Hi from on the move!

I took an international flight the other day. It felt like I  hadn’t been at the airport in ages. I even asked whether I had to take the laptop out of my carry-on at the security check!

My previous flight, the return from Gran Canaria to Zagreb, was in January. Just four and a half months later, even packing a traveling bag seemed to be a challenging task. How in the world did I manage to fit things in before?

I attributed my quick fallout from a habit to being a human, a highly adaptable creature. Without challenges, we lazily stay in place and see little progress.

For instance, the last few weeks, I spent time with my mom. Besides a couple of half-day mountain hikes I did, and an occasional walk in the neighborhood, it felt like a lazy all-inclusive stay. My muscle work was reduced to lifting a spoon filled with mom’s always-available homemade soup. There’s no proper lunch in the Balkans without eating something with a spoon.

Tomorrow, June 3rd, is simultaneously Global Running Day and International Bicycle Day, both “holidays” stimulating us to get our ass up from the couch, and move. June is the Great Outdoors Month, after all.

How much do you move yourself? Travelers, nominally used to being on the go, are not active people by default. Just like in a sedentary at-home lifestyle, sipping cocktails by the pool and waiting for hotel staff to cook our lunch can quickly switch off our own mechanisms of taking care of ourselves. Once we remove cars, buses, trains, planes, and rockets moving us around, how much time do we truly invest in physical activity in our daily lives?

Forming new habits is easier with pairing, such as moving to a new place as a clean start. So I used the opportunity of an international trip to remind my muscles what they were meant for in the first place. Somehow, I found the energy to exercise at home the last couple of days, I go for regular walks, and I even swam in a river over the weekend. My friend, whom I’m visiting at the moment, has a rowing machine, so I plan to jump on that as soon as I upgrade my stamina a bit.

Bad weather ahead means I’ll be spending more time indoors anyway. But that doesn’t mean that my sports activity should be reduced to playing chess on the Duolingo not-only-language app, my newly discovered obsession. Even if I have a hard time focusing on constructive online work, I do end up spending too much time in front of the screen.

Well, let me know if you have strategies for staying active and fit on the move. I’d love to hear them. And hopefully steal one or two.

Have a sporty week,

Ivan Kralj    
Pipeaway.com

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The post 🏃‍♂️ My Muscles Filed a Missing Person Report – Pipeaway Newsletter #219 appeared first on Pipeaway.

Hi from Cebu!

This throwback to the Philippines arrives a year and a half after I experienced it. Most people go to Oslob, in the island’s south, to admire whale sharks up close and immediately share that pride on their social media feeds. For me, the feeling of pride got replaced with embarrassment. At the time, I wasn’t nearly as informed as I should have been, so I joined the crowds arriving for an Instagram boost in the thousands, daily.

Now that I have tried to offset the participation in the controversial tourism project with a sincere write-up on the ethics of the Oslob whale shark watching, it feels much less burdensome to share the video of the operation, exposing the magnitude of the attraction built on the concept of feeding wild animals that humans would normally never have easy access to.

Sixteen years ago, when two European expats dove into the waters of Oslob and found themselves nose-to-snout with the world’s largest fish, they couldn’t have anticipated that humans arriving after them would put enormous pressure on the vulnerable species, which would in 2016 be reclassified as endangered. You can see what the original dive with the whale sharks looked like before tourism’s greed suppressed its conscience – the video of this first encounter has been uploaded here.

The relationship between humans and wild animals has always been a complicated one. When we start messing with the wildlife, we mostly make mistakes.

In post-war Japan, deer became food, and nearly went extinct in Nara. After the animal was proclaimed the country’s National Natural Treasure, their numbers in the city recovered because locals swapped eating them for feeding them. Today, Nara‘s Bambi adventure, where deer won’t leave you alone if you don’t give them that cracker, is a consequence of the decades-long informal training. During the pandemic, some of these deer became extremely thin as, in the absence of tourists, they didn’t look for grass. Scientists described them as “addicted” to rice crackers.

