As Tony would say, you’ve got nothing to lose except your inhibitions.A study last summer revealed that women spend over a third of the cost of their holiday on a new wardrobe. The average cost of a cupboard-busting collection of four swimsuits, six dresses and three pairs of shoes was €300.
Well, Americans Tony and Sue have the perfect solution to that particular over-spending problem: go naked.
Think they are kidding? Most certainly not. Tony, a business manager, says: “The first time Sue and I even discussed going on a nudist vacation was in 1995. While sitting at the travel agency, our agent brought up a clothing optional vacation and Sue said, ‘No way!’”
Somehow, the agent persuaded them to book with Castaways Travel (www.castaways.com), a specialist in ‘Clothing Optional (CO), Nude and Adult Travel Fun’.
Tony explains: “Our first clothing-optional vacation was to the Caribbean Reef Club, a great little resort with 33 rooms in total. You had no choice but to get to know the other vacationers and soon become friends.”
Once you lose the clothes, the other inhibitions go along with them
Tony says they were less nervous than excited about their first time. “Every person who goes on a clothing optional vacation for the first time does the same thing. They way overthink the nude thing. They run 1,001 scenarios through their head, 999 of which will never happen. They second guess themselves right up until they are standing poolside or on that nude beach.
“Suddenly they drop all of the clothes in a pile next to them, look around and realise that it’s not a big deal. Everyone else around them is nude too and if they left their clothes on, they would feel even more out of place.”
He says that nudist holidays have some major advantages. “Hands down, bar none, it’s the people. People that go on clothing optional vacations are the most open and honest people you will ever meet. Our theory is that once you lose the clothes, the other inhibitions go along with them. All the ‘status’ stuff goes out the window. No one is hiding behind designer logos or flashy outfits. Everyone is the same: naked.”
Cliff and Patty Hess are equally enthusiastic about stripping down to the buff on the beach. Cliff explains how they got into it. “I have been a nudist in my head all my life since puberty. Patti got into it by marrying me. When we got enough money to take our first vacation together, we went to a clothing optional, all-inclusive resort in Jamaica. We have been doing CO travel since.”
Cliff was in his element from the beginning but he says that his wife was more reticent. “She said that she might not take any clothes off. That was OK since I could take mine off. As we got to our loungers on the nude beach, Patti was looking around to see what others were wearing. ‘No one has any clothes on!’ she said. ‘Yep’, was the answer since I already had mine off.”
He goes on: “After a while, she thought she might be able to remove her top. After looking around more and seeing nude people walking around and talking to one another, she thought she could shimmy out of her bottoms.
“After getting the bottoms off, she asked: ‘Did anyone look?’ ‘No’, was the answer. Well, it was a hot day and she soon needed a drink from the nude bar beside the nude pool.
“‘Would you get me a drink?’ she asked. ‘No.’ After some bickering, I said that if she wanted a drink, then she was going to have to get it herself. She was mad, but wanted the drink, so she went to the bar by herself. Patti has been a nudist ever since!”
Cliff says that the best thing about CO travel is “the freedom to enjoy the outdoors without the constriction of clothes”. He adds: “Meeting interesting people who are also nudists is another reason.”
He does admit to some downsides though. “The gawkers who only want to take pictures or videos of the nude women are the main drawback. It is more difficult to locate CO resorts in this country (Cliff is also American), thus we most often have to leave the country to indulge in our favourite activity.”
And he has some advice for the sceptical: “CO travel is the most relaxing thing you can do for yourself. Even though the first time might be scary, the fear disappears within the first hour or so.”
Tony too is a staunch advocate of encouraging others to get their kit off. He says: “Let’s be honest, everyone enjoys being nude, it’s not a bad thing. Everyone has their physical differences, it’s what makes you, you. Many people we talk to are afraid that they won’t look ‘good enough’ out on the beach and that’s nonsense. One of the credos our group has is: ‘Everybody likes to party, we just like to party naked, baby!’ And it’s true.”
Tony dismisses the idea that these trips are for a particular ‘sort’ of person. He says groups are made up of “every shape, size, age and colour. Doesn’t matter to us. As long as you can bring a good attitude and be prepared to laugh until your ribs hurt, you will fit right in”.
But there’s a question lurking like the elephant in the room. When the wine is flowing, the sun is hot and everyone is naked, doesn’t it all get a bit, well, frisky?
Tony doesn’t entirely deny it. “Am I going to tell you that nothing happens, ever? No, I would be lying. We are adults and human, but there is a large misconception that people are fooling around everywhere and that’s not the case. When our group gets together, there is more laughter than anything.”
Cliff confirms this view, saying: “For the pure nudist, getting frisky is not an option. For those who consider themselves part of a ‘lifestyle’, that might be possible. But even seasoned ‘lifestyle’ travellers are not always tempted by someone else.”
If you want to find out more, Tony and Sue have written a book called This One Time at a Nude Resort. Or you can take the plunge and book a trip with them. Tony says: “Your readers are welcome to join our group. I always recommend going to a clothing-optional resort with a group, especially if you are new to this. It adds to the atmosphere, it makes the trip more comfortable and enjoyable and allows you to spend a lot more time laughing and creating the memories you want to take home with you.”
So if the idea of hot sun warming your bare flesh on a secluded nudist beach sounds like it might just be heaven, find out more about Tony’s groups at www.partynakedbaby.com or get some advice from www.CastawaysTravel.com.
As Tony would say, you’ve got nothing to lose except your inhibitions.