They are sexy, silky and mysterious. Some are hidden and hard to find while others are well known and favored by beach lovers. Images of dark, dramatic black sand beaches elicit the idea of exotic locales but many are found on nearby shorelines. As you travel the world make sure you add a couple of these intriguing coasts to your bucket list. Here, Playa Negra on Vieques is a favorite when visiting the Spanish Virgin Islands.
Photo: Earl Howard
Hana, Maui, Hawaii
The Road to Hana takes in winding and rugged coastlines leading to a collection of black sand coves and beaches. This stretch of highway from Paia unveils sea stacks, blowholes, lava caves, waterfalls, pineapple fields and bamboo jungles. While the journey is only about 45 miles long, with over 600 hairpin turns and 50-plus one-lane bridges, the trip is a full-day excursion, if not longer. Youll want to allow time to linger at the bottom of waterfalls and explore black sand coves. Photo: Rich Hay
Grande Anse, Trois-Rivieres, Guadeloupe
Off the beaten path, this unspoiled stretch of dark fine silky sand is lined with coconut palms and presents itself as a wild natural beauty. While popular with surfers and body boarders, the spot is best for relaxing and watching the rolling waves hit the shoreline, as swimming is not recommended. Located on the southern end of Basse- Terre near the town of Trois-Rivieres the beach offers a direct view of Les Saintes. Photo: Fredww
Hiva Oa, Tahiti
French Polynesia is known for its palm-lined strips of sand ranging from white to pink and black. The islands are volcanic by nature unveiling rugged and mountainous topside fringed with stunning coves and bays. Known as the Garden of the Marquesas, Hiva Oa, the largest island in the southern Marquesas Archipelago is lined with black sand beaches where sharp ridges and peaks plunge into the Pacific. The rugged landscape is scattered with archeological sites and ruins. Photo: Tahiti Tourisme
Playa Negra, Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques is an island of beaches, bays, and coves along with mangrove forests, salt flats and bioluminescent waters. Visitors spend time hiking trails, kayaking and paddle boarding. This is a place where you can sit back and dig your toes in the black silky sands, a mixture of limestone and layers of sediment created as tectonic plates lifted. Beach lovers are intrigued by a walk along the glimmering shores of contrasting shades of golden honey and rich ebony. Photo: Jordan Benge
Kamari Beach, Santorini, Greece
The Greek islands offer visitors an assortment of beaches from brilliant snow white to deep charcoal and even red. On the island of Santorini, most visitors love Kamari Beach on the islands east coast. Its one of the longest stretches of sand on the island and is backed by the town of its namesake, a popular resort area with eateries, bars, shops and beach clubs where booking a couple of chairs and umbrella is in order. Formed by multiple subterranean explosions, Santorini is an active volcano, however, dormant. Photo: mtm2935
Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia
While St. Lucia has its gorgeous stretches of white sand, the darker hues on the southwest corner of the island promise endless opportunities. The beach sits beneath two resorts, Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet. Unless you happen to be staying at either getting to the sand is an excursion via a rough road from Soufriere or by boat. Backed by palms and fronted by a marine reserve with natural reefs, the snorkeling and diving are amazing as well as the vista of towering mountains as a backdrop. Photo: Lucas Gilman/Anse Chastanet
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
The big attraction here is to surfers and those seeking solitude and relaxation. These black sands in Puntarenas, lead to some of the biggest beach breaks along the Pacific Coast and attract surfers year-round. Dark chocolatecolored dunes are backed by lush green foliage and palms providing a gorgeous canvas to view while riding a wave or lazing along the coast. A low-key tourist area, catering to surfers youll find an assortment of surf shops offering lessons and rentals. Photo: Max Boettinger
Punaluu Beach, The Big Island, Hawaii
The most well-known example of black dunes in the Hawaiian chain is on the Big Island. Created of basalt as lava flowed into the ocean, the jet black sand is backed by coconut palms. Ideal for swimming, when conditions are calm, taking a coastal hike, turtle watching and snorkeling nearby at Ninole Cove. Water temperatures range from warm to cool due to the freshwater spring that flows into the bay. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority
Famara Beach, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
According to some, this is the best beach on Lanzarote. Originally a fishing village, todays visitors come to surf and kiteboard thanks to the predominant trade winds. Ocean currents keep swimmers close to shore; however, a walk and a splash along the shoreline make for a perfect day at the beach. Backed by and sheltered by dramatic mountain cliffs, the natural beauty is striking. Photo: AntonioJuan2
Sandy Bay, St. Vincent
In the southern Caribbean lie St. Vincent & The Grenadines, where the collection of islands is off the beaten path for most. While most beaches are of volcanic origin, there are some white stretches of sand on the southern shores. But on the northern windward side in a rural area of St. Vincent there is a beautiful wild spot at Sandy Bay. The secluded black sands, rough seas and onshore breezes make this a natural adventure just to watch. Swimming is out of the question even for the most daring. Photo: Flavio Vallenari
They are sexy, silky and mysterious. Some are hidden and hard to find while others are well known and favored by beach lovers. Images of dark, dramatic black sand beaches elicit the idea of exotic locales but many are found on nearby shorelines. As you travel the world make sure you add a couple of these intriguing coasts to your bucket list. Here, Playa Negra on Vieques is a favorite when visiting the Spanish Virgin Islands.
Photo: Earl Howard
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