Photo by Anna i Adria
It’s a big world out there, with plenty of private little nooks and crannies for getting naked in nature, as God originally intended.
If you want to be sure you’re not hassled, here are 10 popular beaches where bathing attire – actually, any attire at all – is optional.
Little Beach
Maui, Hawaii
What good is a Garden of Eden type Paradise if you can’t enjoy it Adam and Eve style? Fortunately, the authorities in charge of Makena State Park, on the island of Maui, understand that – and the locals appreciate the tourism dollars naturist travelers bring.
No less beautiful than Big Beach, Little Beach is kept clean and sociable by the Friends of Little Beach/Maui Sunseekers, who also sponsor nude half-day cruises several times a year. littlebeachmaui.com
Wreck Beach
Vancouver, British Columbia
The setting of Wreck Beach, Canada’s first and largest legal clothing-optional beach, couldn’t be more different from the tropics – but it is no less stunning.
Located at the confluence of the Frasier River with the Straits of Georgia and English Bay, this 5-mile long beach draws more than 500,000 visitors annually to admire the surrounding white cliffs and emerald-green forest. As befits one of the largest nude beaches in the world, it enjoys the allegiance of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society. www.wreckbeach.org/
photo by Vox Efx
San Onofre State Beach
Orange County, California
Yet another enclave defended by an active “Friends of” organization is the two-mile stretch of beach at the southern end of San Onofre State Park in the sun-drenched OC. A judge just ruled that the clothing optional section of the beach could stay that way, so come down and help the naturist enthusiasts celebrate their 30-year tradition.
Not far away along this surfers’ paradise coast is another Southern California clothing optional recreational area, San Diego’s Blacks Beach. friendsofsanonofre.org
Cap d’Agde
Vermeille Coast, France
Cap d’Agde is much more than just a nude beach: it is the “World Capital of Nudism.” In the “naturist quarter” of this Mediterranean resort town, nudity is legal not only on the beach but also in banks, restaurants and shops.
Of course, France is the home of laissez-faire, so just about every beach in southern France is topless. While the clothing optional atmosphere here is as wholesome as anywhere, there are sections of the beach at night where friskier activities are reported to take place. www.capdagde.com
Haulover Beach
Miami, Florida
This lovely beach in metropolitan Miami has been featured as one of the Travel Channel’s “Top Beaches” – and 1,000,000 visitors a year give it its reputations as one of the most popular clothing optional beaches in the country.
Haulover was once a very unsavory place, until it was reclaimed from drug dealers by naturist activists; to make sure it stays family-friendly, the city of Miami maintains the amenities, including patrolling lifeguards, barbecue grills, refreshment stands and showers. If you get bored just soaking up rays, there are volleyball games and even occasional surfing contests.
photo by diluvi
Apollo Beach
Volusia County, Florida
More centrally located in the Sunshine State than Haulover, Apollo Beach is at the north end of Canaveral National Seashore, an undeveloped area (i.e., few amenities) shared by hardy beach enthusiasts and a number of endangered species under the protection of the U.S. National Park Service.
“What’s not to love about a nude beach in Florida?” says Steve Vickers, 28, who works for AANR (the American Association for Nude Recreation). “It’s a great place where my friends and I escape for a ‘detox weekend.’”
Available parking (in lot number 5) has not kept up with the demand, so plan to arrive early. And don’t come expecting a bird’s eye view of a shuttle launch: Apollo is closed the week of a planned space shot.
Hanlan’s Point Beach
Toronto, Canada
Hanlan’s Point Beach was an experiment that succeeded: nude sunbathers who had been frequenting the place for years persuaded local authorities to declare it officially clothing optional on a trial basis, and it soon became more popular than the “textile” (i.e., swimsuit) area.
Access to Hanlan’s Point is via a 15-minute ferry ride from downtown Toronto, followed by a 10-minute walk to the clothing optional area of the beach. The Hanlan’s Beach Naturists have equipped the beach with courts for playing volleyball, European “lengoteke” and French petanque. www.pathcom.com/~frebeach
photo by Richard Berg
Gunnison Beach
Sandy Hook, N.J.
Gunnison Beach, the largest clothing optional beach on the Atlantic coast of the United States, is one of several beaches in northern New Jersey’s Gateway National Recreation Area. Located on the Sandy Hook peninsula, Gunnison affords a panoramic view of New York Harbor and the famous skyline of lower Manhattan.
Legally recognized as clothing optional, with official signs, a lifeguard and police protection, Gunnison’s proximity to metropolitan New York means it can draw in excess of 5,000 visitors a day on a sunny summer weekend. gunnisonbeach.org
Samurai Beach
Port Stephens, Australia
The Beijing Olympics are over, but there’s no need to wait another four years to watch – or even participate in – riveting Olympic games of a totally different sort: the annual Nude Olympics held every November at Samurai Beach on Australia’s east coast.
