May 12, 2023, 2:10 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
It doesn’t always have to be sand-colored–you can spend your vacation on red, black, pink, and green beaches. Or just dream about it. Find out where these colorful beaches are and what causes their different colors.
Beaches on the North or Baltic Sea, the Atlantic, or the Mediterranean can be beautiful–but their color is usually the same: a mix of brown, beige, and ideally, white. Occasionally, a few colorful shells (or unfortunately, trash) add some color. If you’re looking for truly colorful beaches, you often have to fly a bit further. For example, Papakolea Beach in Hawaii glows green, and on the Bahamas, you can lay your towel on a pink beach. If you’re particular, you might even match the color of your beach towel. Black, red, pink: TRAVELBOOK presents 12 colorful beaches.
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Red Beaches
1. Playa Roja, Peru
Playa Roja is located about five hours south of Peru’s capital, Lima, in the Paracas National Reserve. When the waves of the Pacific Ocean crash against the cliffs of Punta Santa Maria in Paracas, they pick up traces of the red rock that makes up the cliff. Over time, enough of these fragments have accumulated to create a sandy beach with the same rusty-red hue.
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2. Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach, Hawaii, USA
On the Hawaiian island of Maui, specifically along the Hana coast, you’ll find Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach, whose name already reveals the color of the sand: red. The reason for the dark, red-black color is a nearby hill with a high iron content. The path to the beach is steep and slippery, and swimming is not recommended due to strong currents.
Also interesting: The Best Beaches and Attractions on Maui
3. Rábida Beach, Galápagos
What nature lover or animal enthusiast doesn’t dream of visiting the Galápagos Islands at least once in their life? On the small island of Rábida, you are likely to encounter a group of sea lions basking in the red sand of Rábida Beach. The color is also due to the high iron content in the volcanic cinder.
Pink Beaches
4. Pantai Merah, Komodo, Indonesia
The beach Pantai Merah on the Indonesian island of Komodo is one of the few pink beaches on Earth. The sand gets its distinctive color from microscopic red coral fragments. When these tiny coral fragments mix with the white sand, the pink color emerges.
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5. Pink Sands Beach, Bahamas
The Caribbean sun, swimming pigs, dream beaches: There are many reasons to visit the Bahamas. Another could be the pink beach, Pink Sands Beach, on Harbour Island. The color is due to microscopic organisms called foraminifera: They are washed ashore and “dye” the beach a delicate pink.
Snow-White Beaches
6. Hyams Beach, Australia
Hyams Beach in southeastern Australia is one of the whitest beaches in the world. Why is it so beautifully white? The reason is 99 percent pure quartz sand–a type also used in jewelry and watchmaking. The contrast with the blue sky and crystal-clear sea adds to its beauty.
Also interesting: Gold Coast – The Best Tips for Australia’s Beach and Surf Paradise
7. Whitehaven Beach, Australia
Whitehaven Beach is another snow-white beach in eastern Australia. However, it is located further north and is part of the Whitsunday Islands. Here, too, the high quartz content is responsible for the color, making it one of the whitest beaches in the world.
Black Beaches
8. Beach on the Dyrholaey Peninsula, Iceland
Summer temperatures are rare in Iceland, but the black beach in the south of the Dyrholaey Peninsula is worth a visit for a walk. With a bit of luck, you might also capture numerous puffins on camera. The beach was also voted among the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world in 2023.
Also interesting: The Hot River of Hveragerði – Iceland’s Unique Natural Wonder
9. Wai’napanapa Black Sand Beach, Hawaii, USA
Hawaii has them all–the white, red, and black beaches. For example, on the island of Maui, you’ll find the Wai’napanapa Black Sand Beach, which is part of the state park of the same name. Once again, volcanic lava is responsible for the color. The contrast with the lush green plants at the edge of the bay and the turquoise sea is particularly beautiful.
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Green Beach
10. Papakolea Beach, Hawaii, USA
In Hawaii, you’ll find the green Papakolea Beach, also known as Green Sand Beach. There is no proper road here, only trails left by other visitors. Locals also offer tours to this natural wonder. The color is due to a volcano that formed around 49,000 years ago. As the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) explains on its website, this cone provides the material that makes Papakolea Beach green: olivine. Countless crystals are responsible for the beach’s visual color.
Multicolored Beaches
11. Pfeiffer Beach, California, USA
As if it were painted: Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, California. Due to currents, wind, and light, colorful patterns can be seen in the sand, and in some places, the sand is even completely purple.
Also interesting: The 11 Most Beautiful Beaches in Portugal’s Algarve
12. Glass Beach, California, USA
Also in California, you’ll find a beach covered with colorful glass stones. Glass Beach in Fort Bragg in the northern part of the state was once a massive landfill. Today, it is an attraction and one of the most beautiful colorful beaches in the U.S.
