This board has gotten somewhat inactive lately... I'll try and liven things up a little by asking a two pronged question:
1: What is your favorite "domestic" (in your own country) naturist resort and why?
2: What is your favorite "foreign" (in a different country) naturist resort and why?

Let the comments begin!

PS: it is OK to list more than one in each category as long as you rank order them 1, 2, 3, etc. and give your reasons for each. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Ok, I will play along

Domestic:
If staying in condo/room then Mira Vista
If staying in motorhome then Cypress Cove

Foreign:
Have only been to Hidden beach in Mexico. Beach sucked but service was superb.

Cypress Cove and Club Orient (have no experience with HB or Europe, would like to try same if someone would like to underwrite a travel guide ;-)

Hey Bill, does it have to be a resort still open as a naturist resort??? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> Foreign---Grand Lido Braco, best nude resort EVER.. 24 hour room service, great beach, spectacular pool and hot tub, great food and service! For beauty, Eden Bay, now Caliente Caribe, now no longer taking individual bookings??? What a beautiful, spectacular spot! For the best nude beach in the world, Club Orient, which isn't much of a 'resort' per se, but the beach is the best and St. Martin is the best place in the world!

Domestic--Avalon! Best people in the world and the only nude casino that I know of!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />

OK Bill, here you go…

Domestic
Here in Ontario, The Ponderosa, a.k.a "The Pond". Good facilities in the summer, great theme dances, large conversation pool with swim up bar. Not much competition within driving distance though.

Foreign
Ok, I think it is a little unfair to compare U.S. and Caribbean facilities so I will categorize them separately.

Caribbean
1. Hedonism II, Jamaica. Great party place, 24-7 if you wish and nearly no restrictions on fun (OK, so you can't be nude in the front lobby lol), all-inclusive is very good. Downside, the beach is not great.
2. Club Orient, St. Martin. Great beach. Can be a bit quiet and laid back in the evening.
N.B. both resorts are frequently by very friendly fun-loving people

U.S.
This one is a dead heat…
1. Avalon, West Virginia. Excellent indoor facilities, Restaurant, Nudesino, bar, pool table, large indoor pool and 2 hot tubs so weather isn't necessarily a factor.
1. BillS's house, not a resort but can seem like one at times! Unsurpassable hospitality and again in both cases wonderful people.

John <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

John--you're so right about BillS's house! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> I wouldn't mind getting back there one day!

Domestic: The Terra Cotta Inn, Laguna Del Sol (have not visited Mira Vista ... yet)

Foreign: Club Orient ( so far)


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

Domestic:
The Terra Cotta Inn if we are in the west
Cypress Cove Nude Resort if we are in the east

Foreign:
We enjoyed N, but sadly its gone now
Couples San Souci is our back up since N's absence.

We have a long bucket list of resorts we want to visit both domestic and foreign, but work gets in the way of taking lots of time for vacation. Over time we will get to all nude resorts that we are interested in.

Thanks John! Thanks Carol...that can be arranged, lol...

My overseas choice is Club Orient. That is skewed a little by the fact that that is the only non-US c/o resort we have ever been to...so far... What we love about is its relaxed clothing optional ambiance, the beautiful, warm, clear water and long beach, and most importaint the laid back friendly welcoming people we meet there or see yet again when ever we get back.

We also love the ambiance of being in a Caribbean piece of France. The beaches, restaurants, shopping, and food (especially the FOOD) is wonderful! The Jewlery shopping on the Dutch side is also a key part of the adventure.

In the US we have the following rankings and comments:

#1 is Avalon Resort in Paw Paw WV for us. What we love about it is that it is clothing optional, it has the friendliest people in the world, it is run as a resort and not as a restrictive "club", it has great facilities, and it is just a three hour drive from home.

#2 for us is Cypress Cove. It has great facilities and the friendliest people just like Avalon...but set in central Florida. A great laid back place to visit and relax.

#3 is a new addition to our experiences. We visited White Tail in Ivor VA for the first time this summer with a group of friends from Avalon...and it was like finding Avalon transfered from the mountains to the tidewater plain. Great people, great facilities, and once again the laid back no drama atmosphere.

Let the comments and reports continue!

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Some have said naturim is dieing. Based on the number of post on this site vs several years ago I would agree. Cant remember the last time I have seen a trip report on this board. Whats going on?