Located within the bounds of Tomaree National Park, about 120 miles north of Sydney, ruggedly unspoiled Samurai Beach was one of the first legal nude beaches Down Under. Even when not hosting events like the Nude Torch Relay, the fun-loving Samurai Beach crowd gets to frolic in the Pacific Ocean in gorgeous weather all year round.
photo by pedrosimoes7
Anse de Grand Saline/Anse du Gouverneur
St. Barthelemy
All of the beaches on tiny St. Barts are topless (that good old French influence), and two of them are topless and bottomless, Anse de Grand Saline and Anse du Gouverneur. Lesser known than the clothing optional Orient Bay Beach on St. Martin, these fairly long beaches are consequently less crowded.
On the other hand, neither Anse de Grand Saline nor Anse du Gouverneur have any facilities whatsoever — no food or drink for sale, changing facilities or even public restrooms – so come prepared.
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52 Comments... join the discussion!
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What else looks better in summer? How it glows and brightens up your days. The sun I mean.
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How could you overlook Brighton Beach, England. The image of a man standing on a bank of pebbles wearing just a woolly jumper will always make me smile, I think.
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Is Brighton a nude beach? I certainly didn't see any nudists when I was there this summer. I took several trips since I was working in Hastings…no nudes anywhere.
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I'm surprised to not see Vera Playa in the Andalusia region of Spain listed here. It's got a whole naturist resort and consistently wins worldwide prizes for clean, white beaches. There are few enough tourists that you'd want to pick up a Spanish phrasebook, but enough that there are a few English pubs about when you want to get out of the sun!
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Guys, an American must have wrote this. There is NO way any beach in the USA should be in the Top Ten. In Europe it is WAY more nomal to be nude. France should dominate this list, not USA where many place would land you in Jail. Mami ? You mean breat implant land ? shaved beavers and cans of Bud ? And Toronto ? You have to be kidding, can you even swim in Lake Ontario these days ? I wouldn't swim anywhere near Toronto myself. If anywhere in Canada should be on the list perhaps Wreck Beach in Vancouver, at least it is a HUGE beach that is line with old growth, at least it is a university beach at UBC and at least it has thousands of people all summer and at least they sell hash brownies down there and have hippies playing drums and stuff… gees.
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1) Yes, you can swim in Lake Ontario. People do it all the time. 2) Wreck Beach IS on the list – glad you agree with its selection. 3) I'm guessing since there are several American nude beaches on this list, there are plenty of people who've enjoyed them without landing in jail. Got a better reason why no single US beach deserves to be here? It'd be great to hear more suggestions for some of the great French beaches you mention, but chill on the negativity, dude. Head to Wreck Beach and buy a hash brownie or something…
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How could you not list Lighthouse Beach at Robert Moses State Park on Long Island, New York? Nude Beaches There are several nude beaches on Fire Island. In addition to the recognized nude beaches, discreet nudity is frequently practiced on isolated stretches of sand in between towns. . This is one of the most popular nude beaches in the U.S. A mix of straight and gay, singles and couples and some families. Like most US nude beaches, single males make up the highest percentage of beach users. Long Island RailRoad (LIRR) to Babylon and bus to Robert Moses. By car: State Pkwy to Robert Moses Causeway (Exit 40) south. Go to end, follow Robert Moses State Park signs. Bear left at traffic circle, park in Field 5. Walk 1/2 mile along beach, or go to east end of lot and start on boardwalk nature trail. When this boardwalk intersects a dirt road go to the right on the road around a bend and to your right will be another boardwalk. This boardwalk leads directly to the nude beach and there is a sign saying you may enounter nude sunbathers.
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When I was traveling in Croatia and Serbia (then part of Yugoslavia) in the late 80s they had an active nude beach scene, apparently encouraged by the government. Maybe somebody has some info as to whether this is still the case.
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yep! i was just at one, Lokrum Island, it’s just a few minutes by boat from Dubrovnik, and it was great!!
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Amazing that you misses all the amazing nude beaches in and near Santa Cruz, Ca which probably has the best and most beautiful nude beaches per capita than anywhere in the world. We have also visited some great nude beaches in Greece, Croatia, France and Portugal. People that are all sexists and sexual about nude beaches are strange, it is about the freedom, not the leering. Jeesh! Most of the best nude beaches are family beaches and if everyone was raised on them, we would have a better world and less repressed men who freak out when they see breasts and even breast feeding. Rolling eyes at such dated thinking in this day and age.
