Pink Beach: a pale colour that depends on the light

Crushed red coral, mixed into pale sand, gives the tint. There is no other trick, and it explains the limits. The colour is pale pink, never bright, and it shifts as the light and the tide shift. A visitor who expects a flamingo shade will be let down. A visitor who looks in the right light will see a soft rose line along the water.

Calmer water and softer light arrive in the morning, which is when this stop works. On day two of the three-day route Gandiva comes here after Padar, so the sun is already up but not yet high. The captain sets the order, and a change of tide or wind can move it.

For the frame, look at the wet band where the last wave drew back. Wet sand holds more colour than dry, and the contrast with the blue beyond it is the picture. Stand low, close to the water, with the sun to the side rather than in your face.

Other lists call this beach Long Beach, because the same stop includes snorkelling and paddle boarding. It is the same place.

The speedboat tender runs you from the boat to the shallows. Plan for a wet landing. Carry your shoes in a bag, put the phone in a case, and keep the camera dry until your feet are on sand.

Reef lies close to the shore here, which is good for snorkelling and a reason to look where you put your feet. Walk in with your eyes on the bottom and do not step on coral you cannot see.

Step off on the side the crew points to, and let the first person in test the depth. Depth is 1 to 8 metres and the water moves gently. Most of the first stretch is shallow enough to stand.

If you want a picture of the two of you arriving, give the phone or the camera to a crew member before you board the tender, and say what you want in the frame. The shot list is yours; the camera is yours unless you add a photographer, and the open trip's documentation is in the fare.