There are a couple of pink sand beaches that you can see on an Aruba tour, but the most famous and popular is Flamingo Beach, located on Renaissance Island off the coast of Oranjestad. The sand on Flamingo Beach is actually made up of very tiny crushed shells and coral, giving it a dramatic pink hue that contrasts beautifully with the aquamarine blue of the ocean around the island. Additionally, it’s the only place in Aruba where you can see actual flamingos, which the island’s owners imported.
Since a resort company owns Renaissance Island, the only options for access are to stay there or to purchase a $125 day pass. Besides the flamingos, the island also features plenty of luxuries, including a spa and a handful of restaurants. Just to the south of Flamingo Beach is Iguana Beach, which doesn’t have pink sand but does have a large colony of iguanas. While the day pass is a little pricey, Renaissance Island is a lot of fun and well worth the trip if you can afford it.
If $125 seems like a lot of money just to see some pink sand, there is another pink beach in Aruba. It’s called Westpunt Beach and it’s one of the island’s lesser-known gems. Tucked away behind the California Lighthouse and only accessible via a hidden path, Westpunt Beach is popular with locals who want to escape the crowds of tourists that occupy the other beaches on the island. Besides the pink sand and seclusion, Westpunt is also known as one of the few great surfing locations in Aruba.
To make the most of your next trip to Aruba, check out our Aruba Island Self-Guided Walking & Driving Tours, or sign up for Action+ to gain full access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.
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