Salinas de Cabo Rojo
Puerto Rico - January 17, 2024

In the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Puerto Rico, a quick walk through a mangrove swamp leads to an unexpected sight: cotton-candy pink water glistening in the sun. This is Las Salinas, the pink salt flats—a 1,249-acre area of two 18-inch-deep natural lagoons that have been altered to mine salt, and an Instagram-worthy destination for the fluctuating pastel shades of the water. The color ranges from reddish brown to bright pink to cloudy white, all depending on the day and the weather, though more often than not it’s pink. The hue is thanks to a combination of algae, bacteria, salt and water.

As like many other things, the hurriance played havoc with this area, and the salt flats haven't gotten back to the famous pink colour yet.