March 27, 2025 • 23 mins
While scrolling through Instagram, you've probably seen those dreamy shorelines where blush-colored sands meet crystal-clear turquoise waters – Komodo National Park's famous pink beach.
READ THE ENTIRE GUIDE 👉 https://thebucketlistmermaid.com/pink-beach-komodo/
🏖️Having visited pink beaches worldwide, I can make a bold claim: this remote Indonesian paradise houses what might be the most spectacular beach on Earth.
Let's chat about:
- What makes the sand pink
- How many pink sand beaches does Komodo have?
- How to get there
- Things to do
- Best tours
- Best time to visit
- Packing list
- Being realistic
- Editing tips for your photos
- More!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
with all.
Oh my gosh, just amazing.
Please just go, just stoplistening to this podcast and
just go.
Hello, adventurers, and welcomeback to another episode of Take
it Before you Kick it, thepodcast that helps you check off
your wildest bucket listexperiences.
And today we're headed to oneof the most jaw-dropping places
on earth, which is KomodoNational Park in Indonesia, to
explore something truly magicalpink beaches Yep, you heard that
(00:24):
right Pink sand beaches.
If you've ever scrolled throughInstagram and stumbled upon
this dreamy shoreline with thoseblush-colored sands meeting
crystal clear blue, turquoisewaters, chances are it was
probably one of Komodo's famouspink beaches.
But what makes a sand pink?
What are the best spots to seethis natural wonder?
What can you do once you arethere?
(00:44):
Well, I've got you covered andI'm gonna say something wild,
because I have been to multiplepink beaches around the world
and these beaches specifically,one is hands down the best beach
I have ever been to andprobably will ever go to in my
lifetime.
So before we dive into the bestpink beaches and the things to
do, let's talk about the burningquestion why is the sand pink?
(01:06):
So the answer actually lies ina tiny marine organism called oh
, this is going to be roughForaminifera Foraminifera I'm
going to go with that.
Basically, these aremicroscopic creatures that
produce a red or pink pigment intheir shells, which mixes with
the white sand when they die andover time, the coral fragments,
(01:27):
the shells and the calciumcarbonate from the marine life
blend together to create thisiconic soft pink hue.
The result A beach that isstraight out of a fairy tale,
and it's very unique.
I mean, how many people can youactually talk to and they say
that they've been to a pink sandbeach?
Everyone goes to a normal beach, pink sand.
Nah, they're rare.
In fact, I've been trying tofigure this out, but I think
(01:49):
there are only 15 pink sandbeaches in 11 countries.
They're so rare Again due tothose tiny marine organisms
known as the foraminifera, whichhave red shells and the pink
shells that are rich in calciumcarbonate.
Are you ready for the quizlater, because there's going to
be a test?
I'm just kidding, totallykidding.
(02:09):
So let's talk about the pinkbeaches in Komodo National Park.
Now let's get one thingstraight.
Everyone just says the pinkbeach in Komodo Island.
However, there are multiple,but it's very confusing.
The main ones well, actually,the main one that everybody is
referring to is literally calledPink Beach.
This is known as Pentai Mara andthis is the most famous one.
(02:32):
It's located on Komodo Island.
It's the most well-known andthe most accessible Pink Beach.
It's a must visit because ofits popularity.
You might see other people.
I saw like two so crowded takeson a new definition here, but
you might see another personmaybe and the other one is Long
Beach on Padar Island.
(02:53):
This is more of a hidden gemand it has a softer pink hue,
although this is up tointerpretation, because some
people are like it's morevibrant and some people are like
, oh no, it's not.
It's actually softer and Idon't know.
Personally, I've seen both andI think I was a little bit
further away on Long Beach whenI hiked Padar.
So I personally think that themain one, the Pink Beach, that
(03:15):
Pentai Mara definitely had aricher pink hue.
In my opinion, however, padarIsland this one is a fantastic
spot for snorkeling, and I'vealso heard the locals refer to
this as Nammo Beach.
If you're wondering why I soundso confused, it's because this
whole thing is very confusing.
There's a lot of conflictingand confusing information.
(03:35):
Some say that that's the onlytwo pink beaches, while others
claim that there are several.
Make up your minds.
Personally, I took a tour.
They took me to Pentai Mara,and I also saw the one on Padar.
So those are the only two onesthat I'm going to talk about,
because those are the only twothat I know for sure exist.
So we're on the same page.
(03:55):
I'm just going to refer toPentai Mara as the pink beach,
because that's how everyonerefers to it and so that I don't
continue to botch thepronunciation of that and
embarrass myself.
Thank you.
So how do you get to this pinkbeach?
It's not very simple.
The pink beaches in KomodoNational Park are very remote
(04:16):
and they're very hard to get to,but, honestly, that's just what
makes them even more beautifuland because of this, it makes
them a hundred percent worth it.
As I said, I have been to pinkbeaches all over the world.
The other one that comes to mymind is I went to a pink beach
in Bermuda and this beach youwould take a transfer or a taxi
cab from the cruise ship and itwas nice.
(04:38):
You could see the pink hue.
The water was so turquoise andso beautiful.
However, the only thing was itwas very crowded, and, comparing
that to this, I would wayrather go through the extra
effort to go to this beach,where it's totally remote and
you only see, like a coupleother travelers.
I would take that any day ofthe week.
(04:58):
As I said, bold claim.
I think that pink beach reallygets my golden trophy for the
best beach in the world.
Ooh, that's a bold statement.
Do you agree with me?
Tell me if you agree with me,maybe People who have been there
?
Anyway, I do have the shownotes of this and in those show
notes I actually linked a littlemap and you can actually see
both of them the one on thePentai Mara, normal Pink Beach
(05:23):
and then the pink beach on PadarIsland, so you can go check it
out.
