by Tony & Tracey Dunn.

2010 has been an interesting year for us; we have visited four naturist resorts of different types. Although I’ll give you an insight into these venues , primarily my theme for this short article is to propose ways forward for these ‘ oases ‘ & other naturist venues , to be kept for all to enjoy in the future.

The question I ask readers, is what makes a good naturist resort & how do we ensure its continued survival??

The key issues for the travelling naturist.

We’ve put together a list of key points which we feel are central for a quality naturist holiday.

1. Location.
2. Weather.
3. Facilities, including cleanliness of resort/rooms, Restaurants etc.
4. Value for Money.

The key for all, whether they be wanting a ‘quiet time ‘or a ‘hectic, action packed time ‘is to want a high score on all the above.

For example, Trace & I, seek peace & tranquility so we still seek high scores on all four items. A person or couple wanting action etc would also seek high scores on all, although, maybe with greater expectations on the ‘facilities ‘issue.
Obviously, one can’t seek a naturist break in Norway, with an expectation of wall to wall sunshine (generally!!!). Similarly, to travel to Mexico will score low on ‘ location ‘ , for all , due to the length of travelling time to get there.

Ancillary, but all important issues which are obviously to be considered are flights being on time, good check-in, good in-flight catering & transfers (with hire car, taxi or coach).

Key issues for the Resort.

From our list above, it is abundantly clear & not ‘Rocket Science ‘that the successful & profitable resorts will attempt to achieve high scores in every category to maximize the number of visitors & consequently increase the revenue/profit pro rata!!!
This will enable the resort to survive & hopefully flourish. However, the successful resort will have to add a minimum two factors

1. Advertising.
2. Guest rapport.

Note , any resort will know that its remote location may detract from appeal , however , by providing high scores in the other areas the resort can still be popular & an overall success.

Concerns.

The key to any successful business, whether it be a manufacturing company or a holiday resort is turnover (& profit!!!) – This is generated in the holiday resorts by people visiting & supporting the venture.

Without people visiting a resort —-it will not survive!!!

Textile destinations will come & go depending on the financial climate – they are like small businesses, there will always be people who will ‘have a go ‘.
More rarely do totally new Naturists ventures open. Two that come to mind are the ‘Vassaliki ‘in Kefalonia & ‘Skinny Dippers ‘in Mallorca. Both these are on our ‘to visit ‘list; their Management must be commended for the brave commercial stance they’ve adopted in such a difficult business climate.

Naturist resorts need support or they will slowly go out of business. This is fact – the events which generated this article are those which occurred at the Sorobon Beach resort in the Dutch Antilles, in the South Caribbean.

The resort was owned by a Dutch chap, a dedicated Naturist – he built it up over 25 years & it was excellent as a peaceful haven – BUT he didn’t keep nurturing it. He didn’t advertise, consequently he didn’t get a full quota of visitors & slowly the custom drifted away, particularly the European naturist contingent.

On my resort scoring chart the location of Sorobon would be very low ; it requires flying to Schiphol ( Amsterdam ) – only the Royal Dutch Airline KLM service the place from Europe !!!!! As a result, although the American contingent could get to it easier, because his advertising was minimal – it didn’t frighten them off

– NO ONE, OR VERY FEW, KNEW ABOUT THE RESORT, AS TIME MOVED ON!!!!!!!!

In the final analysis, Sorobon was ripe for being taken over – & so it has been – Naturism has survived, just – they are keeping one month for it in 2011!!!!!

This then brings me to my ‘Rub of the Nub ‘ message . For naturist resorts to survive they need support from us naturists ……………………..the resorts themselves must continue to advertise & work hard at promoting their good points ……………………….moreover, if we don’t

‘Use ‘em – we’ll lose’em ‘

From the glories of New Zealand’s Middle Earth to the medieval charms of Tallinn, there are plenty of places offering a fresh reason to visit in the year ahead.

London
April 29 will be a glorious day in the capital for those who enjoy a spot of royal pomp and glory. By all means join the throngs celebrating the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, but a better idea is to avoid the inevitable price hikes and visit later in the year to splash out on a new luxury hotel. The W London, the first W in Britain, is opening in Leicester Square in February, providing its signature urban-cool chic. The more traditional will prefer the St Pancras Renaissance, reopening in the iconic building above the Eurostar terminal, its Gothic revival turrets housing 245 stylishly renovated rooms. Other new openings include the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge; the Corinthia, overlooking Trafalgar Square; and the Four Seasons on Park Lane. FK

