From a dreamy pink beach in the Bahamas, to a hot pink park in Japan to a pale pink castle in Scotland … Musement takes a trip to the world’s most fascinating pink places.
Few of us would associate beaches, lakes, or even historic buildings with shades of pink, but these are some pink attractions that are worth seeing! From fascinating natural phenomena to extraordinary castles, Musement presents 10 of the most beautiful pink places worldwide:
1. Las Coloradas, Mexico
White sand, blue skies and pink shimmering water! When looking at pictures of the pink salt lakes on the Yucatán Peninsula, it’s hard to believe that this phenomenon exists, but the nearly 70,000 Instagram posts are proof of that. Microorganisms, red algae, brine shrimp and plankton are responsible for creating this extraordinary colour.
2. Takinoue Park, Japan
From early May to early June, Japan’s Takinoue Park is covered in a sea of bright pink moss. The tiny Shibazakura flowers cover almost the entire area of the park – a unique spectacle that should be on every one’s bucket list.
3. Hawa Mahal, India
The Hawa Mahal, also known as the “Palace of the Winds”, is an architectural masterpiece in the city of Jaipur, in northern India. The five-story building made of red and pink sandstone was built in 1799 by the then Maharaja. The original intent of the building was to allow the royal ladies to watch the festivities on the street without being seen. The impressive pink facade of the palace has numerous latticed balconies and 953 ornate windows.
4. Pink Sands Beach, Bahamas
One of the most beautiful beaches in the Bahamas, and probably the entire Caribbean, is Pink Sands Beach on Harbor Island. This pale pink beach, which is almost 5km long, gets its characteristic colour from microscopic coral insects. Can you think of anything nicer than taking a dip in the water, soaking up the sun or taking a long stroll along this wonderful beach?
5. Torrevieja Pink Salt Lake, Spain
We don’t have to travel to the other end of the world to see natural pink spectacles. In the middle of the Alicante region, in south eastern Spain, is a unique pink salt lake (Las Salinas de Torrevieja) with an area of 1,400 hectares. The pink bubble-gum colour is attributed to so-called halobacterium and a rare type of micro algae, which live in extremely salty water. During the bird migration, the salt lakes of Torrevieja are also home to more than 2,000 flamingos – even more pink!
6. Spiaggia Rosa, Sardinia
There are also some pink beaches to visit in Europe. The Spiaggia Rosa beach is located on a 1.6 square kilometre island called Budelli, in the north of Sardinia. Unfortunately, you are no longer allowed to step onto the beach, as too many tourists used to take the sand home as a souvenir. If you still want to admire it, you can take a boat trip and see the beach from the water.
7. Nasir-ol-molk Mosque, Iran
Because of the innumerable pink tiles inside the mosque, the Nasir-ol-Molk mosque is also called the “pink mosque”. If you are lucky enough to see the mosque with your own eyes, it is recommended to visit in the morning. The sun shines through the colourful glass windows and projects a light spectacle onto the pillars and carpets.
8. Lake Hillier, Australia
The pink salt lake, Lake Hillier, is located on a small island in Western Australia and was discovered more than 200 years ago. Due to nature conservation reasons, there are very few ways to reach the lake. If you are lucky enough to see the spectacle from an aeroplane, you will certainly be overwhelmed by the contrast of the pink lake against the blue ocean. In contrary to the other pink natural phenomena mentioned here, it is not exactly clear why the Hillier Lake has this extraordinary colour.
9. Elafonisi Beach, Greece
Crete is a popular holiday destination for many, but did you know that there is also a pink beach there? At the southwestern tip of the Mediterranean island of Crete is the small island of Elafonisi. Tiny shellfish colour parts of the beach a soft pink. The beach is accessible to tourists and on the east side there are parasols, showers, lifeguards, snack bars, changing rooms and the like.
10. Craigievar Castle, Scotland
There are many castles in Scotland, but Craigievar Castle has a very special charm. The 16th century Scottish fortified castle is located in beautiful rolling countryside a few kilometres south of Alford in Aberdeenshire, in the north-east of the country. A special rough plaster called Harl gives the castle its slightly pink shimmering colour.