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Why do people get so offended at these list-type articles if something they think should be on it is left off? If these people wrote a list, there'd be just as many people yelling at them for leaving so-and-so off. It's from the author's experience and opinion, there's nothing scientific about it. The world is a very big place and an article listing every single beach that people might agree with would be a touch too large. I will offer up one (really, the only one I've been to but it's beautiful and different): les calanques in Cassis, France. Not your typical beach (well, not really a beach at all), it is a series of inlets carved out by rocky limestone cliffs. Take a walk along the trailtop and pop down to any number of "platforms" for some sunbathing and access to the water. There is nothing official, but it is clear which parts are nude and which aren't. Find yourself your own little platform and strip down to your birthday suit. You can find privacy if you like, away from other sunbathers…of course, the tourist boats that occasionally sail by may break that…just wave.
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Agreed. Rather than say "Hey, you missed X, Y, Z," wouldn't it be a more positive response to say, "Good list! I'd also add A, B,C based on my experiences!"
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I wonder what fun we have if we were to swim in nudity. Isn't that feel weird?
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it feels really great, try it
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And the family loves it as well. The kids go a bit crazy feeling free and laugh twice as hard when they play!
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Eva, ur sweet, you seem to have a more relaxed mode, yes pass the brownies and head for the beach…cheers, james.
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I remember fondly 3 trips to Contadora Island off the coast of Panama..you fly in on small de havillands and hope you make it there….1 hotel and the other side of the island reads "Be Nude of Be Gone"…of course after some exploration and coxing…I persuaded Karen to remove everything from her white white skin and she loved being there for the next 4 days…altho you feel somewhat naked the 1st time….so to speak !
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can i ask what’s with the selected pics? not exactly helping the hotnakedwomeneverywhere mentality? wouldn’t be more beneficial and less damaging to nude-beach reputations around the world if you used pics of the actual beaches and/or highlights? oh well, i guess you’re catering to all audiences, the ones who are interested click on the links, the rest just gawk at the boobs..
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Plaeeese! 7 MILE BEACH IN NIGRILE JAMAICA….YEAH MON!!
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Good to see Haulover Beach on there, its definitely the best in America. Surprised about these Canadian ones, Doesn’t swimming count as being part of a beach? Who swims in freezing waters? The same goes for California unfortunately.
Not sure why Orient Beach in St. Maarten wasn’t actually on the list, just mentioned. They even had changing facilities, jet ski rentals, tiki bars, etc. all the things that were mentioned about other beaches.
I think some in the South of France should have been on there from what i’ve seen on TV.
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@ Hostgator. does it feel really “weired” for you to shower in the nude?
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fun, you missed a big one tho- Blacks Beach in SoCal San Diego!
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Buzzy – you got it wrong.
7 out of the 10 best nudist beaches in the world in North America?
Here was me getting an emergency ‘Brazilian’ for nothing …
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Mexico’s not normally noted for its openness around nudity, but the beach at Cabanas Copal in Tulum, where we hold our Intimacy Retreats. is delightfully clothing-optional!
~ Diana Daffner
http://www.IntimacyRetreats.com↵ -
The best nude beach is your own nude beach, where you go out into the wilds, hike for hours, find a lake no one knows about, and you and your friends just chill out and don’t worry about the concept of “nude beach” or “nudism” or anything like that, you just have a good swim without a bathing suit and sit around in the sun afterwards.
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In Portugal, try Meco beach, Lisbon´s main nude beach with waterfalls and lots of clay to aply on your skin. With an astonishing bay view to Cascais, Estoril, Sintra mountains…
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I should have used the huge money I stole from my family to go naked on the beaches of the world. However the sight of my dumpy body would have caused impotence in every man within 10,000 yards.
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I made a cocky doody on the nude beach.
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The name of the story should be “The best nude beaches in North America & Europe”. As with most stories, South America is completely ignored…
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Sarah, clue us in! What are the best nude beaches in South America?! I’m currently in Peru and would love to know.
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Little beach on Maui is WONDERFUL ! It is so peaceful and tranquil there! I am so glad it made the list ( I almost thought I wouldn’t see it , so I was going to comment to suggest it ).
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Sandy Bay, cape town, south africa! beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Bay,_Cape_Town
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Thanks for the bottom’s up for great nudist beaches. Also thanks for the great links to all those great beaches. I know if we are all honest we’ve probably printed your list off by now. Next time we get a trip to the beach we’ll be looking for these great hot spots.
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The problem with this article is that the list summarizes the best 10 nude beaches in the world to North America and France. I think the author should contemplate the best options but also try to give a sense of diversity, specially when writting for a travellers’ site, which is meant to be international.
Why aren’t great nude beaches in Spain, Greece, Mexico, Thailand or Brazil, among others, considered for this article? Not everything summarizes to America, France and maybe Australia that’s all I want to say. We should try to get away of the stereotypes and discover things that aren’t necessarily tied to the American culture.
