topless beaches
 

Can you go topless on any of the beaches in the Turks & Caicos?

Hmm.. not sure!

I'm European and we go topless at any available opportunity :-D

I went topless at Idle Awhile but not at the Jamaica Inn, both are in Jamaica but it's what acceptable to the other visitors that matters.

We visited Coral Gardens in T&C and walked up and down Grace bay - we saw no topless bathers on the beach.

T&C has lots of islands are you thinking of visiting Provo?

It is against the law to go topless in Turks and Caicos.

It is illegal for toplessness on many islands, and though I've never been to T&C, I believe Blamona. That being said, if you just want to sunbathe topless, I've seen it done discreetly in several locations where it is supposedly illegal.

I would personally feel uncomfortable being topless in any host country where it was frowned upon in public, but there are always secluded stretches of beach where you would have relative privacy for sunbathing topless. There are several tour operators in Provo that can take you out to a cay for a private picnic--this would be a great opportunity for to be topless without giving offense to any locals.

We noticed topless at Club Med, but not elsewhere on Grace Bay; also okay at isolated beaches like Malcolm Road.

it is my understanding, as well, that it is illegal in t&c. as such i am suspicious that club med must follow this law as it does the other laws of the country.
it is possible to find deserted sections of beach on provo. and i have read a couple trip reports here of ppl who were dropped off on a secluded cay only to have ppl walk up on them from another drop off point on the cay.
jamaica has the hedonism resorts. you will find topless on st.martin, curacao, st.barth's, st.kitts, and on dominican republic - so perhaps if this is your criteria you might select another island.

Virginia is misinformed. St. Kitts (and Nevis) does not permit topless. Wholesome, family beaches and a conservative resident population throughout most of Caribbean islands frown on the practice. Stay in a private villa or stay home.
Cheers, Richard.

No, Richard, Virginia is not misinformed.

This topic always amuses me, and brings out the 50's schoolteacher in so many people. Tsk tsk tsk (visualize shaking finger in your face at the prospect of toplessness). @-)

Fact: Topless sunbathing is illegal on many Caribbean islands.

Fact: Topless sunbathing is perfectly legal and acceptable on many Caribbean islands.

As the OP is attempting to do, the proper thing is to find out the norm on the island he/she is thinking of going to.

Very simply, as some of the other posters have stated, it is extremely easy on almost all of the islands to find stretches of beach or resorts that permit (or even encourage) toplessness or nudity.

Anyone with a modicum of manners knows that it would be rude to sunbathe topless in an area where it's not acceptable, or on a beach that families and locals frequent (unless it's one of the islands like St Martin where that is the norm).

When we were on Provo, we spent two entire days on Malcolm's Beach - which was (think not any more) an extremely secluded beach down a long road. The whole time we were there, we saw six other people. All of the ladies were topless. I have no problem at all with keeping a top on if it's not permitted.

(Funny alya, I also went topless at Idle Awhile but not Jamaica Inn.)

What about showing respect for the laws of the country your visiting?
There are plenty of islands known for it, why do it where you are not suppose too?

I don't know where Diana (or Virginia) gets her fountain of bad information or her disrespect for island laws...illegal is illegal! With that attitude its small wonder some travellers/nationalities create difficulties for the rest of us "legitimate" tourists and travellers. You may think that you are above the law but its usually the graciousness of island residents that have kept you out of jail or from being heavily fined. Cheers, Richard.

Richard, you can dismount any time you want to from your high horse. (It's hard to talk to you when you're all the way up there.)

I can assure you that I am just as "legitimate" a traveler as you or anyone else on this board, and I imagine that were we to compare the scope of our Caribbean travels, that might be an indicator of where I am getting my info.

I'll also assure you (and blamona since she is obviously concerned as well) that I am more than knowledgeable about island customs and behaviors.

I don't care to be judged, thank you very much.

Diana is right about the need to show good judgment and proper manners in these cases. But I have to agree with Richard that it is respectful to obey the laws of the country where you are visiting when it comes to topless bathing. In some islands, such as St. Barths, it is perfectly legal to go topless on many beaches. However, many Caribbean islands, including St. Kitts and Nevis, specifically prohibit topless bsthing.

This is not a case of imposing 1950s values. Rather, it's a simple matter obeying the law and respecting the local culture. When you are a guest in another's home, you obey their rules even if you don't agree with the values that led them to make these rules. It should be the same thing when you visit another country.