Austrian Alps
France is having to face up to the fact that Austria may soon overtake it as the most popular destination for British skiers. Unlike their expensive neighbours, Austrian resorts have taken the pragmatic step of offering more value for money in these financially straitened times. While the skiing may not have the scope of France and Switzerland, it is certainly not to be scoffed at – from the snowsure resorts of Obergurgl and Sölden and the Apline charm of Kitzbühel to the accessibility of Innsbruck and “steeps and deeps” of St Anton. What is more, no one does après ski like the Austrians. CSS

Stratford upon Avon
Stratford, one of the most popular stopovers for overseas visitors, is often overlooked by the British. This is the year to put that right. The sights associated with Shakespeare – his birthplace, his tomb in the church, Hall’s Croft (his daughter Susanna’s house) and Anne Hathaway’s cottage in nearby Shottery, are genuinely interesting; moving, even. This February the RSC opens its redeveloped theatre – new summer productions are Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night’s

Stockholm
The publishing sensation of the past few years has drawn attention to Stockholm, the stage upon which Stieg Larsson’s fast-paced and intensely violent Millennium books unfold – a phenomenon which will soar this year with the release of a new Hollywood version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Visitors to the Swedish capital can take part in Millennium tours, which take in the heroes’ (journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander) blood-spattered stomping grounds, including their fictional homes, the Millennium offices and their favourite bars. FK

Tallinn, Estonia
The charmed capital of Estonia this year, together with the Finnish city of Turku (see below), assumes the mantle of European Capital of Culture. The Estonians are planning quite a celebration with 7,000 events spanning opera, theatre, film, design and singing – a key part of life here, used in the revolt against Soviet rule 20 years ago. With its beautifully preserved medieval old town and proximity to the sea, Tallinn has long been on the traveller’s radar. An expansion of air routes to the city operated by easyJet and Ryanair will make it even easier to go in 2011. AB

Turku, Finland
Turku, once the capital of Finland, has long been overshadowed by neighbouring Helsinki – but that will change this year as Turku becomes European Capital of Culture (along with Tallinn, see above). A packed cultural programme of events is scheduled for the medieval seaside city in 2011, beginning with an extravagant opening ceremony on January 15. JA

Zagreb, Croatia
Dubrovnik has tended to attract most attention as a city-break destination in Croatia, but the striking fin-de-siècle architecture of the capital Zagreb – a “pocket-sized Vienna” – will receive a boost this year when easyJet (www.easyjet.com) begins regular flights there in February. A return flight costs from about £60. JA

Egadi Islands, Sicily
The Aeolian Islands to the south east of Sicily have become a well-known holiday destination; far fewer people know about the scattering of rocky islands just off the west coast. They are a great option for a good-value escapist holiday in early spring – and are easily combined with some of the great classical sights of Sicily such as Segesta, Agrigento and Selinunte. What’s more, they are now easy to get to. NT

Florence, Italy
For its art and architecture it is undeniably one of the great cultural destinations in Europe – and the food’s not bad either. The only problem has been getting here – the vast majority of flights land at Pisa, and it’s a long schlep by car, or at least an hour on the train from there to Florence. Cityjet has started a new flight from City airport to Florence airport (just a few minutes outside the city). Anyone starting from central London can save about two hours’ travelling time. NT

Kefalonia, Greece
Ten years on from the release of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – the screen adaptation of Louis de Bernières’s wonderful tragicomic tale of Kefalonia’s wartime occupation – the island remains a rural idyll populated by eccentric goat herders and Robola wine-swilling orthodox priests. For a taste of Greek life unchanged in generations, ignore trendy Fiskardo and hire a car to explore the villages and monasteries of the Lixouri peninsula. OS

Bay of Kumlubük, Turkey
It’s not often that you find a hotel with an organic farm as a sideline. But maybe the Dionysos Estate in Turkey could set a trend this year. The hotel, which tiers unobtrusively above a canyon overlooking the Bay of Kumlubük, certainly displays a taste for the unusual. The region, deep in rural Turkey, offers unspoilt beaches, ancient archaeological sites and is great for trekking and biking either along the coast or up in the mountains. Aside from its three restaurants, spa and private beach club, the hotel is gearing up to produce wine from its own vineyards; already it makes an award-winning olive oil (guests can help with the October harvest). Olive picking or wine tasting before a spa treatment – it could set a new trend. SH

Tripoli, Libya
December marked the start of a new Bmi service to Tripoli to rival British Airways’ long-standing service to the Libyan capital, so expect some competitive deals this year. Forget preconceptions (and the ubiquitous posters of Colonel Gaddafi) for the country’s relative isolation has made the people disarmingly friendly, while the medieval courtyards of the walled Old Town are straight out of Arabian Nights. With the magnificent ruins of Leptis Magna just 65 miles away, Tripoli represents a truly exotic option for 2011. CSS

Marrakech, Morocco
Fast becoming a must-see city, Marrakech offers accommodation in stylish riads for every budget. The options for visitors to venture deeper into Morocco are growing also – tours now often include trips to the Atlas Mountains, Berber villages – and kite-surfing lessons. NP

