These Are No Ordinary Beaches!

Looking for a slightly different beach vacation this Spring break? One that does not include ordinary sparkling white sand? Read on, and see if any of these catch your fancy.

California's Glass Beach

Located near Fort Bragg in Northern California, this beach is not covered with silky sand but with smooth multi-colored glass pieces that sparkle in the sun like diamonds. While today it is a major tourist draw and the pride and joy of the town, such was not the case about 50 years ago, when it served as the official dump for the locals. This was finally put to a stop in 1967 and the beach was shut down and cleaned up and even declared a State Park. While the humans did their job, nature pulled off its miracle, by breaking down all the glass bottles that had been trashed into smooth pebbles and tossing them back on the beach, giving birth to 'Glass Beach'.

Hawaii's Green Sand Or Papakolea Beach

At this unusual beach on Hawaii's Big Island, you will find sand, only it will not be a sparkling white, but an olive green. This amazing color is caused by the presence of a semi-precious stone called Olivine, a common component of Hawaiian lava and the first to form into crystals when magma cools. The beach happens to be located close to a crater and over the years, powerful ocean waves have eroded the surrounding area that contains magma and dragged the green crystals onto the beach giving it, a green tint.

What has also helped preserve it, is the lack of humans presence. That's because the beach is located in a secluded area that can only be accessed after a rugged 2-mile hike. To make matters worse, it is shaped like a bowl, which means that to access it, visitors have to climb down the steep sides to get to the green sands. It is therefore not surprising that most tourists do not even attempt it.

Hot Water Beach, New Zealand

Ever wished you could just lay in the warm ocean water, undisturbed by the waves? Then New Zealand's Hot Water Beach may be just what you are looking for. The ground under this beach that is located on the Coromandel Peninsula contains subterranean hot springs, which means that during low tides, visitors can simply create burrows and relax in their custom-made hot-water pools!

India's Cow Beach

When you are relaxing on the beach, you expect seagulls, pelicans, crows and even occasional crabs scurrying around - But cows? That's got to be a first. However, at Goa's Cow Beach, the bovines enjoy the beach as much as the humans and seem to have no issues barging in and disturbing the peace, whenever they feel like it. Strangely enough, this is has become a major tourist draw for people seeking some additional excitement, whilst on vacation.

Pink Sands Beach in The Bahamas

If green is not your color then you may want to head over to Harbour Island in the Bahamas and visit the three-mile long Pink Sands Beach. Considered one of the Island's best beaches, it gets its pink hue from microscopic coral insects called Foraminifera that inhabit the area. When they die, they leave behind their pink shells, which end up getting crushed into the sand by the ocean currents and cause it to look pink.

Resources: telegraph.co.uk, harborislandguide.com, wikipedia.org,