Who doesn't love to take a trip to the beach? The weather is so nice and it's always fun to soak in the sun, relax in the sand, and even take a dip in the water. Although it's always fun to relax on the beautiful beaches around the world, there are also some that offer much more than simply sun and sand.
Around the world, there are a lot of fun and unique beaches that are definitely better for more than just enjoying the weather. From the unique animals that call these beaches home to the impossibly-colorful sand and shells, some of these beaches look almost too gorgeous to even be real. To see 10 unique beaches that are better for more than just tanning, keep reading!
10 Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach - Hawaii
Hawaii is definitely a state that is known for its beaches. Considering that the weather in this super-unique state is so nice, that's no surprise! There's a beach in Hawaii that's better for more than just enjoying the sun in this beautiful state, however.
On the island of Maui is Kaihalulu Beach. On an island that draws in visitors for its beaches, it's hard to stand out, right? Not for Kaihalulu Beach. This beach is incredibly well-known for its beautiful red sand. This beach is near town, but the difficult hike down the trail to get there means not a lot of people visit. Still, it's so worth the effort just to see it for yourself.
9 Shell Beach - Australia
Even though most beaches have sand lining the shore, Shell Beach in Australia is one that very different. Instead of sand, this unique beach is completely covered in shells. This beach is located in Western Australia's Shark Bay region and has become a pretty popular tourist destination, due to the massive amount of cockle shells that are on the beach.
This is a really rare phenomenon: the cockles have adapted and thrived in the water here, while their natural predators haven't. Shell Beach is one of only two in the world, so you're definitely not going to find a beach like this one in many other places!
8 Punalu’u Beach - Hawaii
Although there are a lot of beaches around the world that are popular for their beautiful, white sand, Punalu'u Beach on Hawaii's Big Island is the exact opposite. Instead of being known for bright, white sand, this beach has become really popular for its striking black sand.
Along with the unique black sand, this beach is popular with locals and visitors because of the fact that turtles often show up on this beach. It's a lot of fun to watch the turtles if you're enjoying a day on Punalu'u Beach, but make sure that you don't touch or try to feed them. Nature is fun to watch, but it's important for humans to just watch and keep their distance!
7 Hot Water Beach - New Zealand
Anyone who has ever been to the beach and taken a dip in the ocean will know that the water can be pretty chilly sometimes. It can feel good to get in and out of the warm weather, so we're definitely not going to complain!
Hot Water Beach is located in New Zealand and is popular with tourists for a completely different reason. This beach is known for the hot water that bubbles up naturally from underneath the sand. It's a ton of fun to visit this beach and dig a hole in the sand, so you can take a dip on a completely natural, hot pool of your own.
6 Bowling Ball Beach - California
There have been a lot of wild theories about the origins of the massive, nearly-perfectly-spherical stones that line this beach. Called Bowling Ball Beach, this unique beach is located in Point Arena, California and got its name because of the round rocks that are all over the coastline.
Were they put there by aliens? Are they fossilized dinosaur eggs, frozen in time forever? Sorry, but the answer is a lot less interesting: these ball-shaped rocks were simply formed by millions and millions of years of erosion.
5 Glass Beach - California
Glass Beach is located in Fort Bragg, California and is part of MacKerricher State Park. Instead of having soft, warm sand, this beach is completely covered in smooth, colorful pieces of sea glass. The pieces of sea glass that cover this beach have made it a really popular tourist destination.
Where did it all come from? Sea glass is made of pieces of glass that have been discarded onto the beach or into the ocean, which have had decades to erode and become smooth in the salty water. This beach was once a trash dump, so the glass that was discarded here became sea glass over the years. It's a lot of fun to look at and definitely worthy of an Instagram shot, but remember that it's illegal to remove any of the sea glass!
4 Scala Dei Turchi - Italy
Scala dei Turchi is located in Realmonte, Italy and is a massive, white cliff that is a really popular tourist destination for people visiting Italy. Over the years, nature has eroded this natural landmass into stairs that are pretty easy to climb and walk up, making it a super-unique place to visit and explore.
If you're not interested in climbing the stairs of Scala dei Turchi, you can take a dip in the warm water or even have a natural mud bath. This area is popular for its wonderful view of the sea, its warm weather, and this unique natural attraction.
3 Boulders Beach - South Africa
When you think about where penguins live, Antarctica probably comes to mind. That's true, of course, but it's not the only place where penguins live. There is also a species of penguin that lives in South Africa, right on the beach!
Boulders Beach is located in South Africa and is a popular tourist destination, partly because of the warm weather and soft sand. What really draws in visitors, though, is the fact that there are penguins that live here and people can see them up close in their natural habitat.
2 Pig Beach - The Bahamas
When it comes to island destinations, the Bahamas are definitely a top pick for many people. The beautiful weather, clear water, and incredible beaches definitely make the Bahamas a good place to take an island vacation. If you're looking for a really unique beach to visit, you definitely need to go to Pig Beach.
As the name would suggest, this is a beach inhabited by adorable, friendly pigs. No-one knows how they originally came to the beach, but there are about 20 of them that live the good life on the beach now.
1 Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach - Iceland
Iceland probably isn't the first place that many people think of when they're planning a trip to the beach, right? Even though Iceland isn't known for its beaches the way Hawaii, Australia, and the Bahamas are, Iceland is still a beautiful country that draws in visitors from all over the world.
One reason that people visit is Reynisfjara's Black Sand Beach. This beach isn't your ordinary tanning location! This beach has rich, black sand and is lined by beautiful, mossy cliffs. This area's cliffs were even featured in a Season Seven episode of Game of Thrones.