Nudist Beaches in Mexico

The acceptance of these tourist areas began in the 70's, and they have become very popular in some areas of the United States and Europe. In most public places nudity can get you arrested or impose you a hefty fine, but not in these spaces. It should be noted that there are two kinds of nudist beaches: In the first, nudity is allowed, but not mandatory; in the second kind, it is a requirement.


Although there are some nudist associations, you don't need to be a member to attend; in fact many of the visitors are only motivated by curiosity and the desire to find other free spirited people, or simply to get a full tan. It should be noted that there are places in our country are open and have no restrictions on preferences, ages (although some restrict access to minors) or ethnic origin, the only rules are to respect other visitors, not to take photos or video in any form, and not to stare at other people. Even so, it is recommended to visit only if one is tolerant and open minded.


There are approximately 20 nude beaches in several Mexican states and located in isolated areas (as to not disturb others and to stay away from the curious or intolerant). Besides the places mentioned below, there are nude beaches in Guerrero, Nayarit, Michoacán and Jalisco.


The most widely known nudist beach is Zipolite. Located in western Oaxaca (about 2 miles from Puerto Angel), its main attractions are its warm water and good weather (just avoid the hurricane season!) however it becomes very crowded in holiday seasons such as Spring Break. The area has affordable hotels (in the lower seasons there are cabins starting at $300 pesos per night), where you can practice surfing too. Oaxaca is also home to the so-called “Love Beach” (also located near Puerto Angel) which has clear waters and is surrounded by cliffs. Here you can also scuba-dive and practice fishing. Located in the bays of Huatulco and on a completely different environment, we find Yerbabuena beach, visited by camping couples with access only by boat.


Theoretically, Baja California Sur is the state with the greatest amount of nudist beaches. I say theoretically because some of these places are kept “underground” and others are private. The list includes areas of Isla Coronado, Ensenada Blanca, Playa Balandra (along Highway 11, just over 12 miles from La Paz) and Nopoló. On the latter it should be noted that the local hotel (first class) only allows access to adult couples and is located near Loreto. Other examples are San Pedro Beach 35 miles north of Cabo San Lucas on Highway 19, which is also called Playa de las Palmas. There is also Cerritos Beach, halfway between Los Cabos and Todos los Santos.


The Riviera Maya also has a couple of nudist beaches. Among them we have Naturel beach, which is a small town 70 miles away from the airport. There are chalets and cabins (up to 2 stories high) with all the amenities, but as in Quintana Roo, the prices are slightly high. Since late 2010 some travel agencies have tried to promote certain areas of Isla Mujeres as naturism havens, mainly for the yacht or cruise visitors. So, if you are a person with a free and adventurous spirit, a visit to a nudist beach can be a good choice when you travel to Mexico!



Article produced by the Editorial Team of "Explorando Mexico".
Copyright Explorando México, All rights reserved.
Photo: Kevin Hutchinson