But basically how you would gethere is that you would fly to
this place called Labuan Bajo,which again, I'm pretty sure
that's how you pronounce thatit's a small town on Flores
Island and this is basically thegateway to Komodo National Park
.
Most trips pick up from thisLabuan Bajo and you would
(05:43):
basically hop on a boat, hop ona speedboat, hop on a liverboard
tour and explore this.
You would either do a day tripor a multi-day trip, boat
adventure, and this is prettymuch the only way to get here.
This place is so remote.
When I went, I ended up flyinginto Lombok, doing a little
sightseeing there, and then Iwent to La Buen Bajo, I went to
(06:04):
the Komodo Islands and it wasliterally just a bunch of us
sleeping on mats on the toplevel of a liveaboard ship for
just days.
I will definitely link whichtour I took in the show notes if
you want to check it out.
I loved it.
Some people did not.
Some people were like get meback to Bali.
This is so remote andadventurous, and I was not one
(06:27):
of them.
I absolutely loved every singlesecond of this tour.
But I can see why.
You kind of have to take a tourin order to go see these
beaches and it has to be like amulti-day tour or maybe a day
tour.
But I'm not sure.
If you did a day tour, I'm notactually sure that they would
take you to the Pink Beachanyway.
So what I would recommend isjust bite the bullet, do a
(06:51):
multi-day liveaboard.
There's so much to do here andit's such a fantastic
destination for adventurers.
You will not be disappointed,trust me.
It's incredible.
However, when you are picking atour, check what costs are
covered, because visiting thePink Beach means that you are
entering Komodo National Park,which does require a national
park permit.
Fees vary and additional costsmay apply for activities like
(07:13):
snorkeling and diving, and it'sbest to check in advance and
bring enough cash, as some feesare paid on site.
When I booked my tour, this wasnews to me because all fees
were covered and paid for.
So it's just about reading thefine print, communicating with
your tour group and just makingsure you're getting what you
want and there's no hidden feesanywhere.
Now, as I said, if all of thatsounds terrible to you and you
(07:34):
don't want to do all thatresearch, I actually did all
that research for you and I'velinked a bunch of multi-day
tours that include the Pink SandBeach in the show notes.
So go check that out, book itthrough that link and all the
hard work is done for you.
All that is left to do is foryou to go relax on an idyllic
and remote Pink Sand Beach.
(07:55):
What is better than that, people?
Let's be honest.
So what is the best time tovisit the pink sand beach?
So around April to October isthe dry season.
This is great visibility fordiving and snorkeling, but there
are more tourists From Novemberto March.
That is the rainy season fewercrowds and you might get the
occasional storm.
The best time to see a pinkbeach in Indonesia is the dry
(08:18):
season from April to October.
During this time, the skies areclear, the waters are calm and
the sunlight also enhances thepink hues of the sand, making
them appear more vibrant.
The midday does offer the bestvisibility when the sun is high,
because it illuminates thecoral fragments that give the
sand its signature blush color.
However, if you're after thatlike golden hour glow for
(08:39):
photography, sunrise and sunsetmight create a more like softer,
ethereal pink tone, but I wouldsuggest this for advanced
photographers only, and onlyones that have the best gear,
because in order to pull outthat pink hue, you're going to
need to do a lot of editing anda lot of camera maneuvering.
Now, the rainy season, fromlike November to March, does see
(09:00):
fewer tourists, and I did readthat it can produce a more
intense pink color due to themoisture rich sand.
However, there's likeunpredictable storms, and the
rougher waters can make accesstrickier.
Personally, I visited duringthe dry season and it was fine,
it was gorgeous, it was amazing.
For the ultimate experience,maybe plan your visit around
(09:20):
like April, may, between thenand September, when the weather
is ideal, and then also whenmarine life is at its peak, in
case you want to do somesnorkeling and diving.
I have to mention that becauseI run a travel blog as a mermaid
.
If you don't believe me, gocheck it out, it's a thing.
So what to pack when you aregoing to a Komodo pink sand
beach?
I would definitely do sunprotection hat, sunglasses and
(09:44):
reef safe sunscreen.
Don't just do any normalsunscreen.
We want to preserve the beautyof this place.
Sustainable travel let's go.
Also, maybe consider bringingsome snorkel gear if it's not
provided by your tour.
I didn't get this opportunityand I really wish I would have,
and I was literally just sittingon this beach thinking, oh, I
want to go in the water, I wantto do it.
(10:04):
And also maybe consider like awaterproof camera or a phone
case so you can get those epicbeach shots.
I would also bring some cash,maybe for some park fees if you
need to, and tips, becausethere's nothing here.
So no ATMs, they are not here,it's literally just a beach on
an island.
Again, can it get better thanthat?
(10:24):
No, it can't.
And some light clothing and aswimsuit, because it does get
hot.
And I would check with yourtour because when I went to the
Pink Beach we couldn't get theactual liveaboard close to the
beach, so we had to take thislittle tiny boat and I ended up
just like jumping out of thetiny boat because I was like,
okay, I'm just going to swim,and they were like go for it, so
(10:45):
just make sure that everythingis waterproof If you are going.
They might have a better way toget you to the pink sand beach,
but as it literally justimagine that this is a beach, an
island, a small trail and notmuch else, and that's the main
pink beach.
The Padar Island Beach is likeeven more remote, so you're
really roughing it here, andthat is the beauty of this.
(11:08):
Now, things to do at a pinkbeach Again, I have to just
mention the snorkeling and thediving.
When I was there, I swam withmanta rays and turtles and there
was vibrant coral reefs.
