Last year, Metzoke Dragot Beach on the Dead Sea was included in CNN’s list of the 25 best nude beaches in the world, winning praise for the opportunity to float without clothing in the salty water and cover oneself in mineral mud. This week, the American news network published a new version of the list — and this time, the Israeli beach was left out.
Around the world, hundreds of beaches now operate where nude bathing is legal, regulated or simply tolerated. Some are on the edges of large cities, others are hidden behind cliffs, forests and dunes, and there are also entire resorts where clothing is optional. CNN’s best list stretches from Uruguay and Lithuania to Australia, Brazil and the United States.
The American network did not detail how the beaches were chosen, nor did it publish a scoring system, reader poll or ranking from first to 25th place. Rather, it is an editorial selection of 25 notable beaches around the world, and the order in which they appear is not presented as a ranking. The list includes different types of beaches — from secluded coves and wild natural sites to urban beaches and large naturist resorts — where nude bathing is legal, regulated or accepted in practice.
Nugal Beach, Croatia
Nugal is a secluded cove south of the city of Makarska, surrounded by cliffs and pine trees. There is no direct access by car, and reaching it requires walking along a coastal path or arriving from the sea by boat or kayak. As with many beaches in Croatia, this is a pebble beach rather than a sandy one.
Nugal Beach, Croatia
(Photo: SebastianGorzow / Shutterstock)
Lady Bay Beach, Australia
The small strip of sand, also known as Lady Jane Beach, is located in the South Head area of Sydney Harbor. Despite its location inside one of Australia’s largest metropolitan areas, it is relatively secluded and has been officially recognized for nude bathing since the 1970s. The surrounding rock shelves are also used by sunbathers.
Lady Bay Beach in Sydney, Australia
(Photo: Holidays/Shutterstock)
Cap d’Agde Beach, France
The naturist village of Cap d’Agde in southern France is one of the largest and best-known naturist resorts in the world. The complex includes hotels, vacation apartments, campsites, restaurants, shops and other services, and in large parts of it visitors can walk around without clothing. Tens of thousands of visitors come there during the summer season.
Cap d’Agde Beach, France
(Photo: Eileen Kumpf/Shutterstock)
Haulover Beach Park, United States
Haulover Beach in Miami is considered one of the most popular public nude beaches in the United States. According to CNN, more than 1.3 million people come each year to the clothing-optional area. It is a regulated beach with lifeguards and chairs and umbrellas for rent, and it draws especially large crowds in the summer months and during events held by the naturist community.
Haulover Beach Park in Miami, Florida
(Photo: MDV Edwards/Shutterstock)
Little Palm Beach, New Zealand
The small bay is located on Waiheke Island, across from Auckland, and is considered one of the places most identified in the country with clothing-free bathing. To reach it, visitors must sail from Auckland to the island, continue to its northern coast and descend on foot to the beach. Waiheke itself is a popular tourist destination thanks to its wineries, restaurants and art galleries.
Little Palm Beach, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
(Photo: Stargrass/Shutterstock)
Buhne 16, Germany
Buhne 16 on the island of Sylt is one of Germany’s oldest and best-known naturist bathing sites. The area is also associated with surfing, beach parties and the wicker beach chairs typical of the North Sea coast. Although clothing is optional in other places on the island as well, Buhne 16 has for years been considered one of its main naturist hubs. The water temperature in summer remains relatively cool, averaging about 17°C.
Buhne 16 on the island of Sylt, Germany
(Photo: Murat Yelkenli/Shutterstock )
Red Beach, Greece
Red Beach, or Kokkini Ammos, is located south of the village of Matala in Crete. It can be reached by a walk of about 20 minutes or a short boat ride from the village. Its name comes from the hues of the sand and cliffs in the area, and it is associated with the hippie culture that developed in and around Matala beginning in the 1960s. A small bar operates there, and at the edge of the beach visitors can see rock carvings created in the modern era.
Red Beach in Crete, Greece
(Photo: peter jesche/Shutterstock )
Callantsoog Beach, Netherlands
Callantsoog is one of the oldest nude beaches in the Netherlands and received official recognition in 1973. It is located about 60 kilometers north of Amsterdam, and the nude bathing area is clearly marked. The beach holds Blue Flag status, and nearby is the Zwanenwater nature reserve, which includes dunes and natural lakes.
Callantsoog Beach, Netherlands
(Photo: Terry Vlaming/Shutterstock )
Anse de Grande Saline, Saint Barthelemy
Saline is a white, relatively secluded beach in Saint Barthelemy. Nude bathing and sunbathing are tolerated there, although they are not officially permitted. The beach has almost no facilities or natural shade, so visitors need to arrive equipped with water, food and sun protection.
Anse de Grande Saline, Saint Barthelemy
(Photo: Sandra Foyt/Shutterstock )
Playa Zipolite, Mexico
Zipolite, in the state of Oaxaca, has been identified for decades with naturist culture in Mexico. The beach stretches for about 2 kilometers, and at its eastern end is a smaller, more secluded cove called Playa del Amor. Nude bathing takes place there openly, although it is not an official nudist beach in the legal sense. The area is also known to film lovers because parts of “Y Tu Mamá También” were filmed there.
Playa Zipolite beach, Mexico
(Photo: Nailotl/Shutterstock )
15 additional beaches included in CNN’s list:
- Playa Naturista Chihuahua, Uruguay
- Nida Nude Beach, Lithuania
- Oriental Beach Village, Thailand
- Ågesta Beach, Sweden
- Moshup Beach, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, United States
- Studland Bay, Dorset, England
- Wreck Beach, Vancouver, Canada
- Black’s Beach, La Jolla, California, United States
- Platja des Cavallet, Ibiza, Spain
- Is Benas Beach, Sardinia, Italy
- Mpenjati Beach, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Playa de Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
- Orient Bay Beach, Saint Martin
- Praia Massarandupió, Bahia, Brazil
- Vecāķi Beach, Riga, Latvia