Not just for kids - an adventure holiday as an adult can be a brain-boosting, confidence-building, and lethargy-busting trip

When I told my family and friends that I was off to Malta for a few days in March with VisitMalta, some looked at me quizzically. “It’s not going to be very warm,” one said. “You won’t have the weather for the beach,” another warned. “What are you going to do there?” asked my Mum, who’s learnt by now that there’s only so long you can pull me round churches and squares before I start to glaze over.

Cut to e-biking across the Dingli Cliffs, on the island’s western coast, and I can feel the sun settling on my skin. So much so that I regretted not packing extra sun cream in my bag that morning. As the gentle breeze (and the motor) carried me across the highest point on the island, I glanced over at the sun glinting off the sea and verdant ground with farmers working below. Hardly a car, walker, or fellow cyclist in sight at a popular point on an island that saw over four million tourists last year.

It was a trip sparked by a relentless winter we all remember too well. This one felt harder for some reason, and by late February, my brain was sludge being sparked into life every morning by a four-shot coffee and a jumping workout I'd seen online.

Needless to say, I needed a shake-up. Thailand or the Maldives were out of consideration for some winter sun - plus, I felt like my body needed something more than a lie down on the beach and a mai tai.

I’m not the only one, either. Adventure tourism has become a near-trillion-dollar sector in recent years and is hugely popular with those between 40 and 60 years old, research reveals. Millions of Brits are taking it up, and it’s hardly surprising, with a survey from TUI suggesting that six in 10 of us feel stuck in a rut and want to try something new in 2026.

My days spent digging into brain health research have also told me that trying something new, getting out of your comfort zone, and challenging yourself both physically and mentally are key to creating neuroplasticity, taking care of your brain, and stimulating the brain with the ‘right’ kind of stress. So, I booked my ticket with KM Malta Airlines.

Malta is famous for its varied history, culture, nightlife, and glorious weather (with 300 days of sunshine a year). In the cheaper, less busy, off-peak season, however, it comes alive as an adventure playground for adults.

My first stop was the Wied il-Ghasel via ferrata, organised by MC Adventures. This was to be my first challenge - and I think the brain health experts would have been proud of me here. Taking steps along the rocky crag, with metal holds embedded safely inside and a harness for support, my palms started to sweat. I searched for the nooks to put my walking shoes into, carefully navigating my way, nervous system kicking into action (this time, for something genuinely challenging, rather than an unexpected meeting notification). At the top, I gazed across the rocky landscape towards the sea, legs and glutes standing strong, feeling proud of myself for getting so far unaided. For someone scared of heights, I’d come a long way.

While I do plenty of cycling workouts in the UK, making the e-bike excursion familiar territory, my next mode of transport was to be a new experience. With Bidnija Horse Riding’s guidance, I climbed onto the back of a bright white mare towering above me. Shaky at first, my confidence with the animal grew as we trotted past orange groves, fields thick with vegetation, rocky lanes, all with the sun shining above.

The following day, a tuk-tuk takes me into the Mgarr ix-Xini valley on Gozo, northwest of Malta, easily accessible by ferry. Passing limestone cliffs, Aleppo pines, salt marshes, and stunning rocky vistas, we arrived at the top. With guidance from Gozo Adventures, I climbed, almost nose to rock, up a nearby cliff, trusting myself more with each tiny foothold and growing prouder of my newfound confidence with every step up. At the top, instructor Stu told me to ‘just let go and lean back’. I could feel my heart racing, and everything in my body told me not to, but I trusted in my harness and took careful steps down, adrenaline pumping through my body. At the bottom, I realised I hadn’t felt that energised in a long time.

Of course, having never visited the island before, I was keen to do a bit of classic touristing. The walled city of the capital, Valletta, was my favourite spot. I could have spent days alone exploring the Grandmaster’s Palace (the armoury room alone can be a six-hour tour), St John’s Co-Cathedral (where two of Caravaggio’s paintings live alongside tombs of the Knights of Malta), and bars and restaurants in St George’s Square (I’m still thinking about the Aperol Spritz and tacos at Fifty Nine Republic).

Touching back down at Heathrow airport at the end of my trip, I expected to feel exhausted. And yet, I had a spring in my step coming off the plane (to classically rainy British weather) and, unlike after the many beach and traditionally relaxed holidays I’ve been on before, I woke up the next day feeling refreshed and ready to handle life’s challenges once again. Because really, is anything harder than flinging yourself across a ravine with only a zipline for company?

On the trip, I stayed at Marriott Resort & Spa, with doubles starting from £144.