Colorful beaches

Wandering in search of sand

There are people who love mountains, and there are also those who prefer the sea. There is also a third group of people, experience connoisseurs, seekers of a new, original and unheard of anywhere else. Among them there are sand hunters - but not the usual one, which can be scattered with your fingers on any beach. It is sand with a rare color and original consistency, changing the environment into a magical place straight from another planet.

Together with them, we can go on a trip to such beaches. There are few of them and they are scattered all over the world, but the sight of them is breathtaking. It is impossible to forget it - later any "ordinary" beach will seem painfully average.

The whitest sand in the world

To begin with, we can get to know the sand, the whiteness of which is second to none. This is evidenced by an entry in the Guinness Book of Records, confirming that the whitest sand in the world is at Hyams Beach, Australia . The beach stretches over Jervis Bay, approximately 3 hours' drive from Sydney. Its area is protected by two national parks, Booderee National Park and Jervis Bay National Park, so it has not yet been trampled by tourists.

Hyams Beach is the queen of such beaches, but it is not the only place with white sand. We can also find him on the other side of the globe - in America. In New Mexico, there is the White Sands National Park, which is lined with white sand dunes. We will also meet him when visiting Florida, specifically on the Emerald Coast, in the St. Andrews and the beaches of Pensacola Beach. The original white beach can also be proud of Mexico (Akumal) and the Filipino Palawan. Fortunately, we don't have to go to the proverbial end of the world to dip our feet in powdery white sand. It is located on the beaches a little closer to our continent - in the Canary Islands.

Pink sand across the globe

In turn, the desire to see sand in a subtle shade of pink will again drive us far across the ocean. We can see this color of beaches mainly in Bermuda and the Bahamas. The former owe the pink color of the sand to tiny creatures from the coral reefs surrounding the islands. The waves wash them ashore along with fragments of coral and seashells. Bermuda's pink beaches are Tobacco Bay, Warwick Long Bay and Horseshoe Bay.

On the other hand, in the Bahamas archipelago, Harbor is proud of its pink sand - an island that can be reached by water taxi from Eleuthera Island. The pink beaches are located on the east coast of the island, and the coral reef surrounding them attracts thousands of diving enthusiasts. Another place of tempting pink (or actually white and pink) sand is Pfeiffer Beach in California.

The disturbing red of a Hawaiian beach

The darker shade of sand is one of the attractions of the Mediterranean coast. Ramla Bay is called the second - Red Sand Beach for a reason, on the islet of Gozo, 6 km northwest of Malta. The red beach can also be seen on the Greek island of Santorini.

On the other hand, if you prefer more exotic regions, you will definitely like the east coast of the Hawaiian island of Maui. It is home to the most famous red beach in the world - Kaihalulu , partially hidden from the open ocean by a beautiful coral reef. In Hawaiian, its name means "roaring sea". The red shade of sand comes from the erosion of the volcano adjacent to the beach, the slopes of which are rich in hematite. The sand made of it is quite sharp, so walking barefoot is not advisable.

The beach is a great attraction because of its amazing appearance, but it is not crowded. The reason is difficult access - the route to it is through private estates and the path is bumpy, slippery and narrow. It is so quiet here that nudists like the place.

Hawaiian green beaches - olivines from space

The aforementioned Hawaii attracts tourists not only with red, but also green of their beaches. The most famous green beach in the world is Papakōlea Beach , one of the two beaches in the USA with green sand. Its original color is due to the volcano - the local volcanic cone is rich in olivine, a mineral usually found in shades of green. The natives call olivines "the diamonds of Hawaii." Interestingly, they were also found on the Moon and Mars, and in meteorites.

Papakōlea Beach is located on the largest of the islands of the archipelago, Hawai, at its southernmost tip. It is available to really persistent tourists - even more than those who want to experience the red beaches of Maui. A 2-hour bumpy route leads to it, partly on the slope of the volcano. The beach can be reached on foot or by 4WD vehicle. The second Hawaiian island with green sand is Oahu, while the Italian island of Linosa is closer to us.

Black beaches - children of volcanoes

The most amazing shade of sand is undoubtedly black. And we will find him again in Hawaii - as you can see, the Hawaiian islands really have something to tempt. For many tourists, the most beautiful black beach is Punaluu on the Big Island. It owes its color to volcanic lava, which cooled when it met the sea and stopped at the coast. Tourists must remember that even the smallest amount of black sand may not be taken as a souvenir. Besides, the sand is really hot when it gets hot.

Black beaches can also be found on Hawaiian Waianapanapa and Oneuli (on Maui). They are also located on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Tenerife, Tahiti and Italy, and in Iceland, where volcanic material has migrated south of the island with glaciers. An extremely popular black beach is also Perissa - a beach in Santorini.

So many beaches, so many colors ... So many wonderful, exotic places to get to know. Have any of us awakened the sand-digger's vein? If so, all that's left is to prepare for your trip.