When you envision a lake, it's highly unlikely that your initial thought is gallons upon gallons of strawberry milk tipped over across a large piece of land. It just seems so out of the ordinary, right? Well, pink lakes actually exist on this planet — and they look like they popped straight out of a fairy tale. There's more than one of these pink lakes in the world, and each one of them is beyond captivating.
Wait, but how in the world are these particular lakes pink?! It has absolutely nothing to do with billions of pastel pink crayons melting. According to Australian Geographic, one of the pink lakes, called Lake Hillier, may potentially get its swoon-worthy coloring from the tremendous amount of "salt-loving bacteria" and Dunaliella algae present in the water. These specific organisms are known to be shades of pink and red. Salt and algae aren't the potential color culprits for all of the lakes, though; it really depends on which part of the world you are referring to.
Hands down, these lakes are naturally gorgeous and they're tucked away in a few different places across the globe. If it wasn't on your bucket list before, seeing a lake that looks like bubblegum fondu should make the cut now. You might have to really see it to believe it, but for now, these pics will seriously have you in awe.
Lake Hillier is located in Western Australia and is also referred to as Pink Lake Hillier. The 600 meter lake is nestled right next to the Pacific Ocean. If you're lucky enough to view this phenomenal sight from above, it's likely mind-blowing. Seeing a bright blue body of water situated next to vibrant greenery and a lake that resembles strawberry milk would be a fascinating bucket list experience.
OK, which makeup company is going to start making Pink Lakes lipstick shades, because these colors are so, so beautiful. According to National Geographic, The Dusty Rose Lake in Canada surprisingly gets its vibrant color from the runoff water that travels around the multi-colored rocks nearby. That hue of pink is seriously mesmerizing, am I right?
Masazir Lake is used for salt farming. In fact, those huge white blocks in the picture that resemble giant cauliflowers, are actually composed of salt. How cool is that? The lake does take a little bit of trekking to get to, but you really can't beat that pink hue with a pretty sunset.
In Spain, Salina de Torrevieja will make your jaw drop — and we're seriously here for this gorgeous site. One of the highlights of the lake is when the flamingos join in on the pink party. According to The Culture Trip, hills of salt can also be seen across the edges of the lake. Not much plant life exists where salt levels are super high, but you'll still capture a ton of beautiful pics of this pastel pink wonder.
Lake Retba is located near Senegal. If you want to capture Lake Retba in its prime, its color is pristine during the dry season (which occurs between November and June). Needless to say, get on planning your girls' trip ASAP — and don't forget your cameras!
Going back down under, Hutt Lagoon is another beautiful pink lake that resides in Australia. According to Australia's Coral Coast, the color, like several of the other pink lakes on this list, comes from the presence of algae called Dunaliella salina. The coloring of this lake actually varies depending on several factors, including the season and what time of day it is. You might even be able to catch it when it takes on a lilac purple hue. Nature is so freaking dope.
If you thought that being a peculiar color was the only party trick these lakes provide, you'd be wrong. Laguna Colorada in Bolivia is more than 10,000 feet above sea level. It boasts more of a reddish orange shade and is inhabited by very rare flamingos. Apparently, rarities attract.
Pink lakes are very much like gems made directly by Mother Nature herself. Their very existence is proof that nature is the gift that keeps on giving.