Domestic- Desert Sun Resort

Intl - Club O

Part of it is "social media", instant gratification and not wanting to bother with having to write "trip reports". That is a big downside of the social media instant thing. You loose a lot later and then people just do not bother. That is a major downside as far as I am concerned, because with the instant messaging, post is that you loose so much about the entire stay that as compared to full trip reports when you get the entire picture.

And sometimes "I believe" people post the instant stuff (good and bad) and then they thik about it later..... opinions change significantly..... but the full report then never comes. What I may think is either great or terrible at the "instant" and what it really is after evaluatiing the entire trip are many time two completely different things.

Just my opinion, but I am not sure the social media instant thing has been a good thing overall. But there are times that it is extremely good. There needs to be a balance and right now that is not the case it seems.

As a part two:

Many times people go to the same place, they "think" well nothing has changed, so why write a report. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Nude/co resorts have been dropping over the last several years. Part of it is/was "I personnally" think was a little bit of greed. Why I say that is because many "ALWAYS" charge a premium for exactly the same accomodations at even the same resort for the c/o option. It gets to the point that is not a good business plan, even though it is completely sustainable at the normal resort prices.

There are tons of people that will pay for the c/o option (and even a premium to some extent), but when you have a 50% to 100% premium????? And why, it is the same cost to do the resort regardless. But they say they loose money because they cannot get regular guest. That is not the case, look at the now defunct Braco or even GL, over 1/2 (more than 1/2 for both Braco and GL) of the resort was textile and less than 1/2 of the resort was c/o. But they charged a huge premium for the c/o side, so much so that many would book the textile side and spend the entire day on the c/o side because of the price differnce on the rooms -- but the service, cost, etc to the resort was the same regardless of which side you staye on.

Just ranting and raving, as it seems at times....... better not go there.

It may be dying but based on crowd at Cypress Cove right now it still has a pulse. Try reserving an rv spot here over the winter, waiting list is what you get. As far as trip reports, I for one am guilty of not posting them every time. Suspect that is true for others. Nice place with great amenities, how many different ways can you say that.

Domestic (Ontario), I would have to say is Bare Oaks, just north of Toronto. Main reason is its proximity to where we live. Farther afield would be Ponderosa.

Foreign would be without a doubt Club Orient.

Favorite for us by far: Club O is #1

2nd: Nothing comes close to #1

My wife and I love Desert Sun, we also loved N resort, to bad it closed. My wife and I are still upset with the closing of Grand Lido Negril it was were we first tried going nude. November we are going to try Cypress Cove and are looking at Club Fantastico for next year.

Domestic: Abbott's Glen
Beautiful property, friendly crowd, good parties on the weekends.

International: When N closed we tried Couples Negril. It's not a nude resort but it has a great nude beach. Hidden Beach is nice but the beach is terrible. I can't justify that price with such a bad beach.

Foreign:
1) La Jenny - France...large resort with heated pools, expansive beach, restaurants, shops, bike trails, and even a golf course! Very family oriented which we prefer.
2) Club O
Domestic...no favorite really. Have only visited Cypress Cove, Star Ranch, Mira Vista, and Paradise Lakes...one time each...and Caliente a few times before they lost their AANR affiliation.

I'm at Desert Sun right now, it's still beautiful and relaxing as ever! Been coming here since 2006.

Cypress Cove is my other favorite. I don't compare the two since DS is adults only and I could take my granddaughter to CC.

Both are great venues and deserve the support of their target audiences.

Someday maybe I'll get to experience an out of the country property.

Foreign – Club O

Domestic (no particular order as we liked them all) – Cypress Cove, Sunny Rest, Caliente, Paradise Lakes, Pine Tree, Sky Farm and Berkshire Vista.

Up coming starting in two days – Desert Sun, Terra Cotta Inn, Deanza Springs, Glen Eden and Mira Vista. I may finally get back to writing a trip report when I return.

Been coast to coast and cypress cove is the best in the u.s.a.

Club orient outside the u.s.a

Pete- you need to write daily ones as they happen or you will forget! Have a great trip!

Domestic (Ontario, Canada): Sandy Bottoms resort
Carribbean: Desire Pearl
International: Village Nauturiste in Cap d'Agde

Domestic-(Local) Avalon WV
(Getaway)Paradise Valley Dawsonville,GA
(Beach) Gunnison Beach Sandy Hook, N.J.
Carribean-(Open) Club Orient
(Closed) Cabanas Copal Tulum,Mexico

What would be your next best choice in Tulum in light of the Cabanas Copal closure?