Zimbabwe
Slowly but surely, British travellers are starting to return to Zimbabwe following the shaky political rapprochement between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, and safari packages are now featured in many tour operators’ 2011 brochures. It is a beautiful country and the splendid wilderness areas have been relatively untouched by the regime’s destructive instincts. The people are charming and friendly. The only problem is that the long shadow of Mugabe and his henchmen still falls across the country; until they are gone, nothing will be quite normal. GB

Antigua
Antigua is one of the great sailing destinations of the Caribbean, and the Antigua Yacht Club in English Harbour remains one of its social hubs. But the closure of Sunsail’s base a couple of years ago sharply reduced the options for anyone who likes to take to the water there. The gap has now been filled with the opening of a new resort at Nonsuch Bay on the east coast. It is a high-quality set up with spacious, beautifully finished self-catering apartments and an on-site restaurant. Most important, though, is the professionally staffed dinghy sailing centre, with top-of-the range RS dinghies for you to use or learn on. NT

Sri Lanka
With its lush vegetation, Indian Ocean beaches, Buddhist temples, tea plantations – and excellent value – Sri Lanka is likely to attract a growing number of British tourists this year, tempted, too, by the fact that it is now nearly two years since the end of the civil war. In addition to tried and tested favourites such as Kandy and the beaches of Bentota, some operators are venturing east into relatively uncharted territory. AB

Yunnan, China
This underdeveloped region is a great place to discover traditional China. Home to communities of ethnic minorities, Unesco heritage towns, awesome gorges and allegedly the fabled Shangri-La, the region is undervisited, even though it is just across the border from Laos and Vietnam. This is changing fast however, so go soon. NP

Peru
2011 marks the centenary of Hiram Bingham’s discovery of Machu Picchu. Still waiting to be discovered by the majority of tourists are ruins farther north that include the cloud forest fortress of Kuelap and the Temples of the Sun and Moon. NP

Patagonia
The new film, Patagonia, starring Matthew Rhys and Duffy, may not have earned critical acclaim but the location certainly has. This year sees the launch of a new company Swoop Travel, which offers more than 140 different trekking, kayaking, horse riding and mountaineering trips, from the Lake District in the North to the glacial mountains of Torres del Paine in the far south, as well as to lesser known parts of this great wilderness. CSS

New Zealand
Filming for the highly anticipated two-part adaptation of The Hobbit, the forerunner to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, begins this year. After much legal wrangling, New Zealand’s glorious natural landscapes will once again serve as the backdrop to Middle Earth, providing further inspiration to explore such unspoilt sites as Milford Sound and the Tongariro National Park. The country will also be hosting the Rugby World Cup in September and October. OS

Contributions by: Graham Boynton, Francisca Kellett, Adrian Bridge, Oliver Smith, Natalie Paris, Nick Trend, Charles Starmer-Smith, Simon Horsford and Jolyon Attwooll

 

A tribute to a first time naturist experience at Vassaliki Naturist Club!

A holiday in sunny Greece

The chance to relax and release

The stresses of routine at home

And let imaginations roam

With warmth caressing sun shy skin

And crystal sea to invite you in

It feels quite natural to undress

And with your clothes cast off your stress

A naturist resort however

Is a different prospect altogether

And naked bodies all around

Was a little strange we found

So during the first afternoon

After venturing from our room

We sat self conscious in the sun

Ready to pack up and run!!

However it soon became quite clear

That other people staying here

Took no notice whatsoever

Of two more folk in the “altogether”

Henceforth we started to unwind

And stopped our minds trying to find

A reason for this choice clothes-free

There really isn’t much to see

And in future we would entertain

This style of holiday again

As two days is not quite enough

To fully appreciate the “buff”!

By K.C.

So what do you say when you are 2 years into a relationship and your potential “Yes” declares that when he goes to the beach he doesn’t wear swim wear and would you like to join him?!!! Yes, you did read that right and for some reason he had no qualms in declaring this. I say declare, but it didn’t appear that he’d worked himself up to making this statement, it just rolled of the tongue like ‘I prefer Chinese food’ or ‘Cornwall’s a nice holiday spot.’ Was I surprised? A little hesitant perhaps, but not surprised. It was in fact a running joke, even to my friends, that I would often come home from work and he’d be preparing dinner in the buff. It’s a nice welcome to come home and find the cutest arse making a gourmet delight – you should all encourage your men to do so ladies!

