A guide of nudist beach etiquette for the first-time nudist
Your first time at a nudist or clothing-optional beach may be as intimidating as it is exciting – or the other way around!
You’ve been dreaming about lounging in the sand, your tits bare and free in the warm summer sun. You feel completely liberated as the sun’s rays touch every inch of your nude body. There’s no soggy, uncomfortable bikini or swimsuit sticking to you and causing tan lines.
Pure bliss.
However, your first ever trip to the nudist beach might not be quite like this… You may be worried about what to take, how to act, scared about making a newbie mistake and getting disapproving looks from seasoned nudists.
Knowing the unspoken rules and nudist etiquette is a good way to avoid embarrassing mishaps that may bring back feelings of shame you got after being told off at school.
Here’s a list of things to do and bear in mind for newbie nudists:
Make sure you’re comfortable being naked at home
A lot of lifelong nudists may tell you that going to a nudist beach or resort is easy, just whip off your clothes and you’re good to go! But for many first-timers, this can seem like a huge step.
Being completely naked around other people might seem kind of taboo – your parents or authority figures may have drilled it into you when you were little that you should cover up and not let anyone else see your private parts.
It’s time to break that taboo.
Before going to a nudist beach all guns blazing, unless you’re already comfortable in the buff, why not try out getting naked in a place you feel safe and comfortable; at home. Spend a day or the weekend naked; the more you get used to the feeling, the easier it becomes to ditch the clothes in “public.”
Nude or clothing-optional beach?
Nudist beaches can be split into two types: clothing-optional, as the name suggests, allows you to take your time and strip off slowly. Though it is expected that sooner or later, all clothes will come off.
This is so you don’t get creepers, peepers or thrill-seekers coming in fully-clothed to gawk at naked men and women.
On the other hand, nudist or clothing-prohibited beaches require you to strip naked and be a full participator in the social nudity scene.
Take your time and choose wisely which one would better suit you. While clothing-optional beaches may seem like the clear winner – you can take your time getting comfortable and revealing yourself bit by bit – prolonging the process could make it even harder.
Imagine it like walking slowly into a pool of cold water or hesitating at a party before trying to awkwardly strike up a conversation with a stranger. Sometimes it’s just better to go all out and take the plunge, rip that band-aid (or swimsuit!) off quickly and face any fears you have head on.
Pack like you would for a regular day at the beach
Just because you’re going to a nudist beach doesn’t mean the experience is going to be all that different than going to a regular beach.
You might want to consider taking:
- Your partner or a close friend who’s seen you naked
- A sarong to wrap around you in case you start feeling uncomfortable
- Sunscreen – we know you want to get golden brown all over but ditching the sunscreen and getting lobster-red all over isn’t a risk worth taking. Not to mention the pain – especially in those areas!
- A towel – this is of utmost importance which will be explained in the next point. But just imagine sitting down with a naked butt onto dry sand…
- A good book, a volleyball, and plenty of water to keep you hydrated – pretty self-explanatory
Take a towel – and sit on it!
This is one of the key mistakes that newbies make at a nudist beach and can be quite an uncomfortable one.
Though you’re on a nudist beach, and things are a little different, the rules of hygiene still apply. Don’t pop your bare butt down on any bench, chair, and God forbid on someone else’s towel!
If everyone did this, no-one would want to – or dare to – sit down on any deckchairs or shared surfaces. Always make sure to lay your towel down first and sit on that – hygienic, and cool, not to mention comfortable!
During your time (or times) at a nudist beach, you might forget about this and accidentally find yourself sitting butt-naked on a chair. A quick “sorry – I’m still new to this” can turn any frowns into understanding smiles though, so don’t sweat it too much!
As well as hygiene, your towel can come in useful for all kinds of things. Covering up when you feel someone is staring at you, not getting sand up in your hoo-haa, covering up an awkward erection and swatting away insects.
Look for nudie “regulars” for advice and tips
If you’re looking for (hopefully) exemplary ways to act at a nudist beach, and who to look for as an example of what to do, seek out a seasoned nudist.
You’ll be able to spot them fairly easily: they’ll be the ones with no tan lines, chilling and looking completely at ease.
Nudists are a super friendly bunch of people, so if you have any questions, need for advice or fancy a friendly conversation but don’t know where to start, seek out an experienced nudist.
Expect to see a wide variety of body types
Nudism isn’t for people who are squeamish around penises and vaginas. This should be pretty clear by now.
If you go to a nudist beach, expect to see all kinds of people of all shapes, sizes, ages and body types, and be prepared to not stare at them with your mouth hanging open.
