Seriously, what’s better than a pink beach?!
By Brittany Gibson, Reader's Digest
Harbour Island, Bahamas
Located on the northwestern part of Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, Harbour Island is known for its pink sand, long beaches, colorful coral reefs, and crystal clear water. With 3.5 miles of soft, pink sand along the eastern shore of the island to explore, visitors definitely won’t get bored. Its turquoise waters are perfect for snorkeling, diving, swimming, fishing, and boating. The island’s tropical surroundings, ocean views, and subtle breezes make for a truly tranquil getaway.
Elafonisi Beach, Greece
Nestled on the southwestern side of Crete and almost one mile long, Eladonisi is the perfect place to bring a family of all ages. Along with its beautiful pink sand, the beach’s warm, shallow water is also a popular reason for its high tourist rates. Surrounded by 110 different plant species, small coves, extraordinary shells, and incredible rock formations, the only downside of this beach is that you can’t take home any of the gorgeous pink sand.
Barbuda, Antigua and Barbuda
Barbuda is one of two islands that make up the small Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Being 62 square miles and only having one village on the entire island, the secluded pink sand beaches and tropical palm trees are beautiful. Unfortunately, Barbuda is still under construction due to Hurricane Irma.
Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda
Horseshoe Bay is situated on Bermuda’s south coast. It’s tucked between astounding natural limestone cliffs and glistening pink sand that skims the Atlantic Ocean, which is filled with a plethora of coral reefs, a variety of fish, and other marine life. The bay is a fantastic location for snorkeling, volleyball, and kickball. The bay’s long trails are also awesome for jogging or hiking.
Pink Beach, Indonesia
West of Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara, Pink Beach is part of Komodo National Park. The turquoise sea contrasting against the pink hues of the Indonesian beach and blue skies makes for unreal picturesque scenery and an even more beautiful sunset. Beneath the surface of the gorgeous waters are very well-preserved coral reefs and thousands of species of fish—pure euphoria for snorkelers and divers. Fun fact: The park is also plentiful with Komodo dragons.
Spiaggia Rosa, Italy
As gorgeous as its pink sand might be, Italy’s Spiaggia Rosa is off-limits to the public. The beach can be viewed via boat or from a nearby cliff that overlooks it, but no one is allowed onto the beach itself. This is due to preserving the beach’s vibrant pink hues, which believe it or not, used to be brighter before visitors began taking jars of it with them.
Pfeiffer Beach, California
You don’t even need to leave the continental United States to visit this picturesque spot. The beach is part of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park along the Big Sur coastline. Besides its purple-tinted sand, which is most noticeable after rain, this hidden location features an 80-foot waterfall dropping along granite cliffs, rock formations for hiking, and sea caves for exploring.
Red Sand Beach, Maui
It may be a bit more red than pink, but Red Sand Beach on Maui is still a sight to behold. Known as Kaihalulu Beach in Hawaiian, this picturesque location gets its red sand from the nearby red lava cinder cliffs eroding on the shore. However, only experienced hikers should make the hike down to the beach, since part of the trail was lost in a landslide.
Crane Beach, Barbados
This beach was originally a harbor, but now it is home to pink-tinged sands and waves perfect for boogie boarding. In fact, USA Today named it the Best Caribbean Beach in 2015. A coral reef acts a natural barrier, making it a safe swimming area for all, and you may even see a sea turtle or two in the water during your visit. But beaches aren’t the only travel destinations lucky enough to don a pinkish hue.