The best diving is during thedry season, and some actually
claim that it's April becauseit's right at the start of the
dry season, but there's still achance to see some manta rays.
And again, if you don't havesnorkel gear, your tour doesn't
(11:31):
provide snorkel gear.
Get your own snorkel gear.
If you are interested in goingunderneath the water which you
should be, because this place isbeautiful above the water and
underneath it I would alsorecommend doing some hiking.
There was a short hike on thePink Beach itself and I did go
up and I did snap a picturewhich you can see it in the show
(11:52):
notes and it was really funnybecause nobody told me that it
was like kind of.
It was kind of a climb.
It was a short climb but I wasjust wearing sandals so I was
not prepared for the hike on theactual pink beach.
I did climb Padar Island, whichis where the other pink beach
is, and oh my gosh, I can'treally describe what that hike
(12:19):
is like.
I think it's like my favoritehike in all of Indonesia.
You get a view of the entireisland and our guide was so
funny they called it the fidgetspinner, because it's literally
a pink beach, a white beach anda black beach on each side of
the island and it looks like ahuge fidget spinner.
Such a unique place.
The photos are unreal.
(12:41):
I went there during sunset.
It was just oh, it was magicalChef's kiss.
Another thing you can do whileyou are there is obviously
Komodo Dragons Always go with aguide.
Komodo Dragons.
I will give you three guesseson why this is called Komodo
National Park.
Did you guess yet?
Because there's Komodo dragonsand they're here.
(13:05):
They are.
Actually, it's so funny becauseI am a Colorado native and at
the Denver Zoo, which I went togrowing up all the time, there's
this whole little section forKomodo dragons and there's this
whole wall and they have likeone Komodo dragon and there's
this whole wall telling you justabout these Komodo islands in
(13:26):
Indonesia and how that this isthe only place where you can
actually see them in theirnatural habitat.
And it was so funny coming hereand then going to the Denver
Zoo and reading and being like,oh my gosh, I was there.
I actually saw that it's theonly place.
So if you do see a Komododragon somewhere else, you know
that it was stolen from here,which is terrible.
Don't do that.
(13:47):
Anyway, you can also go kayaking, paddle boarding, gliding over
those turquoise water for apeaceful adventure.
You can also go sunset chasingKomodo.
Sunsets are unreal, especiallyfrom beaches or on a boat.
As I said, I did Padar Islandduring sunset and I'm not going
to lie.
I shed a little tear.
I get a little emotional whenit comes to nature, and this was
(14:08):
a big one.
Also, stargazing.
I know this is at night and youwon't be able to see the pink,
but I just have to mention itbecause some of the best stars I
have ever seen was on theKomodo Islands.
I mean, seriously, we laid onthat liveaboard and it was funny
because I was traveling withthis guy who was an
astrophysicist and he startedcrying on this boat and I was
(14:30):
like oh my gosh, are you okay?
And he said oh my gosh, no, Ijust like I study stars and
everything and I'm really intoastronomy and I just never
thought that I would see thesekind of stars in my lifetime.
And then, like, I startedcrying and you know it was just
this whole thing, but no joke,we were literally laying on the
top of the liveaboard and Icould see the Milky Way from one
(14:51):
side all the way to the otherand to this day it is probably
the best stars that I have everseen.
Close second was in the SacredValley in Peru.
That was a close second, butthese still take the cake.
I also got very lucky and sawsome bioluminescent activity.
Basically, it's like theplankton and you put your hands
and it's like all starry in thewater.
(15:12):
So this became a joke that Isaw stars above and below in
Komodo, like literally.
It was like stars above and Iwould just splash my hand in the
water and it would just lightup with oh my gosh, just amazing
.
Please just go, stop listeningto this podcast and just go.
But I do have to be realistic,because there are certain
expectations versus reality.
(15:34):
We've all seen thosejaw-dropping Instagram shots.
But here's what you should knowbefore you go, because although
this place is amazing, it doestend to get a little overhyped.
One the pink hue varies.
The sand is not hot pink like aneon flamingo Okay, it's a soft
pink hue.
I think a better word for itthey should call it like a blush
(15:57):
beach, because it is very it'slike a blush and it also changes
based off of lighting, tidesand also the amount of coral in
the sand.
Now, midday usually does offerthe best visibility, but still
it's not a lot.
In fact, when we did go toBermuda the pink sand beach in
Bermuda my best friend had neverseen a pink beach before and
(16:19):
she was like, oh my gosh, I'm soexcited to see it.
And we literally got there andshe was like this looks like a
normal beach and I was like,don't worry, that's normal.
You really have to go up andyou have to pick up the sand and
you have to inspect it.
Now, on the show notes, I'mgoing to link one of my social
media posts, because I actuallypicked up some pink sand and
(16:39):
with no filter, nothing on it,it was just me touching the sand
.
I would highly recommend you golook at that, just so you have
some realistic expectations ofwhat this pink sand actually
looks like, with no filter,nothing.
Another thing that you need tokeep in mind tourists are a
thing.
If you are visiting that mainpink beach, I would expect other
(17:00):
travelers.
You could head to the LongBeach on Padar if you did want a
more private experience, andpeople are like, oh my gosh,
it's so busy, but, like when Iwent, it is nowhere near the
crowds of a common beach.
As I said, I think I saw twoother people and that was it.
Maybe that was just the timethat I was there or I just went
(17:21):
during a good time, but it waspretty darn remote.
That being said, we alreadytalked about it.
Getting there does take effort.
There are no roads leadingstraight to the pink beach.
You need to fly to this randomisland in Indonesia and then you
need to take a boat tour justto get there.
But again makes it so worth it.
Another thing to keep in mindis that Komodo dragons do roam
around.
