Whether you're a seasoned nudist traveler or thinking of dipping your toes into clothing-optional activities, there are tons of nude-friendly pastimes to choose from. Sure, skinny dipping and topless sunbathing are easy and exhilarating ways to go au naturel while on vacation, but if you're looking for something more luxurious, read on. Below, we rounded up six self-indulgent, nude-friendly travel experiences worth trying.

Hotels in this story

Price Dates

Hidden Beach Resort

Desire Riviera Maya Resort

Desire Riviera Maya Pearl Resort

Gora Kadan

Village Naturiste du Cap d Agde - Libertine Property

1. Soak in a cliffside hot tub in Big Sur.

Esalen; Lewisha Jones/Flickr

Set along California’s famous Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur is one of the most beautiful spots in California. With its jagged cliffs abutting the ocean and redwood-filled forests, the scenery here is absolutely breathtaking. One top place to take in the views is Esalen Institute, a retreat center that hosts various workshops and is home to cliffside hot-spring-fed hot tubs and plunge pools. While you can book a retreat here and sleep in a private cottage, travelers staying elsewhere can also reserve a nighttime (1 a.m. to 3 a.m.) soak in the clothing-optional pools. Soaking during the day has its perks though, as whales, dolphins, and otters can often be spotted.

2. Book a steamy weekend at the Hidden Beach Resort in Tulum.

Swim-Up Suite at Hidden Beach Resort by Karisma/zzdtravel

For those looking to spend more time au naturel, a weekend getaway at the all-inclusive Hidden Beach Resort by Karisma is a great pick. Set between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, and just a 90-minute drive south of Cancun, it’s easy to reach the luxurious adults-only resort for a quick vacation. Guests here tend to be 50 and over, and spend nearly all of their time nude — whether at the beach, outdoor pool with a swim-up bar, restaurant, or bar with a hot tub. When visitors want their own private whirlpool time, they can head to their room.

3. Hop aboard a sensuous, adults-only Mediterranean cruise.

Azamara Quest; Roderick Eime/Flickr

If staying in one location for your nude-friendly getaway doesn’t sound appealing, consider a sensual clothing-optional Mediterranean cruise with Desire (behind the popular Desire Riviera Maya and Pearl resorts). Starting in Nice, France, and ending in Barcelona, Spain, the steamy adults-only, couples-only cruise is a seven-night adventure aboard the upscale Azamara Quest. Risque theme nights, a Jacuzzi lounge, couples’ playroom, and clothing-optional pool provide ample spaces to have fun while sailing.

4. Soak in a private onsen in Japan.

Hot Spring Bath at Gora Kadan/zzdtravel

Japanese onsens (hot springs and spring-fed baths) are popular for both relaxing and getting a dose of culture. We recommend booking a luxury hotel with its own public onsen facilities and rooms with private baths. Gora Kadan is a traditional Japanese ryokan in Hakone-machi, a 90-minute drive from Tokyo, offering upscale rooms with gorgeous views and wood or stone baths. Guests can spend their days in the gender-divided onsen facilities, as well as book a private outdoor onsen bath and soak in their own rooms. For further repose, a variety of spa treatments are available.

5. Shop nude in Cap d'Agde, France.

Cap d’Agde; Pepe Martin (Mário José Martins)/Flickr

While sunbathing topless on a beach is ubiquitous in France, the town of Cap d’Agde takes things to another level. The purpose-built naturist resort town is situated along the Mediterranean Sea, about a one-hour drive south of Montpellier. It has multiple beaches (including a nudity-required area) and nude-friendly shops, so visitors can wash laundry, buy groceries, and go to the bank in the buff. Although many families live here, shops selling sex toys and posters promoting swinger-centric events give this town a strong sexual undercurrent.

6. Book a luxe property via Naturist BnB.

Tuscany/zzdtravel

Naturist BnB started as a nude-centric alternative to Airbnb. Naturist hosts post their accommodations online — from budget-friendly rooms in houses to private villas — for a nude-friendly getaway. From a 10-room stone farmhouse in rural France to a secluded villa overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany, travelers can easily find a luxury getaway suited to their taste.

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