10 Best Au Naturel Beaches In The Caribbean: Bye, Tanlines!

If you are looking to return from vacation in the Caribbean with only memories and not tan lines, then an au naturel beach is what you are looking for. While many beaches in the Caribbean might inspire you to leave your skivvies behind, not all will be as happy to welcome you in your birthday suit.

Where are some nude beaches in the Caribbean?

The best au naturel beaches in the Caribbean are:

Grand Saline Beach and Anse du Gouverneur, St Barths
Orient Bay Beach, St Maarten
Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort and Spa, Jamaica
Pointe Tarare, Guadeloupe
Couples Tower Isle, Jamaica
Seven Mile Beach, Jamaica
Hawksbill Bay, Antigua
Booby Cay Island, Jamaica
Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica
Hedonism II Resort, Jamaica

Bonus Au Naturel Experience: Nude Sailing

We have compiled a list of which sandy shores are the most welcoming to the au naturel lifestyle. Some are located on resorts where maximum privacy is observed, while others are public beaches with the freeing tradition of baring some extra skin at the beach.

We’ve consulted with fellow free spirits and Caribbean island beach guides to bring you the best options for clothes optional sunbathing on your next trip to the West Indies.

The Best Au Naturel Beaches In The Caribbean

Tips For Au Naturel Beaches

Heading to an au naturel beach requires some finesse. Some of the clothes-optional beaches are public, some are private, some are low-key, and some are anything but. Your experience may vary from a rugged secluded cove that takes a short hike to find or an all-inclusive resort that has au naturel pool areas and private clothes optional beaches.

The Caribbean hosts some of the finest beaches in the world to sunbathe nude, but in all cases, you should know how to do so comfortably and safely.

Make sure you are comfortable on any beach you visit before letting your guard down. Check out visitor reviews before going.
Check the individual policies of each beach or resort before going. Some au naturel beaches cater to the party set and are nudist mandatory while others are more casual and topless sunbathing is the norm.
Photography is a faux pas on nudist beaches without explicit permission- it can make others uncomfortable and you an unwelcome visitor.
Don’t forget the sunscreen! The rays are strong in the Caribbean

1. Grand Saline Beach and Anse du Gouverneur, St Barths

Truthfully, nude sunbathing is not uncommon on most beaches in St Barths. Grand Saline Beach and Anse du Gouveneur are two beaches next to each other on the Southern end of St Barths that are remote but public and commonly frequented by Europeans who won’t blink an eye if you are nude or semi-clothed.

They are both located in a secluded spot with no hotels, restaurants, or public bathrooms nearby.

Grand Saline Beach feels remote and secluded and is perfect for intimate naturist who wants more privacy. It has a coral garden off the left side of the beach that is great for snorkeling.

Anse du Gouverneur is a crescent-shaped cove not far from Grand Saline Beach and boasts “swimming pool clear“ waters and is also often uncrowded. There is a legend that there was a pirate’s treasure left on this beach long ago!

2. Orient Bay Beach, St Maarten

Like St Barths, it is not uncommon to find people sunbathing topless on the beaches in St Maarten, however here, it is slightly stepped up a notch, and you’ll find that most people also feel comfortable walking around completely nude on many of the beaches.

Orient Bay Beach is located in front of the French West Indies’ forty-year-old Orient Club, a private establishment on the ultra-luxe south side of the island. Club Orient is a family nudist resort where you can expand your au naturel activities to include nude yoga, the club swimming pool, and also some of the restaurants.

Naturists worldwide come to this beach and club to stay in the oceanfront or garden bungalows and partake in the many au naturel activities arranged for the guests.

3. Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort and Spa, Jamaica

Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort and Spa on the Northwest coast of Jamaica. Sitting in one of the liveliest areas of Jamaica, Montego Bay, it is a popular destination for au naturel travelers.

This is a clothing-optional resort where dress codes are strictly enforced on parts of the property but not on the adults-only beach and pool areas, where topless sunbathing is the norm. Besides the property itself, there is an adults-only cove where total nudity is allowed and encouraged.

Their atmosphere here is more low-key than some of the other clothing-optional resorts in Jamaica, with many families also staying and enjoying kid-friendly features.