The next question was – did I go? The answer was “yes” – but in stages. We went down to Studland beach in Poole on one lovely summer’s day. I was really tentative, so to assist me, Mark chose a nice spot a little hidden in the dunes. At first I went topless because I had done so abroad and therefore had no qualms about it. This was all going ok, I felt I wasn’t on show and quite relaxed, so after an hour or so, I ventured to the next step. The removal of the bikini bottoms. Ever tried undressing discreetly on a sand dune? I’m sure I made a complete palaver of it, but he very kindly didn’t batter an eyelid and just let me get on with it.

Ok, so mission accomplished. I have to admit, I do remember reading the same line in my book over and over again in between glancing around me to make sure this was a reality and that no one was looking at me. What I failed to realise at that point was that this was by no means the end. Slowly, but surely I was beginning to feel a little cooked. I have your typical “English Rose” type complexion and therefore did not as a habit, lie on a beach and so by now I was in dire need of cooling off in the sea. But that presented a problem. I would have to come out of hiding and reveal myself to the rest of the beach. So I instinctively reached for my bikini bottoms but Mark, taking my hand, guided me out of the dunes towards the sea. At that moment, I think I felt a resounding empathy with those coming onto a theatrical stage for the first time. Admittedly I was not going to perform, but my upbringing, social etiquette and beliefs were at risk. What if I did like it? Would I have to admit this to others who most likely would not understand? What if I didn’t like it? Would that then get in the way of our relationship? A dilemma indeed!!!

This of course was ridiculous. Mark was proud of me that day. He would never have applied any pressure and was fully prepared for me to express a dislike. I have to say at this point I wasn’t won over. But then during the holidays that followed, when we found a secluded piece of beach or a naturist section, I sometimes joined Mark in nude bathing – sometimes I didn’t! For some reason, it seemed right when in a hot country, to make the most of the sun and not sit around in wet irritating swim wear.
The crunch came when we booked a week’s holiday in June to a Mediterranean naturist resort. We are the sort of people who normally do not go for the “package holiday”, so we chose a small-ish resort, bit the bullet and went. The resort proved to be ideal for naturism and epitomised the whole idea of returning to nature. The place was beautiful. It had lush green grass, stunning flowers and was impeccably clean – both in the rooms and all the communal areas.

We have to, of course, tell the tale of the first “naturist moment” – everyone has one!!! We decided swimming in the pool was the way ahead – somehow being beneath the water to begin with feels like a slow introduction to the idea! Even Mark was a little nervous having only been naked on beaches prior to this. We took our obligatory towels with us, but decided to be brave and carry them rather than wrap them round us, especially as the pool was a stone’s throw from our room.

Deep breathes at the door, ready, steady go…. And who did we meet? Two gorgeous female German models and a film crew! We believe someone up there was having a laugh with us! To this day, I still look on that holiday with fond memories – excluding the part where they asked us to play volleyball for the German television programme! When we looked apprehensive, they said, don’t worry we’ll blur out your faces. Mark’s response was, ‘it’s not my face I’m worried about!’

The memory that stays with me though, is the people. The atmosphere was relaxing, friendly and easy-going. If you go on a normal holiday, no-one speaks to each other, which is the opposite of a naturist resort. I didn’t realise until this experience, how much the holiday could be enhanced by the people you meet. Age and status was not a factor. People could not pass judgement on who you are, what you earn, whether you are fashionable or whether you rate alongside existing friends!

I also felt beautiful. It may sound daft, but I felt like my body was acceptable. I didn’t feel fat, didn’t worry about what to put on for dinner that evening. This made me even more attractive to Mark and confidence oozes sexiness, ladies!

Obviously this experience gave me the confidence to do the business we do now. It has also given me more confidence. Each year it gets easier and I wear clothes on resort less. It hasn’t changed me completely as a person; I haven’t suddenly become some extremist! I still love clothes and love shopping. I still believe I have wobbly bits that I don’t like. But I do worry about it all a lot less. I have a better outlook on who I am and on my life as a whole.

Each year we have had photographers out to take pictures of our resort with models and our guests if they like to take part. When Charlie was booked to come out the first year, I said that I was not happy to take part, but it took no time at all for me to feel comfortable with him and with what we were trying to achieve, natural photographs of people enjoying being naked on resort and in the sun. As a result we have a couple of lovely photographs we will frame and put up in our house.

So come on girls, guys, anyone who is unsure. It is something that is easier done than said, keeping talking about it makes it a lot harder as the idea of it seems so much worse than actually doing it! If you are already a beach naturist, this is actually a very easy step. If you have never gone naked before, I believe going to a naturist resort is easier than a beach. On a beach, anyone could be there, but on our resort everyone is there for the same reason and the atmosphere has been created as such to make you feel comfortable. I have great friends who never thought they could ever do it, but they did, so can you! Listen to Gok Wan, even if he does annoy you, he is right, we are all beautiful and can learn to appreciate that, by dressing appropriately for our figure and going naked once in a while!