PHOTOS: The World’s 10 Best Gay Nude Beaches

beach image Judging by the popularity of The World’s 10 Best Gay Beaches list last week, it’s pretty clear that many of you can’t wait to dawn your birthday suit and soak up as much summer sun as possible. So to help you legally go that one step further, we now present our 2014 list of the best nude beaches on the planet. As with gay beaches, please comment away if your favorite didn’t make the cut. We’ll be back in the coming weeks with our top reader beach picks. Click through to see our 2014 picks for the world’s best nude beaches… First up: San Diego’s Black’s Beach
  screenshotBlack’s Beach, San Diego Said to be America’s largest nude beach, Black’s is also the most famous in the U.S. About 15 miles north of downtown San Diego below the Torrey Pines bluffs of suburban La Jolla, Black’s Beach is co-run by the state of California and the city of San Diego. Only on the northern portion is nudity allowed. troublepatterson instagram blackbeach Photos by  Alexsander7, troublepatterson Next up: Miami’s Haulover
Photo Credit Elmo Love Haulover Beach, Miami Just 10 miles north of South Beach, Haulover is one of few nude beaches in Florida and definitely the most popular. It boasts a mile and half of gorgeous oceanside sand, but only the northern half-mile is clothing optional. This spot is frequented by everyone, but with a strong concentration of gay men. 4822624400_5f839c07f3_z2 4822626962_aa448833eb_z Photos by Elmo H. Love & osseous Next up: San Francisco’s Baker Beach
Photo Credit: Damian Gadal Baker Beach, San Francisco Fog and sometimes chilly temps notwithstanding, few nude beaches have as much going for them as Baker, with both extreme 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. 3991189270_e00dcb255b_z3990428565_35ba946c57_z 5367114321_3b1904a152_z Photos by Ernesto SarezaleOrin ZebestPeter V. Hernandez Next up: Toronto’s Hanlan’s Point
4917736990_dbb27580ab_b Hanlan’s Point, Toronto Naturists have loved Hanlan’s Point for decades, and since 2002 the beach has been legally clothing optional. The climate keeps beach season short here (usually late May to late September), but Hanlan’s offers lovely sands, clean water, and incredible views of downtown Toronto. 5035819525_8def455a93_z 8450951639_676e17d3bd_z2 Photos by Mardi ReidTerry W. SelfGoldenSkyclad Next up: Australia’s Obelisk
6860408299_891ec0b48c_z Obelisk Beach, Mosman, Australia Only about seven miles from Sydney’s city center, clothing optional Obelisk is just as close as Bondi/North Bondi, and it’s infinitely more tranquil. On the other side of Port Jackson harbor, Lady Jane is another naturist beach that’s popular with local gays, but also with tourist lookie-loos. 6860398273_4166a34245_z 6860403253_cff2e1ac66_z Photos by mcgrayjr AndyCavell Next up: South Africa’s Sandy Bay
Screen-shot-2012-07-02-at-7.25.34-PM Sandy Bay, Cape Town, South Africa It’s a bit tricky to reach (10 miles southwest of central Cape Town, then a 20-minute trek from the car park), but it’s so worth it: The beauty here in one of the area’s last undeveloped coastlines is breathtaking, and its relative remoteness means the atmosphere is extremely low-key. 3246659005_f143abaed4_z Sandy Bay Nudist Beach Cape Town Screen-shot-2012-07-02-at-7.25.10-PM Photos by DrUbLiC & garybembridge Next up: Maui’s Little Beach
3508952296_0fb2070223_b2 Little Beach, Maui True to its name, Little Beach is just over 650 feet long. But it’s one of Hawaii’s few nudity-kosher beaches, and the one most beloved by the gays. Part of Maui’s Makena State Park, Little is separated from Big Beach by a steep lava outcrop created just a couple hundred years ago. Come on Sunday for fire dancing and drum circles. Screen-shot-2012-07-02-at-7.08.58-PM2 4398004718_0bd1b88682_z Photos by zsl_12abragraceimposedminority Next up: Vancouver’s Wreck
GoToVan_edited-1 Wreck Beach, Vancouver The second biggest clothing optional beach in North America, Wreck gets more than 100,000 visitors every year. It’s city-close (even reachable by Vancouver’s bus system), but a steep cliff and nearly 500 steps keep it private. Even more private are the adjacent woods – men are known to get especially friendly here, but this is officially verboten. 5229595825_8807abac95_z Screen-shot-2012-07-10-at-5.05.21-PM Photos by GoToVanMardi Reidbjnudeclub Next up: Rio’s Abricó
2124884630_f1c3aa4cf3_z3 Praia do Abricó, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Located some 25 miles west of Ipanema and Copacabana in the suburban Rio town of Grumari, Praia do Abricó (or Apricot Beach) has been popular with naturists since the 1940s. This is Rio’s official nude beach, but distance keeps the big crowds away, making for a wonderfully peaceful vibe. 88181640_721c1d6ccd_z2 6866623674_d1b5e125b8_z Photos by Portfolio Beto Romacirobess@Claudio Marcon Next up: New Jersey’s Gunnison
beach600 Gunnison Beach, Sandy Hook, New Jersey Nudism is officially illegal in New Jersey, but fortunately Gunnison lies on U.S. land (part of a fort once used to protect New York harbor), allowing it to be the only official naturist beach in the state. Since the 1970s it’s been the New York City area’s favorite clothing-free beach. 55 miles separate it from downtown Manhattan by land, but a twice-daily ferry runs in summer, making it just a 30-minute trip to nearby Atlantic Highlands Marina. 200768094_2ad8526750_z Photo 3 by Sister72
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