A recent poll on high-end travel website Hideaways.com asked 143 discerning travelers if they are likely to shed their inhibitions--and their clothing--while on vacation. For 89%, the answer is yes: of those, 60% say they'll join right in at a clothes-optional beach, and 29% say they'll work on an all-over tan in private.
Another 9% say they'll go to a clothes-optional beach but won't be seen in the buff themselves, and only 2% say they avoid clothes-optional beaches and won't even skinny-dip in private.
Hideaways.com conducted a similar poll in 2004. At that time, 79% said they'd shed their clothing while on vacation, while 21% said they'd never reveal it all when they travel. Why the dwindling inhibitions? "Perhaps the health message that we all need more Vitamin D is catching on, or people have even more incentive to travel light, what with the airlines charging for checked baggage," says Mike Thiel, President/Founder of Hideaways InternationalTM, Inc. "Or maybe global warming is making it just too hot for clothes."
Hideaways International's Top 9 Places to (Tastefully) Take It All Off
Very Private Pool Villas at Villa Resorts
1. Hotel Punta Islita, Costa Rica
2. Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
3. Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh, Egypt
Very Private Vacation Homes with Pools
4. Hale Makai, Hawaii
5. Tuscan Arches, Italy
6. Reef Watch, St. Croix
Public Nude/Topless Beaches
7. Paradise Beach, Mykonos, Greece (stay at Santa Marina Resort & Villas)
8. Orient Beach, St. Martin (stay at Esmeralda or Alamanda)
9. Any Beach on the Riviera (stay at Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France)
"Here's the skinny on clothes-optional vacations: They absolutely can be sophisticated and refined," says Thiel. "It all depends on where you go!"
About Mike Thiel
Mike Thiel founded Hideaways International in 1979. Over the last three decades, he has traveled the world sampling its best lodgings and travel experiences, and has become a sought-after guest on radio and television news and talk shows across the country.
To arrange an interview with Mike Thiel, contact Gail Richard at 603-430-4433, ext. 112, or pr@hideaways.com.
About Hideaways International
Hideaways International, Inc., which operates the Hideaways Aficionado® Club, has been seeking the best-of-kind and the out-of-the-ordinary for its savvy, discerning, and well-traveled members for more than three decades. Members, who hail from around the world, range from notable celebrities, musicians, publishers, authors, captains of industry, and politicians to ordinary folks with extraordinary taste. All are part of this lively community with a passion for travel away from the madding crowds.
For more information, visit Hideaways.com or contact Gail Richard at 603-430-4433, ext. 112, or pr@hideaways.com.
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