Pink Lake in Senegal Retba

Of course there is no such thing as a lake made out of strawberry milkshake ingredients – outside of Willy Wonka’s world that is. But it’s kind of nice to dream. Lake Retba or Lac Rose gives us that fantasy, even if it is just on the surface. Situated north of the Cap Vert Peninsula in Senegal, northeast of Dakar, Lake Retba, or as the French refer to it Lac Rose, is pinker than any milkshake you’ve ever come face to straw with. And once you see it, you too will agree that a sippy straw may be in order over a boat. Experts say the lake gives off its pink hue due to cyanobacteria, a harmless halophilic bacteria found in the water. 

I’d love to say the lake is always something out of Wonka, but the pink is the most vibrant during the dry season; and depending upon the time of day, the lake changes color ranging from light purple to a deep scarlet pink.