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  1. Home
  2. Trip Ideas
  3. Beach Vacations
  4. 15 Stunning Black-sand Beaches Around the World

15 Stunning Black-sand Beaches Around the World

By Steven Casale and Elizabeth Rhodes Updated May 03, 2021
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Iceland
Credit: Tim Flach/Getty Images

Editor's Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure.

When you think of a beach vacation, you probably envision pristine white or golden sands and turquoise waters. And while there's nothing wrong with that picture, there's just something mysterious and dramatic about a black-sand beach.

Dark-hued beaches are often the result of volcanic lava flow over time (like at Kehena Beach in Hawaii) or glacial activity (like at Jökulsárlón Beach in Iceland).

Below is a list of 15 must-see black-sand beaches around the world, all of which possess an unrivaled contrast to the blue waters that lap their shores.

Related: More beach vacation ideas

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Punalu’u Beach, Hawaii, United States

Punalu'u Hawaii
Credit: Danita Delimont/Getty Images

Located on Hawaii’s Big Island, Punalu’u Beach is frequented by sunbathers — and endangered turtles and seals. This black-sand beach gets its dark hue from years of volcanic activity that has laced its sand with lava fragments.

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Playa Jardín, Canary Islands, Spain

Playa Jardin Spain
Credit: Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

On Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, lies the touristy Playa Jardín. Considered a true urban beach, this stretch was landscaped by artist César Manrique to create a juxtaposition of dark volcanic sands and lush greenery on the nearby shore.

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Ureki Beach, Ureki, Georgia

Ureic Beach Georgia
Credit: Akaki Torotadze/Getty Images/EyeEm

Although it's not located on an ocean, Georgia’s Ureki Beach lies on one of the Earth’s largest seas: the Black Sea. And while most beaches on the Black Sea do not have sand, this one does and it allegedly has healing properties — something that's kept swimmers flocking here for centuries.

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Perivolos Beach, Santorini, Greece

Santorini
Credit: Christopher Groenhout/Getty Images

Santorini is known for its stunning beachfronts and stark white stone buildings, but Perivolos Beach on the island’s southern shore is lesser known. Head to this beach, in the town of Perissa, and take in the sight of ancient black sand next to the deep blue of the Mediterranean.

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Kehena Beach, Hawaii, United States

Kehena Beach Hawaii
Credit: Glowimages RM / Alamy Stock Photo

Kehena Beach, on Hawaii's Big Island, is a small strip of sand surrounded by cliffs. It's also a popular choice among visitors who like to sunbathe nude (although this is technically not allowed). 

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Piha Beach, Piha, New Zealand

Piha Beach New Zealand
Credit: Getty Images

On the western coast of New Zealand’s North Island lies Piha Beach, an oftentimes rough surf beach complete with black sand. Visitors claim that in the summer, the sand is hotter here than on most other beaches.

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Miho no Matsubara, Shizuoka City, Japan

Miho no Matsubara Japan
Credit: Getty Images

For centuries, Japanese artists have depicted the majestic Mount Fuji from the shores of Miho no Matsubara, a beach that provides perfect views of the summit. The beach is also known for its distinctive pine trees.

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Jökulsárlón Beach, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland

Iceland
Credit: Tim Flach/Getty Images

Iceland is a hotbed of volcanic and geothermal activity, and it is these natural forces that created the black sands at Jökulsárlón Beach. Located on a glacial lake in southeastern Iceland, Jökulsárlón is known for its glistening black sand covered in large pieces of icebergs. For this reason, it has gained the moniker “Diamond Beach.”

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Playa Negra, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica

Playa Negro, Costa Rica
Credit: UIG via Getty Images

Though surfers head here for sought-after right-hand barrel waves, Playa Negra also lures visitors with its long stretch of black sand (hence its name). Note: The beach is only accessible by dirt road.

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Papenoo Beach, Papenoo, Tahiti

Tahiti
Credit: Getty Images/DeAgostini

Tucked away next to the green mountains of Tahiti, Papenoo Beach draws adventure seekers because of the river mouth that empties there. Waters can get rough, but the stark black sands make it worth the visit.

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Spiaggia di Ficogrande, Stromboli, Italy

View of the sea from Ficogrande Beach, Stromboli, Isole Eolie, Sicily
Credit: Getty Images

Italy is known for its picturesque coastline, but this volcanic island off the coast of Sicily offers a unique black-sand beach popular among locals and visitors alike.

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Black Sands Beach, California, United States

Surfers walk along a black sand beach
Credit: Getty Images

You don't have to take a long-haul flight to see a dramatic dark coast. Black Sands Beach, near San Fransisco, offers an option for beachgoers in the continental United States. 

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Playa Negra, Vieques, Puerto Rico

Volcanic material washes down through a stream and ends up at this beach on the island of Vieques, in Puerto Rico.
Credit: Getty Images

Sure, Puerto Rico is home to plenty of stunning golden beaches, but this peaceful black-sand stretch (aptly named Playa Negra) is a must-see if you're in the area. 

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Rosalie Bay Beach, Rosalie, Dominica

Entrance into the black sand beach at Rosalie Bay Eco Resort & Spa
Credit: Courtesy of Rosalie Bay Eco Resort & Spa

This black-sand beach is located just steps from the Rosalie Bay eco-resort, where you can enjoy views of the distinctly colored sand from your room. Plus, this is a popular beach for sea turtle nesting. 

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Keramas Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Keramas Beach at sunrise
Credit: Ed Sloane/World Surf League via Getty Images

This stunning beach in Bali is especially popular among surfers, so it's a great place to hit the waves (or at least watch as surfers ride in over the black sand). 

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    1 of 15 Punalu’u Beach, Hawaii, United States
    2 of 15 Playa Jardín, Canary Islands, Spain
    3 of 15 Ureki Beach, Ureki, Georgia
    4 of 15 Perivolos Beach, Santorini, Greece
    5 of 15 Kehena Beach, Hawaii, United States
    6 of 15 Piha Beach, Piha, New Zealand
    7 of 15 Miho no Matsubara, Shizuoka City, Japan
    8 of 15 Jökulsárlón Beach, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
    9 of 15 Playa Negra, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica
    10 of 15 Papenoo Beach, Papenoo, Tahiti
    11 of 15 Spiaggia di Ficogrande, Stromboli, Italy
    12 of 15 Black Sands Beach, California, United States
    13 of 15 Playa Negra, Vieques, Puerto Rico
    14 of 15 Rosalie Bay Beach, Rosalie, Dominica
    15 of 15 Keramas Beach, Bali, Indonesia

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