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oye,,,pls watch the movie ’summer lovers’….lol
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Hi there, we are also from New Zealand and still need to do the Uretiti Beach for a nice NUDE day out in the sun.
Naked byes,
Mr_Mrs_Kaalgat↵ -
One of the best nudist beaches in the UK is at Studland in the Purbeck Hills in Dorset. Not only is it a nudist beach, it’s also in a spectacular area of natural beauty in the sand dunes, and just across the water from Sandbanks, which is England’s answer to Malibu http://www.studland-nudists.co.uk/
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I fapped.
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You suck. Get over yourself. America is sweet. I’ve been all over, don’t assume that I haven’t. Again, you suck.
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Hi guys,
Thanks for all of you who took the time and trouble to comment, and especially add new recommendations. That is what the site is all about. I am dismayed that some people feel the need to use derogatory language or resort to criticism that is not constructive. But that comes with the territory — and so does this: it is site editors, and not the writers, who write the headlines, and pick the photos. For example, I would much have preferred a title other than “Best in the world,” for precisely the reasons many of you have mentioned. But editors insist on this kind of language (like “top 10″ or “ten best” too) because that is what pops up on search engines. Not ideal, but that is cyber-business. As for the concentration on North America, unfortunately that is where the majority of readers are; and editors are not commissioning articles on “Best in Europe, S. America,” etc.
So, please, guys, cut the writers out there some slack; they’re trying to give you useful info — but there is less under their control than you might think.↵ -
Hi Buzzy,
Co-editor of Trips here. I’m psyched to see you’re still engaged with this article. It’s always great to get the perspective of the person who actually wrote the piece.
Regarding the title of the piece–you’re absolutely correct. Though I wasn’t editor of the site back when this was published, I’d probably have chosen a similar phrasing. You can see examples of “best” and “top” titles in online (and print) travel sections everywhere, from NYT to askmen.com. Editors like them because they stir things up, generate controversy, and get people thinking. It’s unfortunate that commenters take it as a personal offense when their favorite is “forgotten” or “left off,” but that’s just how it goes.
However, I have to disagree that we shy away from content not focused on North America. Take a look at our archives and see what I mean. I would LOVE to see a “Best Nude Beaches of Europe” (isn’t this where the nude beach was born??) or “Best Nude Beaches of South America.” Yeah, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica work too! If you, or any of you commenters out there want to take a go at it, just give me a shout!
- Hal
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I’ve lived in So Cal and I can tell you that Blacks is full of pervs and old pervs; not to mention it’s a TINY little spot in which you can be nude. San O is littered with just as many pervs, too. Trust me, my husband is a hard core surfer and I’m a naturalist.
I’m highly disappointed that places in France are not as highly regarded. L’Escalet near St. Tropez is my favorite nude beach. It’s very natural to be nude and you don’t feel that people are oogling you. Enjoying the scenery, yes, but being perverted and staring… no.
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Yes, the culture is not in North America. Before I met my wife, she was sunbathing down at Wreck Beach in Vancouver, some guy started talking to her so she was chatting with him…until she noticed he was masturbating.
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There is a great report on nudist beaches all over the world using females as models and 2 top photographers as writers.
Here is saviodsilva.com/beachreport.htm
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I have my friends swimming from just today,in our area,nobody nude swimming like the photos.:)
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Yes! 7 Mile beach in Negril !!!!!
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Yeah Killiney beach in south county Dublin (Ireland) is topless I go topless there every summer, it’s very common now to go bottomless as well.
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i love nude beaches, i go to them everyday to swim nude
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Interesting article and comments. I’ve been to nude beaches and resorts all over the world and I’d have to say at the moment Spain is probably the best country for those of us who prefer to bare.
The author’s views are perfectly valid – this doesn’t claim to be a scientific survey! But I’d personally include a bit more geographical variety, especially since one beach has recently been closed down (San Onofre).
My recommended places to wear a birthday suit include:
Greece (Skiathos island: Banana Beach)
Spain (Vera Playa naturist resort beach)
Spain (Formentera island: just about any beach)
Spanish Canary Islands (Fuerteventura island: again, most beaches)
France (Euronat, a naturist resort on the Atlantic)
France (Leucate Plage, on the Med)
Croatia (Brac island: Paklina beach)
Brazil (Abrico beach)
St Martin (Orient Bay)There are more than 1,000 such places worldwide, as listed in the guide ‘The World’s Best Nude Beaches and Resorts’, which I helped produce.
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Thanks so much for your comment, Nick. Feel free to add a link to your book. Sounds great.
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@Sarah…
Where do you live sweety that go to nude swimming everyday:) I have not been able to find such a spectacular place!
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