SA ranked as one of the top destinations for skinny dippers across the world, study finds
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EXPOSED: Sandy Bay Beach has long been known as an unofficial naturist beach but the lack of official recognition and the protective laws that come with it has seen a major decline in the number of beachgoers. reporter: KowtharSolomons. Picture : Jason Boud.
Johannesburg - South Africa has been ranked as one of the top destinations for skinny dippers across the world.
Last week, MyDatingAdviser.com released its top skinny dipping destinations in the world, and South Africa features prominently on the list, with some of the best locations.
To determine the best locations, MyDatingAdviser compared 100 nude beaches across the globe to determine the best places to enjoy a skinny dip. They then ranked the top skinny dipping locations in South Africa.
This study considered the beach quality, safety, weather and lodging.
This was across seven key metrics of skinny dipping friendliness: pollution, Blue Flag status, weather, air temperature, water temperature, safety, and hotel cost.
Each location has been given a “Skinny DIpping Index Score” using the data points. This represents the quality of the skinny dipping experience you could have at the location.
The five best nude beaches in the world included Lokrum Island in Croatia (a small uninhabited island) which was voted as the best skinny dipping location globally.
Spiaggia Della Lecciona in Italy, a famous gay nude beach was next on the list, followed by Maslin Beach, Australia’s first official nude beach with rugged cliffs and views.
The Washougal River in Washington State is the top location in the US, with picnic rocks and flowing streams, and Praia de Galhet, in Brazil, made the top five with its white sand beaches and a naturally preserved area.
The top five skinny dipping locations in South Africa Mpenjati Nature Reserve, Palm Beach in Port Edward, the Otter Trail in the Tsitsikamma National Park, Jonkershoek Tweede Waterval in Stellenbosch, Sardinia Bay in Gqeberha and Sandy Bay in Cape Town.
The Mpenjati Nature Reserve is on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, 20km south of the popular holiday destination of Margate.
The beautiful reserve lies around the Mpenjati River Lagoon and extends 500m seawards, protecting the unique fossils.
The Otter trail is the oldest and undoubtedly the most iconic hiking trail in South Africa. The trail, which runs along the spectacular coastline between the Storms River mouth and Nature’s Valley, was opened in 1968 and is considered one of the finest multiday trails in the world. It is named after the shy, mostly nocturnal Cape Clawless Otter, which inhabits the estuaries and streams of the South African coast.
The Jonkershoek Nature Reserve is just outside the town of Stellenbosch, in a valley lined by the Stellenbosch mountain range on the one side and the Hottentots-Holland mountains on the other. This is a relatively easy hike and is family-friendly. Cape Nature runs the reserve, and a permit is required in order to gain access.
Sardinia Bay, which lies between Schoenmakerskop and Seaview, is accessed by travelling to the start of the trail in Schoenmakerskop. This popular beach has picnic facilities and is regarded as one of the best walking beaches, with miles of unspoilt coastline. Fishing is not permitted as the coast has been declared a Marine Reserve, but snorkelling and scuba-diving are popular. Sardinia Bay is the starting point of the popular 8km Sacramento hiking trail. It has some of the best spots to enjoy the sunset.
In the Twelve Apostles Mountain range valley, naughties and naturalists go nude and free at Sandy Bay Beach. This is South Africa's only nudist beach, situated just south of Llandudno and shielded from sight by Hout Bay sand dunes.
Tips for having a fun time skinny dipping:
1. Be respectful and have discretion. Try not to traumatise any kids. We agree the human body is beautiful, but give people the opportunity not to look at you if they don’t want to.
2. Don’t forget sunscreen and bug spray. You don’t want to get sunburn in that spot that usually doesn’t see the light of day.
3. Don’t skinny dip drunk. A little liquid courage could help you get naked. But if you are drunk, swimming isn’t safe and could land you in a dangerous situation.
4. Beware of leeches. With a bathing suit, they are one thing, and when you are stark naked, they are quite another.
5. Make sure your friends are comfortable. If everyone is happy to strip down, then go for it.
6. Keep your eyes on people’s faces. Interact as you usually would and keep physical contact to a minimum.
7. No photos. If only celebrities and politicians could learn this too.
8. It’s not a big deal. Get over yourself and have fun. Remember that not even swimsuit models look like that in real life. Relax and enjoy being naked.