Red Sand Beach Turquoise Ocean Desert Cliffs, Paracas National Reserve, Peru

Red vs. blue

A visit to this nature reserve in Peru should include a trip to the deep red sands of Playa Roja. Why is the sand here so rust-hued? A nearby massif, the Punta Santa Maria, contains the red, granite-like stone, which is pulverized and sloughed off by the waves of the mighty Pacific and washed onto this beach. 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. Paracas National Reserve protects this extraordinary coastline, along with inland desert areas, and archeological sites of the Paracas culture.