Getting ready to pack up and head to Hedonism II in Jamaica? After I finally agreed to vacation at this renowned nudist, swinger’s resort, it was time to prepare, and I don’t just mean pack. This is like no other vacation out there, so a little mental preparation is key. Let this librarian help you with your research — here are ten things you need to know before you go to Hedo, Jamaica’s famous sex resort:
1. Hedonism II is a sex positive paradise.
The most accurate description that I’ve heard about Hedo to date is simply this: It’s half college party Spring Break, half Garden of Eden.
At the nude pool, the party rages on during the day with loud music blasting, tropical drinks flowing, and crazy games orchestrated by Hedo’s entertainment crew. Picture naked ladies dancing on the side of the pool and getting silly with guys (not just their husbands) or each other. There’s lots of laughter. At night, the main dining hall turns into a party following the erotic entertainment of the evening, and most of the visitors choose to dress either in their sultriest attire or follow the sexy theme of evening.
At the same time, there are quiet spots all over the resort. Paths wind through tropical brush around the rooms on the nude side, perfect for a nude stroll with your beloved. At all times of day, naked people lounge oceanside, sipping coffee and water while reading books and listening to the waves.
This is not a Sandals resort — nothing feels fake or overly contrived. It feels like a place that you belong, like chilling at your best friend’s backyard tiki bar. In fact, the gardens at Hedo are filled with painted rocks and the trees are decorated with carved pieces of wood, all baring the names and dates of visitors that want to be a part of this tropical paradise. The vibe at Hedo is relaxed yet upbeat, natural yet energetic. There’s simply no other place in the world like it.
2. Not into Nude? Try out the Prude.
When I describe Hedo to my friends, the one thing that so many of them get hung up on is the nudity aspect. “I could never go nude,” they lament. Well, you should (because it’s awesome), but you don’t have to.
While most people do visit Hedo for a rockin’ nudefest, others spend the entire week on the Prude side of the resort and have a perfectly lovely time. That’s right, Hedo divides up the resort into two zones, split by the large dining hall and lobby, and they really do call the two sides of the resort “Nude” and “Prude.” (To be fair, when you book the rooms, it will say “Regular” instead of “Prude.”)
On the Nude side of the resort, it’s a little bit livelier, mostly because of the nude pool and parties that go down over there. The Nude side is also prettier, in my opinion, with more gardens and trees and painted rocks. But yes, you are required to strip down when you’re over there, and no, phones/cameras aren’t allowed. Clothing is prohibited and not simply optional because it puts everyone on an equal playing field. Don’t worry — you get used to it in about ten minutes, and if you’re feeling slightly shy, just wear a sarong until you get to your destination.
If nudity is an absolute no for you, the prude side also has much to offer. There are pools over there, too, though they’re much tamer than the nude pool. There are also bars and lots of chairs along a much quieter part of the beach. You are welcome to be nude on the prude side, but you can also be clothed. Many guests book their rooms on the prude side because they’re slightly cheaper. We plan on booking our room over there next time for just that reason, and also because we need a quiet room for sleep (our nude oceanfront from the last trip was smack in the middle of the nightclub and the nude pool area, so there was always noise) and because we actually enjoy the long walk to the nude pool every day (we love walking…what can I say, we’re fitness freaks).
3. Not everyone is a swinger, but many are in the lifestyle at Hedonism II.
If you’re scared of swingers, let me reassure you that not everyone at Hedo is a swinger.
If you’re looking to swing, be aware that not everyone at Hedo is a swinger.
I suppose the thing to reinforce here is that people have different reasons for going to Hedo, and “swinger” has a broader definition than I initially realized. Instead of “swinger,” I would say that many people at Hedo consider themselves “in the lifestyle,” which is a little more all-encompassing of the sex-positive, open-minded crowd that gathers at the resort.
Instead of “swinger,” I would say that many people at Hedo consider themselves “in the lifestyle,” which is a little more all-encompassing of the sex-positive, open-minded crowd that gathers at the resort.
We met all sorts of people over our week at Hedo. Some were the classic full-swap swingers that you may have seen in the movies, but there were also couples looking for a single guy or girl to join them in bed. Others like to watch or be watched, falling into the exhibitionist category. Some just want a wild and crazy party, like a flashback to the best frat party ever. There are some people who are really into BDSM and kink. Many are naturists and nudists. A high percentage of the guests fall into multiple categories. Everyone that we met did have one thing in common — they were extremely open-minded.
