Israel naturist beaches

Apollonia Beach is a narrow strip of sand below the sandstone cliff of Apollonia National Park in northern Herzliya, where the ruins of a Crusader fortress overlook the Mediterranean. Because it is secluded and hard to see from above, nudists use the stretch beneath the ruins. It is not an official nude beach, so be discreet. The park above, with its walking paths and views, opens during the day; Ga'ash beach, a better-known nude beach, is a few kilometres north.

Ga'ash Beach is a stretch of Israel's central Mediterranean coast about 22 km north of Tel Aviv, just west of Kibbutz Yakum and Kibbutz Ga'ash. It sits between the Herzliya-Shefayim area and the southern edge of Netanya. Sandstone cliffs run above a narrow, wild sand beach with no lifeguards or facilities. The beach is reached by footpaths down the cliff. It has been Israel's best-known informal nude beach for decades. The northern part, toward Netanya, is popular with gay men and is often called Ga'ash North. The southern stretch toward Shefayim is quieter and mixed, and has long been called the Shefayim nude beach. On a summer weekend you might find around 50 nudists spread along the sand, with clothed walkers and fishermen mixed in. Shade comes only from what you bring.

Beach with nudist area.

Quiet beach at the southern tip of Israel's Red Sea coast, about 2 km from the Egyptian border near the Princess Hotel, named after the lighthouse across the road. The coral reef starts almost at the shore, making it one of Eilat's best snorkelling spots, and there is a small bar with equipment rental but no lifeguard. Nude bathers use the far end of the beach; nudity is unofficial and the main part is a family beach.

Metsoke Dragot (Metzoke Dragot) beach is a remote stretch of the north-western Dead Sea shore below the cliff-top village of the same name, off Route 90 between Kalya and Ein Gedi. It is one of the last undeveloped parts of the Dead Sea coast: there are no hotels, lifeguards or beach clubs, just an open shore, freshwater springs running down to the water, and makeshift shade camps, called zulas, built by long-term campers and drifters from branches, tarps and sheets. Nudity is not officially permitted, but nude bathing and mud-covering happen quietly along the more secluded parts of the shore, and the beach has appeared on international lists of the world's best nude beaches, including one by The Naturist Society. Visitors are a mix of campers, hikers, backpackers staying at the village and naturists. The shoreline is retreating by more than a metre a year, and sinkholes have closed other Dead Sea beaches, so heed warning signs. Summer heat at the lowest point on earth is extreme, and swimming is only floating; keep the very salty water out of your eyes.