Extraordinary Beaches

Hold on tight: Today I'll show you beautiful, extraordinary beaches that you definitely haven't seen before! You can find them all over the world, and I'm sure - you probably don't know all of them yet.

Fine, almost white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, coconut palm trees, and a hammock gently swaying in the breeze while the sun tickles your skin and the sea softly rustles in the background - all the clichés have been rummaged out to perfectly describe the dream beach. There are truly paradises in numerous locations around the world. However, this idea of the perfect beach is somewhat cliché, isn't it? For this reason, I embarked on a quest to find extraordinary beaches for you, and I actually found some! You will be amazed...

Australia | Big Island | Hawaii | New Zealand | Maldives | California | Bahamas, Maui & California

A dazzling white beach that isn't made of sand, but of shells? This exists at Shark Bay in Western Australia! There are millions of tiny shells, forming a layer that is up to 10 meters deep in some places. The coastline along Shark Bay in Australia stretches about 40 kilometers and belongs to the Peron Peninsula. The shells, belonging to the genus 'Fragum erugatum' and thus heart-shaped, are primarily found in the waters of Shark Bay. Over a period of approximately 6,000 years, waves and wind have washed these shells into the shore. Many tourists flock to the town of Denham to visit this legendary beach, which is located about 30 kilometers south of this small fishing village. While the shells lie loosely on the shore, they have formed a solid layer further inland that was even used as building material in the past.

In addition to the impressive shells, the color of the sea also captivates viewers, as the high salt content of the water gives it a beautiful green shimmer. Pathways and viewpoints have been established to help tourists reach the beach. With the combination of the dreamlike shell paradise and the shimmering green sea, Shell Beach is certainly worth a visit!

A very expansive, yet black sand beach lies on the southeastern coast of the Big Island in Hawaii. Specifically, this beach is located on the Big Island, the youngest island of the Hawaiian chain, which covers an area of 10,432 square kilometers. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is also located on the island, which is responsible for the dark color of the sand. The park is home to Mount Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The flowing lava that runs into the sea creates the very soft black sand. Visitors to the famous black sand beach in Hawaii, situated between the town of Naalehu and the aforementioned national park, may occasionally encounter a Hawaiian green sea turtle basking in the sun on the beach. However, you must not get too close to the turtles, and certainly not touch them! It is also forbidden to take the black sand with you.

Punaluu Black Sand Beach may not be the best place for a swim in the sea, but it's definitely perfect for a romantic picnic! Sitting on a blanket enjoying a few treats, you can feel the fine black sand under your feet and enjoy a few wonderful and relaxing hours in Hawaii.

From the black beach, we move to another beach in Hawaii - this one is green! There are only four known green sand beaches worldwide, and one of them is Papakolea Green Sand Beach! Its deep green color comes from the olivine mineral, which originates from nearby lava stones and is washed ashore by the surf.

To reach the beach, tourists must undertake a longer journey. From the cities of Kona or Hilo, they must first drive for about two hours and then undertake a roughly three-kilometer hike. However, the long journey is definitely worth it, and the best part is: due to its location, visitors often have the beach all to themselves!

Massive, gray-colored boulders adorn Koekohe Beach in New Zealand. Positioned either singly or in groups, the large, spherical or partially oval-shaped minerals are scattered along the beach. They can be divided into two groups based on their different sizes. One-third of the rocks measure around 0.5 to 1 meter in diameter while the remaining two-thirds range from 1.5 to a maximum of 2.2 meters.

The gigantic boulders can be found along the Otago coast between Moeraki and Hampden. However, they aren't always visible to visitors, as they only appear on the beach during low tide; otherwise, they are typically covered by water. The origin of the Moeraki boulders, resembling stone marbles, dates back 65 million years. Over four million years, the boulders were formed through the crystallization of calcium and carbonates. Some of them, however, are no longer whole, being instead riddled with net-like cracks and fissures on the surface. Tourists visiting Koekohe Beach on the South Island of New Zealand can not only walk along the beach and observe the boulders, but also make a stop at the excursion venue from where they can view the giant stones from above!

During the day, some beaches already shine with their unique luster thanks to their bright white sand. But the beaches on the Maldives even glow in the dark! Responsible for this are algae that turn the sand into a glitter beach. This phenomenon can be observed along the coast and on a boat in the open sea on the islands of Mudhoo, Vaadhoo, and Rangali. The best times to witness this happen are from July to February.

But how does the beach manage to glow at night? This scientific act is called bioluminescence, triggered by the single-celled organisms present in phytoplankton. These tiny creatures emit signals in the form of light through touch stimuli, making the beach glow at night. A special highlight: walking along the beach and stepping on the washed-up microorganisms causes your footprints in the sand to illuminate. This incredible phenomenon can be found by tourists not only in the Maldives but also in Puerto Rico at Mosquito Bay.

A landfill that over time turns into a fantastic beach? This is also possible! In the town of Fort Bragg, located in Northern California, lies Glass Beach in MacKerricher State Park. Old trash, primarily glass bottles thrown into the ocean years ago, has made this wonderful beach a real hidden gem among tourists. Hundreds of thousands of small glass stones shimmer in the sunlight, usually in white, red, and green.

After the landfill was closed in 1967 due to uncontrolled waste disposal, the remnants of trash were gradually broken down after repeated cleaning and the natural action of the waves, turning glass shards into small, round glass stones through the action of seawater. Taking these unique glass stones with you when visiting the beach is, however, strictly prohibited!

Let's start with the Pink Sand Beach on the Bahamas. This beach stretches about 5 kilometers long alongside the turquoise waters of Harbour Island. However, the sand itself isn't really pink; it merely shimmers in that color due to the red corals mixing with the white sand. But even if it only seems so, a visit to this beach is definitely worth it, especially since swimming is excellent there due to the gentle waves.

Not pink but red is the Red Beach, also known as Kaihalulu Beach, located on the Hawaiian island of Maui. The high iron content in the area gives the sand its red color, creating a striking contrast against the sea. Near Hana on Maui's east coast lies this impressive beach, but swimming there is not always recommended due to the strong currents. However, if luck is on your side and the water is calm, it's perfect for snorkeling to experience the countless tropical fish.

Finally, we come to Pfeiffer Beach in California. This beach isn't easy to find at first, but once you do, you're rewarded with breathtaking scenery! It is the most beautiful sandy cove in the coastal landscape of Big Sur, where the sand glistens in violet.

Extraordinary beaches are definitely something different from what we're used to, right? And who knows, maybe your next trip will be to one of these beaches to explore them up close? I wish you lots of fun in doing so!