As I said, it's called KomodoNational Park for a reason, and
(17:43):
Komodo dragons are here, yes,even on the beaches.
So just always be aware of yoursurroundings and listen to your
guide.
Personally, I did not see aKomodo dragon on either pink
beach, but it's always worth itto be safe and just keep that in
mind.
And next, the sand isn't alwaysInstagram perfect.
Some parts do have white sandmixed in, so the pinkness isn't
(18:05):
always as intense as it looksonline.
You will most likely need toedit your photos at least just a
little bit, just in order todistinguish it from a normal
white sand beach.
But you do you as far as whatyou want to edit.
I more say this and I'm goingto go out on a tangent here
because if I see one moreover-edited shot of this beach
on social media trying to sellit to travelers, I am going to
(18:26):
lose my mind.
You know what I'm talking about.
I don't know if I just got onthis thread or something on
Facebook or something, but itjust shows these things and
they're like no, it is real.
Look at how pink.
It wrong lies, all lies, and Ihave to like, comment and be
like guys, it's so beautiful,don't over edit it to look like
Barbie dreamland and it's.
(18:47):
It's perfect Just as it is.
But and when I say a little bitof editing is fine you bring
out those pink tones, it's fine,but these, these photos
literally make, literally makeit look like the pinkest thing
you have ever like.
It's like neon Barbie pink andI'm like okay, it's not like
that.
And it's fine if it's like onyour own Instagram, but if
(19:08):
you're using it to try to like,get people to come here, they're
just going to be disappointed.
You got to have realisticexpectations and that's okay.
So, with that being said, youare most likely going to be
taking pictures.
If you go to my blog, I alsowrite a lot on photography and
travel and adventure photography, so I'm a huge nerd about this
kind of stuff.
So let's just go over somephotography techniques and
(19:30):
editing tips.
So, number one shoot in theright light.
Again, it's best in some softnatural light, maybe midday.
If you are going to go for thatgolden hour, you can try to use
a polarizing filter.
This might reduce some of theglare on the water and also
enhance the color contrast.
However, I would do it with andwithout, just in case.
Also, play from angles Shootwith a low angle to make the
(19:52):
pink sand pop against thatturquoise sea.
And also drone shots.
I have seen some magical droneshots of this pink beach.
If you have a drone, use it.
The aerial shots showcase thegradient between the sand and
the water beautifully, but bewarned, you do need a permit for
this.
You have to pay a fee.
There are some no-fly zones, soif you do have a drone, make
(20:13):
sure that you are using itlegally.
So for editing, as I said, youdo you, you are the artist, it
doesn't matter.
However, you might need to boostthe reds and the pinks.
Personally, I use Lightroom, sowhat I would do is I would go
and I would increase the red andmagenta tones to just like
slightly bring out that pinksand.
However, I run into issues withthis because my skin tone is
(20:37):
very white and pink.
I have a lot of pink undertones, so if I bring up those pink
undertones, I look sunburnedlike a lobster.
So if you are going to do that,you might need to play around a
little bit and like deselectthe subject if you know what I
mean and like bring down thesaturation on the subject, or
else you're going to looksunburned as hell.
Also, you might want to adjustthe temperature.
(20:59):
A slightly warmer tone mightenhance the beach.
Natural colors.
You can also increase thecontrast and the clarity.
This will help define thetexture of the sand and the
ocean waves.
And again, just don't overdo it.
You want the beach to looknatural Again, not like Barbie's
dream house.
A slight enhancement is fine,but unless you're going for some
stylistic look, maybe avoidcranking up the saturation too
(21:20):
much.
You do.
You, you're the artist.
I personally, I like to see thepink, so I do crank up the red
and the magenta tones.
However, I still want it tolook nice.
Now some final tips for visitingthe pink sand beach in Komodo.
Number one just leave no trace.
Pack out all the trash.
Avoid stepping on the coral.
Just leave it so that it'sbeautiful for future generations
(21:42):
to come.
Respect the wildlife.
Komodo dragons may look slow,but they're not Always.
Go with a ranger and it mighthelp to talk to the ranger
beforehand, just so you knowsome safety tips.
Like, again, I'm not a ranger,so don't listen to me, but the
ranger told me, like they can'tclimb trees unless they're young
(22:02):
.
So they were like, if onestarts chasing you, just climb a
tree.
This will not be good for youif you're on the main pink beach
, because I did not see anytrees, but you know, it's just
good to have in the back of yourmind.
They also side tangent.
They also told me that theylike eat their babies and that's
why, like, the young can climbthe trees, but like, then they
lose that ability and then, butyeah, like, most of their youth
(22:23):
and their adolescent life isjust running from their parents
who are trying to eat them.
It's just nuts that these,these things have not gone
extinct.
Komodo dragons fascinate me.
This is, they are nuts.
And also, again, we kind oftalked about it but bring some
reef-safe sunscreen, protectyour skin and the ocean
simultaneously.
And I would also recommendmaybe bringing some water shoes.
(22:44):
The coral fragments there weresome.
I didn't notice it a ton.
However, there were some coralfragments that might be sharp.
So if your feet are sensitive,maybe consider bringing some
water shoes.
And just to wrap up, komodo'spink beaches are truly one of
the most magical places on earth.
Oh, it was just like theturquoise water contrasting with
(23:05):
like the pinkish hues of thesand, and there's just no cars,
no roads, no, nothing, no peopletrying to sell you anything.
Oh, it was just beautiful, andI really hope that this guide
has you dreaming of your nextbucket list adventure.
So, whether you're justlounging and relaxing on the
pink shore or snorkeling withmanta rays or hiking for epic
views, this destination willleave you speechless, and it's
(23:27):
honestly one of the coolestadventure destinations that I
have been to in my travels.
