10 locations · United States
Hawaii
Every clothing-optional place we've verified in Hawaii. Tap any entry for full visit notes, etiquette, access and seasonal advice.
Hawaii, USA
Kehena Black Sand Beach (Dolphin Beach)
Kehena Black Sand Beach — also called Dolphin Beach because of the spinner dolphins that frequently appear offshore — is the Big Island's iconic clothing-optional beach, tucked into a coastal cove in the Puna District. It's a long, narrow strip of fine black sand at the base of low cliffs, backed by ironwood and coconut palms, with a small reef offshore that creates the protected swimming pool inside it and the deeper channels where the dolphins move. The clothing-optional convention dates to the 1970s, when the Puna Coast became a haven for the bohemian alternative-lifestyle community that shaped the district's character. Kehena emerged as the Big Island's naturist beach and has held that role for half a century — through lava-flow threats to the broader Puna area, the 2018 Kīlauea eruption that closed nearby roads, and the slow recovery since. Sunday afternoons are the beach's social signature — a long-running drum-circle gathering draws a mixed crowd of Puna residents, longer-term visitors who rent in the area, the occasional tourist who heard about it, and the resident naturist community. The vibe is distinctly Hawaiian and distinctly Puna: low-key, communal, with people swimming and reading and playing music. Off-season weekdays the beach is mostly empty. Access is via a steep, rocky, root-tangled trail down a low cliff — about five minutes of careful descent from the small parking area along Highway 137. The trail is short but unforgiving; sturdy footwear is essential. The beach has no facilities, no lifeguards, and ocean conditions that demand real caution: the protected swimming area inside the reef is fine in calm weather, but the currents outside the reef are strong and the surf can build quickly. Drownings have happened.
Hawaii, USA
Larsen's Beach (Lepeuli)
Larsen's Beach — also known as Lepeuli or Ka'aka'aniu — is a long, lightly-trafficked stretch of brown sand and black rock on Kauai's northeastern coast, between Kīlauea and Anahola. The beach runs roughly two miles, backed by ironwood trees and shrub, with a fringing reef offshore. The eastern end is the traditional clothing-optional area, far enough from the trail access that you'll likely have a stretch of sand to yourself outside peak season. Getting here filters most casual beachgoers out. The access is via an unpaved road off Ko'olau Road, then a foot trail across grazing land owned by Waioli Corp. and leased to Paradise Ranch — the easement is real but the path crosses private property, so visitors are expected to stay on the trail and pack out what they pack in. The vibe at Larsen's is quiet. Mostly Kauai regulars, a few in-the-know visitors, and long stretches of empty beach. Hawaii state law technically prohibits public nudity, but enforcement at Larsen's has been minimal for decades and locals have established a tolerated convention at the far eastern end. Swimming is genuinely dangerous: the Pakala Channel cuts through the reef at the east end and has been responsible for multiple drownings over the years. Stay out of the channel and stick to shore wading unless you're a strong swimmer with local knowledge.
Hawaii, USA
Little Beach (Pu'u Olai)
Little Beach — Pu'u Ola'i Beach — is Maui's most famous clothing-optional beach, tucked into a hidden cove inside Mākena State Park on the south coast. The beach sits in the shadow of the Pu'u Ola'i cinder cone, separated from the larger Big Beach next door by a lava-rock outcrop that you scramble over to reach the sand. Once you're around the rocks, the beach opens onto a quarter-mile of soft sand and turquoise water. Little Beach has a complicated history. The state-park designation in the 1980s and '90s came out of a grass-roots movement (SPAM — State Parks At Mākena) that fought to preserve the area; clothing-optional use predated the park and continued through it. Sunday afternoon drum circles became a tradition that drew hundreds of people. After a 2021 incident where an estimated 400 people gathered without masks during COVID, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources temporarily closed the beach and began actively enforcing Hawaii's anti-nudity statute under State Park Rules. Enforcement has continued since, including regular 4 PM closures and citations. What this means practically: Little Beach is still used as a clothing-optional beach, and the cultural identity hasn't disappeared, but visitors should expect possible enforcement and citations. The Sunday drum circle tradition has been formally discouraged. Check current Hawaii State Parks announcements before visiting. The beach itself remains stunning — bodysurfing is legendary here on south-swell days, and the cove is one of the most photogenic on Maui.
