When someone says “beach” you probably think of yellow or white sand, rolling waves, bright sunlight and a beer or fruity cocktail. But beaches come in far more different shapes and colors than some of us might have expected. Here are 17 beaches that, in one way or another, might not be anything like the beaches you’re used to.

One of the most striking differences in many of these beaches are the different sand colors. Sand is generally formed out of whatever the waves happen to be banging against the shore, be they rocks, shells, corals, or glass. Rare green beaches can contain olivine, which is a remnant of volcanic eruptions, and black beaches are also generally formed by volcanic remnants. The pink beaches of Bermuda are colored by coral remnants.

If you have a photo of a unique beach out there that should be on this list, share it with us below this post!

Most Outstanding Beaches In The World

Bowling Ball Beach, USA

Unique Glass Beach in California

Hot Water Beach, New Zealand

Shell Beach, Shark Bay, Australia

Ocean Dome, Japan

Giants Causeway Beach, Ireland

Maldives Beach That Looks Like Starry Night Sky

Papakolea Beach, Hawaii, USA

The Beach of the Cathedrals, Ribadeo, Spain

 

Cave Beach in Algarve, Portugal

Hidden beach in Marieta, Mexico

Red Sand Beach, Rabida, Galapagos

Playa de Gulpiyuri, Spain

Punaluu Black Sand Beach, Hawaii

Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas

San Alfonso del Mar Beach, Chile

Pfeiffer Purple Sand Beach, California

Extreme Plane Landings at Maho Beach, Saint Martin

Scala dei Turchi, Italy