So if you enjoyed this episode,be sure to subscribe to this
podcast on the platform of yourchoice.
Leave a review it means so muchto this mermaid and follow me
on social media for moreadventure inspiration.
Until next time, keep exploring, keep ticking off that bucket
list and, as always, adventureon.
with all.
Oh my gosh, just amazing.
Please just go, just stoplistening to this podcast and
just go.
Hello, adventurers, and welcomeback to another episode of Take
it Before you Kick it, thepodcast that helps you check off
your wildest bucket listexperiences.
And today we're headed to oneof the most jaw-dropping places
on earth, which is KomodoNational Park in Indonesia, to
explore something truly magicalpink beaches Yep, you heard that
(00:24):
right Pink sand beaches.
If you've ever scrolled throughInstagram and stumbled upon
this dreamy shoreline with thoseblush-colored sands meeting
crystal clear blue, turquoisewaters, chances are it was
probably one of Komodo's famouspink beaches.
But what makes a sand pink?
What are the best spots to seethis natural wonder?
What can you do once you arethere?
(00:44):
Well, I've got you covered andI'm gonna say something wild,
because I have been to multiplepink beaches around the world
and these beaches specifically,one is hands down the best beach
I have ever been to andprobably will ever go to in my
lifetime.
So before we dive into the bestpink beaches and the things to
do, let's talk about the burningquestion why is the sand pink?
(01:06):
So the answer actually lies ina tiny marine organism called oh
, this is going to be roughForaminifera Foraminifera I'm
going to go with that.
Basically, these aremicroscopic creatures that
produce a red or pink pigment intheir shells, which mixes with
the white sand when they die andover time, the coral fragments,
(01:27):
the shells and the calciumcarbonate from the marine life
blend together to create thisiconic soft pink hue.
The result A beach that isstraight out of a fairy tale,
and it's very unique.
I mean, how many people can youactually talk to and they say
that they've been to a pink sandbeach?
Everyone goes to a normal beach, pink sand.
Nah, they're rare.
In fact, I've been trying tofigure this out, but I think
(01:49):
there are only 15 pink sandbeaches in 11 countries.
They're so rare Again due tothose tiny marine organisms
known as the foraminifera, whichhave red shells and the pink
shells that are rich in calciumcarbonate.
Are you ready for the quizlater, because there's going to
be a test?
I'm just kidding, totallykidding.
(02:09):
So let's talk about the pinkbeaches in Komodo National Park.
Now let's get one thingstraight.
Everyone just says the pinkbeach in Komodo Island.
However, there are multiple,but it's very confusing.
The main ones well, actually,the main one that everybody is
referring to is literally calledPink Beach.
This is known as Pentai Mara andthis is the most famous one.
(02:32):
It's located on Komodo Island.
It's the most well-known andthe most accessible Pink Beach.
It's a must visit because ofits popularity.
You might see other people.
I saw like two so crowded takeson a new definition here, but
you might see another personmaybe and the other one is Long
Beach on Padar Island.
(02:53):
This is more of a hidden gemand it has a softer pink hue,
although this is up tointerpretation, because some
people are like it's morevibrant and some people are like
, oh no, it's not.
It's actually softer and Idon't know.
Personally, I've seen both andI think I was a little bit
further away on Long Beach whenI hiked Padar.
So I personally think that themain one, the Pink Beach, that
(03:15):
Pentai Mara definitely had aricher pink hue.
In my opinion, however, padarIsland this one is a fantastic
spot for snorkeling, and I'vealso heard the locals refer to
this as Nammo Beach.
If you're wondering why I soundso confused, it's because this
whole thing is very confusing.
There's a lot of conflictingand confusing information.
(03:35):
Some say that that's the onlytwo pink beaches, while others
claim that there are several.
Make up your minds.
Personally, I took a tour.
They took me to Pentai Mara,and I also saw the one on Padar.
So those are the only two onesthat I'm going to talk about,
because those are the only twothat I know for sure exist.
So we're on the same page.
(03:55):
I'm just going to refer toPentai Mara as the pink beach,
because that's how everyonerefers to it and so that I don't
continue to botch thepronunciation of that and
embarrass myself.
Thank you.
So how do you get to this pinkbeach?
It's not very simple.
The pink beaches in KomodoNational Park are very remote
(04:16):
and they're very hard to get to,but, honestly, that's just what
makes them even more beautifuland because of this, it makes
them a hundred percent worth it.
As I said, I have been to pinkbeaches all over the world.
The other one that comes to mymind is I went to a pink beach
in Bermuda and this beach youwould take a transfer or a taxi
cab from the cruise ship and itwas nice.
(04:38):
You could see the pink hue.
The water was so turquoise andso beautiful.
However, the only thing was itwas very crowded, and, comparing
that to this, I would wayrather go through the extra
effort to go to this beach,where it's totally remote and
you only see, like a coupleother travelers.
I would take that any day ofthe week.
(04:58):
As I said, bold claim.
I think that pink beach reallygets my golden trophy for the
best beach in the world.
Ooh, that's a bold statement.
Do you agree with me?
Tell me if you agree with me,maybe People who have been there
?
Anyway, I do have the shownotes of this and in those show
notes I actually linked a littlemap and you can actually see
both of them the one on thePentai Mara, normal Pink Beach
(05:23):
and then the pink beach on PadarIsland, so you can go check it
out.
But basically how you would gethere is that you would fly to
this place called Labuan Bajo,which again, I'm pretty sure
that's how you pronounce thatit's a small town on Flores
Island and this is basically thegateway to Komodo National Park
.