You are free to look at people, of course, as naturally anyone who has any appreciation of the human body would, but just like in “regular society”, staring, gawking or acting surprised will not only make the other person uncomfortable, it may even offend them and other nudists.
Prepare yourself for a liberating experience, go with an open heart and mind, and you won’t even appear to be a newbie at all!
Now, for the things you definitely want to avoid doing at all costs.
Some of these may seem pretty straight-forward, but it’s so easy to become comfortable and just forget, that they’re definitely worth mentioning.
Don’t take photos of other nudists without their permission
This includes being careful about taking photos of yourself or your friends where there might be someone visibly sunbathing or passing through naked.
Taking photos of people without their permission is unacceptable in mainstream society, and this applies especially to the nudist world too.
Nudists, especially families with small children, can get very offended by this and you may even be called out on it – something that’s uncomfortable for everyone!
Just ask for consent before taking a picture, and respect others’ wishes if they don’t give their permission.
Avoid any form of sexual activity
Nudists are open-minded people. This is a given. But this doesn’t mean that touching yourself or your significant other in full view of others – children, old people and dogs included – is appropriate… or legal.
You can run into some serious trouble with the law on this one, so best wait until you get home to start expressing your love.
Basically – anything that you wouldn’t do clothed in front of other people, avoid doing at a nudist beach.
Sexual activity, even in places where nudism is allowed, is illegal and leads to beaches being closed down, which is a bummer for everyone (pardon the pun).
Don’t expect everyone to be social
Although, as the name suggests, social nudism is about being naked with other people, it doesn’t mean that everyone on a nudist beach or resort will feel like chatting at that given moment in time.
Maybe they’re just there to enjoy being naked in the great outdoors surrounded by other like-minded people, maybe they’re super engrossed in the book they’re reading, or maybe they just aren’t in the mood for a naked natter.
Either way, if you go up and start chatting to someone who doesn’t seem engaged in the conversation, respect their decision and leave them be.
It also may be the case that they’re another nudist newbie, and a bit shy or embarrassed talking to other people.
These same rules apply to flirting.
How do nudists flirt with each other? Very carefully.
You have to be super tactful and give the other person their space when engaging in conversation or even flirting with another nudist. Make sure you don’t come on too strong or forceful and gauge the atmosphere before making any moves.
Put yo’ clothes back on before leaving the beach
Once you’ve gotten so comfortable being naked on the nudist beach, you might even forget about the fact that most people in mainstream society may not share your love for nudity.
Before leaving the beach or walking into another part of the beach where nudism is not the norm, be sure to get dressed so as not to offend locals or other beach-goers.
This is another important thing to consider in order to make sure that the beach remains open for others to enjoy.
Some beaches won’t have signs in full-view when you’re leaving the nudist beach to go to another part of the beach. Do your research and keep your eyes peeled for any signs that you may be leaving nudist territory and entering a “textile” beach.
Don’t peer-pressure the clothed to get naked
You might have taken the plunge and gone balls to the wall with going nude, but that doesn’t mean that other people you’ve come with are that open.
If you’re on a clothing-optional beach, or if you’re planning on bringing a friend or partner to the beach, make sure to let them know that clothes are expected to come off eventually.
Although you’ve probably experienced the wonderful feeling of the breeze caressing your bare butt, respect the fact that others might not be ready for that (yet).
So, use tact, let them know that there’s nothing weird about putting on your birthday suit, and give them some time to decide to join you, or to whip off those bathing suit bottoms.
The less pressure = the more likely people will warm to the idea.
Nudist beaches aren’t a tourist attraction
And lastly, don’t go to a nudist beach if you aren’t planning on taking your clothes off.
As mentioned before in this article, there are some people who will come to a nudist beach just for the thrill of it.
Such peepers, creepers and thrill-seekers are easily spotted and not tolerated.
If you’re one of those people that want to go to a nudist beach simply to stare at others, maybe just go find another way to entertain yourself. Go to a theme-park, go bungee-jumping, just don’t loiter in places where people are trying to relax and be themselves.
That’s pretty much it.
All these rules should be pretty much common sense and abiding by them should be a piece of cake!
If in doubt about what to do in a certain situation, use your better judgment, trust your instincts, and maybe even seek out someone who’s a regular and who seems comfortable at the nudist beach.
Also, if you make a mistake, please know that it isn’t the end of the world – there aren’t any nudie police that are going to come and ban you from ever coming to a nude beach again for forgetting to place your towel down before sitting on a deck chair.
As long as you follow these basic nudist etiquette rules and have an ounce of common sense, you’ll be all fine and dandy!
Be safe, have fun, and get a nice tan on your buns!
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