When you want to try naturism for the first time, the absolute most important thing to consider is where you’re going to do that. Picking the right place is everything. More than once we’ve heard someone say “Oh you’re a naturist? We have been to Cap d’Agde once and it didn’t seem like something for us“. After which they give us a look that speaks volumes.
Unfortunately, we can’t tell you exactly which will be the right place for you. A first-time naturist experience is very personal and whether you’ll love it or not depends a lot on your personality. Some people love to be thrown into the deep while others rather take baby steps. Some love to try new experiences and some prefer a helping hand along the way. But no matter who you are, one of the following resorts might be perfect for you.
Bare Oaks Family Naturist Resort in Ontario, Canada
Ever since we’ve visited Bare Oaks back in 2018, we’ve mentioned the resort several times on this blog. It’s one of the most interesting naturist resorts we’ve ever visited. Sometimes we praise them to heaven for their unique atmosphere and amazing staff. Sometimes we complain about them because of their endless code of conduct which may feel suffocating.
The things that make Bare Oaks an excellent resort for first-time naturists is that their primary reason for existence is (unlike most other resorts) not making money but instead providing a safe and comfortable environment for naturists. This makes them pretty unique. The large visitor agreement assures that you know exactly what to expect and how to behave. There’s no gray zone at Bare Oaks. Also, Bare Oaks has a very strong nude obligatory policy which creates a very balanced atmosphere. Yes, you will have to be nude from the first minute, but so will everyone else.
Additionally, Bare Oaks loves first-time naturists. Their website has a large guide about first visits and also at the reception you will be enquired about this. If this is your first time, don’t hesitate to tell them so they can make sure that your first steps in the naturist world go smooth and comfortable.
Zipolite in Mexico
On the other end of the spectrum is one of our other most favorite naturist places in the world: Zipolite in Mexico. This is not a resort, but a small nude-beach town with a handful of naturist resorts. Zipolite is a public place, meaning that there’s no control over who gets in and out and that the only rules that apply are the law. The individual resorts do have their own etiquette, but those are largely based on a “live and let live” principle.
The nude beach and all the naturist resorts in Zipolite are clothing optional, meaning that you or anyone else won’t be expected to be nude all the time. You can if you want to, but it’s not obligatory. For us, this creates an atmosphere of absolute freedom. No matter whether you want to wear a bathing suit or not, or if you want to put on your superman costume for the occasion, that’s all fine.
That is exactly what makes Zipolite an excellent place for first-time naturists. You can do things at your own pace. Lots of women go topless at first before losing their bottom after a while (or sometimes after a couple of days). Quite often we’ve seen people wander into the ocean in bathing suit and then take it off for a skinny dip. When they return, we see them look at those wet shorts and think “no way that I’m putting this back on again”. Another naturist was born.
Arroyo del Sol in California, USA
It’s hard to pick a great place for first time naturists in the USA. First of all because until now we’ve only visited a couple of resorts in the country, all in California. And secondly, because we noticed that most resorts have a member community which strongly sticks together. Often leaving new visitors on their own.
We normally don’t promote bnbs as ideal places for first-time naturists because of their often lack of facilities and a limited number of guests, but in this case, we happily make an exception. Mostly thanks to the owners Rolf and Cynthia. Not only are they a warm and lovely couple who will make you feel comfortable and welcome from the first second, but they also have a large network of friends within the naturist clubs of southern California. So if you want to try something else than just relaxing in the pool or jacuzzi, they can definitely hook you up with others or get you invited to a naturist event in the region.
Another reason why we recommend Arroyo del Sol is because they are members of the Clothing Optional Home Network. A group of naturist bnbs in the USA of which the quality and mindset are checked, double-checked, and triple-checked. If Arroyo del Sol would be out of your way, we’re sure that you can have an equally great experience at any of their other locations.
Yatan Rumi near Cordoba, Argentina
At the very south of the Americas, you can find another unique naturist destination. Yatan Rumi is the world’s largest naturist domain, with more than 1200 hectares of land. But don’t get intimidated by that, Yatan Rumi is nothing like the huge naturist villages that you can find in Europe. In fact, it’s a rather small camping located in a huge natural reserve which doesn’t have any rules concerning whether or not to be clothed.
Yatan Rumi has a strong community of frequent visitors, but unlike some other places, these members love meeting new people. When we visited the place, we were immediately introduced to everyone and dragged into conversations. Basic knowledge of Spanish comes in handy, but several of the members speak pretty well English too.