Most trips pick up from thisLabuan Bajo and you would
(05:43):
basically hop on a boat, hop ona speedboat, hop on a liverboard
tour and explore this.
You would either do a day tripor a multi-day trip, boat
adventure, and this is prettymuch the only way to get here.
This place is so remote.
When I went, I ended up flyinginto Lombok, doing a little
sightseeing there, and then Iwent to La Buen Bajo, I went to
(06:04):
the Komodo Islands and it wasliterally just a bunch of us
sleeping on mats on the toplevel of a liveaboard ship for
just days.
I will definitely link whichtour I took in the show notes if
you want to check it out.
I loved it.
Some people did not.
Some people were like get meback to Bali.
This is so remote andadventurous, and I was not one
(06:27):
of them.
I absolutely loved every singlesecond of this tour.
But I can see why.
You kind of have to take a tourin order to go see these
beaches and it has to be like amulti-day tour or maybe a day
tour.
But I'm not sure.
If you did a day tour, I'm notactually sure that they would
take you to the Pink Beachanyway.
So what I would recommend isjust bite the bullet, do a
(06:51):
multi-day liveaboard.
There's so much to do here andit's such a fantastic
destination for adventurers.
You will not be disappointed,trust me.
It's incredible.
However, when you are picking atour, check what costs are
covered, because visiting thePink Beach means that you are
entering Komodo National Park,which does require a national
park permit.
Fees vary and additional costsmay apply for activities like
(07:13):
snorkeling and diving, and it'sbest to check in advance and
bring enough cash, as some feesare paid on site.
When I booked my tour, this wasnews to me because all fees
were covered and paid for.
So it's just about reading thefine print, communicating with
your tour group and just makingsure you're getting what you
want and there's no hidden feesanywhere.
Now, as I said, if all of thatsounds terrible to you and you
(07:34):
don't want to do all thatresearch, I actually did all
that research for you and I'velinked a bunch of multi-day
tours that include the Pink SandBeach in the show notes.
So go check that out, book itthrough that link and all the
hard work is done for you.
All that is left to do is foryou to go relax on an idyllic
and remote Pink Sand Beach.
(07:55):
What is better than that, people?
Let's be honest.
So what is the best time tovisit the pink sand beach?
So around April to October isthe dry season.
This is great visibility fordiving and snorkeling, but there
are more tourists From Novemberto March.
That is the rainy season fewercrowds and you might get the
occasional storm.
The best time to see a pinkbeach in Indonesia is the dry
(08:18):
season from April to October.
During this time, the skies areclear, the waters are calm and
the sunlight also enhances thepink hues of the sand, making
them appear more vibrant.
The midday does offer the bestvisibility when the sun is high,
because it illuminates thecoral fragments that give the
sand its signature blush color.
However, if you're after thatlike golden hour glow for
(08:39):
photography, sunrise and sunsetmight create a more like softer,
ethereal pink tone, but I wouldsuggest this for advanced
photographers only, and onlyones that have the best gear,
because in order to pull outthat pink hue, you're going to
need to do a lot of editing anda lot of camera maneuvering.
Now, the rainy season, fromlike November to March, does see
(09:00):
fewer tourists, and I did readthat it can produce a more
intense pink color due to themoisture rich sand.
However, there's likeunpredictable storms, and the
rougher waters can make accesstrickier.
Personally, I visited duringthe dry season and it was fine,
it was gorgeous, it was amazing.
For the ultimate experience,maybe plan your visit around
(09:20):
like April, may, between thenand September, when the weather
is ideal, and then also whenmarine life is at its peak, in
case you want to do somesnorkeling and diving.
I have to mention that becauseI run a travel blog as a mermaid
.
If you don't believe me, gocheck it out, it's a thing.
So what to pack when you aregoing to a Komodo pink sand
beach?
I would definitely do sunprotection hat, sunglasses and
(09:44):
reef safe sunscreen.
Don't just do any normalsunscreen.
We want to preserve the beautyof this place.
Sustainable travel let's go.
Also, maybe consider bringingsome snorkel gear if it's not
provided by your tour.
I didn't get this opportunityand I really wish I would have,
and I was literally just sittingon this beach thinking, oh, I
want to go in the water, I wantto do it.
(10:04):
And also maybe consider like awaterproof camera or a phone
case so you can get those epicbeach shots.
I would also bring some cash,maybe for some park fees if you
need to, and tips, becausethere's nothing here.
So no ATMs, they are not here,it's literally just a beach on
an island.
Again, can it get better thanthat?
(10:24):
No, it can't.
And some light clothing and aswimsuit, because it does get
hot.
And I would check with yourtour because when I went to the
Pink Beach we couldn't get theactual liveaboard close to the
beach, so we had to take thislittle tiny boat and I ended up
just like jumping out of thetiny boat because I was like,
okay, I'm just going to swim,and they were like go for it, so
(10:45):
just make sure that everythingis waterproof If you are going.
They might have a better way toget you to the pink sand beach,
but as it literally justimagine that this is a beach, an
island, a small trail and notmuch else, and that's the main
pink beach.
The Padar Island Beach is likeeven more remote, so you're
really roughing it here, andthat is the beauty of this.
(11:08):
Now, things to do at a pinkbeach Again, I have to just
mention the snorkeling and thediving.
When I was there, I swam withmanta rays and turtles and there
was vibrant coral reefs.
The best diving is during thedry season, and some actually
claim that it's April becauseit's right at the start of the
dry season, but there's still achance to see some manta rays.
And again, if you don't havesnorkel gear, your tour doesn't
(11:31):
provide snorkel gear.
Get your own snorkel gear.
If you are interested in goingunderneath the water which you
should be, because this place isbeautiful above the water and
underneath it I would alsorecommend doing some hiking.
