For most of us when we think beach we think sitting on white sand peering at the sea, but there are some really incredibly and highly unusual beaches out there that are worth knowing about. The cool thing about sand is that it’s made by the breaking down of rocks (or other substances) in the area, so it’s colors can change pretty dramatically depending on the environment. On other beaches it is rocks or trees that change up landscape, and occasionally some man made structures or holes turn into beaches as well. Here are our top picks for beaches to check out when you feel like you’ve seen it all. 

Glass Beach

Near Fort Bragg in California there is a beach that is covered by small pieces of glass, all worn down by the ocean and the waves so there are no sharp edges. It used to be a trash dumping site which was eventually shut down, but tons of beautiful looking glass remains covering the beach. It’s an interesting reminder that although the glass didn’t naturally appear there, nature still made it beautiful anyway. This spot can get pretty busy so people generally suggest going early in the morning.

Pink Sand Beach

In the Bahamas there is a pink sand beach on Harbour Island that gets its hue from the many pieces of coral, tiny shells, and rocks that have washed up onto the shore and been broken down into sand. There are a handful of pink sand beaches in the world but this one if often considered the best. This Bahamas version is three miles long and at some places 100 feet wide, which make it a pretty big area. The area is also home to a top dive site which is what is called a “fast drift drive”, where the current makes it easy for a scuba diver to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time.

Liaohe Delta

The Liaoho Delta beach in China is bright red. The beach gets its color from the seaweed in the area, and the winding shores make it look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Most of the delta is a nature reserve and a great place to bird watch. People who visit claim that beach is at its most red in the fall months. Getting there can be a bit complicated but it can be done as a day trip from neighboring towns.

Driftwood Beach

In Georgia there is Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, which has pretty normal sand on most of it but it also has gorgeous, giant pieces of driftwood trees lining the coastline. The north end of the island has been slowly eroding and being deposited on the south side of the island, which has left what looks like a tree graveyard. The effect is other worldly and beautiful. Naturally the stark trees make a great a great landscape as silhouettes in front of the ocean and skies.