12 Colorful Beaches Around the World You Must See

Some of the links might be affiliate links and, at no extra cost to you, we earn a small commission. See our disclaimer for more info.

Soft white sand beaches fringed by sparkling turquoise water and tall palm trees are indeed what most travelers look for when booking a vacation by the sea. However, this traditional color palette isn’t the only color of beach out there. Plenty of beaches worldwide stray from these much-loved pigments.

Colorful pigments ranging from pale pink and bright orange to green and dark black all exist and are often a sight to behold. To learn more, we’ve compiled a list of 12 colorful beaches worldwide, looking at the beaches that offer the most fascinating displays of color.

Papakolea Green Sand Beach, Hawaii, USA

Save this!

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

Let’s kick things off with an otherworldly beach that displays hues of green. Aptly named after its mysterious color, Papakolea Green Sand Beach is one of only a few green sand beaches worldwide. Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, it gets its color from green olivine crystals that mix with the sand. These crystals are often referred to as “Hawaiian diamonds.”

The crystals formed almost 50,000 years ago from volcanic lava that got trapped in the rocks instead of being washed out to see. To visit Papakolea, you’ll have to hike for 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) to the southernmost tip of the island. There’s also a hiking path around the beach, and you can take a staircase down to it.

Ramla Bay Beach, Gozo, Malta

World Wild Schooling - https://worldwildschooling.com 12 Colorful Beaches Around the World You Must See - https://worldwildschooling.com/colorful-beaches — © stillforstyle / Adobe Stock

Gozo, Malta, is a criminally underrated tourist destination with breathtaking landscapes, warm temperatures, beautiful architecture, and vibrant culture. Better yet, it’s home to a stunning beach with fiery orange sand. Just a short ferry ride from Malta’s main island, this beach offers a gorgeous stretch of sand, rich blue waters, and tall dunes filled with rare flora and fauna.

When you’re not walking along the beach or exploring Calypso’s Cave, where you’ll find the best views of the beach, hire a sun lounger and relax. Alternatively, participate in water sports in the bay. Popular water sports activities here include jet skiing, paddleboarding, and windsurfing.

Pfeiffer Beach, California, USA

In Central California, locals and tourists are treated to a fascinating stretch of beach with glorious purple sand. Pfeiffer Beach is a mile-long (1.6-kilometer) beach in Big Sur. The patches of bright purple sand can be found towards the north end of the beach. The purple sands at Pfeiffer Beach result from manganese garnet that has eroded from the hillsides surrounding the beach.

Another major attraction at Pfeiffer Beach is the Keyhole Rock, a popular photo spot at sunset. At sunset, the sunlight shines through the rock, lighting up the beach and creating a beautiful image. You can also spot marine life at low tide in the rock pools around Keyhole Rock.

Porto Covo Beach, Portugal

Porto Covo Beach is a pristine cove located along the western Alentejo coast of Portugal, almost 200 miles (321 kilometers) away from Lisbon. This secluded beach may be small, but it has a lot to offer. Its soft orange sand is something you don’t want to miss, especially in summer, when it shines bright and feels warm underfoot.

Aside from its orange sand, Porto Covo Beach is known for its beach activities and watersports. Around the beach or in the turquoise waters surrounding it, adrenaline junkies can participate in a wide range of sports, including whitewater rafting, cliff diving, zip lining, and cycling. Meanwhile, there’s plenty of space for laid-back beachgoers to relax and soak up the sun.

Red Sand Beach, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Due to the high levels of oxidized iron left behind by eroded sandstone, Prince Edward has a vast shoreline with a distinctly rosy hue. While there are more than 500 miles (800 kilometers) of shoreline to explore, Prince Edward Island is quite brilliantly better known for its potatoes.

However, to experience the red sand phenomenon, you should visit Red Sand Beach, as it’s the best place to admire the red sands. This small yet colorful beach sits along the island’s Red Sand Shore, so you can expect great things. The sand’s color does vary, but for most parts, it’s a fiery red that looks excellent in a photograph.

Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas, Caribbean

12 Exotic Beaches The Pink Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas — © emotionpicture / Adobe Stock

The next beach on our list is named after its beautiful rose-colored sand. Pink Sand Beach, located on the tiny Harbour Island in the Bahamas, is a picture-perfect destination famous for its soft pink sand, inviting crystal-clear turquoise waters, and tranquility. Surprisingly quiet, don’t be surprised if you have this bright pink beach all to yourself.