4. Public sex is allowed at Hedonism II.
I was a little apprehensive about this one at first, so of course, what was the first thing I saw as I stepped out of the beautiful Hedo lobby and onto the patio overlooking the entire resort? That’s right, a woman getting banged by a guy on a cabana mere feet in front of me. It was like live porn, right there in my face.
Surprisingly, this scene calmed my apprehension and fears. It clearly didn’t bother them that I saw them. Anyone could see them; they were somewhat on stage on that cabana smack dab in the middle of the resort. And they looked (and sounded) like they were having an awfully good time. Plus, what else were they supposed to do as the afternoon storm wafted through? When we walked past them about ten minutes later, fully clothed with our concierge leading us to our room, they were sweetly cuddling and whispering to each other. It was all rather nice.
Suffice it to say, I didn’t find witnessing other people having sex in public as “gross” as one might think. It’s kind of the same as seeing anybody doing anything outside. Say you walk by someone doing yoga on the beach. You don’t have to stare at them, but a glance their way is bound to happen. You’ll notice what they’re doing, but it doesn’t have to affect you in any way if you don’t want it to. It’s a public space, and you can choose to be there if you want or not, and so can they.
Over the course of our week, we saw many more sex acts in public spaces. I saw women riding their men on a catamaran cruise and guys getting blowjobs on the beach. I saw women getting eaten out on the lounge chairs beside the pool.
My favorite scene was simple and sweet; I was surveying the pool scene from afar when I saw a man go up to his wife, quickly motorboat her breasts, and then kiss her gently on the lips. It was a gentle reminder that couples visit this place to have fun and connect in tandem, in paradise. And it reminded me that I could choose to be annoyed or amused — now there’s a life lesson.
5. Want a semi-private sex session? Try the Playroom.
Not everyone wants to be fully on display when they have sex, even at Hedo. Most of us are admittedly still a little shy about that, being descended from a Puritan society and all. Enter…the Playroom: Hedo’s solution to semi-private sex that will make you feel naughty yet nice.
The Playroom, which during the daytime is the spa at Hedo, is an open-air space with mattresses surrounding a pool. There’s also a mild dungeon, but sadly I didn’t get to experience it on my trip, as it was under construction at the time. The Playroom is open only at night, guarded by a female attendant, and only couples (and possibly single females) are admitted.
In the Playroom, couples play! Sex, foreplay, cuddling and watching…it’s all good. After having sex in the private cabana cabin near the pool one late night, where anyone could have happened upon us, and then attending a Tantric Sex Workshop another day, I finally felt ready to venture into the Playroom for my first real public romp. I had way more fun than I thought I would…the lighting, the music, and the sounds of others moaning and enjoying themselves made me enjoy myself all the more. We became nightly visitors for the remainder of our trip. And next trip? Our goal is to have sex outside the room as much as possible.
6. Hedo Weedo is open for business!
It’s not all fun and sex at Hedo, though. They have drugs, too!
Jamaica may be known for their weed, but the stuff that they cultivate up here in our weed-legalized state is actually much stronger. Still, when we choose our vacation destinations, we always consider what intoxicants will be available. We’re not big drinkers, and Jamaica has always been a place where we could find our drug of choice: cannabis.
On past vacations to the island, we’d get a hookup from a bellboy or driver. There’s even a guy (well, several) who walks the beach at Negril selling his stuff. But it’s tricky, because you don’t always know what you’re getting or who to trust. We’ve gotten lucky every time, but we’ve heard horror stories about people who haven’t.
Hedo is the first resort on the island to have their own dispensary, and believe me, this is a huge advantage. I’m stoked for my next trip, knowing that I’ll get high quality ganja at a fair price. One love to you, Hedo!
7. To find your people, book your trip to Hedonism with a group. Or don’t.
One thing that isn’t obvious about Hedo vacations is that a great many people travel there with a group, also called “Events” on the Hedo website. Groups aren’t necessarily people who know each other already, though many do from previous travels. Groups are formed by small, often independent travel companies looking to book like-minded people together.
