The most unusual beaches Green beach, Hawaii. The crab beach

Places where everyone would like to be photographed.

All beaches are the same: sun loungers, turquoise water and golden sand. But there are places where everyone would like to be photographed. Below are ten of the most interesting. Vacation season is in full swing!

glass beach

A garbage dump that spontaneously arose on the coast led to the formation exotic place recreation. "Ermine" (that's what the landfill was called) for a long time annoyed the townspeople. In 2011, the area was finally closed and hidden under a concrete sarcophagus. But the sea came into play. Gradually, fragments of broken bottles, run in water, began to be carried to the neighboring sea area. That's how it was formed glass bay- glassy, ​​as they call it locals. 70% of the surface of this beach is covered with rounded multi-colored glass, so beautifully shimmering in the rays of the sun and the foam of the surf.

In 2002, a similar California beach became part of the McKerricher National Park. Today the territory is protected by the authorities. This object is one of the most famous glass beaches in the world. Thousands of tourists visit the territory and strive to take away a souvenir with them. It got to the point that the authorities developed a program for the delivery of broken glass to save the chips of the area. Is waiting for the same seaside bay- We'll see.

secret beach

The Marieta archipelago includes many islands, which since 2008 have been included in the UNESCO list of the most important biosphere reserves. The reason was unique caves, tunnels and rich fauna. On one of the uninhabited islands there is a beach hidden from the eyes of the uninitiated.

As a result of military tests (at the beginning of the 20th century, the United States tested artillery here), an oval-shaped hole formed on the surface of the island. Under the influence of erosion, a unique landscape was formed: a narrow strip of sand under the sun's rays and a small reservoir hidden under the arches of the cave. The diameter of the cave is several tens of meters. Interesting marine animals enter the lagoon, making the beach especially attractive for tourists. The largest population of sea martins nests on the island. It is home to 103 of the 159 recorded species of marine fish in Banderas Bay. Coral reefs many varieties make the bottom topography interesting for diving.

underwater beach

Holy Water Beach, also known as the Beach of the Cathedrals, is located in the northeast of Galicia, on the shores of the Bay of Biscay.

Geometrically correct 30-meter arches grow out of the water, reminding romantic people of the vaults of a church cathedral. The impression is further enhanced when, at low tide, a strip of land between them is exposed.

For lovers of panoramic photographs, special trails are laid on the top of the slopes, from where a view of the gigantic arches opens. With low tide, tourists can go down and walk on the still wet sand until the next high tide.

Warm beach in the North

Northern and warm is the Icelandic beach of Neutholsvik. Despite the fact that it is located on the 63rd parallel (Russian Arkhangelsk is only 1 ° north), it is quite suitable for beach procedures. In addition to a narrow strip of sand, which is sandwiched between a rocky slope and the ocean, there are artificial pools with thermal water, and warm locker rooms with shower. Thrill-seekers can swim in open water- its temperature in the lagoon usually does not exceed 10 ° C. From time to time, you can meet daredevils in socks and gloves (this is how you manage to avoid convulsions), although from the outside it seems that a full-fledged wetsuit is more appropriate here. The beach is free and has the status of an urban one, as it is located almost behind the Reykjavik airport, which is why it is very loved by both visitors and the local population.

Beach with airplanes

A small "piece" of the Netherlands nestled in the Caribbean. Saint-Martin Island has a very limited area - only 87 km², slightly larger than the Central District of Moscow. But life is in full swing here: residential buildings, hotels, small industries, and even something left on agricultural land. There is also an airport here - one of the most dangerous in the world (others): the standard size of the runway for international airliners is approximately 3500 m, and here it is only 2300 m. Behind the airport fence is a beach where tourists sunbathe. And it's the only beach in the world that has boards with plane arrival schedules and posters along it, saying that the airflow from the plane can knock you off your feet. However, this does not stop airspotters - people who are fond of observing aircraft - even despite the tragic cases (in July 2017, a curious New Zealand vacationer was knocked down to death). Huge airliners take off and land right above the heads of vacationers, the distance from the bottom of the plane to their heads is 30-40 m!

green beach

"Hawaiian diamond" - so the natives call Papalokea beach, located on the southernmost tip of the Big Hawaiian Island. In a small oval bay, enclosed by a rocky shore, there are excellent conditions for recreation: a warm sea and a wide sandy coast. Only the sand is not quite simple, it is based on the semi-precious mineral chrysolite. An increased concentration of olivine (the second name of the mineral) creates an olive-colored sand, which can change to a dirty marsh hue.