Hawaii, USA
Paia Secret Beach
Paia Secret Beach is a small clothing-optional cove on Maui's North Shore, tucked between Paia Bay and Baldwin Cove. It's the quieter sibling to the public-park beaches on either side — most casual visitors never realize it's there. The sand is soft, the swell is North Shore-typical (bigger in winter, more swimmable in summer), and the cove is small enough that you'll usually see only a handful of other beachgoers on any given day. This isn't a destination beach — it's a local-knowledge spot. The clothing-optional convention has been established for decades on the Kahului-side end of the beach; the Paia-side end (near the old World War II pillbox) is generally treated as clothing-expected. Like most Maui clothing-optional beaches, the practice is tolerated rather than officially sanctioned — Hawaii state law technically prohibits public nudity, but enforcement at this beach has been minimal for years. The crowd is mostly Maui locals, some long-term visitors, and the occasional curious traveler who's followed the directions. Weekday mornings are quietest. There are no facilities, no lifeguards, and no signage indicating clothing-optional use — you have to know what you're looking for. The wooded approach from Paia Bay keeps the casual foot traffic out, which is part of the appeal.
Hawaii, USA
Paliku Beach (Donkey Beach)
Paliku Beach — nicknamed Donkey Beach — is a remote stretch of Kauai's east coast between Kealia Beach and Anahola Bay, accessible only by a mile-long trail through former sugarcane fields. The name Donkey Beach comes from the working animals that sugarcane plantations once kept in the area; Paliku is the Hawaiian name, meaning 'vertical cliff.' The beach is distinct from Larsen's Beach (Lepeuli) to the north — Paliku sits roughly 8 miles south, at a different point on the Kauai east coast. The beach is wide, wild, and exposed — strong trade winds come in from the northeast, and the offshore break is powerful enough that swimming is often dangerous. This is primarily a sunbathing and scenic beach rather than a swimming beach. The clothing-optional tradition is long-established and informal, and the walk-in access keeps crowds low. The trail passes through dry scrub and former plantation land before descending to the coast. Kauai's east coast trail network has grown since the Kauai Coastal Trail development began in the mid-2010s. The Paliku trailhead is near the end of Kuhio Highway (Route 56) in the Kealia area, about 10 miles north of Lihue Airport.
Hawaii, USA
Red Sand Beach (Kaihalulu)
Red Sand Beach — Kaihalulu in Hawaiian — is a small cove on the east side of Hana Bay on Maui's far east coast. The beach gets its name from the deep rust-red iron-rich sand that's eroded out of the cinder cone forming the cove's walls. A natural lava-rock wall breaks the ocean swell about a hundred metres offshore, creating a relatively protected pool on calm days. The setting is one of the most visually striking on Maui — red sand, black lava, deep blue water, and a half-circle of crumbling red cliff. Getting to Red Sand Beach is the hard part. The unmarked trail starts at the dead-end of Uakea Road behind the Hana Community Center, drops through a tropical forest, and then runs along a narrow eroded cliff path that's caused more rescues than nearly any other access trail on Maui. Official signs warn the trail is dangerous; East Maui Ready has issued a standing advisory asking visitors to avoid it because of the strain on emergency services. The path is genuinely steep and slick — wet weather makes it treacherous. Sturdy shoes with real traction are essential. Clothing-optional use at Red Sand has been a long-standing convention. The cove's isolation and difficult access keep visitor numbers low and have created tolerated norms that the local community has lived with for decades. Hawaii state law on public nudity still applies in theory, but enforcement here is rare. Swimming is only advisable when the water is calm and you stay inside the protective lava wall — venturing past it puts you in serious open-ocean current.
Hawaii, USA
Secret Beach (Kauapea)
Kauapea Beach — locally known as Secret Beach or Secrets — sits below tall cliffs and ironwood trees on Kauai's north shore. You'll find roughly half a mile of golden sand that's become a minor footnote in the US naturist landscape, though calling it a true clothing-optional destination overstates the reality. The west end has historically tolerated nude use, but you're far more likely to encounter Instagram tourists chasing the "secret beach" mystique than committed naturists. Enforcement is nonexistent, but so is any consistent nude presence — some days you'll see a handful of bare sunbathers, other days none at all. This is public beach access on one of Hawaii's most photogenic stretches of coastline, not a naturist enclave. Swimming conditions swing wildly: winter swells create dangerous shore breaks and rip currents that have caught inexperienced swimmers, while summer typically brings calmer water suitable for wading. No facilities exist here — no lifeguards, no restrooms, no drinking water. Access requires a moderately steep 10–15 minute hike down a trail that turns slick and muddy after rain. The beach delivers stunning scenery and relative seclusion if you're willing to work for it, but set expectations accordingly if you're seeking a true clothing-optional experience rather than just a beautiful, occasionally nude-tolerant beach.
