5 of the best destinations with black sand beaches

*A black sand beach with a block of ice on Jökulsárlón - a large glacial lake.*

Have you ever been to a black sand beach? If you’ve never seen one before, then it may sound difficult to believe. But they do exist, are found near volcanos and are made up of tiny fragments of basalt.

While they are certainly unusual, many of them are worth a visit, whether you’re topping up your tan, feeling the cool Atlantic breeze or are just looking for something a little different to do on your next adventure. Here are a selection of five of the best black sand beaches across the globe.

Iceland

*The black basalt columns at Reynisfjara.*

Reynisfjara is a world-famous black sand beach found on the South Coast of Iceland. Created by lava flowing into the ocean which cooled as it touched the water, this eye-catching natural wonder also features stunning basalt columns on the face of Gardar cliff that would give the Giant’s Causeway a run for its money.

Away from Raynisfjara, Iceland has plenty of natural attractions to help give visitors a trip to remember. One of the most popular trips is to the Golden Circle – a sightseeing route laden with natural beauty and attractions. While a lot of the tours follow different routes, most of them will hit the main sights including Geysir, with its exploding hot springs, the awe-inspiring Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which straddles the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Tenerife

The largest and most visited of all the Canary Islands, Tenerife is one of Europe’s ultimate holiday hotspots. The majority of its beaches were made of black, volcanic sand, and although tourism officials have invested heavily to import golden sand from the Sahara, there is plenty of the original stuff left to enjoy. Plus, the black sand on Tenerife is less sticky and grainy than the golden sand, making it easier to brush it off yourself when its dry.

In addition to a booming beach scene, Tenerife also has top attractions such as Siam Park, one of the world’s best water parks, and Loro Parque, a tree-top adventure playground, as well as the UNESCO-listed Teide National Park with its various hiking trails.

Alaska

Just 60 miles from Anchorage, the black sand beach at Prince William Sound sits at the foot of tidewater glaciers, waterfalls and green hillside. At this beach, one of the most popular things is to go kayaking, but make sure to bring your wetsuit as the water can get pretty coald.

Aside from everything that Prince William Sound has to offer, the spectacular Arctic wilderness has dramatic mountains, glaciers and fjords, as well as historic frontier towns where you can hear tales of the Great Gold Rush. Denali National Park is one of the state’s top attractions, with over 18,000 feet of ascending rock, ice and snow spread over six million acres of wild land, a place where visitors can enjoy everything from dog sled rides in the winter to beautiful lakes in the summer. Alaska also offers opportunities to spot wildlife including whales, otters bears and eagles and, when night falls, the shimmering Northern Lights.

Hawaii

Waianapanapa State Park’s Pebble Beach was formed in the same way as Reynisfjara, despite having a warmer climate. Dotted with freshwater caves, lava formations and ancient burial grounds and temples, this beach is an ideal spot for tanning and dipping your feet in to cool off, as black sand is considerably hotter than white or golden sand.

In addition to exploring the rest of the state park and its natural crowd-pleasers such as the anchialine pools and its seabird colony, Hawaii has plenty to offer visitors including island-hopping activities, stretches of beautiful coastline and excellent hiking opportunities, such as those that can be found at Haleakala Volcano – a great spot to catch a sunrise.

Santorini

This Greek island may be famous for its whitewashed buildings, but in Santorini, you can also find black sand alongside the warm Mediterranean Sea. One of the island’s top spots for relaxation are the beaches of Perissa and Perivolos, which are essentially the same strip of black sand – with one in the north and one in the south.

But Santorini isn’t all about catching rays and relaxing the day away, as there are plenty of things to do on the island. Head to its most famous monument, Imerovigli, a white church with a blue dome that looks out across the sea, ascend Santorini Volcano for incredible views across the region or even head to Kamari Village and catch a movie at the open-air cinema.