Unfortunately green sand volcanic origin gradually washed away by the surf and the area unique beach decreases. It is strictly forbidden to take sand from the beach, I even press on memory - this is monitored by the local police. Access to the beach is free. You may have to pay locals for a ride to the beach - usually $15.

shell beach

Heaven for shell lovers is located in Western Australia. The beach stretches for 120 km in a narrow strip. During the period of its existence, it was covered with a huge layer of shells of various types. Water polished their surface and smoothed out the sharp edges, making souvenirs pleasant to the touch and attractive to look at. For hundreds of years, hurricanes have brought marine organisms here, forming a layer up to 10 m thick. But there is one thing - collecting shells is prohibited. The beach is a World Heritage Site. The behavior of tourists is monitored by police patrols. In addition, when you leave the country, your luggage is carefully examined, and it will be difficult to explain to the authorities where you got a set of shells in your bag. However, there are no limits for walks and photos!

Jurassic Beach

Near the small village of Lyme Regis, you can see creatures that lived on earth more than 100 million years ago. The local beach is a real exhibition of fossils under open sky. The coastal strip is fraught with millions of specimens of ammonites that were witnesses of the era of dinosaurs.

Well-preserved fossils of the Triassic period in the soil and sea water allow you to touch the history of the planet. Unlike the two beaches described above, here tourists can freely take the shells they like with them - the authorities do not prevent this at all. The fact is that frequent landslides constantly open new layers of fossils, updating the “exposition”.

And Lyme Regis just lives on natural heritage. In addition to many souvenir shops, even lampposts on the city's waterfront are made in the form of ammonites.

salty beach

Most of the salt in Russia is mined from the lake in Astrakhan region. The area around Lake Baskunchak is distinguished by a riot of landscape colors. The lake itself has a salt concentration lower than the Dead Sea (300 ppm versus 350), but drowning in it is also impossible - often people just lie down on the water, pick up a laptop and watch movies while swimming.

The bottom of the reservoir is covered with a layer of table salt 8-10 m thick. The lake is located on top of a huge salt massif, which goes hundreds of meters deep. Minerals have a beneficial effect on the skin and help eliminate toxins.

hot beach

The North Island in New Zealand is home to a beach that is visited by over 700,000 people every year. The territory is not distinguished by aesthetic appearance or feature of the water. The property of the area is hidden from view and becomes available at low tide: underground thermal rivers carrying hot water to the ocean. When the sea line retreats, the sources come to the surface. Temperature underground water reaches 64 °C. In the shops located near the beach, shovels and buckets are rented - tourists can easily make an impromptu geothermal bath by digging a small depression in the sand.

When we hear the word "beach", we imagine white or yellow sand, quiet waves, bright sun and a cocktail. But it turns out that not all of them are. Today we will tell you about the most amazing beaches in the world. Some of them are real wonders of nature, others are just the result of human activity.

glass beach california

This Californian beach near the city of Fort Bragg was considered a landfill until the 70s of the last century. People threw away all household garbage there - from bottles to cars. Then the city authorities closed the beach and cleaned it up if possible. environment. Only small fragments of multi-colored glass remained on the shore, which for many years were polished by the waves of the ocean. As a result, the coast looks like an ore of precious multi-colored stones and has long been popular among tourists.

hidden beach in Mexico

The Marieta group of uninhabited islands is located near resort town Puerto Vallarta, on east coast Mexico. It is said that at the beginning of the last century, the Mexican authorities used these islands for test bombing, as a result of which they were formed amazing caves and rocks. We don’t know if this is true or fiction, but more recently, on one of the islands, wonderful beach sheltered by rocky formations. The place quickly became popular among tourists and was named Playa De Amor (Love Beach).

Glowing beach in the Maldives

Vaadhoo Atoll in the Maldives real paradise for romantics! As night falls, the billions of micro-organisms on the shore - phytoplankton - begin to glow with a soft light, creating the feeling of a large mirror reflecting the stars in the sky. This phenomenon is called bioluminescence, a process in which chemical energy is converted into light energy.

Beach cathedrals in Spain

Not far from the Galician town of Ribadeo, in the north-east of Spain, there is a unique place known as the “Cathedral Beach”. For centuries, storm and salty sea ​​water turned simple rocks into majestic architectural structures reminiscent of gothic cathedrals. The beach, in fact, appears only at low tide. Then you can walk along the high stone corridors, admire the unusual natural monuments and do photo shoots.

