What makes Komodo pink beach so special?

Posted by Umi Haroh on 1st July, 2013

My first encounter with a pink beach was back in 1998 on a small island off the north coast of Sardinia, Italy. The island’s name was Budelli and it was part of La Maddalena archipelago, named after saint Mary Magdalene by the Romans. 

The beach was literally pink - its grains formed of microscopic fragments of red corrals and shells that used to live there. But as I discovered when snorkeling, no coral was in sight, only sand and small fish.

The beach, La Spiaggia Rosa, was hidden in a narrow gulf so the water was perfectly calm, like a swimming pool. The view was stunning, but the water was cold, at least for me who was used to tropical beaches.

That time, that beach ranked number one on my most beautiful beaches list.

The quest for pink beaches continues online. I found another in the Caribbean and the nearest in Komodo Island, Indonesia.

I have heard about the Tangsi beach in southeast Lombok, but it is off the beaten track. A friend in Lombok, who is a dive master, did not recommend a visit there, because the road is undeveloped and the locals not quite ready to welcome tourists.

Last summer, I took a two day trip to Rinca and Komodo Island, by fishing boat. The trip cost Rp 500,000 (US$ 51.5) for one person with meals included and accommodation on deck.

The boat was rather small. There was no cabin, only wooden benches that transforms into a sleeping area with mattresses at night, a toilet, a small kitchen and a cockpit. It can accommodate up to 5.

Departing 8 a.m from the nearby fishing village of Labuan Bajo, we reached the pink beach late in the afternoon after visiting Rinca Island.

It did not look like a coconut trees-smattered tropical beach, but more like a beach in the Mediterranean or Australia with mountainous golden savanna on the background.

The boat could not reach the shore, so we had to swim.

Another group of divers went to shore in a rubber boat. I guess that comes at a price. Our humble boat was not equipped with any inflatables.

The water was very clear and calm with visibility around 20 meters.  It was surprising to see a colorful garden of soft and hard corals just a few meters away from the shore without even having to dive.

I spotted a school of small barracudas, batfish, clownfish, triggerfish, angelfish, and even a medium size sea turtle.

I have heard a theory saying that if the beach is beautiful, then the underwater scene must be dull, but if the underwater scene is striking, it must be located far enough from a beautiful beach.

It makes sense to me; diving or snorkeling sites are usually located near a rocky beach, not a perfect, powdery white one, but the Pantai Merah changed my ideas.

The beach was long with a conical hill at its corner. The sand was not powdery, but fine enough. The only thing that worried us was the Komodo dragon that might come to the shore.

Well it is their island, and we humans are just visitors.

“So where is the pink sand?” Shouted my friend who was the last to reach the shore.

“Here, come up to the hill, where you can see the whole pink coast,” I replied.

It is barely noticable at first, but if you take the sand in your hands you can spot the tiny fragments of red coral and shells mixed with the white sand.

On a clear day, that mix between the red fragments and the white sands creates a very soothing color of pink that blends perfectly with the light blue water. I personally think it is also a good combination in the world of fashion.

So what is so special about the pink beach, besides its color?

If I compare the Komodo pink beach with the one in Sardinia, both are scenic and unusual. But below the surface, the Komodo pink beach beats Sardinia by far.

Best time to visit: April - September on a dry season.

Last changed: 1st July, 2013 at 10:10 AM