Maybe you’ve been following this blog for a while. Or maybe you’ve just read something about naturism in a magazine or you saw a TV program about this naked lifestyle. In any case, your imagination got tickled. Questions start buzzing through your head. How would things be if you wouldn’t be wearing any clothes? Would you be able to get closer to nature without these artificial textile boundaries? Is it really true that humans can spend time together completely naked without indulging in some kind of orgy? How would you look if your body was fully tanned from tip to toe? Will you be able to conquer those doubts about your body by completely giving yourself over to vulnerability?
It doesn’t really matter which reason for giving naturism a try took the overhand in your case. All that matters is that you’re ready to take the plunge, ready to get out of your comfort zone. Ready to get butt naked among other naked people.
But how do I start with naturism?
How it feels to be without clothes is something you can easily try at home. Instead of covering up the second you walk out of the shower, leave that towel or bathrobe in the closet. Have you ever before walked out of the bathroom naked? For some, even this small step is already a big experience. And there you go. Welcome to the world of the nudes. Walk around the house naked. Relax in the couch naked. Make yourself some snack in the nude. Read a book, have a nap, whatever. All small insignificant things you probably do on a daily basis, except that now you’ll be doing them without clothes on.
The first step into social nudity, and the worries that come with it, consists of two parts:
1. You will be naked
2. Everyone else will be naked as well.
By getting comfortable being naked in the secure environment of your own home, you’re already conquering the first part. Once you engage in social nudity, at least you’ll know what it feels like to be nude outside of the bathroom.
But where do I start with naturism?
Places suitable for naturism can roughly be divided into 4 categories: Resorts, beaches, events and wellness centers. Once you’re a naturist for quite some time, you’ll probably want to try out all of them. But figuring out what’s the best place to start is quite important. Or let’s rephrase that. Figuring out what’s the best place for YOU to start. Everyone has different needs and interests, so it’s not possible to tell you what will be the best place for everyone.
Let’s quickly go through the options.
Let’s quickly go through the options.
Wellness centers
We are big fans of the nude spa or wellness center as a first-time naturist experience. But maybe we’re a bit influenced because our first socially nude experience happened in a spa center. The difficulty here is that not everyone has easy access to these places. The nude spa is very popular in Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium, but doesn’t occur that much in other parts of the world.
A major advantage of the nude spa is that nudity is obligatory in all the facilities (sauna, jacuzzi, swimming pool, etc) but that you can wear a bathrobe or towel when moving from one facility to another. This means that you won’t have to do everything naked, but you will get naked at one point or another, if you want to use any of the facilities.
Naturist Resorts
Another great place to start with naturism is a naturist resort. The major advantage of these resorts is that they’re secured by both the staff and by social control, which lowers the chance of a bad experience significantly. Depending on where you live, you might find one or several resorts nearby. Lots of resorts allow day-visitors, meaning that you’re not required to book accommodation as well. Nevertheless, we do think that staying overnight adds a lot to the experience.
It’s always a great idea to read the rules, the code of ethics or the etiquette of the resort of your choice before your visit. Not only will you learn what’s expected from you, you’ll also find out what to expect yourself. Some resorts are nude obligatory for example (if the weather allows) while other resorts are clothing optional. A nude obligatory resort is often the best option for a first time naturist. You do want to get naked right? And getting naked for the first time is often the most scary part. So it’s better to get that over with as soon as possible.
Important to mention is that some resorts call themselves “liberal naturist”, “lifestyle naturist” or “sensual naturist”. This means that they actively promote public sexual activity. They don’t really have anything to do with naturism, but just hide behind the name. You might want to stay away from those, except if that’s your thing of course.
Naturist Beaches
Naturist beaches are often the easiest choice as in many countries there are quite some of those. They’re also very accessible. You (normally) don’t have to pay to access a nude beach, membership of a certain club or federation is not required and you can just show up.
Many naturists had their first naturist experience at a nude beach. But we also need to mention that because they are so accessible, some nude beaches do attract visitors with the wrong intentions. Voyeurs, exhibitionists, and swingers, you might have heard about those before. Now we don’t want to minimalize the chances of running into a perv, those occasions do happen, but the times when we had a negative experience at a nude beach are very limited.
It’s important to read up online about the nude beach you visit. The previous experiences of others might give you an idea about how “safe” a certain nude beach really is.
Naturist Events
Naturist events are booming recently, especially among younger naturists. For the simple reason that the younger generations often prefer something more active than lazing naked at the beach or next to the swimming pool. Another advantage of naturist events is that it might be easier to convince your friends to join as well. We’ve met several naturists who had their first naturist experience at the World Naked Bike Ride for example. Talking your friends into a bucket list item like riding your bike nude through downtown Brussels, Sydney or Los Angeles will probably work better than the local nude beach.
