Naturist Friendly
Latarsha Dorrance
We are here to help you to find accommodation to enjoy clothing optional, nudist or naturist experience in a new way. Whether your preference is a private villa with a pool for skinny dipping or a social nudism in a Yoga retreat, our aim is to cover your wishes.
We've said it before, and we will say it again: Nakations (naked vacations) are rising. So where is everybody going? According to Jeff Baldasarre, director of marketing and PR for the American Association for Nude Recreation, those looking to bare it all are unsurprisingly chasing warmer weather. "They are looking at seasonal travel, just the same as textile travelers," he says. Textile travelers are what naturists refer to as folks who prefer to travel fully or partially clothed. When asked if any destinations stand out as being more progressive as far as allowing nudity, Baldasarre told us the nakation climate is always changing, and nude-friendly spots are popping up so fast that it's hard to point out any outliers. However, we've done some research and come up with this handy list of the world's most nude-friendly destinations. At these eight places, you can easily find a place to slip out of the confines of your clothes and enjoy a free-spirited vacation, just as nature intended.
Legend has it that they enjoyed frolicking topless while joining the parties at the Whittell Estate. George Whittell once owned the land where the public beaches are now located, and built the Thunderbird Lodge, a unique and spectacular estate about a mile south of Sand Harbor. At that time, the only access to the Thunderbird Lodge was by boat, as Highway 28 had not yet been constructed.
Although the land was beautiful back when Whittell arrived, it was certainly not pristine, first-growth wilderness. In fact, during the Comstock Area of the late 1800s, the Virginia City mines were in full swing and desperately in need of lumber, and the east shore was one of the easiest places to find it. Most of the trees in the area were removed via narrow gauge railroad and water flumes.
Swanson says the remote mix of boulders and small coves that make up the east shore has continued to be a favorite spot for naturists since it became public in the early 1970s. At that time, the U.S. Forest Service purchased more than 10,000 acres of land, and more acreage was added to the public domain later.
TAN was created in the early 1980s, when one day a group of naturist friends looked around and realized that just about everyone on the beach was wearing a hat, and nothing else. Thus, the annual tradition of Hat Day began, which is now held on the third Sunday of August. TAN also gathers groups of volunteers for a beach clean up day in June, and a party on the beach in July.
In addition to being a social gathering organization, TAN has worked in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service to improve the conditions of the beaches. They pick up garbage and encourage people not to litter. And they have put a lot of time into maintaining and upgrading the trails.
Another recent problem on the beaches has been graffiti spray painted onto the spectacular granite boulders. A group of volunteers, with the support of local businesses, have held several Bonsai Beach Clean-Up days to painstakingly remove the graffiti from the rocks. The next step is to figure out how to keep the taggers from tagging.
A major issue for TAN, the Forest Service and those who regulate the use of the lake is the lack of adequate parking for beach-goers along Highway 28. In the past, several environmental groups have urged the elimination of parking on the road, and a shuttle bus service from Incline Village was recently created to afford access to Sand Harbor (which, by the way, is not one of the nude-friendly beaches).
Swanson believes that in a tourist community such as Tahoe, shuttles have never been successful. People want to drive to the beach and spend an hour or two in the sun, and not be tied to the time constraints and limited hours of a shuttle. TAN has been active in trying to encourage more parking, and to prevent the elimination of parking along the road.
The TAN newsletter says that in November 2014, Nevada Transportation officials announced that they had located half of the $25 million needed for a major Highway 28 improvement project. It would include expanding the two small parking lots used by east shore beach-users in 2016. Also in the plan are off-highway pull-outs with limited time parking for photo takers, and transit stops along the road.
If you are heading to the east shore beaches, you are advised to come early during the summer months, as the two small parking lots often fill up by 10 a.m. Once the lots are full, you face the more daunting challenge of finding a roadside parking spot.
The stunningly beautiful beaches along the east shore are a unique resource. Not only are they part of the longest stretch of undeveloped lake frontage at Lake Tahoe, but for decades they have been a place where a live-and-let-live attitude among government agencies and the public, combined with a group of dedicated volunteers working to encourage proper use of the resource, have kept this place as a spectacular place to visit.
