Torrevieja sits between two lagoons. The one everybody photographs is Laguna Rosa — and the colour is genuine, not a filter. It comes from algae and bacteria that thrive in water far saltier than the sea. The other, La Mata, is greener and quieter, and better for birds.
Why it is pink
The salinity is extreme, and in those conditions a particular alga produces a red pigment that the local brine shrimp then concentrate. It is the same mechanism that makes flamingos pink — they eat the shrimp. The intensity shifts with the season and the water level, and it is strongest in high summer.
When to go
Late afternoon, two hours before sunset. The light sits low across the water and the colour reads properly; at midday it washes out and there is no shade anywhere. Flamingos are around from spring through to September, September usually being the best of it.
How to see it
| Option | Duration | From |
|---|---|---|
| Guided walk with pick-up | 2 hrs 30 | 18 € pp |
| Tourist train, salt route | 1 hr | 10.50 € pp |
| On your own | — | free |
Prices and conditions are indicative and subject to confirmation. We confirm them in writing when you book. Last reviewed: September 2026.
The guided walk goes in small groups with binoculars provided and picks up from Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa and Guardamar. The train is the easy option if you are with older relatives or small children — it drives into the working salina and stops for twenty minutes so you can get out.
Going independently
Access is free. There is parking at several points along the lagoon and boardwalks in places. Take water and a hat: there is no shade on any of it, and in July the walk out and back is genuinely hard going at midday.
What not to do
Don’t walk out into the lagoon bed. It is a working industrial salina and a protected area, and the crust is not as solid as it looks. Don’t fly drones. And don’t swim in it, however tempting the colour — the beaches are five minutes away.
Combining it
The salt flats at Santa Pola are a different site half an hour up the coast, with more birds and two marked walking routes. The two can be done in one day if you start early.
Common questions
Is it pink all year?
The colour is there year round but varies. Summer is strongest, winter palest.
Will we definitely see flamingos?
Between April and September, very likely — but they are wild birds and they move. Bring binoculars; they are usually well out from the edge.
How long do we need?
An hour if you are just after the view and photographs. Two and a half if you want the guided version with the birds explained.
Message us on WhatsApp — we will come back with availability and the final price.