...without the lifestyle crowd. That is a major turnoff. We love Club O but wanted to try something else in the Caribbean. I realize there is probably nothing that compares to it. Been to Jamaica a few times (Couples Resorts) so that doesn't really interest us.

That is a tough question. Everyone has a different expectation. We found that for our money we prefer Mexico.
Caribbean Mexico has a few opportunities.

There are many posts about Hidden Beach on this forum.

Mak Nuk in Tulum is up and running.

Playa Sonrisa has a very caribbean vibe. Takes a few extra hours to get to Xcalak but it is definitely worth it!

I would agree whole-heartedly with Bug...We've been up and down the Riviera Maya in Mexico over the last six years and have settled on Playa Sonrisa as our "go to" destination. We had the chance to preview Mak Nuk last March and will be including it as a viable alternate when we want a change of pace...they are very different, but we love them both. Here's a link to a trip report that covered both Mak Nuk & Playa Sonrisa.

I'm not really that either one of them really qualify as a 'resort', do you they? And fairly difficult to get to...

Well, if you rule out lifestyle and Jamaica, I'm thinking you'll need to expand the concept of "resort". <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" /> That's why I linked the report, you can get a pretty good idea of what these places are, and are not.

Agreed, it is difficult if you eliminate Jamaica and lifestyle. Caliente Caribe is physically one of the most beautiful c/o spots we've ever been to, but it's hard to know whether there will be lifestylers there. It is an option though.

We enjoyed N Resort in Jamaica and were not aware of life stylers while there.

The OP said they weren't interested in Jamaica, which lets out most of the nude resorts.

Hadn't logged in. I was reading it more as " not interested in Couples Resorts".

Ok, could be. I guess it could be read either way. If the OP isn't eliminating JA altogether, there are more choices, for sure.

The only difficulty is mostly a function of time and distance from CUN.

If you really want to get technical, Playa Sonrisa would be a bed and breakfast on the beach.

Mak Nuk is a brand new Condo Hotel.

Agreed, but it's a long time and distance. We generally only go for a week at a time and spending a whole, very long day to get to the destination wouldn't really make it worthwhile to me, personally.

I don't know that I would judge Jamaica just on the basis of Couples resorts. We were just at the Grand Lido. The clothing optional section there was very popular. The nude beach at Couples next door never had a single person on it.

Jamaica:

If you want a true nudist resort, go to N. You can take off your clothes when you get there and not put them back on until you leave. There are not many places quite like that.

Grand Lido has a clothing optional section. You can be nude there all day, but you'll have to dress for dinner elsewhere in the resort. That may change next year, we'll see.

Of course, you know about the Couples resorts. We're not lifestyle at all, but we have had a great time at Hedonism II (and III before it passed on to the great beyond).

Firefly in Negril has a nude beach, but we won't return to it.

Mexico:

Hidden Beach seems to be the great spot. We have yet to go. They tend to be pretty expensive, though they had a Groupon recently that we would have done had be not been scheduled for something else.

Punta Serena has a nude beach. Never been to that one.

Others:

Look at Paya Bay in Roatan. They have naturist weeks (only about 40 weeks a year, though ). You can be nude everywhere except the restaurant and the main beach, but the other beach is wonderful.

Costa Rica has some nude resorts, but they are appealing to the lifestyle community mostly.

Club O is not the only place in St. Martin. Have you looked at Club Fantastico?

Sorry for the confusion. We've been to Couples a few times. We liked it ok but prefer the freedom in St. Martin to explore...not so safe in Jamaica (please don't try to convince me otherwise). Plus I want to be nude 24/7 and have a comfortable wife. Neither of us want to be bothered by lifestylers. The place in Tulum looks very nice although I wish it was on the beach. Glad to see they are getting access to a c/o beach though. The other place is just too far away for me.

Not so safe in St.Martin either. I don't think there is anywhere in the Caribbean that is completely safe including Mexico.
In St. Martin people were being attacked in their rooms at the resorts. That is what I have read on this site. I don't know of anyone being attacked at a Couples resort. Off the resort you are on your own. Not trying to convince you of anything. Just stating facts.

