The production of sea salt has a long tradition in Gozo and the saltpans found near Marsalforn are still used today. It’s interesting to walk along to the them (very early in the morning) to watch the salt being collected as it glistens under the rising sun. The salt is firstly collected from salt pans along the coasts of Malta and Gozo. Salina Bay, near Bugibba, is the main production area of salt in Malta. The formation process of the salt begins when sea water starts to fill crevices in the coastline. This sea water is left to settle for eight days before it is moved to smaller salt pans that are warmer in temperature and further away from the sea. At the beginning of the drying process the water takes on a reddish hue and salt crystals begin to form. In fact, if you head down to the coast really early in the morning, there’s a chance you can see locals collecting rock salt from the 350-year-old salt pans in Marsalforn, Gozo. There are several salt pans along the Gozitan coast, namely in Qala, Dwejra, and Xlendi.