One of the Seven Pink Beaches in the World. There are only seven pink beaches in the world. One of them is on the islands of Komodo National Park, Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (fun fact: the other six are in The Bahamas, Bermuda, The Philippines, Italy, Bonaire, and Crete).

The Komodo National Park is deemed as the paradise of pink beaches since there are not one but several pink-coloured beaches on the islands. As of 2019, the local guide of Labuan Bajo claimed that there is currently five pink beaches explored and acknowledged by the tourism industry.

They are Pink Beach Komodo (Komodo Island), Long Beach (Padar Island), Short Beach (Padar Island), Serai Beach (Rinca Island), and Namo Beach (Komodo Island). According to the local guide, the favourite one is Long Beach on Padar Island since the pink colour is the most vibrant among the other pink beaches. However, there is a big chance of other untouched pink beaches remaining undiscovered by tourism. The local guide estimated that there are at least ten different pink beach spots on Padar Island and more than two spots on Komodo Island.

There is still an ongoing argument around the origins of these beaches’ enchanting pink sand. Some believe that the colour came from white sand mixed with dead red-coloured corals named homotrimer rubrum. Meanwhile, others think that the white sand is combined with a microscopic red colour-producing organism called foraminifera which has existed for more than 1 billion years. Some others believe that the waves brought broken seashells to the shore, and they mixed with white sand coming from sedimentary rocks. Aside from these various origins, the shimmering pink sand under the warm sun combined with the clear turquoise seawater will be a unique holiday getaway, whether for yourself, couples, or families.

Arriving on one of these beaches, you may climb up the hills to view the beach’s whole landscape to enhance your photography. The underwater ecosystem is also as beautiful as the sand on land. As of 2019, there are around 1.000 fish species, 260 coral species, and 70 sponge species in the Flores Sea, the paradise of diving spots. Even without diving too deep, the underwater charms are already visible to bare eyes just by swimming without snorkelling equipment.

Important For Tourists

Similar to the other Komodo National Park tourism, there are no hotels or even any form of places to stay overnight near the pink beaches. You can experience live on board to do island hopping or book a one-day trip around the islands and reside in Labuan Bajo. It is highly recommended to hire a local guide for your convenience. Your guide knows the place like the back of their hand and will save your time looking for the best locations. Also, the National Komodo Park consists of uninhabited islands, and therefore there might be wild animals, especially Komodo dragons with the ability to swim. There are no food merchants on the islands, so you may want to consider bringing your own snacks and beverages.

It is important to note that taking sand, corals, or seashells is forbidden and considered theft of natural resources. As of 2019, the Head of the Komodo National Park Office claimed this to be accurate and seemingly popular among tourists. Although the amount of sand they took may not seem significant (one plastic bag or one bottle), we shouldn’t underestimate these actions’ impacts on nature. They are commonly considered a unique gift or a piece of remembrance, but these beaches must take the risk, especially the Pink Beach Komodo on Komodo Island. Recently, the west side of this beach’s colour has slowly faded away.

When you visit the Labuan Bajo Airport or the Komodo International Airport, you may witness evidence of these irresponsible actions. The Aviation Security of the Komodo International Airport claimed to have to unpleasantly confiscate bottles of pink sands and plastics of corals and seashells from tourists. There is also a regulation regarding this issue with a maximum fine of Rp200.000.000,00 (approximately US$14.300) and maximum imprisonment of 10 years.