There are many places of rest where the beaches have fine fine sand the color of baked milk, or golden, as in the Golden Sands of Bulgaria. But to see the beaches with pink sand is a rarity. Many people have a question: why did the sand acquire such a shade, and where did it come from?
World famous pink sand beaches
To begin with, there are seven famous beaches in the world where the sand really is pink. Two pink sand beaches in Crete. These are the beaches of Elafonisi and Balos. The remaining five beaches, if it is interesting to the reader, are located in different places on the globe:
- on the island of Harbor, Bahamas ;
- on the island of Santa Cruz in the Philippines;
- on Bonaire island, Caribbean islands;
- in Bermuda;
- in Komodo National Park Indonesia.
Elafonisi Beach in Crete
Almost all of the coast of Crete is occupied by beaches related to resort areas, hotels of travel agencies, as well as municipal ones. To say which one is better is impossible. They are all popular, with good infrastructure, offering all kinds of services for tourists. On the southern part of Crete, the beaches are pebble, the landscape is rocky. And the northern part of the island is rich in sandy beaches. Sand on them in different shades.
One of such amazingly beautiful beaches not only in Crete, but throughout Greece - the beach of Elafonisi, and it is located on the island of the same name, to which you can wade. The water level in a hundred meter wide and shallow strait separating it from Crete does not rise above the knee.
This is the pink beach of Crete. Thousands of tourists come here every year. Someone wants to relax on the beach with beautiful pink sand, someone comes for inspiration, someone wants to visit the azure sea. All tourists are delighted with this paradise vacation spot.
The beauty of the beach gives not only the color of sand from pale pink to lilac, but also the color of the water. It is turquoise off the coast. Thanks to the cedars growing near the beach, the air is saturated with their aroma. The sandy shore, flooded with sunlight, looks very beautiful. It shimmers all over, changing shades from the incoming waves.
How to get to the beach
At the peak of the holiday season, buses run between Chania and Edefonisi, so there is no difficulty in getting to the pink beach in Crete. If you stayed in hotels in other cities, a trip to this unique beach will be with a change in the city of Kissamos, from where there are buses to the beach several times a day.
If you travel, for example, from Heraklion by personal transport or a rented car, you will have to travel along the E75 highway, then along the E65. Approaching Kastelion, make a turn to the center of the island and drive towards Elafonisi. Next, a trip along the mountain serpentine, so you need to be careful and attentive. A large stretch of road from Chania, but it is very beautiful. A pleasant bonus of the trip will be free parking near the beach area. It is not paved, but well-compacted and roomy. Along the way there are enough taverns where you can have a bite to eat at affordable prices.
You can visit the pink beach of Crete as part of the tour. But this pleasure is not cheap, and time-limited excursions.
Why is the sand pink?
It turns out that sand takes on a shade from debris of corals, shells, shells. The tiny crustaceans that live in the sea "wear" their shells, and they are red. When their life cycle ends, these red shells remain in the water, which gradually collapse, turning into sand. Sand has this hue not only on the coastline, but also a few meters from the coast in the sea. When it is stormy, you can swim safely on the pink beach. This is due to the fact that the sea is shallow.
Usually families with children come to the pink beach of Crete Elafonisi with pleasure. It is safe for the child to swim, the entrance to the water is gentle, the sand is clean and beautiful, which will certainly interest the baby. The best time to relax on the pink sands of Elafonisi is the end of August, although swimmers can be found from April to October.
There are rental points on the beach with sun loungers and umbrellas. Prices, however, are rather high - 9-10 euros. There is also a small cafe where you can buy water and ice cream. The beach is equipped with showers and toilets. The best time to stay on the beach, of course, is the morning hours when there are practically no people and you can enjoy a walk along the coast and take photos of fantastic landscapes. On this beach there are a lot of vacationers in the summer season, but there is no cramped space, since the territory is quite large. Those who intend to spend several days in this paradise should take care of housing in advance. There are several small hotels here, but you should worry about booking a seat in advance.
Elafonisi - a reserved place
Due to the fact that this island is a protected place where rare plants grow and rare amphibians and reptiles live, it was forbidden to build, campsites and campfires. Sandy grasses and sea daffodils grow in these places. Only on this island lives a green toad, and unique species of lizards run on the sand. On the island you can meet the sea turtle Caretta-Caretta, for which this island serves as a breeding ground. From the reports of the fishermen it became known that monk seals live off the coast of Elafonisi. On the island, the place of the last stop of migratory birds flying to winter in Africa from Europe.
Balos Beach in Crete
Balos Bay, as the Greeks say, is the most beautiful place in the Mediterranean. The natural attraction of Crete is the confluence of three seas: Cretan, Ionian and Mediterranean. The picturesque lagoon of Crete with a pink beach and water with fourteen shades of blue and green (according to scientists' estimates) attract both individual travelers and numerous excursion groups to Balos.
The water of the three seas has a unique composition of minerals that give it color. The beach on Balos was wild for a long time. Recently appeared sunbeds with umbrellas. But you need to take water with you, since there are no outlets on the beach area. The bay is blown by the winds, so there are small waves. Shallow water allows you to relax with children. Of course, it is assumed that they are being taken by ferry. The rest of the way to the beach is hard for them.
Gramvousa Island is located at the entrance to the bay and protects Balos Beach and the bay from summer winds. There are no trees and shaded areas, so you need to prudently take an umbrella to protect yourself from scorching sunlight.
How to get to Balos
Since Balos Bay is located in the northwestern part of Crete, the starting point will be the port town of Kissamos. Here you can catch a ferry or boat and sail to Balos Bay, where there is a pink sand beach in Crete. If a boat trip is carried out independently, without a group, it is worth considering that the boats run only in the morning. Travel time takes one hour.
An alternative is to get to the beach by land, only the road will be unpaved and quite difficult to cross. Landmark on the road - Hotel Balos Beach. There are steep descents and difficult turns along the way, so you need to be careful.
Regular buses go to the pink beach of Crete. Their last stop is at a small cafe, from which there is a walking descent to a three-kilometer long bay. But on this trip, the traveler will be rewarded with the beauty of landscapes and a fantastic perspective for photographing the beauty of the lagoon.
Donkey on a pink beach
In Crete, the so-called donkey taxi is often used as a mobile means. Locals can offer you a descent and ascent on a donkey with a guide, so as not to walk three kilometers on foot to the sea. Local donkey descent costs 5 euros and a climb of 8 euros. A donkey is harder to climb, so the road is more expensive. You need to go in the heat, so the guide recommends stocking up with water. The conductor brings to the observation deck, then you go on to the beach yourself.
By the way, it is forbidden by Greek law to take from the pink beach of Crete as a keepsake sand for export from the country. And without sand, pink beaches you will remember long after your holiday in Crete, looking at the unique photos taken there.