Why Some Beaches Have Pink Sand and Where You Can Find Them

From Bermuda to the Bahamas and from Crete to Indonesia, discover how pink sand forms and nine beaches where visitors can see it for themselves, including one they can only admire from afar.

The pink color in pink sand starts underwater. It comes partly from red foraminifera, single-celled marine organisms with reddish shells. They live on coral reefs and also among the sand, rocks, and plants on the ocean floor, which is why pink beaches usually sit beside tropical reefs.

When the organisms die, waves grind their shells into small bits. That debris mixes with fine particles of calcium carbonate from shells and corals, giving the shoreline its pink tint.

However, the result is subtler than the name suggests. Famous pink beaches show a soft blush, not a bold cherry blossom shade. Even so, it is enough to draw visitors to shores around the world, beginning with Bermuda.

Bermuda and the Caribbean

Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda pairs pink sand with turquoise water, and many visitors spend a day there even when they have access to the private beaches next door.

Elbow Beach, also in Bermuda, draws smaller crowds than the island's other popular beaches. Still, visitors can enjoy snorkeling around shipwrecks near the shore and relax on coral-colored sand.

Crane Beach sits on the rugged east coast of Barbados, where lush vegetation and turquoise water frame the pink shoreline. Boogie boarders come for the waves, and luxury hotels stand nearby.

On Harbour Island in the Bahamas, Pink Sands Beach runs about 1.9 miles and has been called one of the five best beaches in the world. It has a following on social media, and tourists also come for the swimmable sea, colonial houses, and nearby restaurants.

Europe

Crete in Greece has two pink beaches. Elafonisi Beach offers the amenities of a popular holiday spot, yet its distance from big cities gives it a remote feel.

Visitors can swim in shallow water and then walk the shore to photograph wildflowers and rock formations. Meanwhile, Balos Bay has pinkish-white sand and shallow pools of bright blue saltwater.

Formentera draws fewer crowds than Ibiza and is home to Spain's most elegant pink sand beach, Playa de Ses Illetes. Recognized as one of the best beaches in Europe, it has fine, light pink sand and deep blue water surrounded by pine and other vegetation.

Travelers can hire a boat or yacht for the day, cross from Eivissa to Formentera, and stop at the beach. Ca Na Pepa serves Italian food a 15-minute drive away, and Can Dani is the island's only Michelin-starred restaurant.

Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli, Sardinia, has been closed to visitors since 1994, when the Italian government acted to stop the theft of its pink sand and protect the landscape.

However, people can still view it from the neighboring Spiaggia di Cavalieri or follow the Instagram account of Michele Ardu, Budelli's only resident and caretaker.

Indonesia

Pink Beach on Komodo sits on the island named for the komodo dragon. Coral-covered waters lie in front of it, and bright green hills rise in the distance. The sea along this coast is also safe for swimming and snorkeling in suitable conditions and following local guidance.

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