8 Pantone-Approved Travel Destinations That Will Up Your Insta-Game in 2019
*No Snorkel Necessary*
Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2019, Living Coral, has been described by colour enthousiasts as an energizing hue embodying optimism, joyful pursuits and playful expression. It’s a dream shade for fashion and beauty editors: across the Internet, you can find shoppable galleries of peachy blushes, bright papaya nail polishes, pink leather Louboutins and coral coloured sneakers. (Find ours here.)
If you truly want to experience the cheery colour IRL, however, your best bet is to slip on a pair of flippers and actually find some living coral. Sadly, because of the warming ocean waters, the world’s coral reefs are bleaching at an increasingly scary rate — and irresponsible over-tourism has only worsened the damage. Besides, to capture the under-the-sea moment for your Instagram feed, you’ll need to invest in a waterproof camera.
And so, with a little help from our friends at The Travel Corporation Canada (TTC) — and a lot of help from the talented photo-taking travellers on Instagram— we found eight travel hotspots that will add some on-land Living Coral to your life.
The Pink City – Jaipur, India
Jaipur, the capital of India’s Rajasthan state, is widely referred to as the “Pink City” due to the inherently dominant blush colour of the city’s structures. The millennial-friendly makeover began in the 1800’s, when King Sawai Ram Singh had the entire city painted pink, a colour that symbolizes hospitality, in anticipation of a visit from Queen Victoria and the Prince of Whales’ visit.
Cinque Terre, Italy
A romantic coastal region full of history, seafood pasta and breathtaking views, Cinque Terre is comprised of five villages along Italian Riviera. The coastal cliffs, lined with vibrantly painted century-old homes, put splashes of Living Coral on display, perfectly contrasting the scintillating Ligurian sea—particularly at magic hour. On Busabout’s 11-day La Dolce Vita adventure, a day spent train-hopping through the Cinque Terre National Park and hiking pass ensures plenty of time to savour the sunset, and capture the perfect Pantone-approved picture.
Lake Hillier, Australia
Sadly, you can’t swim in this sorbet coloured lake off the coast of Western Australia. You can, however, view it’s unique hue from above on a private helicopter ride, where you’ll appreciate it’s unnatural-looking contrast to white sand beaches, lush forests and the teal Indian Ocean. Exactly what causes this lake’s Living Coral-like colour is up for debate, though it likely has something to do with the microorganisms that are lucky to call Lake Hillier home.
Al-Khazneh — Petra, Jordan
Petra, also known as the “Rose City,” is home to sandstone temples, tombs and caves that reveal an impressive secret civilization from some 2,000 years ago. Very little is known about the Nabateans, the nomadic desert people whose kingdom rose up from these cliffs, and who grew their substantial wealth through the booming incense trade. You may, however, recognize the city from the 1989 Hollywood blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which filmed several scenes in Petra.
La Muralla Roja — Calp, Spain
La Muralla Roja—which translates from Spanish to “The Red Wall”—is a unique apartment complex that was built by architect Ricardo Bofill in 1973. For $119 CAD per night, you can rent one of the building’s 50 unites on AirBnb. That way, you’ll feel a little less weird about walking around trying to capture the perfect photo of someone else’s home.
Santorini, Greece
Delight in the view of the remarkable caldera, perched high above the Aegean sea, as the sun sets on Insight Vacations 7-day Athens and Santorini journey. The golden undertones of the sky reflecting off the surrounding landscape offers a truly breathtaking sight.
Antelope Canyon — Page, Arizona
Antelope Canyon, a hugely popular attraction in the American Southwest, is located on Navajo land and accessible by guided tour only. From April to October, visitors can watch as light beams shine down into the slot canyon, creating various hues of deep orange and light, Living Coral.
Burano, Italy
Venice, Italy, with its beautiful canals, hidden laneways and stunning architecture, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world to watch a sunset. It’s lesser visited neighbouring island, Burano, is where you’re guaranteed to find shades of Living Coral all times of the day. Explore the island’s colourful fishing houses on an island dinner cruise to Burano on Contiki’s 12-day Simply Italy adventure.
Medina of Marrakesh — Morocco
Shoppers, tourists, donkeys and mopeds battle for the right of way in the narrow alleyways of Medina, the old, walled part of Marrakesh. Medina, nicknamed the “Red City,” many of the area’s buildings were constructed of coral-coloured beaten clay during the residence of the Almohads.
