"Clothes-Free Vacations" is Big Business Kaleel Sakakeeny - Technorati.com
go to original May 23, 2012

Apparently one does the same things anyone would do on a "nakation," as on a fully-clothed holiday, except, we assume, horseback ride. But, you ask, how likely is anyone to go to a nude beach or clothes optional one, and strip?

For a country settled by humorless and uptight Puritans, a surprising 49% of Americans said they would do it. Another 19% were undecided, and 32% gave an unqualified "no" to the idea of beaching "au natural."

Courtesy of TripAdvisor's Nude Beach Survey results, we also learn our European cousins are, not surprisingly, more willing to go nude. Fifty-five percent said "Oui" or " Si" to the idea, and only 19% said no.

The truth is, Nude Travel or "clothes-free vacations" is big business. And apparently a lot of fun.

The American Association for Nude Recreation’s 60,000 members spend more than 400 million bucks on nude travel, and there are 270 clubs and resorts in the United States, Canada, and Mexico offering all kinds of "Nakations." The association also offers advice on nude events, nude etiquette, and a club locator.

But who really does this kind of thing?

A spokesperson for the association, say that they draw folks from all walks of life: " We have doctors, lawyers, people who drive buses and everything in between . . . but you can’t know the difference when you’re all nude."

And what do people do on a Nude or Clothes-optional holiday? While horseback riding may be out, the association says they sail, swim, build sand castles. "Whatever people do on their vacations, we do too."

Of course first-timers inevitably feel awkward, but one nude vacationer wrote us saying, "Everyone was nude and comfortable, so it was not hard to join in. We brought our snacks to share, our towel, the people were friendly…and the water felt good without a suit on."

Best place to find a list of nude or clothes-optional beaches is at the association’s website. Each beach is thoroughly explained and vetted by the group.

The Huffington Post posted a poll on the best nude beaches in the world, including photos (very tasteful) and comments.

The Saline Beach in St. Barths seems to have won top honors, followed by South Beach in Florida (as one observer said, "who knew playing volley ball on a nude beach would be such a spectator sport), Black’s Beach in San Diego, California, and of course the Plage de Tahiti, in St. Tropez, France. No cameras allowed.

Regardless, as the American Association for Nude Recreation likes to point out, "Nude travelers tell us that when they take off their clothes, they put on a smile."

And we would guess insect repellent.

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