bare it all

10 best gay nude beaches in the world

Updated on November 21, 2023

The Nomadic Boys enjoying a fun nude time in the sand. (Photo: The Nomadic Boys)

We can almost smell the ocean salt and bronzer here at the GayCities.com offices as we compile a list of the 10 best gay beaches in the world. However, we carefully tiptoed around clothing-optional destinations. Then we realized stripping down to your birthday suit in public isn’t something to be ashamed about — and, hey, some of the best gay beaches are bare-it-all types. So we decided to bare it all ourselves this time with the world’s ten best nude gay beaches.

The photos are fairly SFW but proceed with caution if your cubiclemate might swoon at the site of some side-butt. And don’t be prudes — Drop a line in the story’s comments section about any secret sandy spots we might have missed!

10. Black’s Beach, San Diego

Probably the most famous nude beach in America, Black’s Beach is also San Diego’s popular gay destination. (Imagine that!) A secluded area beneath the bluffs of La Jolla’s Torrey Pines, the nude section begins about 100 yards from the Gliderport trailhead and ends a mile up the way, at the steel buoy south of Flatrock.

Only the portion of the beach governed by the state park is clothing optional—nudity is not allowed on the section run by the city of San Diego.

9. Haulover Beach, Miami

One of the few nude beaches in Florida, Haulover Beach in Miami is about 11 miles north of South Beach. The north end is the clothing-optional section that’s frequented by gay men with a smattering of women.

8. Gunnison Beach, New Jersey

A short ride from New York City, Gunnison is a great spot to let it all hang out with pride. Once part of an Army base, where soldiers used to skinny dip, it has been a popular naturalist destination since the 1970s—and New Jersey’s only legal nude beach for over a decade. Since it’s technically federal land, alcoholic beverages are allowed as well. There is a vehicular admission fee of $10 per car.

7. Little Beach, Maui, HI

Little Beach in Hawaii (also known as Puʻu Olai) is a small 660-foot stretch of shoreline in Makena State Park, separated from Big Beach by a steep lava outcropping. One of the few places in the Aloha State where public nudity is kosher, on Sundays, it’s also home to fire dancing and drum circles.

6. Polo Beach, Oahu, HI

Just an hour’s drive from Waikiki, on Oahu’s beautiful north shore, you’ll find Polo Beach – the most popular nudist beach in Hawaii. The left side is for family, the right side is clothing-optional. Be sure to stop in Haleiwa, the neighboring town, for lunch and souvenirs. Make a day of your visit, and travel to or from town along Oahu’s stunning windward coast, passing by Kualoa Ranch, where Jurassic Park was filmed, picturesque Lanikai Beach, Makapu’u Point, and Diamond Head Crater.

5. Hanlan’s Point, Toronto

To get to this oasis in Toronto (legally clothing-optional since 2002), take the Hanlan’s Point ferry at the foot of Bay Street and Queen’s Quay. After you reach the shore, walk about 15 minutes up a paved path and then stroll through the brush to the coast, where pristine white sand is not the only natural beauty to behold.

4. Sandy Bay, Cape Town

One of the last remaining untouched areas in Cape Town on South Africa’s Cape Coast, Sandy Bay is an unofficial nudist beach. However, its relative inaccessibility means it’s unlikely you’ll be molested (unless you want to be). It’s a 20-minute walk from the car lot, or you can traverse the Hout Bay dunes, which—along with the mountains—provide privacy and shelter from strong winds. Expect a more tranquil experience than a party atmosphere.

3. Club Orient Beach, Saint Martin

This two-mile-long stretch of white sand in the Caribbean welcomes all—slim, fleshy, gay, straight—though beachgoers tend to be from the U.S. and Europe with a sprinkling of locals. Those wanting a full-on, full-frontal experience book a stay at the luxurious Club Orient resort. Public nudity is allowed in front of the resort, though you’ll find sun-worshippers in various forms of undress almost everywhere.

2. Beach 19, Lisbon

The 19th stop on the little train that runs along Lisbon’s Costa de Caparica is where the nude beach starts (and gets its name). To get to Beach 19, also known as Praia de Bela Vista, walk down the hill, past the straight area and the railroad tracks, and you’ll run right into gay bodies basking in the seemingly endless sun.

1. Baker Beach, San Francisco

Fog and sometimes chilly temps notwithstanding, few nude beaches have as much going for them as Baker, with both extremely close proximity to downtown San Francisco and a dazzling view of the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s also the original home of Burning Man. The north end is where the clothingless congregate.

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