Nude Beaches in the Caribbean (2026): Where It's Legal by Island

The Short Answer

The Caribbean's legal nude beaches are on the French islands: the official clothing-optional section of Orient Bay on French Saint-Martin, Anse Tarare on Guadeloupe and Petite Anse des Salines on Martinique. Eden Beach on Antigua is the one beach in the English-speaking Caribbean listed with legally sanctioned nudity. Beyond those, clothing-optional time means a resort that allows it on its own property, such as Hedonism II in Jamaica or Hidden Beach on Mexico's Caribbean coast. Most other islands treat public nudity as an offence.

Island by Island: The Legal Position

Checked against each territory's own legislation in October 2026. "No" means no designated nude beach; the law column shows the offence that applies on public beaches.

Island	Legal nude beach?	The law	Penalty
Saint-Martin (French side)	Yes: the official section at the south end of Orient Bay	French territory; designated naturist beaches have official standing	None on the designated section
Guadeloupe	Yes: Anse Tarare	French territory, as above	None on the designated beach
Martinique	Yes: Petite Anse des Salines	French territory, as above	None on the designated beach
Antigua and Barbuda	One listed: Eden Beach, Hawksbill	The listed exception in the English-speaking Caribbean	Check access before you go
Jamaica	No; resorts only (Hedonism II, Couples au naturel areas)	Towns and Communities Act: indecent exposure in a thoroughfare or public place	A fine; up to 30 days for a repeat conviction
The Bahamas	No	Penal Code, Ch. 84, s.212: wilful, indecent exposure in or within view of a public place	$150
Barbados	No	Minor Offences Act, Cap. 137: exposure in a street or place of public resort	Up to BBD $3,500, two years, or both
Saint Lucia	No	Criminal Code, Cap 3.01, s.502: "naked or not sufficiently or decently clothed" in public	Up to $1,000
Saint Kitts and Nevis	No	Small Charges Act, Cap 4.36, s.31: indecent behaviour; wilful exposure	Up to 1 month; up to 3 months for exposure
Grenada	No	Criminal Code, Cap 72A: wilful and indecent exposure in public	See the Code (published copies may be out of date)
Turks and Caicos	No	Summary Offences Ordinance, Cap 3.12, s.12(d): wilful indecent exposure	$100, or 3 months if unpaid
US Virgin Islands	No	V.I. Code tit. 14, §1022: exposure in any public place	Up to $100, 90 days, or both
Bonaire	No; Sorobon no longer markets itself as naturist	No designated beach	-
Aruba, Curaçao, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico	No	No designated beach	-
Mexico's Caribbean coast	Resort only: Hidden Beach, Kantenah Bay	Nudity limited to the resort's own property	-

Why the Islands Differ

The Caribbean is a chain of islands with different legal inheritances, and the rules on public nudity follow them. The French islands are part of France, and their designated naturist beaches have official standing. Most English-speaking islands kept public-indecency laws that make nudity, and in some cases being insufficiently clothed, an offence: Saint Lucia's Criminal Code, for example, fines anyone "naked or not sufficiently or decently clothed" in a public place. Resorts are private property and can set their own rules, which is why clothing-optional resorts exist on islands with no nude beaches.

Legal Nude Beaches

Orient Bay, Saint-Martin (French Side)

Orient Bay (Baie Orientale) on the French side of Saint-Martin is the best-known nude beach in the Caribbean. Its southern end is an official clothing-optional section (naturist beach listings). The rest of the two-mile beach is a regular swimwear beach with restaurants and watersports, so keep to the southern section. Club Orient, the naturist resort that anchored the beach for decades, was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Ground was broken for a new naturist resort on the site on June 16, 2026, but the developer says it will be at least two to three years before it opens (The Daily Herald), so for now book ordinary accommodation nearby. This is the easiest choice for a first Caribbean naturist trip: frequent flights into Princess Juliana airport on the Dutch side and a short drive to the beach.

Happy Bay, Saint-Martin

Happy Bay (Baie Heureuse), reached on foot over the headland from Friar's Bay, is a quiet cove with no facilities that some naturists use. It is not a designated naturist beach, though, so the official option on the island remains Orient Bay.

Anse Tarare, Guadeloupe

Anse Tarare, east of Saint-François on Grande-Terre, is the only officially naturist beach on Guadeloupe (naturist beach listings). It is a small, wild cove with no on-beach facilities, so bring water and shade. Guadeloupe has direct flights from Paris and seasonal flights from North America.

Petite Anse des Salines, Martinique

On Martinique, Petite Anse des Salines, next to the island's famous Grande Anse des Salines in the south, is the only officially naturist beach (naturist beach listings). The main Salines beach is a regular family beach, so the distinction matters.

Eden Beach, Antigua

Eden Beach, on the Hawksbill peninsula on Antigua's west coast, is listed as the only beach in Antigua and Barbuda with legally sanctioned nudity (naturist beach listings). It is the exception in the English-speaking Caribbean, not the rule. The Hawksbill resort next to it currently shows only a "launching soon" page online, so check access before you go. More in our Antigua and Barbuda guide.