Pink beach in the Bahamas

Bahamas- one of the most beautiful places on Earth, but even in such a paradise you can find a special corner. This is Pink Sands Beach - a 5-kilometer beach with pink sand on Harbor Island. The reason for this amazing beauty- particles of corals and small Foraminifera shells that live under reefs and are washed ashore by ocean waves. According to Forbes magazine, this is the most beautiful beach in the world.

Maho Beach on Saint Martin

The beach itself on this small Caribbean island pretty ordinary. The strange thing is that right behind it is highway, and right behind the road begins take-off landing strip local international airport. It turns out that landing planes fly over the heads of vacationers at a height of only a few tens of meters. This is what attracts fans. thrill and beautiful shots.

Jokulsarlon in Iceland

Another miracle of nature. The black volcanic sand on the shore of this Icelandic lagoon contrasts beautifully with the white transparent pieces of a melting iceberg thrown onto the beach by the waves. The lagoon was formed due to the retreat of the glacier from the coast Atlantic Ocean and now is a picturesque picture called "Ghostly procession of luminous icebergs along Jokulsarlon".

Koekohe beach in New Zealand

These unusual stone formations almost round shape are called "Moeraki boulders", or "dragon eggs" and are located on one of southeastern beaches New Zealand. Scientists give a simple explanation for this mysterious formations- everything was done in time and ocean waves tens of millions of years ago.

Papacolea green beach in Hawaii

Another colorful beach on our list. The Hawaiian Islands are an earthquake-prone region, and after volcanic eruptions, lava enters the ocean. Lava contains olivine, a green rock-forming mineral. It is its small particles that are thrown ashore by the waves. Hence the unusual color. beach sand.

Punaluu Black Beach in Hawaii

Punaluu is on one of Hawaiian Islands and is known for its amazing black colored sand. This is not ordinary sand, but volcanic lava polished by the sea. The coast is not very convenient for swimming: many sharp stones and rocks create a danger, besides, the water is quite cool, since there are many freshwater cold springs nearby. Sunbathing is also unlikely to succeed - black sand heats up much faster and stronger than normal.
The most famous inhabitants of the Black Beach are the large turtles (among them endangered species) that rest there and lay their eggs. Approaching reptiles, as well as taking sand as a souvenir, is strictly prohibited.

Red beach in the Galapagos

Rabida is one of the islands Galapagos archipelago. The red color of the beach sand of Rabida is the result of the high content of iron oxides in the volcanic soil, but it is believed that coral remains also influence the color.

Shell beach in Australia

The high percentage of salinity in Shark Bay ("Shark Bay") on the west coast of Australia has led to the fact that in these waters there are no organisms that feed on shellfish. The number of mollusks, of course, has increased rapidly, and now the waves instead of sand throw the remains of their life onto the shore. The entire coast, almost 60 km long, is covered with shells and is very popular with tourists.

Cave beach in Portugal

This portuguese beach located close to southern resort Algarve. West Coast The Algarve has many spectacular limestone cave-like formations.

Coast "Road of the Giants" in Northern Ireland

This unusual coast stone columns, according to scientists, was formed several tens of millions of years ago, as a result of a volcanic eruption and cooling of basalt lava. This County Antrim beach is the only Northern Ireland attraction on the List. world heritage UNESCO.

Reynisfjara beach in Iceland

And finally - another beautiful Icelandic beach. In 1991, the American magazine "Islands Magazine" included this beach in the top ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world. Judging by the photos, it is quite an understandable choice! Vik is the southernmost village in Iceland and is located right on the Atlantic Ocean. The beach is covered with the purest black volcanic sand, and the black basalt columns of Reynisdrangar, according to local legend, were formed when the trolls tried to drag three ships ashore, but did not have time to hide from the sun's rays and turned to stone. Black Beach has long been a filming location for science fiction films and a popular tourist destination.

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When someone talks about the beach, only three things come to mind: the sun, the sea, and a bathing suit. People imagine white sands, blue skies, rolling waves and a gentle, charming breeze ... Sorry to disappoint you, but after reading this collection, you will no longer think so about all the beaches, as here are the most unusual beaches in the world. We have already written about some of them, so you can go to separate article and get detailed information.

