Popcorn Beach & Co.: The coolest beaches for your next trip
Nature has unique wonders in store for us. All around the globe, Mother Earth presents us with places that amaze us with their beauty and curiosity. Sweeping mountain ranges, moorlands with impact, diverse forests, volcanoes such as Mount Etna - and beaches too.
If you think that all beaches look the same - white sand, blue sea - you're far from it. On some you walk over popcorn, others are bright pink and then there's one that glows in the dark.
We introduce you to the 5 coolest beaches and give you simple tips on how to make an impression on the beach.
From popcorn to glow-in-the-dark: The 5 coolest beaches
#1 Popcorn Beach on Fuerteventura
Nature has come up with the big screen here: In the north of Fuerteventura - very close to Corralejo - we love Popcorn Beach. It is actually called Playa del Bajo de la Burra. However, because you don't discover a fine sandy beach here, but walk over coral formations that look like the salty-sweet snack, it was quickly given its nickname by travelers.
The things that look like puffed corn are rhodoliths. These are corals that are formed by mixing calcareous algae and white sand. As long as they live on the seabed, they are pink. However, when they die, they lose their color and are washed up on the beach. This is a natural process that takes at least 50 years. Some rhodoliths on Popcorn Beach are even 4,000 years old.
At the moment, unfortunately, many visitors think: "Great, there are souvenirs like sand by the sea here." - and take the extraordinary formations home with them. It is extremely important that all rhodoliths stay where they belong. That's why it's important to take photos. Marvel at the wonders that nature can give us. Leave the stones where they are. And get your popcorn the next time you go to the movies instead.
#2 Playa de las Catedrales in Spain
It is a natural monument of incredible dimensions. All you have to do is wait for low tide, take off your shoes and you can walk between 30-meter-high pillars that rise out of the sea, arch over your head and form something like a church roof. Welcome to the cathedral of the ocean - at Playa de las Catedrales in Galicia, northwest Spain. Translated the "beach of the cathedrals."
Good to know: To protect this almost sacred place, visitors must register in advance. You can do this easily via the official website.
#3 Black Beach "Playa de Ajuy" on Fuerteventura
We are traveling back to the Canary Islands. But this time further south. In the middle of the island - in the west - lies Playa de Ajuy. It is also known as the 'Black Beach'. Here you walk over black sand that is estimated to be 4 million years old. Why is the beach not typically white? It's because of the volcanic caves, which are located right next door and are also part of the nature reserve.
So you can do both here: Enjoy the view of the sea and the peaceful atmosphere of the fishing village Ajuy from the beach, or enter one of the Cuevas de Ajuy (Ajuy Caves), which are around 70 million years old. But make sure you pack sturdy shoes. The path is rocky - but worth every step.
#4 Diamond Beach in Iceland
Imagine a black beach decorated with crystal-clear chunks of ice that sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight. Welcome to Diamond Beach in Iceland - right next to the famous Jökulsarlon glacier lagoon, around 327 km from Reykjavík.
Many claim that this place is probably the most mystical and beautiful beach in the world. It is certainly unique. This is the only place where pieces of ice of all sizes wash up from the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier tongue. They are carried onto the black sand by the waves and polished like diamonds by the water.
The best time to take a walk is when the sun goes down and the light magically refracts on the icy surfaces. But you can also simply come here several times a day. Because: as the ice melts and new 'diamonds' are washed up again and again, the beach always looks completely new.
#5 Glow-in-the-dark beach in Wales
When we were children, we had stars stuck above our beds that started to glow in the dark. Now - many years later - we marvel at this greenish light when we travel. For example, on the water near the Trwyn Du lighthouse in Wales.
Thanks to the phenomenon of bioluminescence, the surface of the water here glows in green-blue colors. Bioluminescence is comparable to the glow of fireflies. The difference is that the light here comes from microorganisms living in the water that are subject to a biochemical process - and not from bugs that are in flirt mode.
You could also fly to Mexico or the Maldives to see the spectacle. However, you are more consciously traveling to Wales. The Trwyn Lighthouse is located on the eastern tip of the island of Anglesey, surrounded by a reef. If you love nature, you can spend an incredible active vacation outdoors and go hiking every day.
With IMPACKT to the beach: Tips on how you can act sustainably
It is important that we take care of our natural beauty so that we can continue to marvel at it for as long as possible. Here are 5 tips on how to act sustainably at the beach:
1. No garbage. Don't leave any garbage by the sea and don't throw anything into the sea. If you are planning a picnic on the beach, have your snacks and co. in reusable containers with you.
2. No souvenirs. The 'popcorn' from the beach, the shells you collected, the great little stones - please don't take any of this home with you. To avoid accelerating erosion, it is important that everything stays in place.
3. Do not disturb animals. As cute as they may look and as much as you may want to see them up close - keep a certain distance from all animals and leave them alone. This includes not feeding them.
4. No noise. Try to be as quiet as possible. Want to accompany the view of the sea with music in your ears? Why not try the more sustainable headphones from House of Marley out.
5. Eco-friendly sunscreen. Especially if you like going into the sea, nature will be happy if you use a sunscreen that is more sustainable. Our tip: the solid sunscreen from Hello Simple in the Zero Waste Stick.
By the way: we have designed our Minicase for a day at the beach. Whether as a handbag, crossbody bag or storage box - it offers enough space for all the little things you like to keep close to you.
