have only seen the ocean blue once because usually it is a murky brown because of all the sand coming through into the ocean from the rivers around. The water is freezing cold no matter how hot the temperature outside is and the currents are very strong so you cannot really enjoy a swim without being thrown around by waves.

George Attard: Here in Melbourne, the nearest beach to our house is 35 minutes away. When I come to Malta I usually stay at my sister-in-law’s house in Sliema, so I can just walk five minutes down the road and have a swim. I miss how everything in Malta is within a short drive or walk. It’s also much safer to swim in Malta, as you aren’t likely to get attacked by a shark, unlike here in Australia where it’s possible.

Are you visiting Malta any time soon?

Tobias Briffa: I’m visiting Malta for the summer. I can’t wait.

Cikka Psaila Savona: I’m getting married in Malta in September.

George Attard: I’m visiting Malta with my wife and grandchildren in August. I’m looking forward to showing my grandchildren around my heritage.