Shigaya artificial beach, Japan

This is one of the first man-made beaches in the world, located in Japan. Cigaya Beach is one of the largest oceanic domes in the world and operates throughout the year.

Hot Water Beach, New Zealand

If during your trip YOU need a good hot tub, do not go to the hotel, but go straight to the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. Here, under the sand on the beach, there are numerous hot springs that penetrate through the sand to the outside. Just dig a hole in the beach and you'll have your own hot tub.

Punalu in Hawaii

We have already told you about green sand, now let's move on to Punalu beach, the sand of which is completely black. This is the most famous beach in a black sand world. In addition to all, there are large green turtles basking on the sun-warmed sand and attracting thousands of tourists every year.

Red Beach Panjin

We continue along the colored beaches and go to the red beach of Panjin. Contributes to this coloring seaweed-weed, intensively multiplying upon contact with salt at certain times of the year.

Barra Beach in the UK

There are unusual beaches in the UK. On one of the islands of Scotland right on sandy beach airport runway is located. This makes Barra Beach unique and unrepeatable, as there is nowhere else in the world like it.

Barking sand in Hawaii

The name of this strange beach speaks for itself. HE just barks like a dog. Due to the special composition of the sand, if you rub it, a characteristic barking sound is made.

Playa de Galpiyuri

Perhaps one of the most unusual on our list will be Playa de Galpiyuri beach. Well, it stands out because there is no sea nearby at all. Communication with the sea is established through a network of caves 100 meters long, through which water enters here.

Crosby, Merseyside, England

We complete our selection with the Merseyside beach of Crosby in England. When viewed from afar, it may seem that this is a crowded nudist beach. However, coming closer, it becomes clear that these hundred figures are bronze sculptures, installed on the very shore. This is an art exhibition by sculptor Anthony Gormley called "Another Place". When the tide rises, the sculptures disappear under the water, and when the tide goes out, they reappear.

When you hear the word “beaches”, you most likely imagine yellow sand, waves crashing on the shore, a bright sun and a fruit cocktail in your hand. But it is not always the case. Beaches can have the most incredible shapes and colors that you didn't even know existed. Below are the places where you will see the beach as you never imagined it. The most unusual options include sand of an unusual color, which is formed by water from a variety of rocks.

Glass Beach (California)

This place was formed due to the fact that local residents have been throwing garbage here for a long time. Over time, the waves carried pieces of glass directly onto the shore. Then the disposal of garbage was banned, but the glass remained.

Hidden beach in Mexico

It is said that this place was formed after the Mexican government used some uninhabited islands for various military trials in the 1900s.

Beach in the Maldives

The site's nighttime glow is caused by microscopic bioluminescent phytoplankton that emit light when they are stirred by the surf.

Cathedral Beach (Spain)

The stunning cathedral arches and buttresses of this beach in Spain have been shaped by water that has washed over the rocks for thousands of years.

Pink sand beach (Bahamas)

The sand got its special pink color thanks to the remains of corals, which were broken into small pieces and thrown ashore by the surf.

Maho Beach (Saint Martin)

In this place you can admire the incredible landing of aircraft.

Black beach in Iceland

The sand was formed from volcanic rocks and contrasts beautifully with white glassy chunks of ice.

Dragon Egg Beach (New Zealand)

Unique boulders in this place are formed from especially hard rocks that have been turned by water for a long time.

Green beach in Kugu (French Guiana)

The sand got its special color thanks to olivine, a mineral that was broken and washed ashore by the surf.

Green Beach (Hawaii)

Another place, also formed from olivine, which was formed after the lava that got into the sea froze very quickly.

Giant paved road (Ireland)

This place was formed 50-60 million years ago, when balsatic lava rose to the surface of the earth and froze, cracking in large columns.

Hawaii

This place is also formed by basaltic lava, which fell into the sea, quickly cooled down and was washed ashore.

Galapagos

This site was formed by the oxidation of iron-rich lava as well as coral deposits washed ashore.

Shell beach (Australia)

The water in this place is so salty that mollusks can multiply uncontrollably, without being afraid of natural predators. That is why there are so many shells here.

Purple Beach (California)

The purple sand at this site, which occurs only in patches, was formed when manganese garnet deposits in the surrounding hills were released into the sea.

Black Beach (Iceland)

Iceland has a large volcanic activity, which is why black volcanic sands are fairly common here.

Caves (Portugal)

The coast here consists of limestone, which is easily eroded, resulting in the formation of stunning sea caves.

