When someone says “beach” you probably think of yellow or white sand, rolling waves, bright sunlight and a beer or fruity cocktail. But beaches come in far more different shapes and colors than some of us might have expected. Here are 17 beaches that, in one way or another, might not be anything like the beaches you’re used to.
One of the most striking differences in many of these beaches are the different sand colors. Sand is generally formed out of whatever the waves happen to be banging against the shore, be they rocks, shells, corals, or glass. Rare green beaches can contain olivine, which is a remnant of volcanic eruptions, and black beaches are also generally formed by volcanic remnants. The pink beaches of Bermuda are colored by coral remnants.
If you have a photo of a unique beach out there that should be on this list, share it with us below this post!
Unique Glass Beach in California
Image credits: unknown
Image credits: digggs
The glass beach near Fort Bragg in California formed after the trash dumped there for years by local residents was pounded into sand by the surf. The dumping was eventually prohibited, but the glass sand remains.
Hidden beach in Marieta, Mexico
Image credits: dailymail.co.uk
Image credits: Miguel Naranjo
This beach in Mexico is said to have formed after the Mexican government used the uninhabited islands for target practice in the 1900s.
Maldives Beach That Looks Like Starry Night Sky
Image credits: Will Ho
Image credits: Will Ho
The lights on this beach in the Maldives are caused by microscopic bioluminescent phytoplankton, which give off light when they are agitated by the surf.
The Beach of the Cathedrals, Ribadeo, Spain
Image credits: imgur.com
The stunning cathedral-like arches and buttresses of this beach in Spain were formed by pounding water over thousands upon thousands years.
Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas
Image credits: greenglobe.travel
Image credits: luxuo.com
The idyllic pink sand of the Bahamas is pigmented by washed-up coral remnants, which are dashed and ground to tiny pieces by the surf.
Extreme Plane Landings at Maho Beach, Saint Martin
Image credits: Benny Zheng
Image credits: Kent Miller
Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Image credits: Manisha Desai
Image credits: D-P Photography
The black volcanic sand on this Icelandic beach contrasts beautifully with the white and glassy chunks of ice.
The Moeraki Boulders (Dragon Eggs) In Koekohe Beach, New Zealand
Image credits: Gerald Guerubin
Image credits: Farkul J
Image credits: arikairflight.blogspot.com
The boulders on this New Zealand beach are concretions – balls of sedimentary rock harder than the sedimentary earth that formed around them, which has long since washed away. These boulders get uncovered and smoothed by pounding waves.
Green Sand In Kourou, French Guiana
Image credits: Arria Belli
Papakōlea Green Sand Beach, Hawaii
Image credits: paradisepin.com
Image credits: Mark Ritter
The green sand on this beach in Hawaii is caused by the mineral olivine, which is formed by lava as it cools in the sea.
Giants Causeway Beach, Ireland
Image credits: Michael
Image credits: Stefan Klopp
The giant’s causeway was formed 50-60 million years ago when basalt lava rose to the surface and cooled, cracking into strange, large columns.
Punaluu Black Sand Beach, Hawaii
Image credits: hawaiitopten.com
Image credits: poco a poco
The black sand on Punaluu is formed by basalt lava, which explodes as it flows into the sea and rapidly cools.
Red Sand Beach, Rabida, Galapagos
Image credits: unknown
Image credits: Robert Peternel
The red sand at Rabida was formed due to the oxidization of iron-rich lava deposits, although it could also be due to washed-up coral sediments.
Shell Beach, Shark Bay, Australia
Image credits: australiascoralcoast.com
The water near Shell Beach in Australia is so saline that the cockle clam has been able to proliferate unchecked by its natural predators. It is this abundance of molluscs that floods the beaches with their shells.
Pfeiffer Purple Sand Beach, California
Image credits: Tom Grubbe | dfmead
Image credits: irene joy
The purple sand at this beach (which is only found in patches) is formed when manganese garnet deposits in the surrounding hills erode into the sea.
Vik Beach, Iceland
Image credits: Stephan Amm
Iceland is a land with a lot of volcanic activity, which is why black volcanic beaches are so common there.
Cave Beach in Algarve, Portugal
Image credits: Bruno Carlos
The Algarve coast consists of limestone, which is easily eroded and can form stunning sea caves like this one.
Here is another "hidden beach" like the Marieta, Mexico. It's in Asturias, in the north of Spain and its name is Gulpiyuri: http://1.bp.blo
Love Gulpiyuri :) http://www.playagulp...e-gulpiyuri.jpghttp://mas.lne.es/pl...s800x600/y5.jpg
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There're better black sand beaches in Canary island, like Los Patos or El Ancón. We're volcanic island too, with particular cool weather
All of these are cool except maybe the glass one. Depending on how the glass got there, if it was naturally made because it's super hot and makes glass which is smoothed, then that's pretty dang cool! But if it was made by people breaking and leaving glass behind then no it is absolutely not cool.
God made this world for us to enjoy and not ruin........glad there is still beauty left
Virtually all of the glass at that beach in Fort Bragg is gone. Tourists have taken it all. It's just a regular, dirty beach now.
I would consider it a dream home to live in a cave like the one on the beach in Algarve, Portugal; to wake up to that view every day, wow.