4. Pointe Tarare, Guadeloupe

Pointe Tarare Beach in Guadeloupe is a narrow swatch of sand that can be difficult to find but nonetheless is celebrated as the first legally designated nudist beach in the Western Hemisphere. The beach itself is a bit rugged, but many enjoy swimming in the calm waters.

It is naturally scheduled and helped in part by its lack of shade, is perfect for au naturel sunbathing. This beach is popular with the French and is formally recognized by the French Naturists Association.

5. Couples Tower Isle, Jamaica

Couples Tower Isle is one of four Couples Resorts in Jamaica of which all have clothing-optional beach areas. Tower Isle, or as the locals call it “Nude Island”, is a small island that is located just a short boat ride from the resort.

The island comes fully equipped to spend the day au naturel with fellow open-minded travelers, including a pool with a swim-up bar, gazebos for lounging, and a small beach. This island is more “clothing prohibited” than “clothing optional” as it is known to mainly serve the naturist community.

6. Seven Mile Beach, Jamaica

Topless sunbathing is the norm at Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica. This stretch of beach is home to the Hedonism Resorts, which are quite a bit more spirited than some of the more laidback au naturel beaches found on other parts of the island.

This beach’s powdery white sands and crystal blue shallow calm waters make a perfect setting if you are new to an au natural beach setting. Grand Lido Resort is highly suggested for new naturists as it has a private stretch of beach perfect for getting accustomed to nude sunbathing.

7. Hawksbill Bay, Antigua

Hawksbill Bay is the only nudist beach in Antigua. The beach itself is divided and has a designated section for au naturel sunbathing. It features powder-soft sand, and palm tree-fringed shorelines and boasts excellent snorkeling conditions.

The portion of the beach designated for nude sunbathing is located on the adults-only property of Hawksbill Bay By Rex Resorts where the staff is known to be laid back and polite. It is perfect for guests who are new to the natural lifestyle as the beach is generally tranquil and not crowded.

8. Booby Cay Island, Jamaica

Contrary to what one may think, this island’s name came from the local Booby seabird that frequents its shores. Booby Cay also called “Gilligan’s Island” is easily located by water taxi or ferry from Negril.

Full nudity is celebrated on Booby Cay, although not everyone partakes. It is in close proximity to many au naturel properties such as Catcha Falling Star Resort and Sandals Negril, and many of these guests make their way over for a day on Booby Cay.

There are not many amenities on the beach itself, but the snorkeling is great, and restaurants are just a glass-bottom boat ride away.

9. Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica

The Grand Bahia Principe Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, is located in front of one of Jamaica’s most low-key private nude beaches, Grand Bahia Beach.

This beach is fenced off and separate from the clothing mandatory beach nearby, making it very quiet and casual. Though it doesn’t have the party vibe of some of Negril’s au naturel beaches, there is a bar on the beach just outside the fence.

The beach itself is a small swath of sand with a pebbly entrance to the water. “Playa Nudista” is more about privacy and sunbathing than rollicking in the waves, as they are few and far between on this quiet shore.

10. Hedonism II Resort, Jamaica

No top ten list about au naturel beaches would be complete with mention of one of the most famous clothing-optional resorts in the world: Hedonism II in Negril, Jamaica. The resort grounds are tropically landscaped, making for the perfect place to host the many parties that have become famous over the years for hosting international travelers on clothing-optional vacations.

This property has its own private beach where you would likely look out of place with any shred of fabric on your body. In fact, nudity is required on the nude side of the resort. Hedonism, like its counterparts, is all-inclusive, which is a welcome bonus because, after all, where would you keep your change?

Bonus: Au Naturel Caribbean Recommendation: Nude Sailing

If you’d like to set sail from the clothing-optional beaches for the day and feel the breeze in a very real way, several charter boats cater to the naturist crowd in the Caribbean as well.

Sail Nude offers a variety of custom charters around the Caribbean Islands and will be launching a 50ft luxury catamaran featuring gourmet food and customized adventures for the free-spirited starting in the Summer of 2022.

Castaways Travel also charters various au naturel cruises around Jamaica, Aruba, and other ports during different seasons in the Caribbean. Its most famous offering is the Bliss Cruise, an adults-only experience with offerest naturist adventures, entertainment, and food while cruising the Caribbean.