The 10 Most Common Questions about Nude Beaches Answered

Over the years, we have received thousands of messages from people who are about to visit their first nude beach or who have been to some before but still find it confusing. We like to say that it’s not rocket science, but in fact, it’s not a science at all. And that’s what can make it complicated. One nude beach is not the other and even culture can influence how people perceive going naked.

In this blog post, we’ll share our answers to the 10 most common questions about nude beaches. It’s still our own perspective, the result of years of clothes-free travelling, but we hope that it can be helpful in one way or another.

This really depends from country to country. Generally speaking, there are three categories. First are the official nude beaches, which have been approved by the government and often have official signposting. Then there are the unofficial or tolerated nude beaches, here the community and authorities know that the beach has naked visitors and generally couldn’t care less. But it hasn’t been made official. Lastly are the secret nude beaches, often hidden or remote spots that few know about.

The latter is common in countries where public nudity is illegal and often the only way for locals to enjoy outdoor nudity. As a tourist, we would advise you not to go there unless you really know what you’re doing, as this could get you in a lot of trouble. We personally prefer the official nude beaches because the signs just make it easy. Yet, in some countries like Croatia or Greece, most are unofficial ones. In Spain, Great Britain, and New Zealand, any beach is considered an unofficial nude beach unless otherwise stated.

Legally, no. We haven’t heard of a single government that makes being clothed illegal in any circumstance. But politeness dictates that if you’re not planning to go naked or are not with people who want to go naked, you shouldn’t come to a nude beach. For one, because you might make others feel uncomfortable, but also because there are many more non-nude beaches. So why take the little space left for those who want to be naked?

Then there’s also social conformity, or group pressure if you will. We have been to nude beaches with a strong community of locals who will walk up to you if it seems like you’re not planning to take off your clothes. If you’re feeling nervous or like to take things slowly, we recommend wrapping around a towel or sarong, instead of just sitting there fully clothed or in a bathing suit.

In theory, yes. In most countries, there’s no such thing as adult-only beaches. This includes nude beaches. Of course, this can be seen from different angles than just the laws about beaches. There are countries, for example, where it’s illegal for adults to be naked among children. This obviously relates to nude beaches as well. These are typically countries where official nude beaches don’t exist.

Then there’s also the question of whether you want to take your children to the nude beach. Some beaches, especially the very popular ones, have a large variety of visitors and not all of them may have the same ethics as yourself. So your kids may see things that you rather don’t want to explain. At busy nude beaches, it’s recommended to not let your kids wander off in the dunes.

Once again, this really depends from beach to beach. Some people consider nude beaches as places to find a quick hookup and indecent proposals may happen. Most often it’s just winks and words, but some might get a bit pushy. In these cases, it’s important to be very clear about your own intentions and if someone bothers you, just walk away and go sit somewhere else.

Sexual harassment is rare though. What’s more important is to keep an eye on your stuff. If petty crime is common on the nearby clothed beaches, it might happen on the nude beach as well and you don’t want to get all your clothes stolen.

Most of the things you bring to a nude beach are the same as what you would bring to any other beach. You definitely want sunscreen, a towel or sarong, maybe beach chairs and an umbrella. You know, the basics. We also recommend wearing light clothes that are easy to take off and put on again. If you’re sensitive to bugs or sandflies, a spray might also be helpful. And that’s pretty much it. Always remember, the more you bring, the more you have to keep an eye on.

Again, this isn’t much different from any other beach. The keyword here is “respect”. Respect other people’s space, especially when there’s space enough. Most people don’t like to be gawked at either. Some might be up for a conversation, others will not, so this requires a bit of common sense to determine who is who.

If you’re in a social mood, it might be best to look for a nude beach that has a bar or activities like beach volleyball. That’s where the talkative people like to hang out. It’s also not recommended to mention someone’s physical appearance, both positive and negative, as this may make you seem like a creep. Obviously, don’t make any indecent proposals either.

If you haven’t been in a place where everyone is nude before, this may sound strange, but the very large majority of the people on the beach won’t even notice you’re there. For most of them, it’s not their first rodeo and they probably have already seen hundreds of naked people. If they did notice you, they’ll probably consider you yet another person on the beach.

It’s likely that you’ll find yourself much more looking at other people than them at you. Keep the previous question in mind, it’s okay to see people, but not to stare at them.

If you go to signposted nude beaches, you’ll often find that there’s a sign saying that photography is forbidden. Of course, in this day and age, you haven’t really been somewhere if you didn’t take the selfie. Just keep the word “self” in selfie in mind.

You may not care about your naked butt appearing on Instagram, but the person in the background may have a family who doesn’t know that she visits nude beaches or might be a public person or might be a volunteer at the church or or or… We shouldn’t be giving you all these reasons. It’s not polite to take pictures of other people at the nude beach so if you want to snap a shot, make sure that you’re alone in it.

If you read online discussions about how people think that nude beach visitors look, you’ll find interesting theories. Some think that it’s only for people with bodies that come straight out of Vogue magazine. Others say that nude beaches are for those who have come to an age when they completely stopped caring about how they look. They are all wrong.

If you really want to know who goes to nude beaches, have a look around your local supermarket at rush hour. These are exactly the same people you’ll see at the nude beach. Well, not EXACTLY, but you know what we mean. There will be all kinds of different people with different bodies, ages, and backgrounds. In short, nude beaches are for everyone.

You would be surprised by how many find this a nightmare scenario. You arrive at the nude beach, put down your towel, get undressed and when you look up, there she is: Your boss. Feel free to replace “boss” by neighbour, postman, 2nd-grade teacher, grandmother, or your whole family-in-law.

Now you have a couple of options. If the other person hasn’t noticed you yet, you could run for it. A better idea though is to politely wave and smile, acknowledge each other and leave it at that. You could go over for a chat, but remember the keyword: RESPECT. If it seems like the other person feels uncomfortable with you being there, this is something that should be respected too. Also avoid the obvious “What are you doing here?” question, unless you’re in Saint Martin and the other person is expected at the office in Brussels tomorrow.