East shore beaches include Hidden Beach and Sand Harbor which are under the purview of the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, and a several mile stretch of land from the Thunderbird Lodge to Whale Beach. North to south, you begin with Chimney Beach, then Secret Cove, Boaters Beach, Secret Harbor Creek Beach and Whale Beach. Sand Harbor is not clothing optional, and Chimney Beach has transitioned from mostly clothing optional to mostly clothed.
To learn a bit more about clothing optional caching, or geonuding, I got in touch with geocacher Gary (kw4gt), who not only enjoys caching nude but has hosted clothing optional events and owns a clothing optional cache in his home state of Florida. Gary has been caching since 2008 and quickly discovered that there were already clothing optional caches available, discovering some in California, Canada and Germany. In fact, from the little bit of research I did, I found this cache, called Clothing Optional, which is now archived but dates from 2002.
Gary tells me that any cache that requires a hike to get to can be a nude friendly cache, provided you visit at non-peak times. Gary likes to cache au naturel from late Spring to early Fall, as hardly anyone caches in Central Florida during that period.
Those who geocache naked will likely be people who practice naturism in many other aspects of their lives. Gary used to be an active skydiver and would always dive naked. Geonudists are essentially nudists who also geocache.
Chalikiada is one of the most impressive beaches in Agistri, an island with wonderful nature. The stunning beach is located in a natural cove. It has white pebbles and emerald green waters, and is surrounded by a pinewood forest. As it is secluded, in the summer the beach is a popular naturism and camping spot. So, no need to carry a swimsuit in your backpack!
Agistri is located in the Saronic gulf and is very close to Athens by ferry. Chalikiada beach is accessible from the settlement of Skala, and is located after Skliri beach. To reach it, you need to climb down a steep cliff, so make sure you wear the right shoes!
Many consider it the best on the island of Lesbos, which is generally a nude-frienly destination in the North Aegean. The beach in the village of Skala Eressos stretches for more than 2 km, and is wide and sandy. There are some facilities available, such as sunbeds and umbrellas, showers, and water sports.
Agios Ioannis (or Ai Giannis) is one of the 2 major beaches in Gavdos, along with Sarakiniko. Unlike the latter, Agios Ioannis is more isolated and has a more relaxed attitude towards naturism.
Elia is the longest sandy beach in Mykonos, with many taverns, bars and water sports facilities. Naturism is common at its nude-friendly part. This clothing-optional section of the beach has no facilities.
In fact, at the Antiparos camping beach, naturism is not just allowed, but preferred. The beach has a clothing-optional part, which is a bit isolated, but you can spot many visitors swimming without a swimsuit even at its central part.
On the west coast of Corfu, in the Ionian Islands, Mirtiotissa beach is located between the villages of Pelekas and Vatos. It is a pretty secluded cove, close to the busier and cosmopolitan Glyfada. With clear turquoise waters, soft fine sand and dramatic cliffs, this unique tiny beach has been a nude-friendly paradise since the 60s and remains unspoiled by tourism facilities to this day.
You can access Mirtiotissa from the beach of Glyfada by car or bicycle via a dirt road. Getting to the beach is a bit tricky because of the steep slope, but the adventure is worth it, as you can appreciate the wild beauty of the landscape from above.
Just 10 km from Naxos town (Chora) and next to Maragas beach and camping site, stretches the long coast of Plaka beach. It is probably one of the most beautiful beaches on the large island: it is quiet, sandy, with deep turquoise waters, and a place where you can let your swimsuit be gone with the wind and feel totally free!
The beach is organized in some parts. To sunbathe and swim with your clothes off, head to the left part of the beach. Access to the beach is easy: follow the asphalt road that leads to Agia Anna beach and then the dirt road that leads to Plaka (in very good condition).
The Red Sand beach has built a reputation for its enchanting beauty long time now. And when you complete the 30-minute hike from Matala, a sign informing you that this is a clothing-optional beach, the sparkling sea, and a canteen to satisfy your thirst (or hunger), will be there to welcome you.
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