Rauðasandur Red Sand Beach

About Rauðasandur Red Sand Beach

Rauðasandur (Red Sand Beach) is one of Iceland's most unique and beautiful beaches — a 10 km stretch of salmon-pink sand on the southern coast of the Westfjords, in stark contrast to Iceland's usual black volcanic beaches. The sand gets its colour from ground-up shells of a type of scallop (Chlamys islandica). The remote beach is backed by dramatic red cliffs and shallow turquoise lagoons, and seals haul out on the sandbars. The drive to reach it over the mountain pass is spectacular.