It’s easy to seek shades of green when traveling—just head to the forest. Blue? Well, there’s the ocean. Red, though, is a little harder to find. That’s why we’ve put together a list of destinations that shock with the intensity of their red tones.
LessLocated in the foothills of the Sierra Gorda mountain range in the state of Hidalgo, the Pacula Dunes are red due to high levels of iron and other minerals in the soil. Here, rocks are nestled amid the sand, which varies in color between rust orange and fire truck red. Take a short hike or just pause to take in the view before visiting the nearby Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve.
A major shrine of the Shinto religion in Japan, Fushimi Inari venerates mainly agricultural and mercantile spirits. Here, you can walk on beautifully manicured paths up the Inari mountain through the Torii Gates, which are painted a blinding shade of red. After the 2-hour hike, you can visit the main shrine building to make an offering to the deity. Located in Kyoto, the shrine is easily accessible by Japan’s high speed train service.
The Moulin Rouge, the legendary cabaret immortalized by Toulouse Lautrec and the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film, remains an electric spot for nightlife in the Pigalle neighborhood of Paris. The name literally means “red windmill,” and the building is topped by one—though the color doesn’t end there. Inside this birthplace of the can-can dance, the costumes and stage look as though they are draped in red velvet. Enjoy singing, dancing, and drinks, imagining you’re in the 1920s the whole time.
Each spring, much of the Netherlands transforms into a bonafide festival of color thanks to its flower fields. The most famous of the bouquet—tulips—sprout from mid-April to early-May. To make the most of this short window, visit Noordoostpolder to see the largest flowering of these Dutch favorites—in red and nearly every other color. In the city of Aalsmeer, you can even visit the auction house of Royal FloraHolland, where over 20 million plants and flowers are sold every single day.
Around six hours from Beijing, the Panjin Red Beach ripens into a deep red color every summer. This is due to the concentration of a variety of seaweed—Suaeda heteroptera—which can survive in the salt-rich soil of the area. Plus, the “beach” is actually a protected wetland where you can spot dozens of species of birds and other wildlife. The best time to visit is September, before the seaweed turns purple and eventually dies off for the year.
Thanks to its carmine color, the sand at this beach is a tourist attraction for many who visit the famed Greek isle. Red Beach has such a unique color because the sand was created by pulverized volcanic rock that originated in a long-ago eruption. You can arrive here by boat (just anchor offshore) or on foot via a narrow path. Of course, there’s plenty more to do on Santorini: go horseback riding on Eros Beach, which is covered in black sand, or enjoy a sunset wine tasting.
On the other end of the Mediterranean from Santorini lies Calpe, a beachside city in the east of Spain. The architect Ricardo Bofill designed a series of buildings here, collectively known as La Manzanera, over the course of 20 years. The star of the bunch is La Muralla Roja, a strikingly red apartment complex that includes pools, sea views, and Moroccan-inspired geometry. Inside, the red exterior gives way to blues, purples, and pinks.
Carved by centuries of flash floods, the narrow Antelope Canyon is a spectacular visit for anyone interested in geology—or photography. Go for a hike through the ravine and be amazed by the play of light and shadow on the red rock. At moments, areas may look almost purple and at others orange, while the sky above plays peek-a-boo. Antelope Canyon’s smooth lines and tight corners are unlike anything else in the region.