Your opinion... really, I'd like Rob's opinion....

[Hussyband]

I continue to follow the couples web pages, although I am reasonably sure I will never go to an all inclusive again.

The topic of the evening is the worry over the AN beach staying open in light of the royalton being built next door. I feel like that entire section of the beach is becoming incredibly homogenized, and that the AN days are going to fall under the regulation axe that has taken many mainstays from the island over the last decade (I'm not forming an opinion for or against any of those decisions). Given the most recent kerfuffle over loud music venues, do you think fully nude sun bathing has a long shelf life down that way?

Disclaimer... I don't care if the entire resort goes to dinner on jet skis, fully naked. I'm just curious about the future of regulation in Negril. I'm pretty quiet, and let things flow around me, so whatever happens, I'm generally fine... so long as my hammock hut is left alone, and I have some cold juice to enjoy as I read my book.

[Rob]

Opinions are like.... well, you know.

The fact of the matter is while generally frowned upon by Jamaican society as a whole, the government has designated clothing optional beaches. Some were "grandfathered in" and others have been newly regulated around the island. Royalton has the right to restrict AN. Couples already has the permit for clothing optional, so they can continue that practice. Royalton has no say in how Couples operates their business and vice versa.

Not reading the Couples "kerfluffle", I am not sure why anyone is getting their "ker" fluffled. Live and let live.

And after seeing the new Royalton, it is a good replacement for the old Grand Lido which had a lot of wasted indoor space and was in need of repair. It doesn't look like Couples, Point Village or Hedo (which is most certainly AN) so I don't see the homogenization suggested above.

This is nothing like the Noise Abatement Act, which regulates ALL loud noise be it a broken bass speaker turned up to 11 or a jackhammer at 2am. And there was more to that kerfluffle than simply loudness. There were other legal issues involved.

[jamaicajeanne]

I too follow the Couples message board and in my opinion, there is no kerfuffle....just a few folks who are worried that the AN aspect of Couples Negril might be disturbed. Management has responded to many of the threads/questions that have been started since the Royalton began building acknowledging that there are NO planned changes to the AN beach.

I am assuming that you may be referring to the Social media pages....of course, you can't put it on social media if it is not true, right?
Personally, (and I mean no disrespect) I would follow the statements from management rather than the gossip on social media where anyone can discuss any rumor that they choose.

[Papa Georgie]

Please forgive my ignorance. But, what is "AN".

Thanks.

[jamaicajeanne]

Au natural....nekkid.
Couples AN beaches are not clothing optional....nude only.

[Papa Georgie]

So now Hedonism and Couples Negril have the only Au Natural beaches in Negril

I remember way back when before Beaches Negril was built...the land was in its pretty much natural state...dunes and high grass.
This was an informal nude beach.
We used to call it "Buff in the Rough".

[jamaicajeanne]

That sounds like it was fun Papa!

[Rob]

There still are a few spots on the main beach where you could go "buff in the rough", but as mentioned, au natural sun bathing is not the norm for Jamaican society.

[Papa Georgie]

Well...I'm a bit too modest to participate. Always used to see them on our beach walks.

[jamaicajeanne]

Ahhh, understood and point of view respected.
We are in our mid to later 50's and had our first experience with C/O in Colorado about 30 years ago. We are not Hedo type people but we do thoroughly enjoy nude beaches and hot springs without party atmospheres.