Compilation of 10 unusual beaches which you may never have heard of. All the fun is inside!

1. Extreme beach (Maho beach, San Martin).

Maho Beach on the island of San Martin in the Caribbean is famous for its close proximity to the runway of a real airport. Thus, landing planes fly 10-20 meters above the heads of vacationers. Strong air currents from airliners cause unexpected strong waves on the coast, which in turn attract windsurfers here. The airport administration openly warns tourists that being on the beach during the landing or take-off of an aircraft can be life threatening, but this does not stop thrill-seekers.

2. Black sand beach.

An exotic black beach with volcanic sand is usually not very popular with tourists. Probably the reason lies in the well-known, romantic stereotype about perfect beach With white sand, blue waters and green palms. In addition, black beaches are rare and often have difficult access to the sea (rocks, stones on the shore), and the sand itself, due to its color, heats up extremely quickly and you can only walk on it with shoes on. Most famous beaches with black sand: Punaluu (Hawaii), La Palma ( Canary Islands, Spain), Piha ( New Zealand), Vik (Iceland).

3. Beach with pink sand.

An even more unexpected color variant of the sand owes its appearance to the pigment released from dead red corals. Known pink beaches: Elafonisi (Crete, Greece, pictured), Harbor (Bahamas), Komodo (Indonesia).

4. Glow in the dark beach (Maldives).

This seems to be the ultimate proof that the Maldives is heaven on earth. The secret of a fantastic natural phenomenon lies in the bioluminescent phytoplankton that accumulates on the shore and under the influence of stress factors (a wave hits the shore, hitting the water with a hand, stepping on a foot, etc.) shimmers with a magical blue glow. glowing beaches in the Maldives you can see quite often, and this spectacle looks especially impressive on a dark, moonless night.

5. Hidden Beach (Marieta Islands, Mexico)

Many treasures of nature are hidden from the eyes of people, but sometimes we get a chance to see some of them. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Mexican government conducted military tests in this area. One of the rockets made a huge hole in the vault of a hidden underground grotto and revealed to the world a real miracle of nature - a huge natural pool With sandy part right under the hot Mexican sun (due to the proximity to the equator, the temperature often reaches 40 C). On this moment, the Marietas Islands have the status national park and were included in the list of the most important biosphere reserves of the world by UNESCO.

6. Most clean beach in the world (Whitehaven Beach, Australia).

Whitehaven is considered one of the most environmentally friendly beaches in the world. The local sand is 98% silica, which gives it an incredible blinding white color. In addition, due to its composition, the sand almost does not heat up here, which is a huge advantage for vacationers. Do not forget to add to this the size of the beach (length 8 km), as well as the incredible purity of the local azure waters.

7. Hot Beach (Coramandel Peninsula, New Zealand).

During the peak season, this unusual beach is visited by thousands of people armed with ... shovels. The tool is needed to dig out a personal makeshift "bath". The fact is that under the surface of the beach there are two geothermal springs, hot water from which seeps through the sand up. The deeper the dug hole, the hotter the bath: the temperature here can reach up to 65 C. Thus, the New Zealand beach is not inferior to the best SPA-salons in the world. Hot springs, however, are only available at low tide for 3-4 hours.

8 Disappearing Beach (Chandipur Beach, India)

Every day during the year on the Indian beach of Chandipur there is a grand ebb: exposing the bottom, the sea retreats as much as 5 kilometers! A natural phenomenon attracts a large number of interested tourists who literally follow the sea, simultaneously studying the mollusks, crabs, turtles and other living creatures left on the sandy bottom.

9. Beach with pigs (Big Major Cay, Bahamas).

Big Major Cay Island is famous for its rightful owners - wild pigs. Once introduced by man, these pigs have taken root on a small tropical island and are now its main tourist attraction. Carefree and cheerful, these animals (in the number of several dozen) swim up to people without fear, take pictures and swim with them, expecting some treats in return.

10. Glass Beach (California, USA).

"Glass" beach - the result of the joint work of the sea, wind and coastal rocks over all the garbage that humanity dumps into the water. The process of processing a conditional fragment from a bottle or a ceramic plate can take several years from nature. The resulting glass “pebbles” are used by jewelers and handmade craftsmen; a separate hobby has also appeared for collecting and collecting the most beautiful and rare stones. Behind last years in the United States, several similar glass beaches appeared at once.

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