13 pretty-in-pink places around the world

From bubblegum-coloured lakes and baby pink palaces to a Japanese garden covered in garishly pink moss, life always looks rosy in these pretty pink-hued attractions...

5 mins

1. Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, India

Hawa Mahal (Shutterstock)

Hawa Mahal (Shutterstock)

Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Winds, was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. Featuring 953 windows, decorated with lattice work, it was designed to allow royal ladies observe festivals and every day street life without being seen. It is constructed in red and pink sandstone, giving it a distinctly rosy hue.

2. Lake Nakuru, Kenya

Flamingos on Lake Nakura (Shutterstock)

Flamingos on Lake Nakura (Shutterstock)

One of the great lakes of Kenya’s Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru is famous for the large flocks of flamingo that gather, attracted by the tiny spirulina bacteria that flourish in this soda lake.

The number of birds often reaches the hundreds of thousands. It's one of the greatest bird spectacles in the world - and one that turns the lake pink. 

3. Takinoue Park, Japan

Takinoue Park in Hokkaido (Shutterstock)

Takinoue Park in Hokkaido (Shutterstock)

The tiny town of Takinoue in Hokkaido is famous for two things. The fact that it grows 95% of Japan’s mint, and for Takinoue Park, renowned for its shibazakura (pink moss). Between May and June, the moss covers the entire 10,000 m² park.

4. Lake Hillier, Western Australia

Lake Hillier on Middle Island (Shutterstock)

Lake Hillier on Middle Island (Shutterstock)

This vibrant pink saline lake on Middle Island, just off Esperance on Western Australia’s south coast, was first spotted by explorer Matthew Flinders in 1802.

He surmised the colour was caused by high salt levels. He was half right. It’s caused by an algae that can only live in very salty water. The colour is permanent and remains when samples are collected in jars.

5. Craigievar Castle, Scotland

Craigievar Castle (Shutterstock)

Craigievar Castle (Shutterstock)

This pretty pink castle in Aberdeenshire is said to have been the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle. Construction began around 1576 and its exterior remains virtually unchanged since William Forbes completed it in 1626.

Craigievar's iconic tower house is among the best preserved and the most loved in Scotland. It’s beautiful gardens is also a hit with wildlife lovers, as it hosts a family of rare pine martens.

6. Las Coloradas, Mexico

Drone shot of  Las Coloradas (Shutterstock)

Drone shot of Las Coloradas (Shutterstock)

Hidden away on the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, the bubblegum pink lakes of Las Coloradas have been revered since Mayan times.

The vibrant colour is caused the red algae, shrimp and plankton that live in the salty lakes. Swimming in the lakes has recently been banned, much to the chagrin of the world’s Instagrammers.

7. Nasir-ol-molk Mosque, Iran

Nasir-ol-molk Mosque, Shiraz (Shutterstock)

Nasir-ol-molk Mosque, Shiraz (Shutterstock)

Finished in coloured glass and with much of its interior covered in rose tiles, the Nasir ol-molk Mosque in Shiraz is known locally as the ‘Pink Mosque’. The wall of shimmering stain glass windows, unusual for mosques, also add to the pinkish hue.

8. The Don CeSar, Florida, USA

The Don CeSar Hotel (Shutterstock)

The Don CeSar Hotel (Shutterstock)

The legendary Pink Palace of St. Pete beach, Don CeSar hotel brings a little bit of Great Gatsby charm to this part of Florida.

Opened in 1928, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Author F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, were regular guests. As was the gangster, Al Capone.

9. Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas

Bahamas pink sand beach (Shutterstock)

Bahamas pink sand beach (Shutterstock)

Stretching for three miles along the eastern Atlantic Ocean coast of Harbour Island, this soft pink beach gets its distinctive colour from microscopic remains of coral insects known as foraminifera. They live on the underside of reefs, like the nearby Devil's Backbone, and are washed ashore after they die.

10. Rua Nova Do Carvalho, Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon’s pink street, Rua Nova Do Carvalho (Shutterstock)

Lisbon’s pink street, Rua Nova Do Carvalho (Shutterstock)

Once one of Lisbon’s seedier districts, Rua Nova do Carvalho, has cleaned up its act and become the heart of Lisbon’s more legitimate night life.

The brothels and seedy bars have been replaced with cool cafes and trendy nightspots. In 2011, the street was painted shades of pink, creating a bright pathway to a great night out in the Portuguese capital.

11. Big Pink, Miami, USA

Big Pink restaurant, Miami (Shutterstock)

Big Pink restaurant, Miami (Shutterstock)

This eye-popping retro diner on Miami Beach is famous for it’s huge portions and equally over the top colour. They deliver, too – using pink VW Beatles, of course.

12. Flamingo Beach, Aruba

Flamingo walking on the beach in Aruba (Shutterstock)

Flamingo walking on the beach in Aruba (Shutterstock)

If you like your encounters with pink to be more personal, this tiny beach on Renaissance Island in Aruba is for you. Brightly coloured flamingos stroll along the sand, amongst the sun loungers and the restaurants as if they own the place.

With the number of tourists they bring to the island, it could be said that they do.

13. God's Own Junkyard, London

God's Own Junkyard

God's Own Junkyard

In London's north-east, the borough of Walthamstow houses an artfully-designed junkyard-turned-cafe, covered ceiling to floor with neon art and signs. Expect a tight squeeze to get around, but enjoy the gorgeous magenta glow. 

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