Because Yatan Rumi is such a large domain, it’s a great place for first-time naturists. Especially those who enjoy the “back to nature” experience. Most visitors camp on a lawn close to the restaurant, but it’s perfectly possible to find another spot. Near the river for example. And feel as if you’re the only person in the world. If you like to take your first naturist steps on your own in the middle of splendid nature, Yatan Rumi is definitely a place to consider.
Barefeet Naturist Resort in Bangkok, Thailand
We previously mentioned that we don’t usually recommend B&Bs as first-time naturist destinations and yet here’s the second one in this list. But again for a very specific reason. Being located in Thailand, Barefeet Naturist Resort receives a lot of visitors from Asian countries. A continent where naturism is definitely not as accepted by society as in Europe or North America.
Add to that a strong cultural and religious background where nudity is strongly linked with sex and it’s not hard to imagine that the first steps for Asian naturists are often a much bigger leap than for most others. The owners of Barefeet Naturist Resort and founding members of the Thai Naturist Federation have found a solution to that: A first-time naturist course.
If you wish for a helping hand during your first steps into naturism, this is the ideal opportunity. For half an hour or so they take you to a secluded place where they will explain to you the basics of naturism and the do’s and don’ts, while you can take off your clothes at your own pace. Once you’re comfortably naked, you’ll be invited to mingle with the other guests.
Bélézy in Provence, France
Bélézy is a long-standing name in French naturism where quality, comfort and family-friendliness are values that are taken very seriously. It’s a very large camping, so especially if you visit in high season you can expect to be among hundreds of other naturists.
Unlike other large campings in France, which are often packed with camping pitches and rental accommodations, Bélézy provides a lot of space for their visitors. Even when you don’t feel comfortable enough from the first moment to get into the crowded swimming pool, you can take things at your own pace in the secludedness of your own accommodation.
An important reason why we mention Bélézy as an excellent starting point for first-time naturists is because of their abundance of activities. Here you get the chance to try everything without clothes. You get the whole package of what naturism has to offer you. Because of the many activities to participate in, you’ll quickly forget that you’re nude and fully enjoy naturism.
Bélézy attracts a lot of families, so it is also an excellent place to try naturism for the first time with the family.
Bélézy attracts a lot of families, so it is also an excellent place to try naturism for the first time with the family.
Lavinia Naturist Resort near Alicante, Spain
Tucked in the hills behind the popular Spanish beach destination Alicante, you’ll find a lovely naturist oasis called Lavinia Naturist Resort. This small resort consists of only 4 rental villas, so the number of guests will rarely be more than a dozen.
What makes Lavinia a great place to start with naturism are the owners Annemie and Wim. From the moment they welcome you to their domain, they make you feel comfortable and assure you that this is YOUR vacation. Other than that, they also have excellent people assessment skills. When we were there, they felt perfectly when we (or the other guests) wanted to be alone or were up for a chat. This very relaxed atmosphere in combination with the warm Spanish sun will make you throw off your clothes from the first moment.
An added advantage of Lavinia Naturist Resort is that they have several secluded areas and two swimming pools, so it’s easy to escape if you don’t feel much like chatting with the other guests. Their often organized communal dinners make it easy to meet the others if you’d wish to do so.
Quinta do Maral in Alentejo, Portugal
The last place on our list is a small naturist camping in central Portugal, at a stone’s throw from the Spanish border. The main focus of Quinta do Maral is peace, tranquility and getting back to nature. Or like the owners wonderfully explained it to us: “We sell silence“.
Once again, the owners are for a large part responsible for creating such a friendly atmosphere that it becomes perfect for first-time visitors. Paula and Nuno are strong believers of the naturist values, but not in a way that they will force a set of rules and regulations upon you. Instead, they take constant care of their visitors, ask how everyone is doing and happily solve any problems or concerns.
Paula and Nuno have been able to make their local baker feel comfortable enough to try naturism, we’re sure that they will do the same to you.
What to think about for your first naturist experience
We’ve previously already published lots of blog posts for first-time naturists, we even published a complete guide about the subject. So we’re not going to repeat all the details like bring a towel and make sure to wear sunscreen. We’re just going to repeat what we already mentioned in the introduction: Picking the right place for your first naturist experience is important. Nobody wants you to have a bad time and finding a place that covers your needs will definitely help to avoid this.
And come with an open mind. This is a completely new thing, way out of your comfort zone. Embrace the change and we’re sure that you’ll have an amazing time.