🏨 Explore all your hotel options here

Having said that, it’s not uncommon to spot fashion and model shoots taking place on the 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) stretch of soft pink sand. The only way to reach the beach is by boat. The journey from Nassau to Pink Sand Beach takes approximately 50 minutes and includes a boat and taxi ride.

Black Sand Beach, Reynisfjara, Iceland

Reynisfjara is an iconic black-sand beach known worldwide for its dark color and towering basalt stacks. It’s found on Iceland’s south coast, near Vik í Myrdal, the island’s southernmost village. This beach is easily one of the most picturesque beaches in the world.

Reynisfjara is black due to Iceland’s volcanic activity. Hot lava from a currently dormant volcano formed the beach’s black sediment. The lava floated across the beach, cooled, and solidified when it hit the cold water, leaving us with a fascinating scene. The beach’s remote location means there isn’t much to do besides walking and taking photographs, but the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Reykjavik is well worth it.

Rainbow Beach, Queensland, Australia

Found along Australia’s Sunshine Coast, which is much-loved for its pristine beaches and turquoise waters, you can find a mindblowing beach with up to 72 different colors of sand. Given the name Rainbow Beach due to this intriguing phenomenon, this beach is home to a natural art gallery that’s yellow, gold, brown, and red.

Admittedly, most of the beach looks bright yellow, but look closely, and you’ll see the different colors. Scientists put the varying colors down to minerals from nearby cliffs, but Aboriginals believe a rainbow fell from the sky and landed on the beach. Rainbow Beach is 63 miles (102 kilometers) long, so don’t forget your hiking boots. Luckily, you can drive along large parts of the beach, too.

Matira Beach, Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Generally, Bora Bora is best known for its iconic mountain peaks, turquoise waters, luxury resorts, and over-water cabins. However, this small island in French Polynesia is also home to some of the world’s most beautiful white sand beaches, Matira Beach being one of them. Matira Beach is the only public beach on the island, and it’s a lovely place to unwind.

When you’re not sunbathing or floating in crystal-clear waters, you’ll likely stroll along the beach or sip on a refreshing cocktail in a beach bar. Boat trips and watersports can also be booked near the beach. The sand at Matira Beach is ridiculously soft and warm, adding to the luxury feel of any Bora Bora vacation.

Elafonisi Beach, Crete, Greece

No beach-related article would be complete without mentioning at least one beach in the Greek Islands. Home to countless picturesque beaches with soft sand and tropical turquoise waters, Greece is one of the best places in the world for a beach vacation. It’s also a great place to visit if you want to see the most colorful beaches, Elafonisi Beach in Crete being a fine example.

This hugely popular beach has a glorious stretch of bright pink sand fringed by transparent turquoise water. Combining the two colors creates a stunning image for your Instagram feed. Thanks to its popularity, Elafonisi Beach has many amenities that will make your visit more enjoyable. This includes public parking, restrooms, beach bars, and sun loungers.

Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Indonesia

Another mesmerizing pink sand beach you should visit is Pink Beach on Komodo Island, Indonesia. This gorgeous stretch of soft pink sand is impressive in more ways than one. It’s incredibly beautiful and home to the fearsome Komodo Dragon, which can often be seen swimming in the sea off the beach.

Pink Beach gets its color from a red pigment left in coral reefs by microscopic organisms. As a result, the island’s reefs also have a pink hue. When not walking along Pink Beach, explore the rest of the island and snorkel in the surrounding reefs to get close to the local wildlife. Unfortunately, due to its remote location, Pink Beach doesn’t have any amenities.

Muriwai Beach, Auckland, New Zealand

The final beach on our list is in Auckland, New Zealand. Muriwai Beach is a brown and black volcanic beach popular with nature lovers and surfers. The black sands of Muriwai Beach formed almost 16 million years ago when a nearby volcano called Kaipara Volcano erupted.

This beach is approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) long and is the perfect place to take a stroll. However, there are other things you can do. Surfing, walking, horse riding, biking, and golfing are popular activities on or near the beach. Many hiking trails in the area lead up to the hilltops surrounding the beach, too. These are great places to take photos of the beach.