In holy books god says: do you think I created this world for no point? For sure God is the designer, and the best news prophets brought,e
..pink sand beach?...take a look at the roof of the house! looks like Bermuda to me.
Salton sea beach in california is made up of fish bones. The smell is awful!
I have been to some of these beaches, but my favorite was the black sand beach on Tahiti.
People have taken a lot of the glass from glass beach over the years. Its not nearly as impressive as it was 20 years ago.
To je nádhera kéž bych to mohla jednou vidět na vlastní oči .....
Breath Taking, this is another reason why we should praise the lord almighty
Glass beach does look like this anymore. People have picked up and carried off almos all of it.
I Don't think I shoud be penalized for not belonging to Face Book & can't forwored Viedo!! Shame
The pink sand beach is actually Windsor Beach in Bermuda and not located in the Bahamas, I lived there!
Wish those beaches can remain their beauty for centuries, never destroyed by people
Anyone got pics of Alum Bay in the Isle of Wight, it's got different coloured sand, a rock formation called the Needles and a Lighthouse.
Nature at it's very best, sands and shells of beautiful colours. Day and night light forms of striking reflections. Lindsay Sidwell
http://beachmalta.com/beaches/cominos-blue-lagoon/ Azure beach in Comino, Malta
Vietnam has "Ghenh da dia" which is similar to Giants Causeway Beach http://www.talkvietnam.com/2013/08/ghenh-da-dia-rock-masterpieces/
Whitehaven Beach - Australia www.renkliweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Whitehaven-Plaj%C4%B1-Avustralya.jpg There're also in Brasil!
I've been to Glass Beach 3 years ago. Event thou it is Protected and you can't take anything people had bags full of glass.
Two hidden beaches, both natural, in North Spain. Asturias http://www.playagulpiyuri.com/ http://www.asturnatura.com/playa/cobijeru.html
Oh wow, I'm from Asturias and I didn't know the second! Thank you very much, it's amazing :)
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Beautiful pictures. I only miss Taroa beach in La Guajira, Colombia: http://macuiratours....02/Slider3w.jpg.
Amazing photos of places I will never see in person..........thank you so much !
Here is another "hidden beach" like the Marieta, Mexico. It's in Asturias, in the north of Spain and its name is Gulpiyuri: http://1.bp.blo
Love Gulpiyuri :) http://www.playagulp...e-gulpiyuri.jpghttp://mas.lne.es/pl...s800x600/y5.jpg
Load More Replies... There're better black sand beaches in Canary island, like Los Patos or El Ancón. We're volcanic island too, with particular cool weather
All of these are cool except maybe the glass one. Depending on how the glass got there, if it was naturally made because it's super hot and makes glass which is smoothed, then that's pretty dang cool! But if it was made by people breaking and leaving glass behind then no it is absolutely not cool.
God made this world for us to enjoy and not ruin........glad there is still beauty left
Virtually all of the glass at that beach in Fort Bragg is gone. Tourists have taken it all. It's just a regular, dirty beach now.
I would consider it a dream home to live in a cave like the one on the beach in Algarve, Portugal; to wake up to that view every day, wow.
In holy books god says: do you think I created this world for no point? For sure God is the designer, and the best news prophets brought,e
..pink sand beach?...take a look at the roof of the house! looks like Bermuda to me.
Salton sea beach in california is made up of fish bones. The smell is awful!
I have been to some of these beaches, but my favorite was the black sand beach on Tahiti.
People have taken a lot of the glass from glass beach over the years. Its not nearly as impressive as it was 20 years ago.
To je nádhera kéž bych to mohla jednou vidět na vlastní oči .....
Breath Taking, this is another reason why we should praise the lord almighty
Glass beach does look like this anymore. People have picked up and carried off almos all of it.
I Don't think I shoud be penalized for not belonging to Face Book & can't forwored Viedo!! Shame
The pink sand beach is actually Windsor Beach in Bermuda and not located in the Bahamas, I lived there!
Wish those beaches can remain their beauty for centuries, never destroyed by people
Anyone got pics of Alum Bay in the Isle of Wight, it's got different coloured sand, a rock formation called the Needles and a Lighthouse.
Nature at it's very best, sands and shells of beautiful colours. Day and night light forms of striking reflections. Lindsay Sidwell
http://beachmalta.com/beaches/cominos-blue-lagoon/ Azure beach in Comino, Malta
Vietnam has "Ghenh da dia" which is similar to Giants Causeway Beach http://www.talkvietnam.com/2013/08/ghenh-da-dia-rock-masterpieces/
Whitehaven Beach - Australia www.renkliweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Whitehaven-Plaj%C4%B1-Avustralya.jpg There're also in Brasil!
I've been to Glass Beach 3 years ago. Event thou it is Protected and you can't take anything people had bags full of glass.
Two hidden beaches, both natural, in North Spain. Asturias http://www.playagulpiyuri.com/ http://www.asturnatura.com/playa/cobijeru.html
Oh wow, I'm from Asturias and I didn't know the second! Thank you very much, it's amazing :)
Load More Replies... Beautiful pictures. I only miss Taroa beach in La Guajira, Colombia: http://macuiratours....02/Slider3w.jpg.
Amazing photos of places I will never see in person..........thank you so much !
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