Dare we say it? Beach holidays are getting a bit… well, boring. Once you’ve seen a few golden-sanded, palm-fringed beaches, you’ve seen them all.
Avoid that sinking feeling of déjà vu with our extraordinary guide to the five best black sand beaches, where the great blue ocean laps against charcoal, ashen shores.
Those beaches:
Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, Hawaii’s Big Island
Hawaii may be littered with a great number of beautiful black-sanded beaches, but the volcanic sands of Punalu’u are considered by many to be the best in the world.
Bordered by a pretty fringe of coconut trees on the famous southeastern Kau coast, Punalu’u is a popular resting spot for Hawaiian green turtles, which congregate to rest on the warm dark sand.
Lost Coast Black Sands Beach, California
Lost to everyone except hikers and naturalists, California’s enigmatic Lost Coast stretches north for 80 miles of wild and rugged coastline.
Enjoy the strips of black sandy beaches set against a backdrop of mountainous peaks and beautiful ocean vistas.
Vík í Mýrdal Beach, Iceland
Voted one of the most beautiful beaches on earth, it’s easy to see what all the fuss is about at Vík í Mýrdal Beach. This haven of desolate beauty is resplendent on a sunny day, when the rock formations are highlighted in shadows and the puffins are perched nesting in the cliff.
That said, it does rain a lot here: pack your raincoat and hope for the best.
Prince William Sound Black Sand Beach, Alaska
You might not think beaches when you think of Alaska, but black-sanded shores are a striking detail in the landscape of Prince William Sound.
Ashen sands form a dramatic rim around spectacular tidewater glaciers, verdant green hillsides, and gigantic peaks mirrored in the icy water.
Jökulsárlón Beach, Iceland
The outstanding beauty of Jökulsárlón Beach speaks for itself, attracting thousands of photographers from around the world, desperate to catch a glimpse of turquoise icebergs set against the dark dramatic sands.
The glacial lagoon lights up with the contrast, exhibiting singular masses of ice sculpted into strange formations by the water and wind.
Header image © Chrstiankeller/iStock/Thinkstock
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to… whose guides cover all the best hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, sights, shops and spas.
