When thinking of tropical locations or relaxation vacations, most people talk about warm sun beating down on their skin, clear, blue ocean waters, and white sand between their toes.
That sounds nice, right?
But what about pink sand between your toes? Yes, there are places that actually have pink sand, and they’re beautiful! Pink sand gets its colour from broken coral pieces, calcium carbonate materials from marine creatures, as well as seashells. Sometimes, the sand has the slightest highlight of pink, but the shoreline and the water’s edge is where the pink will be most vivid.
There are quite a few areas with pink sand beaches, but here are four that stand out!
Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda
This beautiful beach is located on Bermuda’s South Shore and is a great place to visit if you’re looking for some relaxation.
This beach is also family-friendly, with many activities such as snorkelling, boogie boarding, and paddle boarding. Because this beach is shaped like a horseshoe (hence the name), it’s sheltered from larger waves.
Bars near the beach make it easy to grab some burgers and fish sandwiches, ice cream, and Bermuda’s national drink, the Rum Swizzle.
Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas
This beach is located on a small island of the Bahamas (it’s so small that you can travel the Harbour Island by foot!).
Not only is the beach here stunning, there are sooo many great activities to take part in. Or, you can always just set up a towel on the beach, enjoy the views, and play in the crystal-clear blue waters!
Pink Beach of Barbuda, Caribbean Sea
Known for its natural beaches, this island is found in the northeastern Caribbean and consists of small village communities.
What’s cool about this island is that one side of Barbuda is touched by the Atlantic Ocean, with its dark blue colour and beaches filled with driftwood, while the other side of the island is touched by the Caribbean sea, which is where you can find pink sand beaches and bright blue waters.
Take in the natural beauty, relax, and interact with locals. Barbuda isn’t known for its tourism, so you won’t see organized events and activities that you would in larger resort towns, nor will you find tourist attractions or nightlife on this island. Instead, expect blissful peace.
Elafonisi Beach, Crete, Greece
This beach is located on the southwest coast of Crete, Greece. It’s more of a sandbar, meaning it can be submerged under the water at certain times. If you’re hanging out in Crete, you can wade out to the island, but don’t expect to see any beach chairs there, though! If you’re up for this adventure, you’ll be rewarded with sightings of rare plants and sea creatures, such as loggerhead sea turtles. Take note — if you’re caught removing any plants or animals, you could be given a big fine!
Most of the time, you’ll see the stunning pink sand on the island and when the sand is pink, it is very pink. However, there can be times where you don’t see the pink sand. This is due to wind conditions, the season, and even the tide motions. But even if you don’t see the sand in its pink beauty, you’ll always be able to feel the softness of the sand on this island. It’s been described as “soft as dust.” The surrounding waters are warm and calm, so it’s a great spot to bring young ones to play.
This island can get busy, so if you’re looking for more of a relaxed environment, it’s recommended to go during the late spring and early summer.