The Pink Beach, Protected beach on Budelli Island, La Maddalena archipelago, Italy.

The Pink Beach lies in Cala di Roto, on the southeast side of Budelli Island in the La Maddalena archipelago. Its pale sand carries a pink tinge from calcareous shells of Miniacina miniacea, a foraminifer living on Posidonia oceanica rhizomes; such skeletal remains make up 80–90% of the sand. Rough reddish-brown boulders sit at the shore, and shallow channels braid the sand where water drains.

The beach came under official protection in 1994 when authorities recognized that visitors were removing sand as souvenirs, threatening the natural makeup of the shoreline. This led to restrictions that eventually closed the beach to direct access and made boat tours the only way to view it.

The name comes from the sand's pink colour, caused by calcareous shells of Miniacina miniacea, a foraminifer living among Posidonia oceanica rhizomes; such skeletons make up 80-90% of the sand. Since 1994 the beach lies in Zone A of the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, where landing, stopping and swimming are banned, so visitors view it from boats kept about 70 metres offshore.

You can only view the beach from a boat on a guided tour, as stepping onto the sand is not permitted. Plan your visit for calm weather with good visibility, and remember that viewing happens entirely from the water.

The sand's high share of microorganism skeletons, up to 80-90%, rivals tropical coral beaches, though here the calcium carbonate comes from foraminifera rather than coral fragments. Miniacina miniacea lives on organic substrates such as the rhizomes of Posidonia oceanica, the Mediterranean's key seagrass.