Are you one of those you think that beaches are nonchalant tourist destinations with nothing unique to offer? Well, then you might not have visited places like the Hilton Head Island. This place is known to have so much in store for the visitors. From Coastal Discovery museum to Coligny Beach Park, there is something for everyone. The best is that one can rent a bike, check out the hilton head bike trail map, and wander on the island to visit a number of beautiful spots.
Anyway, hopefully, after reading so much, people might have changed their preconceived notions about beaches. It is true that sometimes beaches may seem overcrowded and boring, but know that the unusual beaches featured here surely wouldn’t disappoint you. Beaches in several colors- these offbeat seaside destinations are the best destinations you will ever find.
Green Sand Beach
Where is it: Papakolea Beach/ Mahana Beach, South Point, Ka’u, Hawaii
What’s special: This beach is a brilliant green in color owing to the mineral olivine coming from the nearby cinder cone. It’s one of the four beaches in the world with green sand, others being Talofofo Beach in Guam, Punta Cormorant on Floreana Island (Galapagos Islands) and Hornindalsvatnet in Norway.
Tunnel Beach
Where is it: Dunedin, New Zealand
What’s special: Trek through a private island and pass a long creepy tunnel to get to this beach. It’s worth the effort as on the other side are beautiful rock arches, sandstone cliffs, caves, and other amazing rock formations all against the giant Pacific Ocean. If you like this part of the beach, then you might also enjoy taking Tours in Takapuna beach. In such an environment, you would also get to do some designer shopping, have a relaxed atmosphere, and be amazed at the huge variety of restaurants, bars, and cafes available.
Black Sand Beach
Where is it: Punalu’u Park, Hawaii
What’s special: Owing to the constant volcanic activity, we have the unforgettable sight of the Black Sand Beach. Coconut palms on the fringe couple with the Hawaiian Green Sea turtles basking on the beach, the scene is really breathtaking.
Bowling Ball Beach
Where is it: Schooner Gulch State Beach, Mendocino County, California, USA
What’s special: The shore of this beach in Schooner Gulch has large spherical rocks which look like oversized bowling balls. The boulders have been caused by millions of years of corrosion and concretion (a rare geological phenomenon also observed in Moeraki and Koutu Boulders in New Zealand and Cannonball River in North Dakota). This could be the perfect holiday destination for anyone who admires scenic beauty since it can present one of the most stunning views of sunsets. Additionally, for someone planning an extended vacation to explore the other beaches, the coastline of California is home to a number of resorts such as Palos Verdes Hotel that can accommodate guests and satisfy their epicurean desires as well.
Whitehaven Beach
Where is it: Whitsunday Island, Australia
What’s special: Apart from being truly spectacular, the Whitehaven beach has also been awarded as the most eco-friendly beach in the world by CNN. Local sand on the beach is white in color due to large amounts of silica which prevent heat retention thereby enabling beach goers to walk easily in the sun.
Star Sand Beach
Where is it: Irimote Island, Japan
What’s special: Most of the visitors on this beach in Japan are seen curiously examining the star shaped particles on the beach. The star sand is actually exoskeletons of microscopic marine organisms (foraminiferans) which have been washes away by the ocean on the island’s shores.
Pink Sand Beach
Where is it: Harbor Island, Bahamas
What’s special: The powdery sand of Harbor Island have a pinkish glow owing to the eroded particles from the red corals across the eastern coast of Bahamas.
Bioluminescent Beach
Where is it: Maldives
What’s special: It’s like an ocean of stars. The glow on the beach is due to bioluminescent phytoplankton, which glows when agitated. Though they are found in many shores across the world, they are in abundance in Maldives.
Beach of the Cathedrals
Where is it: Playa de las Catedrales/ Praia de Augas Santas, Ribadeo, Spain
What’s special: This idyllic beach in Spain is surrounded by magnificent cathedral like geological formations and can only be accessed during low tide.
Hidden Beach
Where is it: Playa de Amor, Marieta Islands, Mexico
What’s special: This gorgeous beach was actually created in the early 1900s, when the Mexican government made a bombsite of the area, blasting a huge hole on the canopy of the cavern.
White Sand Beach
Where is it: Hyams Beach, New South Wales, Australia
What’s special: Hyams beach has the whitest sand in the world and holds a Guinness record for the same.
Purple Sand Beach
Where is it: Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California, USA
What’s special: The purple tint of the beach comes from its dominant mineral combined with manganese garnet deposits found in surrounding rocks. Another cute colored beach found in Big Sur, California.
Scala Dei Turchi
Where is it: Southern Sicily, Realmonte, Italy
What’s special: Years of wave action has formed a set of stairs of natural white rock at Scala dei Turchi.
Hot Water Beach
Where is it: East Coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand
What’s special: The best part of this beach is that you can dig your own DIY spa on it. This geothermal beach has heated water spouting from two nearby underground springs and can get as hot as 64 C (147 F).
Maho Beach
Where is it: Maho Bay, St Maarten
What’s special: Being just adjacent to Princess Juliana International Airport, the vacationers on the beach can actually jump up and touch a flying airplane
Chandipur Beach
Where is it: Baleshwar District, Odisha, Eastern India
What’s special: In the morning the sea in Chandipur beach recedes up to 5 kilometers from the shore, giving visitors the chance to walk on the sea bed. However once the high tide kicks in, the sea rushes back in place. This strange phenomenon happens twice daily throughout the year!
Pig Beach
Where is it: Big Major City, Bahamas
What’s special: This island in Bahamas is populated by around 20 feral pigs who are often seen swimming in the clear waters around the island. They are surely bringing in curious travellers from across the world.
Glass Beach
Where is it: Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii
What’s special: While the regular rock on this beach is basalt, the Glass Beach is blanketed by glass, which were discarded by the residents. Over the years, the pounding waves have cleaned the beach, breaking every trash but glass and pottery, tumbling them into small, smooth colored pieces that cover the Glass Beach. Similar beaches can be found in Fort Bragg and Benicia, both in California.
Do you want to visit any of these unusual beaches? Leave a comment below or tweet us.
