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The 30 Most Colourful Beach Towns Around The World
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The 30 Most Colourful Beach Towns Around The World

#12 is so dreamy

Photo: Getty

By Annabelle Fernandez - published

These breathtaking cities might be more stunning than the beaches themselves.

From: Harper's BAZAAR US

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As the second smallest town in the famous Cinque Terre (five villages connected by a walking path), this northern Italian destination is a popular spot for tourists. It's also a fishing village full of colorful buildings and some of the best deep-water swimming around.
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MANAROLA, ITALY

A short drive from this town is the famous Punaluu Black Sand Beach, which is the result of volcanic activity. You see, the sand is made out of basalt, which is created by lava flowing into the ocean and exploding in the cool water. The green plants and blue water pop in comparison to the dark shoreline.
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NAALEHU, HAWAII

The neighborhood of Bo Kaap in this South African beach destination uses bright hues to distinguish different addresses and is one of the most colorful communities ever. The beach is no exception, as it's lined with primary-colored huts.
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CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

This capital city of the Bahamas was first founded in 1656 and is full of history and color. It's also home to the famous Atlantis resort, which is an ocean-themed escape full of pools, waterslides and more.
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PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS

Even though the world is full of white sand beaches, Hyams Beach in this Australian town was named the whitest by the Guinness Book of World Records. In comparison, the water and everything else on the coastline is shockingly vibrant.
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NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA

Glass Beach is a must-visit destination in this California town.While it used to be a dumping ground for glass and trash, clean up crews took over in the late '60s and all that's left today are smooth pieces of sea glass sprinkled in to create a colorful and vibrant beach.
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FORT BRAGG, CALIFORNIA

Located just 30 minutes outside of Lisbon, this city is a popular beach escape and a favorite party spot for young people. As a result, the town is filled with colorful cafes, bars and dance clubs.
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ERICEIRA, PORTUGAL

Even though the buildings in the second largest city in Tunisia are mostly white, when paired with blue umbrellas and the blue ocean, it becomes a colorful oasis. It doesn't hurt that purple Bougainvillea flowers are common here, too.
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SIDI BOU SAID, TUNISIA

Ready for another colorful Hawaiian beach? Well, Papakolea is one of only four green sand beaches in the world and gets its color from olivine sand eroded out of enclosing collapsed cinder cones.
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SOUTH POINT, HAWAII

Since this beach town is located just 15 miles from the Spanish border, the culture is a mix from both countries. As a result, vacationers from all walks of life seek out this colorful holiday destination.
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COLLIOURE, FRANCE

This resort city is located on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and is where tourists flock for water activities and nightlife. As a result, the bright colors often featured in Mexican culture is in full force, which you can see from this dreamy outdoor restaurant.
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CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

People are traveling from all over to visit this country, in part because it's known for having some of the clearest water in the world. As if that weren't enough, the long-tail boats usually sport colorful ties on the ends that are the definition of happy.
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PHUKET, THAILAND

Not only is this coastal town in the Western Cape Province of Africa full of lush green vegetarian and orange sandstone cliffs, but the homes feature a variety of different colored roofs, too.
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KNYSNA, SOUTH AFRICA

Even though this city was founded in the 7th century, it's become even more popular as of late for being the setting of King's Landing in HBO's Game of Thrones. You'll recognize the famous orange rooftops, which also makes it quite a colorful setting.
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DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

Marini di Praia is a pebble beach located at the foot of a cliff on the Amalfi Coast and home to several restaurants and even one of the most fashionable dance clubs in the world. But it's the bright blue umbrellas and water that earns it a spot on this list.
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PRAIANO, ITALY

Since the shoreline of this beach is shaped like a bay, it doesn't catch any swell, making the water quiet and relaxed. Apparently, starfish love this atmosphere because they flock to this beach by the hundreds.
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BOCAS DEL TORO PROVINCE, PANAMA

Did you know this city is the rainbow capital of the world? It's located next to Oahu's windward mountains, which produce daily rain showers that are often followed by sunshine, resulting in tons of these colorful meteorological phenomenons.
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HONOLULU, HAWAII

There's a reason this city is nicknamed "The Jewel of the Pacific." It's essentially a cliffside beach town filled with brightly-colored buildings and is one of the most underrated destinations in the country.
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VALPARAISO, CHILE

The crystal clear water surrounding these small coral islands enclosed by a shallow lagoon in the middle of the Indian Ocean is famous. Pair that with white sand and you've got the most gorgeous blue water ever known to man.
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THE MALDIVES

Pastel lovers need to visit this seaside town immediately. In the 19th century, most of the buildings along the water were white, but the governor at the time got migraines from the reflections off of the exteriors of these buildings, so he asked everyone to paint their homes a new color.
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WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO

Near Cape Cod is this adorable island, which is filled with colorful Victorian homes and a boardwalk full of vibrant restaurants and fun games. It's impossible not to have a smile on your face while strolling along this walkway.
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MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MASSACHUSETTS

The Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach is the result of the rocks and sand at this shore being high in iron content. When mixed with salty air and sea mist, this leads to a rusty red beach.
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KA'UIKI HEAD, HAWAII

In 1931, an affluent judge and his wife bought a section of houses in this historic city and painted them pastel. Their neighbors followed suit, leading to a street dubbed "Rainbow Row" and many other colorful moments sprinkled throughout the historic city.
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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Along the sand on Brighton Beach is a row of colorful bathing boxes that do their best job stealing the attention away from the blue ocean. Each one was personally decorated by the owner, so they boast an assortment of colors and styles.
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

There's nothing like watching the sun set at the beach — except, maybe, watching the Northern Lights dance in the sky. The beach in the town of Vik is a tranquil place to catch this colorful show, while listening to the waves crash.
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VIK, ICELAND

Along the cliffside of this southern Italian town is a pebble beachfront and steep waterfront filled with some of the brightest and most colorful buildings ever. Not to mention there are plenty of white beaches and sea caves to explore while you're there.
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POSITANO, ITALY

If you can't get enough Millennial Pink, you're going to fall hard for this pink sand beach. It's located along the island's Atlantic Ocean side and is the result of the sand being filled with microscopic coral insects called Foraminifera, which have a pink shell.
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HARBOUR ISLAND, BAHAMAS

This picturesque fishing village is one of Italy's best kept secrets and a popular summer escape located just two hours from Milan. Fun fact: This brightly-colored town was named after the women who watched the city while their fishermen husbands were away at work.
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CAMOGLI, ITALY

Part of the reason this beach town is known for being a hot party spot is the vibrant and colorful colors it exudes. It doesn't hurt that the water is a teal color, providing the perfect backdrop for drinks by the sea on a neon stool.
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KEY WEST, FLORIDA

The Jersey Shore is home to this adorable town known for its grand and vibrant Victorian homes. In fact, the historic district has more than 600 dollhouse-like homes, hotels and inns, as well as several different blue beaches to choose from.
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CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY

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australiaBahamasBocas Del Toro ProvinceCabo Sans LucaCaliforniaCamogliCape Maycape TownCharlestonChileCollioureCroatiaCuracaoDubrovnikFloridaFort BraggFranceHarbour IslandHawaiiHonoluluIcelandItalyKa'uiki HeadKey WestKnysnaMaldivesmanarolaMartha's VineyardMassuchettsMelbourneMexicoNaalehuNew JerseyNew South WalesPanamaParadise IslandPhuketPositanoPraianoSidi Bou SaidSoith PointSouth AfricaSouth CArolinaSouth pointThailandTunisiaValparaisoVikWillemstad
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