Into BDSM? Book with a Kink group. Tantric sex more your thing? Tantric Hearts attends several times a year and puts on workshops for all guests, free of charge. Some groups are age-based, which is appealing to us. We found that we were most turned on by people of our own generation, both physically and intellectually. Our next trip (before it got cancelled a la COVID) was booked through a group called Young Swingers Week (YSW), directed towards 30-and-40-somethings open to the lifestyle.
Some weeks are blocked out for group takeovers, where everyone on the resort is a part of that group. Other weeks, there are several smaller groups on site along with people who simply book themselves through the resort. For our first trip to Hedo, we choose a the latter type of week and got an interesting mix of people However, we were convinced to try YSW for our return trip when that crowd started showing up near the end of our stay. It was just more erotic and enjoyable for us to be surrounded with people our own age.
8. Hedo people…they’re just like you.
Well, all kinds, as I’ve said before. But there is a barrier to entry — the cost — and we noticed patterns in the type of people that we met there.
As previously stated, everyone was open-minded, and everyone has their own “thing.” In fact, one of the most common conversation openers at the pool is, “So, what’re you guys into?” And the answers are delightfully varied!
In fact, one of the most common conversation openers at the pool is, “So, what’re you guys into?”
However, the cost of vacationing at the resort — we spent about $5000 for our 7-night trip — means that most people are of the middle class or above in terms of socioeconomic status. It’s simply who can afford to be there. In terms of careers, we also noticed patterns. There were many people from the medical field (doctors, nurses) as well as education (teachers, principals). There were others with high stress corporate jobs, and many who owned their own business. We bonded with a wonderful married couple from Texas; he was a pastor’s son who got off watching his wife have sex with black guys.
The surprising thing for me when I first started going nude on vacation was that I met more “normal” people in the nude than I ever do in everyday life. These were my people…open, honest, caring, and real. I’m still friends with many of them today, albeit from afar via Facebook and texts.
9. Hedo staff is the best on the island.
The staff at Hedo is fabulous and friendly. They make it nearly impossible to be uncomfortable. From the receptionist who helped us sort out a missed shuttle to the airport, to Janet the amazing omelet chef, all of them were friendly, relatable, and welcoming. Jamaicans are truly a special people, and the Jamaicans at Hedo are even a cut above.
The vibe with this staff was different than at the Sandals or Couples resorts that I’d previously visited. I’ve always hated being waited on — the idea of “servants” makes me feel awkward, and I like to see all people on an even playing field, respected for who they are and whatever their contributions might be. The white-gloved butler service that we accidentally got on one Sandals trip was one of the most awkward experiences I’ve ever had on vacation. It’s just strange to me to spend a week surrounded by the same people and not genuinely interact with them. Just because they’re staff doesn’t mean they should blend into the background, right?
The Hedo staff work long hours and some, like the entertainment staff, even live in lodges on the resort. We saw many staff members eating in the dining hall alongside guests, and we even ate several of our meals with one young woman — a talented dancer — who opened up to us about her family, her home, and her aspirations. It was refreshing and enlightening. The Hedo staff just seem more friendly, more at ease, and certainly more amused by the guests than any other resort I’ve ever visited.
I suppose you get what you pay for, and Hedo demands the best, so I was pleased to learn that Hedo pays their staff more than any other resort on the island. They deserve it.
10. Don’t skip out on the shows at Hedonism.
Did you know that some of the most artistically talented people in the world are from Jamaica? Musicians, dancers, artists…it must be something in about the beauty of the island that inspires its people, because how else could such a small country produce so much talent?
Let me tell you, I’ve never seen such amazing shows as the shows that I saw at Hedo. Most Jamaican resorts have shows and entertainment at night, with great music and great dancing. Hedo takes it up a notch and adds in an aura of eroticism to the music and dance that’s absolutely stunning. So I’m including this one last point in my must-know-before-you-go list: don’t miss the shows.
Are You Ready?
Hedo is a unique place, that’s for sure, but it’s not as weird or intimidating as one might think. Do your research before you go. Prepare your body and your mind for this exciting adult playground…and then go with an open mind. That’s the only thing you really need to bring.
Still deciding if Hedo is the right place for you to go? I get it. I deliberated about this for quite some time before I got out the credit card and booked a room. If you’re curious about what finally convinced me to go, check out my article Why I Went To Hedonism II: A Nude Swinger’s Resort or send me a message for more details.
Nice write up 👍. I enjoyed reading it