[imagesource: Gary Bembridge / CC]

UK swimwear brand Pour Moi created a map of the 39 countries that permit nude beach-going and 38 countries where it’s too risky, and CNN soon followed with a list of places to sunbathe nude.

Although, the writer only acknowledged the one ‘official’ and legally recognised nudist beach in South Africa, which is Mpenjati Beach in Kwazulu-Natal.

(Nudists wanting to enjoy Mpenjati have faced various legal battles over the years, so make sure you’re clued on the latest before baring it all.)

Now, online nature and wilderness resource Outforia has added more research to the story and has put South Africa in the top 10 destinations of the best skinny-dipping spots around the world.

We are sitting at seventh place, which is ahead of the UK, Italy, and Greece.

Per Sunday Times Daily, to get an overall “skinny-dipping score”, the 31 countries researched were ranked on the number of nudist beaches, clubs, naturist campsites, the water’s average annual temperature, and legality.

In SA, it is mostly illegal to go starkers in public, but it is still a popular destination because we can offer 17 unofficial “nudist” beaches and clubs, 25 naturist campsites, and a mild average water temperature of 20˚C.

One of our most world-renowned nudist beaches in the country is in Cape Town. Approximately a 20-minute walk from the car park, in Llandudno’s Sunset Avenue, you’ll find the secluded Sandy Bay, away from prying eyes, besides, perhaps, the ones on the beach.

The best spot to bear it all on the beach is France, followed by the US and then Spain.

That’s because France has more than 600 nudist beaches and campsites combined, with the US close behind with 552:

The report states: “The US is the number one country in the world for naturist campsites with 253 across the country, including hotspots such as Florida and California.”

South Africa has 42 beaches to go naked, officially and unofficially.

42 is the answer to the “Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything” according to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, might I add.

Here’s a nifty infographic from Outforia about the best skinny-dipping spots:

And just in case you mistake a country for being open to this kind of beachgoing, here is an infographic of places to definitely not take off all your clothes:

As I said before, at least there’s the option to swim starkers and tan topless right on our doorstep because a local holiday might be the only option on the table for quite some time.

[source:sundaytimesdaily]