List of social nudity places in Asia

This is a list of social nudity places in Asia for recreation. Includes free beaches (or clothing-optional beaches or nude beaches) and some resorts. All the contents provided here are subjected to a personal view and cannot be considered as a fact.

China

• Dadonghai Beach, north end, in Sanya, Hainan Island. This free beach is reportedly China's only naturist site and quite public and touristy where some 500 Chinese and a few European nudists congregate here everyday (as observed in Feb 2012). Nudity at the beach was banned starting in February 2014.^[1][2]
• De facto nudist beaches or camps. While there are no officially designated nudist beaches in China as of 2016, there are numerous de facto nudist, or clothing-optional, beaches across the country. Wherever there are rivers, lakes, reservoirs and seas conducive to swimming and there is a town around or nearby with a measurable population, there is almost surely one or more such beaches that are relatively secluded or otherwise outside of the easy eyeshot of crowds. There are often dozens, up to hundreds during the speak swimming season, of people, usually men only, swimming or sunbathe in the nude. Some people, especially those who are retired, spend considerable time at such beaches, and they play chess or cards, practice gymnastics, yoga, or even jogging, in addition to swimming and sunbathing. A certain percentage of these people swim all the year round, meaning they break the frozen rivers or lakes and ice-swim in winter in northern enough places. The law is not concerned with such practices.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, 10 km West from Airport, y.2006.

Kau Ling Chung beach.

Hong Kong does not officially allow nude or topless bathing, and most local bathers are quite conservative in their beach dress (e.g. many women wear T-shirts over swimsuits). Nevertheless, more remote parts of Hong Kong's extensive coastline do offer opportunities for nudity:

• At least one naturist organization in the territory arranges weekend boat trips to the more remote parts of Sai Kung Country Park in the New Territories.
• Unofficial nudist beaches reportedly exist on Lantau Island.
• Tai Long Wan beach on the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula is sometimes used by naturists.
• Historically, nudists gathered at Sha Tin in the 1930s and Wok Tai Wan on Tsing Yi Island, from the late 1930s to the 1950s.
• Power Station Beach on Lamma Island is reported to be used for nude night swimming at times.
• South Bay Beach near Repulse Bay. Some report that the beach is frequently used by groups of expatriate women for nude sunbathing [unconfirmed]. South Bay and neighboring Middle Bay see occasional topless use by women.
• Kau Ling Chung beach (狗嶺涌營地) - east of Fan Lau beach and due west of the obelisk is used by naturists. It is a remote location, usually empty except for the naturists.

India

Naga mystics

• Among the Hindu religious sects, only the sect known as Naga sadhu can be seen nude. These Sadhus usually wear a loin cloth around their waist, but not always. They usually remain in their Akhara, deep forest or isolation and come out in public only once every sixth year during Ardha Kumbh and Kumbha Mela. The Naga sadhus are prominent at Kumbha Mela and may not wear any clothes even in severe winter.
• Private beaches in Goa sometimes experience nude tourists, but it is prohibited. Violators are fined and arrested.

Indonesia

• Bali au Naturel (Singaraja)^[3]
• Laki Uma Villa (Denpasar)^[4]

Israel

• Neve Midbar Beach by the Dead Sea, one of the best nudist places in Israel, is located along the shore of the Dead Sea.^[5] During good, not too hot weather, especially on Saturdays, many nudists gather in this beach to celebrate life. To get to the nude beach, one should enter the reception gate. Turning right with the road, the nude beach is about 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the entry after the hill.
• Metsoke Dragot Beach by the Dead Sea, located 31°34′46″N 35°24′46″E / 31.579451°N 35.412648°E / 31.579451; 35.412648 an oasis in the dead sea where a couple of sweet water springs pour into the Dead Sea. This is a natural beach and there are no facilities, but the sweet water springs can be used for shower after a dip in the dead sea.^[6]
• Twice a year, in June and September, a mostly-young naturist festival is held in Israel, featuring a lot of parties, music, spiritual lessons, and more. This event takes place not far from Eilat on road number 40, at a place called "Desert Ashram".^[7]

Japan

• Some public hot spring baths in Japan allow mixed gender nudity, particularly those in rural locations and where permitted by prefectural law. Related Japanese terms include: onsen for hot spring; konyoku for mixed gender bath; and sentō for a type of public bath, but gender separated.
• Japan does not officially allow nudity in any public areas other than baths, although there are nudist groups that gather in designated places in the country. Most groups only allow couples and single women, due to the overpopulation of single men.