There was a short hike on thePink Beach itself and I did go
up and I did snap a picturewhich you can see it in the show
(11:52):
notes and it was really funnybecause nobody told me that it
was like kind of.
It was kind of a climb.
It was a short climb but I wasjust wearing sandals so I was
not prepared for the hike on theactual pink beach.
I did climb Padar Island, whichis where the other pink beach
is, and oh my gosh, I can'treally describe what that hike
(12:19):
is like.
I think it's like my favoritehike in all of Indonesia.
You get a view of the entireisland and our guide was so
funny they called it the fidgetspinner, because it's literally
a pink beach, a white beach anda black beach on each side of
the island and it looks like ahuge fidget spinner.
Such a unique place.
The photos are unreal.
(12:41):
I went there during sunset.
It was just oh, it was magicalChef's kiss.
Another thing you can do whileyou are there is obviously
Komodo Dragons Always go with aguide.
Komodo Dragons.
I will give you three guesseson why this is called Komodo
National Park.
Did you guess yet?
Because there's Komodo dragonsand they're here.
(13:05):
They are.
Actually, it's so funny becauseI am a Colorado native and at
the Denver Zoo, which I went togrowing up all the time, there's
this whole little section forKomodo dragons and there's this
whole wall and they have likeone Komodo dragon and there's
this whole wall telling you justabout these Komodo islands in
(13:26):
Indonesia and how that this isthe only place where you can
actually see them in theirnatural habitat.
And it was so funny coming hereand then going to the Denver
Zoo and reading and being like,oh my gosh, I was there.
I actually saw that it's theonly place.
So if you do see a Komododragon somewhere else, you know
that it was stolen from here,which is terrible.
Don't do that.
(13:47):
Anyway, you can also go kayaking, paddle boarding, gliding over
those turquoise water for apeaceful adventure.
You can also go sunset chasingKomodo.
Sunsets are unreal, especiallyfrom beaches or on a boat.
As I said, I did Padar Islandduring sunset and I'm not going
to lie.
I shed a little tear.
I get a little emotional whenit comes to nature, and this was
(14:08):
a big one.
Also, stargazing.
I know this is at night and youwon't be able to see the pink,
but I just have to mention itbecause some of the best stars I
have ever seen was on theKomodo Islands.
I mean, seriously, we laid onthat liveaboard and it was funny
because I was traveling withthis guy who was an
astrophysicist and he startedcrying on this boat and I was
(14:30):
like oh my gosh, are you okay?
And he said oh my gosh, no, Ijust like I study stars and
everything and I'm really intoastronomy and I just never
thought that I would see thesekind of stars in my lifetime.
And then, like, I startedcrying and you know it was just
this whole thing, but no joke,we were literally laying on the
top of the liveaboard and Icould see the Milky Way from one
(14:51):
side all the way to the otherand to this day it is probably
the best stars that I have everseen.
Close second was in the SacredValley in Peru.
That was a close second, butthese still take the cake.
I also got very lucky and sawsome bioluminescent activity.
Basically, it's like theplankton and you put your hands
and it's like all starry in thewater.
(15:12):
So this became a joke that Isaw stars above and below in
Komodo, like literally.
It was like stars above and Iwould just splash my hand in the
water and it would just lightup with oh my gosh, just amazing
.
Please just go, stop listeningto this podcast and just go.
But I do have to be realistic,because there are certain
expectations versus reality.
(15:34):
We've all seen thosejaw-dropping Instagram shots.
But here's what you should knowbefore you go, because although
this place is amazing, it doestend to get a little overhyped.
One the pink hue varies.
The sand is not hot pink like aneon flamingo Okay, it's a soft
pink hue.
I think a better word for itthey should call it like a blush
(15:57):
beach, because it is very it'slike a blush and it also changes
based off of lighting, tidesand also the amount of coral in
the sand.
Now, midday usually does offerthe best visibility, but still
it's not a lot.
In fact, when we did go toBermuda the pink sand beach in
Bermuda my best friend had neverseen a pink beach before and
(16:19):
she was like, oh my gosh, I'm soexcited to see it.
And we literally got there andshe was like this looks like a
normal beach and I was like,don't worry, that's normal.
You really have to go up andyou have to pick up the sand and
you have to inspect it.
Now, on the show notes, I'mgoing to link one of my social
media posts, because I actuallypicked up some pink sand and
(16:39):
with no filter, nothing on it,it was just me touching the sand
.
I would highly recommend you golook at that, just so you have
some realistic expectations ofwhat this pink sand actually
looks like, with no filter,nothing.
Another thing that you need tokeep in mind tourists are a
thing.
If you are visiting that mainpink beach, I would expect other
(17:00):
travelers.
You could head to the LongBeach on Padar if you did want a
more private experience, andpeople are like, oh my gosh,
it's so busy, but, like when Iwent, it is nowhere near the
crowds of a common beach.
As I said, I think I saw twoother people and that was it.
Maybe that was just the timethat I was there or I just went
(17:21):
during a good time, but it waspretty darn remote.
That being said, we alreadytalked about it.
Getting there does take effort.
There are no roads leadingstraight to the pink beach.
You need to fly to this randomisland in Indonesia and then you
need to take a boat tour justto get there.
But again makes it so worth it.
Another thing to keep in mindis that Komodo dragons do roam
around.
As I said, it's called KomodoNational Park for a reason, and
(17:43):
Komodo dragons are here, yes,even on the beaches.
So just always be aware of yoursurroundings and listen to your
guide.
Personally, I did not see aKomodo dragon on either pink
beach, but it's always worth itto be safe and just keep that in
mind.
And next, the sand isn't alwaysInstagram perfect.
