Nude Beach, the Naturists and the Tourists
It was a perfect cool November morning in Pattaya. The weather was just right; sunny and clear skies but not hot. Tourists were already busy walking around especially near the harbor where they can just hop on a boat to nearby islands and enjoy the beach.
A group of people were also gathering around the area, waiting for a speed boat to take them to an island called Kho Pai. They looked like any ordinary tourists who would just want to have fun under the sun. A mix of friendly people from different nationalities and backgrounds; nobody would ever think that this group of people are naturists. Naturists who took a day off from different parts of the country (and even abroad) just to have time to relax and spend time with nature.
As the group was waiting for the speed boat, another ‘group’ of tourists arrived in the area and also wanted to go Kho Pai. After informing them about the nature of the trip, they were hesitant at first but they went with the naturist group anyway.
The speed boat arrived later than expected, and it took another 45 minutes to arrive at a secluded part of Kho Pai island. Once at the island, the people were happy to take off their clothes, put on a mat on the beach, and just relaxed. With more than twenty participants, people from different backgrounds gathered without inhibitions (and clothes). Couples, families, friends all shared the beach, the sea, the sunlight, and a couple of conversations. Without clothes, one aspect of the social barrier had been stripped off making naturists become more aware of their similarities rather than their differences.
On the other hand, the group of ‘clothed’ tourists separated themselves. They were perhaps also having a great time at the beach but it must have felt awkward to them to see a number of naked people on the beach in Asia. At the same time, they have also seen how naturists are. Naturists are normal people; not the perverts that society portrayed them to be.
The event ended with a group picture taking to those who were comfortable with it. The fading colors of the rays of the sun made the people even happier and closer to nature.
Being naked is natural. Being natural is being a part of the Earth. A part of the wonderful Earth that we are living in – just like that perfect cool November morning in Pattaya.