Kyrgyzstan

The village of Kaji-Say has a beach with a section for nudists^[8]

Malaysia

Public nudity is illegal in Malaysia and people who practise public nudity are prosecuted. In May 2014, a group of slightly more than a dozen people attended what was called the Penang International Nude Games 2014 on a secluded beach of Telok Bahang in Penang. A video of the event taken and uploaded on vimeo by one Albert Yam Kam Hoong who was himself a participant and co-organiser of the Nude Games in Penang subsequently went viral. This resulted in a huge outcry in Malaysia with Muslim groups filing police reports. Ten of the participants including Yam surrendered themselves to the police. They were charged in Court in early August 2014 and Yam together with 5 other accused persons pleaded guilty to a charge of having committed an obscene act in public thereby causing annoyance to others. They were each sentenced to a month's jail and a fine of RM5,000.00. Four others claimed trial and a mention date was fixed on 16 October 2014. Yam was additionally given a 6-month jail sentence for producing obscene video clips.^[9]

Nepal

While apparently not illegal in Nepal, like much of south Asia, public nudity is culturally not acceptable. The government agency in charge of mountaineering permits says this is one of its challenges – trying to curb the tendency of some tourists to disrespect their local cultural sensitivity by exhibiting themselves during hikes, especially because of the religious significance of some of the locations involved.^[10]

Philippines

• China Sea Island in Boayan Island, Philippines^[11]
• Fridays Island in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines^[12][13]
• Freedom Beach in Boracay is a nude beach that can only be reached by boat.

Singapore

• Public nudity in Singapore is illegal. Laws and rules are very strict and fines are punitive. Therefore, Singapore nudists are very conservative and closeted.^[14]
• Fort Road beach as an unofficial nude beach went down in history and was well-known to nudists around the world. In 2008, it gave way to development of an underground expressway and Gardens by the Bay.

South Korea

• Nude forest bathing is a well known traditional legalized nudism for well-being in Korea, where nudists are allowed to walk through the trees in the park naked. Famous legal place include Jangheung County in South Jeolla Province, South Korea.
• Public baths (Jjimjilbang) are also widespread and nude communal bathing is normal, although nudity is not permitted in unisex areas.
• The Korean Government (Jeju Province) reviewed their opening of his first nude beaches i.e. Jungmun Beach and Hamdeok Beach in Jeju Island.

Thailand

It is possible to do nude hiking at Khao Yai National Park

• Thailand has one of the fastest growing naturist/nudist organization with over 1400 members as of August 2013. The Naturist Association Thailand Co., Ltd. (NAT), founded in 2007, has information on resorts, beaches, cruises, monthly meetings and other nudism-related activities.^[15] It is free to join and membership is open to families and single persons. NAT promotes a lifestyle of health and wellness for people who enjoy clothing-optional recreation in Thailand. Their concept is based on the well-known positive effect of naturism on stress and tensions, and its boosting effect on self-respect and positive body image. The organization promotes naturism in the country, organizes health and wellness holidays, and fitness weekends for members of all ages with or without children. They are always looking for new resorts to include in their roster of resorts that would enjoy the benefits of naturist tourism.
• There are clothing-optional resorts and beaches that local nudists frequent, as well as host regularly scheduled monthly meetings. Chan Resort and Oriental Village in Chiang Mai and Lemon Tree Resort in Phuket are examples and they are member resorts of Naturist Association Thailand.^[16][17]
• Recently, more resorts in Chiang Mai and south of Hua Hin are being designated as clothing-optional or nudist resorts.
• Khao Yai National Park. For those who love to do hiking in nude, the activity is possible at the national park. Overnight accommodations available for nudists are at a naturist-friendly resort near the Park or camping out in the jungle.

Vietnam

• Gia Long Waterfall in Krông Ana District, Đắk Lắk Province.^[18]

References