Last time back in Tulum,did not really look for clothing optional, so can't comment, but my next time to Mexico want to try out Playa Sonrisa down in Xcalak. This year taking advantage of low rate airfare to Martinique which has no official nude beaches, but is hassle free on quiet stretches away from local families. Always respect the locals.

Domestic I would have to break down by east and west coast - the places in CA are might nicer (in general) than the rest of the Country. So East I would go with Cypress where we are associate members (and where we will be next weekend!)

West Coast really like Glen Eden and Laguna Del Sol.

Foreign - Only been to Club O (many years ago) but are considering a trip to The Natural in Curacao where the prices are much lower than the inflated prices we see at CO places in Mexico..

One possible option in Tulum would be Intima. It is located within walking distance to the town and about 20 minutes from the beach.

20 minutes walking to beach?

At least 20 minutes driving.

Over an hour walk.

Google map walking.

That is quite a distance. What is the consensus on Azulik? It appears to be right on the beach and offers c/o.

Very charming. It gets old real fast.


Our opinion, easy now.....

Azulik was our first c/o experience, almost ten years ago. It still has a special place in my psyche. It has always been a bit of an anomaly, however. The pricing and reviews have always been all over the map. They are currently in a major reconstruction and expansion mode....some of which is overdue, but they are stretching (Along with the rest of the Tulum beach front) into a high end "exotic luxury" new age "beautiful people" vibe. None of that bothers me, except the prices and being a middle aged schlubby nudist. It is clothing optional, but nudity is not prevalent. We stayed there last February for a few nights and enjoyed it, but for us, it's not what I would call a naturist resort at all. We'll be in Mexico next week. We'll be spending two nights at Intima Resort, heading over to Azulik's Maya Spa for massages, then driving on to Xcalak and Playa Sonrisa...which is MY favorite naturist resort!

Club Orient ----- if you have to stay in us, cypress cove. But if you can get out of us, go to club orient. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Are you familiar with the Be Tulum resort? Sounds similar (price point) to Azulik but without the c/o availability?

I'm aware, but not familiar with Be Tulum. There are dozens of small resorts along the Tulum Beach Road and they are all experiencing the blessing and curse of becoming trendy. Prices and traffic are way up and it's really changing the experience and vibe. The formerly "european" of acceptance of casual nudity is eroding, with Azulik being the last "official" clothing optional beach front property. Their beach front access is pretty small, however, and tucked into one end of a small cove.

Most of the other properties are on the main stretch of beach north and south of Azulik. These are beautiful beaches...and if you are happy with keeping your suit bottoms on, you will love almost of any of these properties you can afford.

Thanks for your input, don't want to keep suit "bottoms on" while on the beach so, we'll probably focus on Azulik.

In the U.S. it's Cypress Cove. We've been to about a dozen resorts in the eastern quarter of the U.S. and enjoy The Cove the most. One can go there any time of the year and chances are you can be nude more often than not. That can't be said about many other locations. It has a full service restaurant (Lakeside) with reasonable prices that serves dinner four nights of the week. Cheeks, a snack bar, has good food and drinks and is open seven days. If you don't have an RV, they have about 80 apartments available for rent. All the streets are paved, so there's no dust or mud. If you like walking (we do) you've can walk two to three miles. Nudity is encouraged everywhere in the resort including Lakeside restaurant. Our favorite night is Thursday, which is Nude Night. Nude diners get a free glass of wine and who isn't up for that! There is also music and dancing most nights. Dan's Oldies show is the first Thursday of each month. Nude night and dancing. Who could ask for more?

Outside the U.S., we got spoiled with Club Orient. The fact that there really isn't anything else like it in the western hemisphere makes it our choice for the best. The first time we went for a week. Second time, two weeks. Third time, three weeks. You get the picture. We have four weeks reserved for fall. If you don't want to leave your destination resort, Club O. is the place to go. Nude 24/7 is the norm. Best beach in St. Martin. Papagayo restaurant open for lunch and dinner 7 nights. Entertainment 4 or 5 nights depending on the season. Weather is usually close to perfect. Seldom over 82 or under 75.

All time favorite was Grand Lido Braco rip N was alright Hidden beach has excellent service terrible beach Cayo Largo Cuba has by far the best beach and in a couple weeks we will be at Club O St Martin which is the Carribean favorite of what's left
Have not tried any North American resorts yet