Las Coloradas

On the northern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula are the magical pink lakes of Las Coloradas. The area is actually a private salt mine adjacent to the Rio Lagartos biosphere. At around midday, the salt lakes turn a vibrant pink as a result of the interaction between pigment emitting microbes and the sun. The algae is the favoured food of the local flamingos, which have evolved to be able to hoover up and digest the otherwise toxic substance; the side-effect is their magnificent pink plumage.