There is a difference between public and private events. Private events are often organized by naturist clubs or federations or by individuals. At private events, most often only naturists are welcome. Public events on the other hand often get a lot of clothed audience and sometimes even the press. You might want to ask yourself if you want to risk appearing butt naked in tomorrow’s newspaper or on a friend’s phone. It’s nothing to be ashamed about, but you do want to consider this.
But who should I take with me?
We believe that all experiences are better when shared. No matter if we’re talking about climbing Mount Everest, gazing over Macchu Picchu, driving a car for the first time or visiting a naturist place. Of course, for many beginning naturists it isn’t always easy to find a partner in crime.
The best option is, of course, your partner. If you happen to be single, a good friend or group of friends definitely works as well. When visiting a naturist resort or event, you could also contact the management/organizers upfront and explain that you’re new and coming alone. It’s very likely that they’ll take their time to show you around and introduce you to others.
Nevertheless, there’s definitely nothing wrong with trying naturism for the first time on your own.
Nevertheless, there’s definitely nothing wrong with trying naturism for the first time on your own.
But what should I take with me?
If there’s one thing you can be certain about, it’s that there’s no need to search for the right clothes. These will soon end up in a bag or a locker anyway. For a long time, body decoration has been a big NO among naturists, but those times are pretty much completely gone. If you have excessive tattoos or genital piercings, you might check whether the place you’re planning to visit does allow them. But most places today have no issue with that.
The most important gadget for every naturist is a towel or sarong. This is for hygienic reasons. Nobody likes to sit down where your sweaty butt has been just seconds before. So always try to sit on something. It’s also for your own hygiene by the way. Not every naturist had the opportunity to read this blog post and if someone would place their naked behind directly on a chair, at least you could use your towel afterward.
Most naturist resorts and spa centers have dressing rooms, where you can comfortably get naked and put your clothes in a locker. Nude beaches and events often don’t have this option. In that case, it’s advisable to bring a bag to put your clothes in and to wear clothes which you can easily take off. If you have to undress among others, you don’t want to treat them to a minute-long striptease. You want those clothes off as soon as possible.
When you’re going to nude beaches, it’s important to know that many of them lack decent facilities. So don’t expect a bar or sometimes even a shower or toilet. Be prepared for this, bring a cooler with beers, an umbrella and your own toilet paper to the nude beach. And don’t forget to clean up after you leave.
Some naturist places still require their visitors to be a member of a certain naturist club or federation. Most often those memberships don’t cost much and can be bought on the spot. But if you’d already be a member of some federation, it’s always a good idea to bring your membership card.
But where can I find some more information?
Back in the day when we became naturists, there wasn’t that much information available online. Luckily, today there’s some website called Naked Wanderings.
If you’d like to read up more about taking the first steps into naturism, we can recommend you to check out the following blog posts:
If you’d like to read up more about taking the first steps into naturism, we can recommend you to check out the following blog posts:
✅First Time Nudist: A Complete Guide
✅ 10 Biggest Fears of a Beginning Nudist and how to Overcome Them
✅ 6 Steps to become Comfortable Naked
✅ When do you get Nude at a Nudist Resort?
✅ 9 Tips for First Time Naturist Men
✅ 9 Tips for First Time Naturist Women
✅ 9 Tips for First Time Naturist Couple
✅ 9 Tips for First Time Naturist Family
✅ Your first time at the Public Sauna
✅ The Truth about Naturism and Sex
✅ The Very Best Nude Beach Packing List
 | Naked Wanderings’ Complete Guide for the First Time Nudist ebook Do you still have questions about nudism or naturism? |
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There are few srilankans also on the same page there is a small place for gathering in kandy
Hi Nick and Lins,
I’ve enjoyed your website, newsletter, and also your YouTube videos. You have put in a lot of effort to help out other nudists whether they are new to nudism or not, so I wanted to thank you for that!
In regards to always having a towel to sit on, I’ve read the same thing in other blogs and even books. However, they all seem to mention sitting on a towel in the common use areas, such as a resort’s dining room or bar.
However, I recently watched a YouTube video from another nudist blogger who mentions that she sits on a towel while inside her room at a resort or B&B, such as when she sits on the couch or at the dining room table.
Is this something that you practice as well and is that a commonly known extension of the rule “Thou shall always sit on a towel?” It makes sense now that I think about it, but I’m not sure I would have thought to do that while in the privacy of my own room at a resort or B&B. I doubt that the housekeeping staff thoroughly cleans the couches and dining room chairs, but for nudist resorts and B&Bs, perhaps they do.
Keep up the great work!
Great question Don!
We actually always sit on a towel when we’re naked. On one hand, as you mentioned, because you never know how thoroughly the staff cleans the rooms. But it has also become a habit. And it prevents furniture from sticking to your butt once you stand up again. It just feels more comfortable.
Those are some great and practical reasons to always sit on a towel. Thanks for letting me know!