6 of the Most Beautiful Glowing Beaches Around the World

If you need a reminder that nature is awesome, here are six beaches around the world that naturally glow. Time to add these to your travel bucket list!

By Sarah Madaus, Reader's Digest

Gippsland Lake, Australia

The first glowing beach on our list is from the Land Down Under. During the day, Gippsland Lake is like any other; you can swim, waterski, or sail. But at night, the landscape begins to glow due to bioluminescent algae. In 2006, massive rainstorms caused large amounts of organic matter to spill into the lake, and from there, the algae bloomed. It glows whenever the water is disturbed, but it has slowly faded with time, which is welcomed news for the lake’s ecosystem.

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The Maldives

This glowing beach in the Maldives is just one of the enchanting features of the nation. The sand on this beach glows in the dark because of ostracod crustaceans, or sea shrimp. These tiny organisms (only 1 millimeter in length) emit the blue light for up to a minute, lighting up your path as you walk across the beach. These glowing sand beaches don’t just occur in the Maldives; you can find them in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Belgium, and San Diego, too.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations, but it’s not just because of its infamous limestone islands covered in verdant rainforests. At night, boat tours take people out on the water to see the bioluminescent glow. When each swimmer splashes, the blue-green light from the algae emerges.

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Fuzhou, China

The same algae and phytoplankton that inhabit the waters of the other glowing beaches are present in beaches near Fuzhou, China. Tourists and locals alike can glide through the gorgeous waters, leaving a trail of light in their wake. This spot makes for great photos!

Dongying, China

The dreamlike sea in Dongying, China, gives us wanderlust unlike any other travel destination.  The glow-in-the-dark algae is found mostly on the rock formations along the shoreline, which gives them a blue-green glow. Plus, it acts as a natural warning light if you’re swimming at night.

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San Diego, California

In May, surfers from La Jolla to Encinitas began noticing that the ocean waves were glowing at night. Oceanographers discovered that there were immense amounts of dinoflagellates (bioluminescent algae) present in the San Diego waters. Scientists don’t know how long this glowing beach will continue to emit the light, since ocean ecosystems are still an enigma.


See more at: Reader's Digest