Gay men beach

To the untrained eye, an empty beach appears to be an undifferentiated wide open space men no particular swath of sand looking much different from another. Build a sandcastle wherever you want, do a little skinny dipping, walk near the water or far from it, have a private conversation at maximum volume—anything goes.

But the moment beach human beings show up, a map of meaning is laid over the sand. Surfers hang out here where the waves are biggest, families with kids hang out here near the waterline, the nudists tuck themselves in among the dunes. Beaches are the perfect places to witness people sorting themselves by identity and activity.

Moving south, the queer ratio goes up and up, so by the time you arrive at the fallen trees that end the stroll, it may seem like every gay around you is a naked gay man. Being a first-timer can be daunting. But fear not. There are the sand fleas. Oh, and is that a raincloud?

The 20 best gay beaches in the world

Bring sunscreen and any apparel you need to prevent yourself from sunburn, sunstroke and other bodily discomforts. Littering and disrupting nature, including animal habitat, are major no-nos. On arrival, read the vibe of the beach by observing what other people are doing. Is it super social, with strangers choosing to sit very close to other strangers and doing vodka shots together?

Or do people spread out and socialize by taking walks? Are there areas with people men personal style gay music make you feel more comfortable, areas with fewer people with annoying beach accessories like rainbow fences? Pick your spot carefully because your choice will determine how the beach of your day goes. Shade is good.

Easy washroom access is important for some. Gay the middle of 12th Street Beach, the young crowd is ready to mix and mingle. Move up or down the block based on how intense you want your experience to be. Miami beaches are big enough for everybody. One is the flashy Eden, where you might order some champagne and nibbles to be delivered to your sunbed or cabana.

Instead, people meet in the sun to go somewhere more private. Those who want to get frisky outdoors can make their way to clothing-optional beaches like Playa Guadalmar, which is about a minute drive from downtown. Typically, the further a beach is from urban men more effort it takes to get there— the more difficult it is to predict what someone is there for: tranquility, a hike, a full-body tan, an intimate picnic, sex al fresco.

On the Greek Island of Mykonos, for example, Super Paradise used to be more sexually charged, but upscale restaurants and bars have gentrified it into a beach more mainstream destination. If you really want to capture the spirit of the place, you should seriously consider doffing your kit; there are fewer obstacles to doing so than you keep telling yourself.

Respecting nudists on a clothing-optional beach is comparable to respecting your elders; defer to their reasonable requests and follow their lead on how to behave.