One-of-a-kind pink lagoon with flamingos is just two hours from the UK
IF you want to find natural phenomena like rich pink lagoons, you would think you’d have to go as far as Egypt or even Australia.
But actually, there’s one just two hours away from the UK – and it happens to be one of the most affordable coastlines of Spain.
Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.
Laguna Rosa is one of Europe’s only naturally pink lakes and it’s on the Costa Blanca coastline just outside of Torrevieja.
Flights to the nearest airport of Alicante can take as little as two hours and 15-minutes.
Laguna Rosa, or going by its official name Laguna de Torrevieja, is a pink salt lake that stretches across 1400 hectares.
It’s famous for its bright pink colourcaused by halobacteria (a microorganism) and Dunaliella salina (a type of algae), which are both naturally pink in color and release a pigment into the water.
The high concentration of salt in the lake means that technically you’d be able to actually float in the water – but swimming here is actually banned.
For the best chance of a deep pink lake, holidaymakers should aim to visit the lake between June to October.
Otherwise, make sure to head there during late August and early September where you’ll see as many as 2,000 flamingos in its shallow water.
Laguna Rosa is just one place to stop by on a visit to Costa Blanca which has been dubbed a ‘dupe’ for far-flung Red Sea-style escape.
Other popular spots around Torrevieja include Tabarca Island, is about an hour by boat from Alicante.
It has crystal-clear waters, calm coves, and is a sought out snorkelling destination with plenty of marine life to see – which is why it’s been compared to the Red Sea.
Back on land, a place where you can relax in amongst nature is Elche’s UNESCO-listed palm grove.
Here you can find shade under more than 200,000 palm trees.
If you want to see even more pink, the city of Elche even has its own palace that looks pink in the sun.
Palau d’Altamira is a fortress built during the 11th and 13th centuries – and rebuilt later on too.
Now, it’s a museum full of artefacts showing off the history of Elche.
When it comes to getting a bite to eat, the region has its own signature dish called ‘caldero’.
It’s a rich fish stew cooked with fresh local catch and rice.
The Costa Blanca coastline is cheap too. TravelSupermarket worked out that the average price of a holiday per person is £566.
In Alicante, which is the capital of the region, you can pick up beer for €3 (£2.61), coffee from €1.89 (£1.64) and a meal for as little as £13.
And when it comes to where to stay First Choice recommends Albir Garden Resort.
Families can base themselves at Albir Garden Resort which pools with aqua park’s slides and fountains, buffet restaurants and a kids’ club with daily activities.
Each one bedroom apartments accommodation comes with a lounge area, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and balcony.
Holidays here start from £442pp.