Beaches are most popularly known for their beautiful and breathtaking, infinite stretch of white smooth sand. The feeling of burying your feet under the sand is soothing and calming, especially after a stressful week or month. Interestingly, not very many people know that there are beaches whose shore sands are anything but white or gold.
It is true we are still in a scare of a global health pandemic; however we are very hopeful that it is not going to be the end of the human race. In no time, the COVID-19 pandemic will be a thing of the past and we would love nothing more than to travel the world again, exploring the vast, incomprehensible, and inexhaustible gift that is nature. This travel also includes the exploration of black sand beaches.
As the name implies, black sand is sand that is black in color. Some types of black sand are heavy, glossy and partly magnetic particles. Another type of black sand is found on beaches close to where a volcanic event has occurred. This kind of black sand usually consists of tiny fragments of basalt. This second type of black sand is our focus in this article.
Check out this list of some of the worlds black sand beaches;
Punalu’u, Hawaii, USA
At the top of our list is the Black Sand Beach Punalu’u. It is possibly the most famous example of a beach exhibiting ebony dunes. This beach is located on the Big Island of the Hawaiian chain.
Punalu’u is formed of basalt sand that was deposited by lava flowing into the ocean and exploding as it cooled, making Punalu’u not only pretty, but pretty awesome too, in a historic way.
Vik, Iceland
When thinking about vacationing at a beach, I am pretty sure that Iceland may not come to mind. However, in the village of Vik, Iceland, there is a stunning black sand beach that lies at the foot of the islands southernmost settlement.
Viks black sand is a product of the nearby Katla volcano, which last erupted in 1918. Katla is directly beneath the Myrdalsjokull glacier, meaning Vik exists under constant threat of eruption and flash flooding. Vik can only be described as a beautiful basalt beach for the brave! What is life without a little adventure right?
El Bollullo Beach, Tenerife, Canary Islands
The Canary Islands, located just off the northwest coast of Africa, are volcanic in nature and are mostly composed of basalt. This Island has not just one, but three black sand beaches.
Tenerife, the largest island, hosts the magnificent El Bollullo beach, just north of Puerto de la Cruz. The other two black sand beaches are La Gomera, which is also its longest beach and Los Cancajos, a black sand beach bordered by narrow, rocky inlets along the coastline.
Regardless of which you choose, the beauty of these beaches is bound to take your breath away!
Lovina Beach, Bali, Indonesia
There is hardly any traveler or intending traveler who does not want to go to Bali, and for good reason too. Bali is simply beautiful. Located halfway around the world, in the Pacific Ocean, lies another volcanic island paradise.
Bali has a black sand beach called Lovina. There wouldn’t have been a better name for this beach, and it was formed by a lava flow from Mount Agung.
Point Venus Beach, Tahiti.
One cannot fail to mention Tahiti, when discussing black sand beaches. The island’s reputation is built on its famed dark dunes. Tahiti was formed by volcanic activity, as most of the coastline is composed of stunning black sand.
Point Venus Beach is a famous Tahitian black sand beach, but it is not the only one. Lafayette Beach and the half-mile long Plage de Toaroto are also worthy of visits.
Seme Beach, Limbe, Cameroon.
Yes! Africa was really not left out in natures distribution of black sand beaches. In Nigeria? maybe someday.For now, there haven’t been any recorded volcano eruption close to any of the beaches to form basalt and create the expanse of black sand beach.
It is not only the Canary Islands that were blessed with black sand beaches. Cameroon can also boast of a black sand beach. Exciting!!!