Pink lakes around the world everyone should visit

Stef Zisovska

There’s nothing more refreshing than swimming in a lake on a hot summer’s day. But, it’s a different experience altogether to swim in a pink water lake. There are many pink lakes around the world, and all slightly different in hue as there are various factors that influence their incredible pink effect.

If you are an adventurer that wants to explore something new and unusual, then a swim in one of the following pink lakes could be just the thing. Check out the following list.

Lake Hillier, Australia

Lake Hillier is a saline lake on Middle Island, the largest of the Recherche Archipelago islands, off the south coast of Western Australia. The lake is right on the edge of the island and attracts people’s attention with its bright pink color. The pink color is said to be due to the presence of the organism Dunaliella Salina. If you scoop water out of the lake in a container, it will remain pink. Lake Hillier looks like a giant bubble gum balloon, and it’s color is permanent.

Lake Retba, Senegal

Lac Rose in Senegal – Author: Arnault – CC BY-SA 2.0
Lac Rose in Senegal – Author: Arnault – CC BY-SA 2.0

Lake Retba, also known as Lac Rose, is 18 miles northeast of the Senegalese capital, Dakar. This lake contains 40% salt, which makes it almost as salty as the Dead Sea. You can swim in it, but not for too long because it will damage your skin. The local people apply butter on their skin before getting in. The pink color comes from the same organism as found in Lake Hillier, Dunaliella Salina, but the shade of pink depends also on the amount of sunlight that strikes the water.

Hutt Lagoon, Australia

Hutt Lagoon, Western Australia – Author: Samuel Orchard – CC BY-SA 3.0
Hutt Lagoon, Western Australia – Author: Samuel Orchard – CC BY-SA 3.0

This is another salt lake in Western Australia, but this one gets the salt from the ocean waters that are feeding it. It gets its pink color thanks to the color of algae that live in the water.

Laguna Colorada, Bolivia

James’s Flamingo – Author: Iain and Sarah – CC BY 2.0
James’s Flamingo – Author: Iain and Sarah – CC BY 2.0

Laguna Colorada is a salt lake in southwest Bolivia, close to the border with Chile. The pink color of the lake is caused by red sediments and pigmentation of some algae. Laguna Colorada contains borax lakes with white color, which contrasts the pink tones of the water. The biggest attraction of the lake is the James’s flamingo population. Their pink color is a perfect match with the water. James’s Flamingo is a type of flamingo that lives in the high altitudes of the Andes in Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Champagne Pool, New Zealand

Champagne Pool, Wai-O-Tapu, near Rotorua, New Zealand – Author: Christian Mehlführer – CC BY 2.5
Champagne Pool, Wai-O-Tapu, near Rotorua, New Zealand – Author: Christian Mehlführer – CC BY 2.5

The Champagne Pool is located on the Northern Island of New Zealand, and it’s a unique experience that you must visit if anywhere near it. The bubbles coming from the bottom of the lake make the pool look like a huge glass of champagne. Though the entire lake is not pink, there are months of the year when all the different colors turn and blend into a really pink color. Depending on the currents and the bacteria level, the color of the water is changing all the time.

Salina de Torrevieja, Spain

Salina de Torrevieja – Author: Magnum35 – CC BY-SA 3.0
Salina de Torrevieja – Author: Magnum35 – CC BY-SA 3.0

Torrevieja is a small Spanish town famous as a salt mining community in the past. The water of the lake is pink throughout the whole year, though the salinity is not that high anymore. Nowadays, local people use the lake for fishing activities, and it’s a great tourist attraction that can be visited any time of the year.

These pink lakes are just one more example of how amazing Nature is. The surreal color of these waters is an invitation to adventurers from all over the world to enjoy the extraordinary beauty of these pink lakes. Choose your favorite one and start planning a trip. Good luck!

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stef-zisovska

stef-zisovska is one of the authors writing for Outdoor Revival