It doesn't qualify as being nude 24/7, if you go out to explore the island, but what about the concept of a private villa with it's own pool? You could do that on most any island. These days, when you eliminate JA and eliminate anyplace with lifestylers, there's not much left. There is Hawksbill in Antigua. As far as I know, they still have a nude beach there but it is a beach ONLY, no nudity otherwise in the resort.

This is true. But the place is a dump. It needs a lot of work. I loved the idea of never having to worry about clothes at 'N'. But I kept comparing it to Couples and there was just NO COMPARISON. I found myself wanting more at 'N' resort.
If you just want to be nude and are easily satisfied, 'N' is your place. If you want a QUALITY RESORT and a place to be naked on the beach. Couples is it.

I compare the Old Grand Lido Negril as I do to the N resort. They are both dumps, but if you are easily satified and on a tight budget, go for either one. Just don't expect much.

You are absolutely correct. Actually, there is nothing left.
It just does not exist.

I love Orient Beach and the ability to freely go around the island, at least during the day, and safely to GC for dinner. We did feel safe while on the premises at the Couples Resorts but my wife wanted to try somewhere else other than JA or SXM. I like to be nude while at the "resort" and only want to get dressed while out exploring or going out to eat off the premises. Wife likes to wear a pareo when not by the pool or beach. Sorry for the narrow range of options but just looking for different suggestions. Thanks.

It's your vacation, you should be able to enjoy it. Maybe you should consider as I said, a private villa. What about a nude sailing charter?

Their website has a day-by-day calendar showing planned events (mainly lifestyle group trips). See here.

Wow, it appears that there are almost no weeks available there, unless you want to be part of one of those groups. They seem to be almost exclusively doing that. I wonder what their occupancy level is now? It has never been very high.

Private villas may be the best way to go. We definitely enjoyed the semi-private pools at Esmeralda for nude use. And yes...I finally got a profile!

A private villa opens up almost every island for nude use, although of course there are few places with nude beaches, public ones, anyway.

Why not go farther afield? Cap dAgde, maybe?

The tales that I have heard regarding Cap after dark in particular makes me PERSONALLY not interested at all in going there.

Cap d'Agde is certainly rather different, but there are some excellent naturist resort areas in that part of the world - Leucate naturist village in France and, a bit further south, Vera Playa in Spain. Both nice, family-friendly, relaxed places. We've been to both, and loved them.

Cap d'Agde thread here.

How far are Mak Nuk and Playa Sonrisa from the Cancun airport?

Mak Nuk is in Tulum, It's about 2 - 2.5 hours from CUN
Playa Sonrisa is in Xcalak, 5.5 hours from CUN
Safe and easy. Nice road most of the way.

A strong vote here for Club Fantastico on St Martin. We only wore clothes for the 5 minute drive between the villa and the Club O beach -- and even that your wife could manage with a sheer pareo. Guys wouldn't have to take anything but a towel to sit on, now that I think on it.

Club Fantastico has wonderfully comfortable rooms, a great outside bar, pool and hot tub and marvelous outdoor showers. Depending on the time of year you can have a breakfast plan or all-inclusive and you will be hard pressed to meet nicer hosts than Chloe & Thierry who run the place.

Oh, and don't let the name put you off. It might suggest a cheesy 70s swingers club but it's just that the Italian-American owner thinks the place is simply fantastico! and I have to agree.

Big Mac Iain...sure do miss your daily reports! Have you adjusted to the Canadian end of summer?

You may miss reading them but I miss writing them more! As far as the end of Summer is concerned, I'm in denial. Our backyard is pretty secluded so whenever the sun is out, I'm out with it, keeping the tan lines filled in.

That's exactly what we do. Isn't every warm, sunny day Naked Gardening Day?

Not too sure about that, Jenny. Naked Mojito Day, maybe.