There is plenty of good advice here, but I always feel compelled, when the subject of nude beaches comes up, to point out that there is far more to naturism than a couple of hours of getting sand up your bum.
I accept that some people are quite happy when they are relaxing on a beach - naked or otherwise - and, yes, it can be an ideal place to take the plunge and experience public nudity for the first time.
So I am not saying donât do it, but I am saying to would-be or new naturists: think about the next level, such as joining a club and/or booking a naturist holiday.
For a start, there isnât much social interaction on a beach, so I wouldnât count it as proper âsocial nudityâ, whereas a club or resort genuinely are.
Meanwhile, limiting your naturist ambitions to beaches may not be very attractive to reluctant partners, who are a massive dilemma for the majority of would-be naturists.
Itâs usually assumed they are reluctant because they canât imagine what they would get out of it, or they are nervous about it, or they have self-body image issues, but I believe that a more common reason is they think itâs all about beaches, and simply donât think that sounds very exciting.
My wife was like that until we opened up whole new social opportunities, changed our outlook on life and upped our lifestyle by becoming proper naturists.
It makes it so much more interesting and inspiring, and the exhilaration and liberation you feel when you are naked and interacting with like-minded people 24/7 or even for an entire holiday is far superior to solitary sunbathing for a couple of hours at a time.
Another thing about naturism is it often turns up on adult or sex forums because of the assumption that it goes hand-in-hand with sex. And it does, but not in the way most people imagine. Bona fide naturists arenât there because they are hoping for an orgy (and it isnât going to happen), but we do know that being naked all day does get you in the mood for happy sexy fun in the evening, in a way that sitting on a beach probably wouldnât.
I must repeat that if you like the idea of visiting a nude beach, thatâs good - and please go for it. But itâs only a first step, and there are so many great reasons for taking it up a notch or two.