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How rare are pink sand beaches?
- Only a few pink sand beaches dot the globe, and the rarity of these beaches adds to the allure that they hold.
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Why are pink sand beaches popular tourist destinations?
- Both their scarceness and their beauty make the world’s pink sand beaches astoundingly attractive tourist destinations.
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Where can you find the best pink sand beaches?
- Here are the best pink sand beach vacation ideas around the world, including Bermuda, Greece, Italy, California, and the Bahamas.
Horseshoe Bay Beach, Bermuda
Explore romantic pink sands and swim in clear turquoise waters.
Horseshoe Bay Beach in Bermuda, which gets its name from its horseshoe shape, is a popular beach paradise that features a beautiful curve of light pink sand running into the beautiful blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The Bay offers a good opportunity for snorkeling, but it is only recommended for strong swimmers due to occasionally rough water.
The beach is a popular cruise ship port, so it is seasonally quite crowded. However, if you visit during the off-season it can be a quiet and relaxing place to enjoy a day at the beach. Several other beaches are located nearby, as are hiking trails.
Bonaire Pink Beach, Dutch Caribbean Island
Discover unusual coral sands and enjoy gentle waves ideal for snorkeling.
Bonaire Pink Beach is a narrow strip of sand located on the Dutch Caribbean Island of Bonaire. It is situated on the west coast of the island where the water is clear and the wind is calm. The beach is pink due to the presence of millions and millions of tiny crushed shells.
The water nearby is an ideal location for snorkeling or scuba diving as the calm seas make for good, clear water conditions. The beach is a great place to relax and have a picnic, and it is a good location for sunning. A few palms line the upper section of the beach, providing a bit of shade.
Elafonisi Beach, Greece
Visit family-friendly shores and walk along soft, pink-tinted sands.
Elafonisi Beach is located on the southwestern side of Crete, Greece. The islet features shallow, turquoise water with beautiful white and pink beaches. The island is a protected zone, so there is only natural beauty in every direction. It is is easily reached by foot from the mainland because the water between the two is very shallow and sometimes even non-existent.
Due to the shallow, warm water, it is a popular destination for families traveling with small children. In addition to surreal, pink beaches, Elafonissi has several small caves, other sandy beaches, and intriguing rock formations that visitors can explore.
Balos Lagoon Beach, Greece
Enjoy affordable boat trips and admire stunning turquoise waters framed by pink beaches.
Balos is famous for its beautiful beaches, clear turquoise water, and breathtaking scenery. The beach can get quite crowded with visitors in the summer. The beaches are primarily white sand but are pink in some places due to tons of crushed seashells that have washed ashore.
You can access the Balos Lagoon Beach by either driving the 10 km dirt road or taking a ferry from the mainland. Adventurous visitors can also trek in from Kaliviani, which takes about 3 hours. The water is very shallow and calm, but if you go a little bit farther out there is a good opportunity for snorkeling. Sea turtles and monk seals can sometimes be spotted in the area.
Pink Beach of Great Santa Cruz Island, Philippines
Discover exciting coral sands and explore vibrant marine life nearby.
Great Santa Cruz Island is a small island in the southern Philippines. The color of the sand comes from small crushed up red organ pipe coral that has washed ashore and mixed with white sand. Transport to the island involves taking a 15-20 minute motor boat trip from Paseo Del Mar.
The island boasts many leisure activities for tourists to enjoy such as snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving, boating, or touring local lagoons. The island is a protected area and therefore does not have any hotels or other accommodations. There are also no restaurants, but you are allowed to bring your own food onto the island to eat.
Pink Beach of Komodo, Indonesia
Walk along unusual pink shores and enjoy snorkeling amid diverse sea life.
Komodo Island is one of the islands that make up Komodo National Park in Indonesia. The island’s Pink Beach features stunningly pink sand on a backdrop of perfect scenery. The Pink Beach is heaven for snorkelers and scuba divers, as its coral is in very good condition. The water is shallow so it is a good place for people who are just learning to dive or snorkel.
The beach offers several activities to keep your days busy if swimming and sunning aren’t enough for you – many options for watersports are available and the sunset is dreamy. The island is home to Komodo Dragons, which can be quite fierce, and therefore it is recommended to visit the beach with a guide.
Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas
Visit romantic shores and savor easy strolls along pastel-colored sands.
Pink Sand Beach in the Bahamas is a 3-mile stretch of pale pink sand and gentle seas. A coral reef provides a sort of break-wall for the beach, and the water is warm year-round, making it perfect for swimming. There are several elegant resorts as well as more rustic accommodation options nearby. The coral reef and calm water mean conditions are good for snorkeling.
Fishing is a popular activity here as well. For those who want to venture into town, shopping at straw markets or going on a self-led walking tour can be a nice way to spend a few hours. This is the best pink sand beach in the Bahamas.
Pink Beaches of Barbuda, Caribbean Sea
Admire unusual coral hues and relax on peaceful, uncrowded sands.
Barbuda is an island in the Caribbean Sea which has not yet been over-run by tourists. The beaches of Barbuda are very long and have sections of pink sand. The Atlantic side of the island has rougher beaches but the Caribbean side offers calm, turquoise sea and beautiful clear beaches.
The waters offer the perfect locale to enjoy some snorkeling or swimming. There is an array of marine wildlife which can be seen under-water including sea turtles, sharks, rays and more. The island doesn’t have much in the way of tourist infrastructure but it is the perfect destination if you are searching for a laid back, relaxed beach vacation.
Spiaggia Rosa of Budelli, Italy
See unusual protected sands and admire the unique pink beach from afar.
Spiaggia Rosa of Budelli is in North-East Sardinia, Italy on the tiny, uninhabited island of Budelli. The beach has a pink tinge due to shells and fragments of red coral. It is located inside of the La Maddalena National Park.
Unfortunately, too many tourists were taking sand away from the beach, so it has been closed to tourists, however you can still view the beach from aboard a boat or from Spiaggia del Cavaliere nearby, which you can visit on a guided tour. Dolphins frequent the waters near the beach, and visitors who take boat tours to see the pink sands often see them.
Tangsi Beach of Lombok, Indonesia (with Map of the Island)
Go exploring exciting coastline and discover pink sands set against clear waters.
Lombok is a beautiful island in Indonesia that is home to Tangsi Beach, a scenic pink-sand beach. This part of the island is not yet incredibly well-known to tourists, and it therefore offers a tranquil escape albeit a bit difficult to get to. The famous, pink beach is located near a fishing village on the eastern side of the island.
The water is safe and calm, so it is a popular location to swim and snorkel. Tangsi is surrounded by cliffs and hills, which make it quite a scenic location. Visitors can climb a nearby cliff and enjoy the view of the beach and sea. If you feel like exploring, there are several small islands nearby that you can visit by boat from Tangsi.
Plan Your Trip
Table of Contents:
- 1. Horseshoe Bay Beach, Bermuda
- 2. Bonaire Pink Beach, Dutch Caribbean Island
- 3. Elafonisi Beach, Greece
- 4. Balos Lagoon Beach, Greece
- 5. Pink Beach of Great Santa Cruz Island, Philippines
- 6. Pink Beach of Komodo, Indonesia
- 7. Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas
- 8. Pink Beaches of Barbuda, Caribbean Sea
- 9. Spiaggia Rosa of Budelli, Italy
- 10. Tangsi Beach of Lombok, Indonesia (with Map of the Island)