The Laguna Rosa (Pink Lagoon or Pink Lake) is one of those strange wonders of nature that you think only exist in cinema, literature or, hopefully, in the most exotic countries on the other side of the world. Places that you are convinced have been tricked with filters and special effects until you visit them and you verify for yourself that there is no touching up and it is all true.
The Pink Lake is real, and when you check it out you will leave the sceptics club and become its biggest fan and talk about it to the four winds. But don't do it! Protect the halo of mystery that surrounds this place in the Vega Baja region, south of Torrevieja, and just ten minutes from Hotel La Zenia in Orihuela.
Welcome to the Nature Park of Lagunas de la Mata and Torrevieja!
Salt lakes are frequent in our country and the salt that we use in our kitchens every day is extracted from its exploitation. But of all the salt flats, La Laguna Rosa is an exceptional case, and that is that its high salinity, equivalent to the Dead Sea, and the magnificent temperatures of the area make it the ideal ecosystem for some species of microalgae and halobacterium (the Dunaliella saline) that release the reddish pigment which stains the entire body of water.
Did you know that each litre of Laguna Rosa water contains up to 350 grams of salt? This concentration makes this beautiful lake the most productive in all of Europe, producing around 810,000 tons of salt on its 1,400 hectares each year. It is not surprising that salt dried fish and salted fish are some of the gastronomic wonders of the area. What a treat!
The colour of the lake is truly spectacular, the intense pink that predominates most of the time, turns magenta, fuchsia and even purple depending on the time of year or time of day.
The waters of this particular lake have no competition in the whole of Spain or even in the rest of Europe. You would have to travel to Bolivia and its Laguna Colorada, Senegal and its Retba Lake, the Pink Lakes of Mexico or Australia with its Hillier and Hutt lagoons to find something similar.
In addition, the Pink Lagoon, like the rest of the salt lakes in the area, is inhabited by a type of native crustacean on which flamingos base their diet. Could the landscape be pinker?
The spring of 2020 has been unusually rainy in the area and very calm due to the confinement that society has experienced. But these exceptional circumstances have brought the wonderful news that for the first time in 37 years flamingos have returned to breed in the area with the birth of more than 600 chicks in the lagoon.
In recent years the colour of its water has made this location one of the most famous places on Instagram and one of the most coveted photographs among travellers on the Costa Blanca.
But, even though you may find hundreds of photographs of bathers floating on the surface testing the salinity of their water, bathing in the lagoon is prohibited to guarantee the conservation of this valuable ecosystem and prevent any health risks, as work is constantly being carried out, continually working on the salt extraction on the lake.
Do not worry, the Laguna Ros
a offers leisure alternatives to enjoy this landscape. Strolling around or skirting it by bicycle are the best options so you don't miss any detail. And to discover everything about the flora and fauna of this place of great ecological value, don't miss the Interpretation Centre of the Natural Park.
If you are wondering when to go to the Laguna Rosa, the best time to visit it is at sunset in the summer months and especially after a time of little rain. The lagoon offers its most intense colour at the moment. During your visit, remember that you are in a very sensitive area that requires our maximum collaboration to maintain all its splendour. Together we will take care of our planet!
The Hotel La Zenia is located on the beaches of Orihuela, on the seafront and just 10 kilometres from the Laguna Rosa.
Do not miss this unique area!
The endless white sandy beaches of the Costa de Azahar often overshadow the many other charms that this incredible area of the Mediterranean coast awaits travellers. This is the case of the Coves de Sant Josep, some very interesting underground caves that hide the longest underground navigable river in Europe and whose walls house cave paintings. Are you going to miss it?