We show respect for the citizens of that country by obeying the laws that they chose to govern their lives. To do otherwise is bad manners. If topless bathing is important to you, then travel to an island where it's lawful.

thank you richard - this was a civil discussion until you entered it. perhaps your youth and inexperience explain this unnecessary rudeness.
disrespect for island laws. buddy i don't know where you get off. try reading my post. at no point did i suggest that i have ever been topless anywhere,anytime . nor did i suggest that the op or anyone else do this in turks and caicos. in fact i suggested that they consider an alternate island. and i might add that noone anywhere has ever had to "keep me out of jail or from being fined" for anything!!!
try not to preach. "gracious" people don't appreciate it.
thank you now i will pretend it is friday, have a libation, and think of statia.

You're welcome, most knowledgeable one...Snort! And speaking of high horses...giddy-up! Cheers, Richard.

Laby, you are, of course, correct.

I have been to Nevis (and St Kitts) several times. The only time I was topless was the time we rented a walled villa in the Montpelier area.

I have also been to another 30-40 Caribbean islands, and have only gone topless on three of them - Provo, TCI on the previously-mentioned deserted beach, Isla Mujeres, Mexico (common to go topless) and Negril, Jamaica - ditto.

We just returned from 3 weeks on Grenada and in the Grenadines, and I managed to keep my top on the entire time. ;>

Richard, great comeback. You're so clever.

It's funny to me how the topic of toplessness invokes all kinds of responses, most of which are couched in terms of legality.

It's true that female toplessness is illegal on most islands with heritage of British imperialism. It's also true that despite that, I've seen toplessness on a few of those islands. I think most of the time the women were Europeans accustomed to that state of undress and perfectly ignorant of local law or custom that frowns on it.

LOTS of things are unlawful that many of us do cheerfully. Driving above the speed limit, for example. Ganja is also unlawful, even in Jamaica, and yet people don't jump on posters inquiring how to obtain it.

I personally do not advocate anything that might offend local sensibilities. I would no more remove my top on a beach where others might see me (assuming it's frowned upon) than I would walk into the Southern Baptist COnvention and proclaim my agnosticism to the rooftops. But there are certainly places on every island that are secluded enough that if a woman desperately wants to go topless she can do so without giving offense to anybody because nobody else is around, whether locals or other tourists. It is about judgment and manners and respect.

Why on earth viceroy was implying that Diana was disrespectful of local custom is beyond me. If anything, he should have addressed the comment to me, as I was tacitly saying that it can be done discreetly, away from other eyes.

I agree with ejcrowe that illegality does not automatically translate into being offensive to local sensibilities. And I think we can all agree that it's boorish (to say the least) to knowingly disregard local customs. So if there are places on certain no-topless islands where the local custom tolerates toplessness, then it's silly for non-locals to object. But if you're going to go topless on an island that prohibits it, you want to be sure that the locals really do accept it on that beach. Because, after all, the locals' silence may not be tacit approval - it could be simple embarrassment on their part.

Ahhh...the ole "topless" thread.

Always a winner....and very entertaining.

Amazing how everyone is always drawn to the boob...LOL!!

My thoughts: It isn't illegal unless the authorites see you doing it (and catch you). It's also impossible to offend someone if they don't see you. Discretion is the key. I'm all for respecting others and their values, but simple things such as this seem quite harmless if done in a secluded area. The folks who are horribly offended by a boob need to take a pill.

God I love this topic!! Brings a smile every time.....

"The folks who are horribly offended by a boob need to take a pill."

=D>

ScottB, You are so right. It's just no big deal...

No one is advocating choosing to blatantly ignore (although I have seen it done on St Lucia by a woman who refused to comply with the resort's clearly-outlined "no toplessness" rule) the local custom or laws. I've never seen toplessness on any beach with locals and children unless it was one where that is acceptable and common.

I have never in all of my life heard of any tourist getting busted for going topless, and the laws are in place (but not enforced) to keep people from letting it all hang out on all of the beaches.

The "holier-than-thou" preachers on here most likely have broken the law recently - glass of wine with dinner and then drive home? 5 mph over the speed limit as ej pointed out?

imho, they should make those "banana slings" that some men choose to wear illegal too, but it's their choice to don them... :-]

ScottB's sensible post about leaving it to the secluded beach makes me think about how few truly secluded beaches I've actually gone to in the Caribbean. I know they're there, it doesn't take all that much effort to get there, and yet, I never seem to make it there. My loss for sure.