Hawaii, USA
Slaughterhouse Beach
Slaughterhouse Beach — officially Mokuleia Beach — sits below the cliffs at the north end of the Kapalua resort area in west Maui, about 2 miles past the Kapalua Bay resort. The beach gets its informal name from a cattle slaughterhouse that once operated on the bluffs above it. Despite the name, the beach is beautiful: a crescent of white sand in a rocky cove, sheltered enough for good swimming in summer but exposed to seasonal north swell in winter. The clothing-optional tradition at Slaughterhouse is informal and long-established — it's been used that way since at least the 1970s, when the north Maui coast was far less developed. The beach is accessed by concrete stairs from a small roadside parking area on the Honoapiilani Highway (Route 30), and the clifftop parking keeps casual traffic low. Kapalua is about 10 miles north of Lahaina (before the 2023 wildfire that largely destroyed historic Lahaina, visitors typically combined a Slaughterhouse visit with a Lahaina walk — the Lahaina area is in ongoing recovery). The water quality and marine life here are excellent; Slaughterhouse is adjacent to Honolua Bay Marine Life Conservation District, one of Maui's premier snorkeling and surfing sites.
Hawaii, USA
Hawaiian naturist Park
Hawaiian Naturist Park is a small, clothing-optional resort on the Big Island near Pāhoa in the Puna district. This is owner-operated property with simple motel-style rooms and day-use facilities — think rustic Hawaii, not luxury resort. The setup includes a pool, hot tub, and common areas surrounded by tropical vegetation. The vibe is low-key and beginner-friendly, which is notable since Hawaii's naturist scene is quite limited compared to the mainland. Most US naturist resorts cluster in Florida, California, and the Southwest; having any dedicated clothing-optional lodging in Hawaii makes this a rare option for visitors who want to combine island tourism with social nudity. Pāhoa sits about 20 miles southeast of Hilo in a rural, volcanic landscape. The area is humid and lush, with spotty cell service. Many guests use this as a base for exploring nearby attractions like Volcanoes National Park, black sand beaches, and lava fields. Day passes are available if you're just passing through. The property is basic but functional — you're here for the tropical setting and the freedom to be clothes-free, not for resort amenities. Given Hawaii's generally conservative approach to public nudity, this kind of private, dedicated space fills an important niche for naturists visiting the islands.
Hawaii, USA
Kehena Mauka Nui Club LGBTQIA+ Clothing Optional
Kehena Mauka Nui Club is a small clothing-optional guest house on the Big Island's Puna coast, about 20 minutes south of Hilo. This is explicitly LGBTQIA+-focused lodging — a rarity in the US naturist landscape, which tends to skew heteronormative at traditional resorts and clubs. The property offers a handful of rooms in a residential neighborhood thick with tropical jungle: papaya, ti plants, ohia, and the omnipresent green tangle that defines Puna. This isn't a resort. There's no restaurant, no pool complex, no AANR affiliation. It's a gay-friendly bed-and-breakfast where nudity is the norm in outdoor common areas and the vibe is low-key social rather than programmed activities. You're here to relax, meet other queer travelers, and enjoy the rare combination of body freedom and intentional LGBTQIA+ space. Kehena Black Sand Beach — a well-known clothing-optional beach popular with locals and visitors alike — is a short drive away, and many guests use the club as a base for beach days. The 4.9 rating across 42 reviews suggests the hosts are doing something right: warm hospitality, clean accommodations, and a welcoming atmosphere for queer and allied naturists. If you're looking for mainstream amenities or family-friendly programming, this isn't it. If you want a place where you can be naked, gay, and among friends in the most remote corner of the Hawaiian archipelago, Kehena Mauka Nui delivers.