#BeachThursday: these are the best black sand beaches

Many sun destinations beckon travellers with the promise of sugar-white, sandy beaches. The colour of sand all comes down to the minerals present in the surrounding soils, and many all-inclusive resorts around the world pay big money to ship in the good stuff.

But how often do you see a black sand beach plastered across travel advertisements? Black sand is generally formed where volcanic activity is present. The overflow from lava and leftover ash break down into a mixture of fine sands and in fact, the high content of sulphur in black sand contains a variety of minerals that have long been used to purify, cleanse, and protect the skin against pollution and radiation.

Here are the top 5 black sand beaches to visit in 2018:

Maui, Hawaii

There are five volcanoes located in the Hawaiian islands, which means there's tons of black sand! The Wai'anapanapa Black Sand Beach is located in the heart of the 122-acre Wai'anapanapa State Park, and it's very popular with tourists. Hundreds of years ago, a lava flow left behind volcanic deposits, which have contributed to the abundance of black sand in the area. While swimming isn't encouraged due to rip tides, the beach is a beautiful opportunity for some photos.

Vik, Iceland

The Reynisfjar Black Sand Beach has made its rounds on Instagram, as the striking contrast between jet-black sand and the foggy landscape captivate people around the world. Located near the fishing village of Vik, the Reynisfjar Black Sand Beach has tons of black sand, but it also features wondorous black basalt colums in funky geometric shapes, towering cliffs, and even caves.

photo credit: Jonathan Bean, Flickr

Shizuoka, Japan

Mount Fiji looms in the background at this black sand beach. The Miho no Matsubara beach actually used to be a white sand beach, but the nearby construction of a new railroad unveiled black sand underneath, and it's been that way ever since. Miho no Matsubara is a well-known scenic spot, famous for its beautiful pine trees which coat this seven-kilometre stretch of beach.

photo credit: Ming Chun, Flickr

Piha, New Zealand

Known for its rugged landscapes and famous surf grounds, Piha Beach in New Zealand is about 40 kilometres from Auckland. Black sand is everywhere on this beach and the deposits are very high in iron, due to the volcanic activity. The beach is home to Lion Rock, which is a giant, 16-million-year-old volcanic rock sitting right in the middle of the shore, and features carvings by the Maori people.

photo credit: Tony Hooper, Flickr

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Playa Negra in Puerto Rico is a refreshing contrast to the many white sand beaches in the country. Vieques is a Puerto Rican island that lies between the British Virgin Islands and the U.S Virgin Islands. It gets its black sand from active tectonic plate activity, when hot lava pushed up from the ocean floor.

photo credit: Karl Norring, Flickr