Some parts do have white sandmixed in, so the pinkness isn't
(18:05):
always as intense as it looksonline.
You will most likely need toedit your photos at least just a
little bit, just in order todistinguish it from a normal
white sand beach.
But you do you as far as whatyou want to edit.
I more say this and I'm goingto go out on a tangent here
because if I see one moreover-edited shot of this beach
on social media trying to sellit to travelers, I am going to
(18:26):
lose my mind.
You know what I'm talking about.
I don't know if I just got onthis thread or something on
Facebook or something, but itjust shows these things and
they're like no, it is real.
Look at how pink.
It wrong lies, all lies, and Ihave to like, comment and be
like guys, it's so beautiful,don't over edit it to look like
Barbie dreamland and it's.
(18:47):
It's perfect Just as it is.
But and when I say a little bitof editing is fine you bring
out those pink tones, it's fine,but these, these photos
literally make, literally makeit look like the pinkest thing
you have ever like.
It's like neon Barbie pink andI'm like okay, it's not like
that.
And it's fine if it's like onyour own Instagram, but if
(19:08):
you're using it to try to like,get people to come here, they're
just going to be disappointed.
You got to have realisticexpectations and that's okay.
So, with that being said, youare most likely going to be
taking pictures.
If you go to my blog, I alsowrite a lot on photography and
travel and adventure photography, so I'm a huge nerd about this
kind of stuff.
So let's just go over somephotography techniques and
(19:30):
editing tips.
So, number one shoot in theright light.
Again, it's best in some softnatural light, maybe midday.
If you are going to go for thatgolden hour, you can try to use
a polarizing filter.
This might reduce some of theglare on the water and also
enhance the color contrast.
However, I would do it with andwithout, just in case.
Also, play from angles Shootwith a low angle to make the
(19:52):
pink sand pop against thatturquoise sea.
And also drone shots.
I have seen some magical droneshots of this pink beach.
If you have a drone, use it.
The aerial shots showcase thegradient between the sand and
the water beautifully, but bewarned, you do need a permit for
this.
You have to pay a fee.
There are some no-fly zones, soif you do have a drone, make
(20:13):
sure that you are using itlegally.
So for editing, as I said, youdo you, you are the artist, it
doesn't matter.
However, you might need to boostthe reds and the pinks.
Personally, I use Lightroom, sowhat I would do is I would go
and I would increase the red andmagenta tones to just like
slightly bring out that pinksand.
However, I run into issues withthis because my skin tone is
(20:37):
very white and pink.
I have a lot of pink undertones, so if I bring up those pink
undertones, I look sunburnedlike a lobster.
So if you are going to do that,you might need to play around a
little bit and like deselectthe subject if you know what I
mean and like bring down thesaturation on the subject, or
else you're going to looksunburned as hell.
Also, you might want to adjustthe temperature.
(20:59):
A slightly warmer tone mightenhance the beach.
Natural colors.
You can also increase thecontrast and the clarity.
This will help define thetexture of the sand and the
ocean waves.
And again, just don't overdo it.
You want the beach to looknatural Again, not like Barbie's
dream house.
A slight enhancement is fine,but unless you're going for some
stylistic look, maybe avoidcranking up the saturation too
(21:20):
much.
You do.
You, you're the artist.
I personally, I like to see thepink, so I do crank up the red
and the magenta tones.
However, I still want it tolook nice.
Now some final tips for visitingthe pink sand beach in Komodo.
Number one just leave no trace.
Pack out all the trash.
Avoid stepping on the coral.
Just leave it so that it'sbeautiful for future generations
(21:42):
to come.
Respect the wildlife.
Komodo dragons may look slow,but they're not Always.
Go with a ranger and it mighthelp to talk to the ranger
beforehand, just so you knowsome safety tips.
Like, again, I'm not a ranger,so don't listen to me, but the
ranger told me, like they can'tclimb trees unless they're young
(22:02):
.
So they were like, if onestarts chasing you, just climb a
tree.
This will not be good for youif you're on the main pink beach
, because I did not see anytrees, but you know, it's just
good to have in the back of yourmind.
They also side tangent.
They also told me that theylike eat their babies and that's
why, like, the young can climbthe trees, but like, then they
lose that ability and then, butyeah, like, most of their youth
(22:23):
and their adolescent life isjust running from their parents
who are trying to eat them.
It's just nuts that these,these things have not gone
extinct.
Komodo dragons fascinate me.
This is, they are nuts.
And also, again, we kind oftalked about it but bring some
reef-safe sunscreen, protectyour skin and the ocean
simultaneously.
And I would also recommendmaybe bringing some water shoes.
(22:44):
The coral fragments there weresome.
I didn't notice it a ton.
However, there were some coralfragments that might be sharp.
So if your feet are sensitive,maybe consider bringing some
water shoes.
And just to wrap up, komodo'spink beaches are truly one of
the most magical places on earth.
Oh, it was just like theturquoise water contrasting with
(23:05):
like the pinkish hues of thesand, and there's just no cars,
no roads, no, nothing, no peopletrying to sell you anything.
Oh, it was just beautiful, andI really hope that this guide
has you dreaming of your nextbucket list adventure.
So, whether you're justlounging and relaxing on the
pink shore or snorkeling withmanta rays or hiking for epic
views, this destination willleave you speechless, and it's
(23:27):
honestly one of the coolestadventure destinations that I
have been to in my travels.
So if you enjoyed this episode,be sure to subscribe to this
podcast on the platform of yourchoice.
Leave a review it means so muchto this mermaid and follow me
on social media for moreadventure inspiration.
Until next time, keep exploring, keep ticking off that bucket
list and, as always, adventureon.
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