The naked truth: Inside the eye-opening world of Hawke's Bay naturists/nudists

What's it like to go inside into the eye-opening world of naturists in Hawke's Bay? Fully clothed reporter Laura Wiltshire reveals all.

If you drive out the back of Napier, winding through the city's western hills, you come to a property called Rapere.

Half an hour from Napier, once you get there you could not feel further away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

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There are sports grounds, a swimming pool, and small shops, the sense of community palpable as you enter the gates.

For an outsider however, there is one thing noticeably missing: clothing.

The property is home to the Hawke's Bay Naturist Club, and this week it is welcoming naturists from across New Zealand, and the world, for an annual rally.

A few people choose to wear a sarong, or shorts, or a T-shirt, either for comfort or to protect against the blazing Hawke's Bay sun.

But for the most part, it's hats only, and within 10 minutes the nudity, which at first feels glaringly obvious, fades into the background.

One naturist who came from out of town for the event is Bryan.

As he put it, you just look in people's eyes when speaking to each other, like you would when having any other conversation.

Fresh off a win in the game Kubb (a cross between petanque and chess), Bryan said the feeling of freedom and equality were the main drawcards to the naturist lifestyle.

"If you've got no clothes on, there's no hierarchy, we're all on the same level.

"You've got nothing to identify you, as a lawyer with tie on or a tramp with a cloth cap."

His Kubb opponent, Michael, agreed, saying nudity is only a big deal if you make it a big deal.

Both said going to a naturalist club helped with body confidence, both within the grounds and when leaving them.

"People have all sorts of things they are worried about, a scar or a large toe or whatever it might be, no one else is even noticing that, they are just normal things that people have," Michael said.

Of course there are some practical things to overcome when not wearing clothes, large bottles of sunscreen are dotted around the property, and most people are wearing hats.

There is also no requirement to be naked, and Bryan carries a shirt with him so he can cover his shoulders if he starts to burn.

A more sinister issue than sunburn is people who believe naturism is sexual in nature, rather than a lifestyle choice.

Hawke's Bay Naturist Club president Nick Lowe said he has had to march people off the grounds every rally he has organised.

"I can tell, you, people give themselves away in the first three sentences, they start asking questions about hook-ups and things like that."

In particular, people are often worried about children at naturist clubs but with a strong community around them children, who do not have to go naked, are safe, Lowe said.

"With all these people here, if you are looking for too long, at a child, there's 10 pairs of eyes on you."

At large events, like the rally, people are given plasters to put over their phone camera, so the phone can still be used but no one is worried about being filmed.

The Hawke's Bay club also gives newcomers the first three visits free, which gives them an opportunity to suss out whether someone us legitimate in their reasons for being there.

The visits also give people an opportunity to decide whether naturism is for them. The club does not take clothes off people at the gate, allowing people to take it at their own pace.

"If you haven't worked it out in those three visits, it's not your thing," Lowe said.