Clothing-Optional Resorts

On islands without nude beaches, the only lawful option is a resort that allows nudity on its own property. Outside the resort, local law applies.

Hidden Beach, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Hidden Beach Resort on Kantenah Bay, south of Playa del Carmen, is an adults-only clothing-optional all-inclusive, now run by Lomas Hospitality. The beach, pools and restaurants are all clothing-optional, which makes it a structured first naturist resort for couples. It books out early in the December to April peak.

Hedonism II, Negril, Jamaica

Hedonism II in Negril describes itself as an "adults only, clothing optional" all-inclusive with clothing-optional beaches (Hedonism II). It is also openly lifestyle-friendly, so read the resort's own rules before booking. Couples Resorts, a couples-only brand, also has separate au naturel areas at three of its four Jamaican resorts: a private island at Couples Tower Isle, Sunset Beach at Couples Sans Souci and a small semi-private beach area at Couples Negril (Couples FAQ). Jamaica has no public nude beaches (naturist beach listings); Seven Mile Beach outside resort property is a regular swimwear beach. See the Jamaica guide.

Bonaire: Sorobon Is No Longer Naturist

Sorobon Beach Resort on Bonaire's Lac Bay was long listed as the Caribbean's naturist resort. Its own website now presents it as a standard luxury beach resort with no mention of naturism (Sorobon Beach Resort), so don't book it for that. Bonaire has no designated nude beach.

Islands Without Nude Beaches

These islands have no nude beaches and laws that make public nudity an offence. If clothing-optional time matters, pair them with a short flight to Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe or Martinique.

Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia's Criminal Code fines anyone who is "naked or not sufficiently or decently clothed" in a public place or a place open to public view up to $1,000 (section 502), with a separate offence for indecent exposure (section 503) (Criminal Code, Cap 3.01). The wording is wide enough to cover topless sunbathing on public beaches.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

The Small Charges Act makes behaving in an indecent manner in a public place punishable by up to one month in prison, and wilfully exposing oneself in public by up to three months (section 31) (Small Charges Act, Cap 4.36). The nearest legal option is Orient Bay on Saint-Martin, a short flight away.

Grenada

Grenada's Criminal Code makes wilful and indecent exposure in a public place an offence (Criminal Code, Cap 72A), and the tourism board's own guidance is that swimwear is not permitted on main roads or in bars, restaurants and shops (Pure Grenada FAQ). Grand Anse and the other beaches are regular swimwear beaches.

Turks and Caicos

The Summary Offences Ordinance makes wilful indecent exposure an offence with a $100 fine, or three months if the fine is not paid (Cap 3.12, s.12(d)), and the Sexual Offences Ordinance treats deliberate exposure intended to alarm as a more serious offence (Cap 3.24, s.70). Grace Bay is a regular swimwear beach.

The Rest of the Region

• Barbados: no nude beaches. Barbados guide.
• The Bahamas: no nude beaches. Bahamas guide.
• The Cayman Islands: no nude beaches. Cayman Islands guide.
• Aruba and Curaçao: no designated nude beaches; Curaçao is listed as having no legal nude beaches (naturist beach listings). Aruba guide, Curaçao guide.
• Dominican Republic: no designated nude beaches. Dominican Republic guide.
• Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands: no designated nude beaches. Puerto Rico guide, US Virgin Islands guide.

Planning the Trip

Pick One Island

For a first trip, French Saint-Martin is the simplest: the official section at Orient Bay, hotels and rentals nearby, and plenty of flights. Guadeloupe and Martinique suit travellers who want a quieter, more French experience. Hidden Beach in Mexico is the answer if what you want is a fully clothing-optional all-inclusive rather than a public beach.

Pairing Islands

If the main trip is somewhere without nude beaches (a wedding in Barbados, a family week in Antigua, a dive trip in the Caymans), add a few days on Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe or Martinique. Regional airlines connect most of the Eastern Caribbean, and Saint-Martin is the region's busiest hub.

When to Visit

The Caribbean dry season runs from December to April, with steady trade winds and the highest prices. May and November are good-value shoulder months. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with most activity from mid-August to mid-October (NOAA National Hurricane Center).

What to Pack

• Mineral sunscreen: Aruba, Bonaire and the US Virgin Islands restrict sunscreens containing oxybenzone.
• A towel for every shared surface: naturist etiquette is to sit on your own towel on loungers and chairs.
• Water shoes for rocky entries.
• A cover-up for walking off the beach into restaurants, shops or taxis.
• No camera on the beach: photographing other people at naturist beaches and resorts is not acceptable.

Country-by-Country: Every Caribbean Guide in This Series

Each guide covers the legal reality and the honest alternatives:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Aruba
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Cayman Islands
• Curaçao
• Dominican Republic
• Jamaica
• Puerto Rico
• US Virgin Islands

Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and the Turks and Caicos are covered above. For the global picture, see the world's best nude beaches ranking and where nude bathing is legal.