The bright pink airport that looks like something from Barbie – and even the nearby lakes are pink
AN airport has become popular online because of its pink Barbie-like buildings.
The unusual travel hub is not the only bright pink monument in the area either, with nearby lakes also a striking and unique colour.
In fact, Bonaire airport in Kralendijk in the Caribbean Netherlands is nicknamed ‘Flamingo airport’ due to its unusual decor.
The outside of the building looks something like a Barbie toy, with the whole building, including the control tower, painted to suit the colour scheme.
The check in desks, security desks and duty free areas all match too, making it a fully immersive pink experience.
The airport is one of several celebrations of the island’s best known inhabitants, the flamingos, which can be seen on various locations throughout Bonaire.
Most famously perhaps is the lake at Pekelmeer, which has its own flamingo sanctuary.
The lake itself is also bring pink, because an abundance of tiny rosy brine shrimp that live in the water.
In fact, it’s these shrimp that give flamingoes their colour.
Carotenoids are found in the microscopic algae that the brine shrimp eat and as a flamingo dines on them, its body metabolises the pigments — turning its feathers the same pinkish hue.
Pekelmeer is home to more than 10,000 flamingos, with visitors raving about it online.
One wrote on TripAdvisor: “Flats of salt transition into pink waters with beautiful flamingos roaming around in big groups.”
Being a Caribbean island, Bonaire’s charm isn’t limited to its wildlife and its airport.
Beaches are a big draw for visitors to Bonaire, with Bachelor’s beach, Playa Lechi and Lac Cai all favourites among locals and tourists.
Boat, bus and quad bike tours are all popular ways to explore the island once tourists have been drawn in by the pictures of the lakes and the unique pink buildings.
While Bonaire’s relatively small airport has got some popularity because of its colour, there are other travel hubs that offer a lot more to travellers.
Singapore’s Changi airport has been dubbed “the world’s best airport” and it is easy to see why.
It has everything from trampolines to tropical rainforests to keep even the weariest of travellers entertained.
The airport has just reclaimed its title as the best in the world in the latest Skytrax rankings.
It previously held the title for eight consecutive years from 2013 to 2020.
The airport is home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, named the Rain Vortex.
The mesmerising feature flows 131ft down to the basement, and in the evening a light-and-sound show is projected onto the cascade.
It is the first of its kind in an airport and has an abundance of flowering plants and lush greenery.
The Cactus Garden and Canopy Park are also great places to unwind and enjoy a stroll around the various trails.
Elsewhere, art lovers can enjoy a variety of sculptures and installations such as Birds in Flight, and Kinetic Rain, which is located in Terminal 1.
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