In May, I traveled to Bermuda via the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

You may have seen the photos of pink sand at Bermuda, and I’m here to tell you if the sand was really pink. Well, let’s start out with why.

Why would the sand be pink anyways?

There are tiny (microscopic) marine animals called foraminifera which are single-celled organisms. The organism itself has a variety of different colors, but the ones in Bermuda have a mostly pink-colored shell. When they die, their pink shells mix with the sand, creating a pink color.

In addition to this, Parrotfish, which live in Bermuda will also eat algae and coral, later excreting these fragments, causing a pinkish tint to the sand.

So when we arrived, we all kind of joked that we’re standing in fish feces, but I suppose the only difference is that we are aware of it; sand at any other beach will have the same, except it’s not noticeable.

I definitely didn’t look at the sand and say, “Oh! That’s pink, just like the Instagram pictures” but rather when I picked up the sand, I saw some of the pink-ish particles mixed in with more of the tan/light brown sand.

Either way you look at it, whether it’s pink, pink-ish or your typical sand color, the scenery was absolutely stunning. The water was magical (and no this isn’t a filtered photo; I don’t post filtered photos on my website so you can see the realistic color of whatever it is I’m showing, but I will post those filtered photos on IG).

Do I recommend Bermuda’s Pink Beaches?

Well I’ve spoken about the concept of expectation in the past, however, with this- I think either way you will be mesmerized by the water, atmosphere and overall feel of these beaches; the serenity and peace. I think it will be incredibly hard to go here and be disappointed by what you’re met with, but yes- of course I may recommend to slightly alter your expectations if you’re thinking these will be flamingo-pink colored beaches. Unlike the Cherry Blossoms in DC, though- even without the pink, I would be surprised if you walked away disappointed.

As a note, sunrise or sunsets are known to exaggerate the “pink-ness” in the sand, with the warm hue of the sun. We went in the morning or afternoon but definitely after the sunrise- so if you’re REALLY wanting those pink colors- I would recommend getting there early as the sun is rising or late, as it’s setting. The amount of foraminifera or Parrotfish fecal matter may also change the color of the sand- but that’s not nearly as predictable as the sunrise/sunset!

Cheers friends and travelers!

~ Backroad Butterflies ~

With Bermuda being an island, it has a variety of different beaches. Did you know Bermuda is home to 25 beaches?