Day Without Bathing Suits

Almost seven years ago, the Spanish Naturist Federation held the very first Day Without Bathing Suits event and promoted it to all Spaniards and tourists in Spain, to be held on the third Sunday in July. 

The initiative was highly successful and a few years later the 2010 INF World Congress in Italy declared this as an International Day. 

Now you don't need to be told that the third Sunday of July here in New Zealand is always pretty cold indeed. However, the New Zealand Naturist Federation and Free Beaches New Zealand are declaring the Southern Hemisphere equivalent of the third Saturday of January as Day Without Bathing Suits day - the event nicely kicking off our annual national gonatural Week to a great start.

Hence, on Saturday January 18th 2014, go to a beach near you and sunbathe or swim in the nude - without soggy toggys! 

In New Zealand, it is not illegal to be naked in appropriate public places, such as beaches. It is not the lack of clothes that is the issue but the behaviour that goes with it. The New Zealand Naturist Federation and Free Beaches New Zealand fosters your choice of sunbathing with or without swimsuits and want to increase greater acceptance of nudity by the general population. 

We want this to be a day where tolerance and respect to everyone is practised - nudity is an option same as wearing a swimsuit, bikini or going topless - we are all just sunbathers or swimmers.     

If you wish to go to a recognised clothes-free or optional beach, the Free Beaches New Zealand website www.freebeaches.org.nz/noted_beaches.htm has the location of these. 

To find out more about the naturist community in New Zealand and frequently asked questions, check out the New Zealand Naturist Federation website www.gonatural.co.nz.