1/04

I have just returned (Nov 2003) from a place called Ko Phangan in Thailand. Before going I did check these pages as to acceptability of toplessness in Thailand and was somewhat reassured. Many websites and government literature claims that Thailand is very conservative and showing of skin not permitted.

Having spent good two weeks at Ko Phangan I can safely say that toplessness is not only accepted it is almost the norm in Phangan at least. Most of the girls ( about 85%) were topless on the beach and I stayed topless most of the time right from morning to late evening. I had the most wonderful time and it was a good experience to be amongst many topless Asian girls with there wonderful brown bodies.

I in fact was topless in the market near the beach as well and had my
lunch always topless. This place is perfect for a topless holiday and
to get a wonderful tan.

So my advice to all traveling to Phangan in Thailand is "HAVE FUN."

--Seema, New York, New York

9/03

We (my boyfriend and me, both in late 20s) have just returned from a wonderful holiday at South Thailand, at Samui and Phangan. Before going there I had no idea that toplessness would be so common in Thailand that one would feel actually overdressed on the beach with a bikini top on!! We stayed at Leela Beach resort at Phangan and we were there for the full moon party when around 10,000 people participate in one of the wildest parties in the world. The beach is packed in right from the morning and there would be thousands of girls topless all over Phangan. At Leela beach more than 80% of the hundreds of girls were topless and it seems that is very much the norm there with perfect acceptance of toplessness. The scene is very much same at Chewang in Samui with about 50-60% girls topless, and many girls from Asia were topless too. Enjoy topless freedom in Thailand!

--Paula, Sydney, Australia

7/03

My husband and I went to Ko Samui, an island south of Thailand, last February. We stayed in a resort at Chaweng Noi beach. We saw many women without tops at the pool and beach, about 60-70% on the day we arrived. I was comfortable in bikini top and thong. I had never been topless on the beach before, which I believe is normal for Asian women. On the second day, there were many groups of European tourist, some Japanese and local Thai. I was almost shock when I got to the pool and found that most of the women were topless and I was the only one with top. I never know that topfree is widely practiced on an island in Thailand. When we went down to the beach, again, there were lots of topfree girls and no one seem to care. My husband encouraged me to try as others. I was very shy at first but gradually felt comfortable without top. Actually, I felt wonderful swimming topless in the sea. We also notice some women from Japan without top too, which was a surprise to me. Local people were very nice and not against topless. After two days I felt brave enough to go topless at the swimming pool. We met another asian couple with a topfree wife too. We were very surprised after we found out that they were local Thai. There were also Japanese and Korean women without tops too. I did not wear top again during the stay. We hope to go back there again next year.

--Kim Yeon Jo, Pusan, Korea

While going through your website it was nice to learn about various countries where toplessness is common and I for one would like this trend to spread to every corner of the world.

I would like to share an experience which I had in Thailand (one would not expect toplessness in Asian countries; but I was wrong). We reached Ko Samui late in the evening and next morning we went on a trip by boat to Ang Thong Marine Park, a full day trip. I took with me my modest one-piece suit thinking that this would be appropriate. We reached to boat in the morning and there were about 25 of us, roughtly the same number of males and females, mostly from Europe and one couple from India. We had just started and in less than 30 minutes, most of the Europeans to my delight were down to bottoms and no top. I must say I was surprised. On checking with them I was told this is common in Thailand. When we reached the beautiful beach at Ang Thong I had no option but to be at the beach in my shorts with no top as I was not ready to be on a topless beach. On our return trip ALL I repeat ALL girls were topless, including the one from India. We had the most wonderful experience. The first thing I did the next morning was to buy a bikini, so that I had the option of taking my top off. We stayed at Samui for a 8 days and all the 8 days I was without my top almost the whole day. It was a wonderful holiday and I wish to go again!

--Amber, Norway

Hi, we have just returned from a wonderful trip to Thailand. Actually we were going to go to Singapore but then changed the program and went to Thailand instead due to the SARS virus.

We visited Bangkok and then moved to the south and visited a wonderful place called Samui. We stayed for about 10 days there and also visited Phangan, an island close by. In Samui we stayed at Chewang Beach which is the main beach on the island. It came as a surprise to me and my husband to find about 60% girls topless in ASIA!!! Before our trip we were believed that Thailand is a conservative country and one must cover-up but what we saw was totally opposite. Toplessness is as common as it is in Europe. In fact it is much more interesting as one sees not only European and Americans topless, there are Asians who are topless too, many from Korea, Japan, etc. I had packed a conservative one-piece swimsuit for myself but it was totally out of place and soon I was topless along with the other girls were on the beach and at the pool.

--Pamela, South Plainfield, New Jersey

6/03

We (me and my husband) went to Thailand in March of 2003 and went to a place in the South called Ko Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan, both are within 60 minutes of each other by boat. I had heard that topless sunbathing was common but it was a surprise to see that toplessness is not only common but very much the norm and at least 60-70% of the woman were topless at both Samui and Pha-Ngan. Actually at Pha-Ngan the percentage would be even higher, close to 80%. What was even more surprising was the fact that there were many women from Asia including some from Japan, Korea, and India who were also topless. I must say that I spent most of my time at the beach and the resort pool topless. There were no problems at all and I enjoyed every minute of it.

--Veronica, Australia

My husband and I visited Ko Pha-Ngan a small island near Ko Samui in South Thailand in March 2003. Considering it is in Asia and we see all the websites saying topless and/or nudity on beaches is not accepted etc. we were pleasantly surprised to see a large number of girls (mostly from Europe, USA, but some from Asia as well) topless. Soon I was also without my top and in a day or two I would not even bother to bring my top to the beach as we were staying in a resort next to the beach.. A small thong is what I required during my most wonderful stay at Pha-Ngan. It is an absolutely smashing place and next time I visit Samui and Pha-Ngan I will not bother at all about packing a bikini top! I was glad to find that what you normally see on the net and travel books was not correct and that topless is almost a rule in Samui and Pha-Ngan.

--Jessica, Italy

4/03

We are a group of two young couples in out early 30s. We traveled to Ko Samui in South Thailand in March 2003. We were very surprised to see a large number of women topless on the beaches there at Chaweng and Lamai. We stayed at Chaweng Beach and soon found ourselves without our tops on the beach. There were hundreds of topless girls on the beach to give us company. The next day we took off out tops at the resort pool as well and were very comfortable in a thong. We visited a spa with a large herbal pool on Lamai beach and there also we went topless and seeing us others at the spa also took their tops off in no time.

--Shalo, Singapore