We do want to end this blog post with a warning: Once you’ve visited a great naturist place, you will be hooked. We’ve met very few people who tried naturism and didn’t like it. So you might already want to start thinking about where to have your second naturist experience.
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I would suggest Hawksbill in Antigua. It’s a normal hotel (where clothes are required) which has four beaches, but the furthest beach (a five minute walk) is a long sandy ‘Eden Beach’ where nudity is OK and mostly observed. A new naturist can dip in and try the experience. We’ve been a few times and the very long beach has never been crowded. The hotel could be better however, it’s 3-star standard.
Too bad you were unable to visit Cypress Cove, near Orlando, Florida, when the virus changed lives for everyone. Nudity expected around the two large pools, whirlpools, excellent hotel, camping, several hundred full service RV sites, private residences, excellent restaurants, recreation, and a 100 acre lake with paddle boats and kayaks, exceptional management and staff, it is perfect for almost any guest. Add in the year around excellent Florida weather, the entertainment Orlando provides, natural beauty, and the best nude beaches an hour away, and Cypress Cove, moves to the top of the list. Their website and You Tube videos tell the story, and naturism in a controlled, restful environment, makes this one of the best places for the first time or life-long naturist.
Hi Roy, we were planning to visit Cypress Cove in April this year, but unfortunately the virus changed that plan. It’s still high on our list though!
Yes, Cypress Cove is our favorite. Would so love to meet y’all if you ever go. It’s about 7 hours for us to drive down from Georgia but so worth it!
Paul
We were there on a camping trip last week. Staff are so welcoming, and it is a large active place for social nudity, but so large as to offer lots of quiet, relaxing space! And it is near all the tourist venues of Disney, and an hour or so from Playalinda, the nude beach of the Camaveral National Seashore.
Thanks for including Arroyo del Sol Clothing Optional Bed and Breakfast in Pasadena/Altadena, CA to your list of great places for a first time experience. We think that ADS or any of our locations in the Clothing Optional Home Network are perfect for a first experience! Safe, secure, upscale and with hosts specially trained to welcome naturist guests…what could be more perfect!
We’ve only visited Arroyo del Sol from the Clothing Optional Home network, but if the other places offer the same level of comfort and security, we absolutely agree that they’ll be great places for first-time nudist experiences as well.
I’ve had wonderful experiences at the first two on the list and had been thinking of visiting Yatan Rumi next year so it was nice to read your feedback. Covid has thrown a wrench into travel plans for the foreseeable future but eventually I’d like to visit the rest so thank you for the suggestions. For now I will be an armchair traveller and you have given me food for thought. I always enjoy reading your posts so keep up the good work.
I really wish that there were more resorts listed that don’t require a passport and Bill Gates travel budget. How about a list for regular folks.
Hi Paul,
None of the resorts on this list are particularly expensive. At more than half of them, you can stay for less than 50 USD a night. Of course, there’s always the travel cost and depending on where you are from, these could be quite high. Yet, if you live in North America, South America, Europe, or Asia, there’s at least one resort on the list that’s not all too far (and too expensive) away.
You’ve not covered Australia.
Perhaps when Covid is allowing travel again you could travel Downunder.
http://www.bb-at-byronbay.com.au
We definitely hope to get to Australia once covid is behind us!
we had a great time first nudist holiday at alicantenudists in spain
Another suggestion is Wreck Beach in Vancouver near the University of British Columbia. It’s an old hippy beach that doesn’t seem to have changed since the days of flower power. Clothing, or not, is very optional so you can hang out at your own pace, without any feeling of being out of place.
Thanks for the tip!
Quote: ” Quite often we’ve seen people wander into the ocean in bathing suit and then take it off for a skinny dip. When they return, we see them look at those wet shorts and think “no way that I’m putting this back on again”. ”
That’s an interesting observation to read, because that’s was my own first experience. I didn’t know it was a common thing.
And that’s also a strong case for beaches to be clothing optional, like in neighbouring Denmark, rather then either textile or nude-only, like here in Sweden. I would have thought it kind of intimidating to go to a nude-only beach, but going that Danish clothing optional beach, I felt no pressure.
It’s really something personal. Some people find the idea that they have to be nude from the moment they arrive at a nude-mandatory beach very intimidating, others find the idea that they will only be among other naked people just very comforting.
Personally, we believe in a system with nude-mandatory beaches (for the nudists who don’t want to be among textiles), textile-mandatory beaches (for the textiles who don’t want to be among naked people), and where all non-specified beaches are clothing-optional.