Playa Roja in Paracas National Reserve, Peru

© Istvan Kadar Photography/Getty Images

Playa Roja in Paracas National Reserve, Peru

A visit to this nature reserve in Peru should include a trip to the deep red sands of Playa Roja. As the waters of the Pacific Ocean batter a nearby massif composed of red granite-like rock, the tide carries the pulverized stone to the beach, depositing the red particles on the shore. Even if you know the mechanics of how the Playa Roja got this way, the deep jewel tones of the inland soil, the red sand, and the blue waters lose none of their mysterious allure.