I’ve never visited a volcanic beach. In fact, I’ve never been to a place remotely close to a volcano. My ideal beach vacation generally includes soft white sand, small waves, and clear blue water. I was visiting the Spanish Canary Islands when I had an entirely different beach experience from what I am accustomed to.

Tenerife, an island off the western coast of Africa, has a huge volcano that is situated in the center of the island. Therefore, all the natural beaches have black sand, which is a result from the dark ash emitted from the volcano.

Upon Walking to the volcanic beach, I was surprised, and even a bit disappointed to see that dark, almost dreary looking sand had replaced my ideal golden sand. The dark grey color made the water look dark and depressing, making it look uninviting and polluted.

My initial perspective changed once my feet hit the sand; it was soft and cool, not burning my feet like lighter-toned sand always does. Sandcastles looked like haunted witches’ towers, guarding the tourists from the waters. It was unique, and much different than any other beach I have been to.

The water frightened me a little because the tide was high and the waves churned the sand in the water, making it opaque and dark. Reluctantly, I jumped into the Atlantic, and was surprised by how inviting the water felt. It was like swimming in the depths of a blackened sea, which apart from being somewhat scary, was an interesting and incredible experience.

What I liked most about the black sand beach was that it felt authentic and untouched. The day after, I visited a golden sand beach, and found myself missing the excitement of the dark colors and the mysterious, wild mood that they created.

This was in Costa Adeje, Tenerife. However, most of the beaches around the island have black sand, and I recommend hopping around to different beaches to truly experience the beauty that a volcanic island has to offer.