Indonesia's Stunning Pink Sand Beaches

The most famous pink beach in Indonesia is located on Padar Island in Komodo National Park, near the island of East Nusa Tenggara. The park itself is renowned for its natural attractions, including unique beaches, coral reefs, marine life, and the famous Komodo dragons.

Padar Island's Pink Beach is considered the most colorful and vibrant, though there are others, which we'll get to later.

The sand on Pink Beach gets its distinctive shade thanks to several factors, one of which is the presence of microscopic organisms called foraminifera. These tiny creatures living on coral reefs release a red pigment. When this pigment mixes with fragments of red coral, shells, and sand, it creates the unique pale pink color.

The color of the sand on Pink Beach changes depending on the weather and time of day, and in reality, it is much lighter than in promotional photos, though still pink. Moreover, the sand is very fine and pleasant to the touch.

On Padar Island’s Pink Beach, there are several warungs — small food stalls — where you can buy cold drinks, coconuts, and souvenirs. However, these kiosks and the surrounding plastic can slightly spoil the experience. It’s worth walking further down the beach, away from where the boats dock, to enjoy the pristine nature.

Keep in mind that there are no restaurants, hotels, or even toilets on Pink Beach.

There is only one way to reach this unique beach — by boat.

Most boats depart from the town of Labuan Bajo, where the airport is located, with direct flights from Bali. It’s worth noting that the trip from the airport to the harbor takes only 10-15 minutes by car.

You can visit Pink Beach as part of a day trip to Padar and Komodo Islands, or you can take a multi-day tour (3-7 days) and leisurely explore several islands in the national park, swim with manta rays, turtles, and see beautiful coral reefs. On such tours, you’ll live on the boat and travel between islands.

Most group tours from Labuan Bajo depart on Friday mornings and return on Sunday afternoons. However, a private tour can be booked at any time and date that suits you. The biggest advantage of a private tour is that you’ll have most stops to yourself. Group tours tend to arrive at the main attractions around the same time, so you might have to share the beauty of Pink Beach or the view from the top of Padar Island with a few dozen other tourists.

The price for group tours (3 days/2 nights) starts from 2.5 million IDR per person. This typically includes accommodation on the boat, national park entry tickets, meals, and snorkeling gear.

In addition to the pink sand, the beach boasts crystal-clear water, a rich underwater world, and beautiful scenery.

Here’s what you can do:

- Swim and snorkel,

- Rent a kayak or paddleboard,

- Walk to the more secluded parts of the beach away from the crowds and warungs,

- Take photos, and if you're lucky, spot a deer and take a picture with it,

- Build a pink sandcastle,

- Collect shells and red coral fragments.

Komodo Island is famous not only for its dragons but also for its Pantai Merah beach. The sand here is not as vividly pink as on Padar Island, but the picturesque landscape with hills and the shoreline makes the beach very photogenic.

This beach also has a few warungs, but no restaurants, toilets, or hotels. You can only reach it by boat as part of a group or private tour in Komodo National Park. Group tours rarely stop at this beach, so it tends to be less crowded.

A small beach located in the southeast of Lombok Island. While the sand isn’t as pink as on Padar Island, the shade is noticeable and can appear quite bright under certain lighting conditions.

You can get to the beach by car or motorbike, though the road is rough in some areas but still passable. There are no warungs, hotels, or restaurants at this beach.