Throw all caution – and clothing – to the wind and hang loose (literally) at these top places in Israel to be in the buff. We’ve weighed the pros and cons of where to slink down to our skivvies and less, and these four prime places made the cut.
Don’t be a prude, go nude!
1. Working Those Beach Balls
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Pro: You won’t have to worry about uneven tanning.
Con: Getting sand where you really don’t want it.
While Ga’ash Beach is more of an ‘unkept’ secret, it still retains its charm. Located just north of Tel Aviv, the beach is named after the nearby Kibbutz. Ga’ash North is mostly a gay beach, paralleled with Ga’ash South, which does not specify. During any given summer weekend, you may find close to 50 naturists showing off their stuff. Looking for a skinny dip with a more ballsy adventure? Arsuf’s small nudist beach is popular among nudists due to its remoteness.
2. Mooning by Moonlight
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Pro: The moonlight gives your skin that extra glow.
Con: You aren’t the only creatures of the night enjoying the serene desert.
While no places are officially recognized as clothing-optional in the Dead Sea (yet), summertime in and around the area can inspire a different kind of naturist activity: moonlight nature walks. By day, the Dead Sea’s natural desert spots are packed with tourists, AND their kids. However, when the summer sun sets and the tourists retreat, these areas become serene, beautiful and perfectly warm. Wait for those 4-5 nights per month when the moon is (nearly) full.
3. Full Frontal Festival
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Pro: Desert Ashram is a 100% judgment-free zone.
Con: You can’t control what swings about.
Deciding what to pack for a festival can be tricky, but at Pashut Festival you won’t need much. Set in the middle of nowhere, Desert Ashram hosts one of Israel’s main naturist festivals, where people are encouraged to let go of layers of fear and shame, shed their clothes and simply BE.
There’s the usual workshops, dancing, meditation and mingling, with the main difference being that everyone is in their birthday suits.
June 4. Pashut Festival, Ashram Bemidbar (desertashram.co.il)
4. The Chunky Dunk
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Pro: Bathing in your birthday suit. Enough said.
Con: Greater surface area exposure to jellyfish and those little fish that nip at your legs (and other appendages).
Whatever size, shape or form, Tel Aviv Naked Swim is the perfect reason to strip down to your skivvies and skinny- dip or chunky-dunk (skinny- dipping for the not-so-skinny) in the Mediterranean. This event is so secretive that in order to find out its location and details, you must join their Facebook group and privately message the organizer. Do just that and you might discover yourself all over again.
Facebook group: NAKEDSWIMTELAVIV