The scope for 'clothes-free' tourism is far (far!) broader than you might imagine.
The World Bodypainting Festival is a toe dipped in the water of naturism, if you like, because you can strip off while still covering your modesty with paint. The highlight of the annual event, being held from 12 to 18 July in Seeboden, Austria, this year, is a fantasy ball taking place at the mystical medieval castle Sommeregg. Music-synchronised fireworks, special-effects make-up galore and a night-time contest for UV bodypainting should create a visual delight not to be missed.
Known as Nacktradler, naked bike riding is all the rage in Bavaria. The Naktiv movement - for people who like being naked and active -was born in the 1900s, when a German youth group, the Wandervogel, starting skinnydipping while hiking around the countryside. The trend led to the creation of nudist beaches along the coast, and nudity soon spread to public parks. World Naked Bike Ride day came to Munich in 2005, inspiring Alex von der Tour to offer naked cross-country cycling tours. Now around 20 men and women enjoy his nude excursions most weekends in the summer.
If a life on the ocean waves sounds even more appealing in the nude, why not charter a private yacht and enjoy a group holiday with a difference? Boats are available for up to four people fromNopockets.com and a booking includes your own chef. The company also offers a Caribbean Villa in the British Virgin Islands that's designed with naturists in mind.
The question, it seems, is not which sports can be played in the nude but which ones can't be. At International Naturist Sports Week, which took place in Hungary from 26 July till 1 August, you can actually compete at running, tug-of-war, volleyball and table tennis among other sports in what is, shall we say a completely unrestrained manner. There is even a children's sports day!
Another year-round pursuit, nude yoga has spread beyond its native India, where it is mainly practised by holy men. Practitioners say the unclothed pursuit helps to "achieve liberation of the self and actualisation of one's goals" . Doing it in the nude apparently helps "toxins in the body find an outlet leading to purification of body and soul". Just be careful who you stand behind during the downward-facing dog.
Started by the animal-rights organisation PETA, the Running of the Nudes is a play upon and protest against the far more established Running of the Bulls. The event, which has taken place annually in Pamplona since 2002, involves around 1,000 people donning no more than a pair of plastic bull horns to run naked through the streets in a protest against the supposed cruelty of the similarly named event. PETA has recently decided to hold its demonstrations outside Pamplona to avoid bringing tourist money to a town that condones what the group regards as barbarism.
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Naked Jazz Festival, Kent
"You don't have to take your clothes off to have a good time." So opined the 1980s popster Jermaine Stewart, but many naturists would be inclined to disagree. From naked volleyball to the Spanish Running of the Nudes and naked scuba-diving to skiing without the ski suit, the scope for activities in your altogether is far broader than you might imagine. We investigate the ultimate in "nakations". No peeking!
Nudefest, Newquay
If Glastonbury is too clothed for your liking, try Nudefest instead. Taking place at Newperran Holiday Park, in Newquay, this annual event combines live music with activities such as juggling, bellydancing and, er, war-gaming. Facilities include a swimming pool, children's play areas, games room and an aviary. With tickets costing from £50 to £75 for three days, you can either take your own tent or hire a caravan for £69 a person (based on four sharing).
While only the audience has to be naked, at last year's event two performers got so into the vibe that they stripped off to play half their set au naturel, bringing a whole new meaning to the website's claim that, "If you don't know what swing is, you will after the Friday night." With a clothing-optional real ale tent and bar, plus a heated swimming pool and sauna, this is surely one of the classiest naturist events around. Tickets cost £70 per person, or £105 for a couple or family ticket (two adults, two children).
World Bodypainting Festival, Seeboden, Austria
Naked bike riding, Bavaria
Naked snowboarding and skiing
Just because it's freezing cold, doesn't mean you can't be nude. On 1st January each year, skiers in Glenshee, Scotland, are rewarded with a shot of whisky if they hit the slopes with nothing under their kilts. But if that's still too clothed for you, never fear: the Undie 500 race, at Mount Cheeseman in New Zealand, offers competitors the chance to wear "the minimum attire that decency allows".
And if you haven't gained your ski legs, the German town on of Braunlage hosted a naked sledding event this year; given that 14,000 people turned up to support it, there's every chance it'll happen next year, too.
Naked scuba diving and mass skinny-dipping
If watersports are more to your taste, why not give naked scuba diving a go? Sea lice can get trapped under clothes but are unable to hold on to naked skin, so it's safer than using a wetsuit but there are nonetheless a couple of safety issues to bear in mind. Body hair can be an issue so the hirsute should shave; more worryingly, fish cannot always tell the difference between a man's tackle and genuine fish food so wear trunks if you don't fancy baiting the aquatic inhabitants.
A host of resorts offer naked scuba diving including the Eden Bay Caliente Resort, in the Dominican Republic, and the Hidden Beach Resort, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Alternatively, if you prefer an even freer kind of diving, try the world record attempt on the largest ever skinny-dip.
Nude sailing
International Naturist Sports Week, Sziksosfurdo, Hungary
World Naked Gardening Day
The worrying economic climate has made holidays in Britain more appealing, and if you want to avoid the further expense of clothing you should consider taking part in World Naked Gardening Day. Sadly the event is over this year - it was held on 8 May - but there's nothing to stop you from indulging year-round. Just make sure you don't give your neighbours an eyeful - and be careful with that rake.
Naked Yoga
Running of the Nudes
Just one thing i remember, one of my friend ask me, is there any place at Malaysia i can nude? LOL.. and my answer is yes we have. All you can do is find. Maybe it not expose to the public right? hahaha
FootNote ~ keep flashback the movie title "The Beach"! OMG this is my Devaju, writing about nude article ... awesome!!!