Thailand has a city where Old World monkeys became a nuisance. What started as Lopburi‘s Monkey Buffet Festival, a tourist attraction of a yearly feast for hundreds of long-tailed macaques (and, of course, the feeding done by tourists in the rest of the year), has culminated in their ever greater numbers. The situation slipped out of control so much that the town had to open an official monkey prison.

Ethiopia is the only country I can recall where feeding wild animals did not cause even more problems. Every night, Harar hyenas come to the town to feed. They don’t just go through the scraps intentionally left for them on the streets; some locals even feed them by hand. The night predator that’s known to indulge in cats, dogs, and humans in the other Ethiopian towns, here spares the citizens, in one of the most unusual social contracts.

The only difference between whale sharks, deer, and monkeys on one side, and spotted hyenas on the other, is that the first ones are not our natural enemies. Tourism in Harar was mostly a consequence of the century-old tradition, while other sites started feeding the animals with the tourist dollars in mind.

If not endangered, we shouldn’t feed wild animals. This was exactly my thought when, the other day, I finally decided to delete the Facebook post that became a boiling pot of Zionist hatred by users who just couldn’t swallow KAN‘s use of Israel‘s Eurovision audience as a choreography act. People who see antisemitism behind everything that makes them uncomfortable, even the reality of the music competition instrumentalized as an agit-pop propaganda, were not adding anything to the discussion besides spilling poison with words. In a normal world, this would self-regulate, but with Meta‘s algorithms pushing the post to every hyper-passionate Zionist out there, the post just became a toxic obsession target. Screw the virality, and someone earning money on a never-ending hostile-feeding cycle. I deleted it for good.

I’m telling you: never feed the beasts.

Have a balanced-diet week,

Ivan Kralj    
Pipeaway.com

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The post 🦈 Tourism’s Hunger Games – Pipeaway Newsletter #218 appeared first on Pipeaway.

Conditioned by an open krill buffet, whale shark appearances become less magical and more of a well-trained, choreographed circus act

Every single morning, thousands of visitors make their way down the winding coastal roads of Cebu, toward a small fishing village called Tan-awan. They come from Cebu City, from Manila, from Tokyo and Berlin and São Paulo. And they’re all here for the same reason: to slip into the warm Bohol Sea and swim beside the sharks described as gentle giants.

Unlike most shark encounters out there, which require hours of searching the open ocean with no guarantee of a sighting, the animals here are not simply passing through. They are intentionally fed to remain near shore, making Oslob whale shark sightings practically guaranteed.

For many travelers, that certainty is an irresistible invitation to snap a photo of their lifetime. For scientists, conservationists, and ethically minded tourists, difficult questions arise: Is this wildlife tourism or wildlife exploitation? Are visitors helping local communities or harming an endangered species?

Oslob’s whale shark experience, one of the most debated wildlife attractions in Southeast Asia, sits in a moral gray zone where economics and ethics collide.

Indeed, these gigantic fish seem free to leave. Their fins are not chained. There are no walls around this shoreside selfie aquarium. But conditioned by the krill thrown at the sea surface as an open buffet, whale shark appearances become less magical and more of a well-trained, choreographed circus act.

So what is really happening in the overcrowded shallows in the Philippines?

And more importantly: is Oslob whale shark watching ethical?

This article gives you both: a complete practical guide to the experience, and an honest, research-backed examination of whether you should be here at all.

A local community in Africa started feeding one of the continent's most terrifying wild animals. Meet the Harar hyenas!

What Is Oslob Whale Shark Watching?

Oslob whale shark watching is a popular tourism activity in the town of Oslob, where, for the last 15 years, visitors can snorkel or dive alongside whale sharks in shallow coastal waters.

The enormous fish, called butanding, tuki, or balilan in the Philippines, and scientifically Rhincodon typus, is covered in a constellation of white spots and lines, as unique as human fingerprints.

As the world’s largest sharks, they are capable of reaching 20 meters in length and 20 tons in weight. Despite this impressive size, whale sharks are gentle filter feeders, vacuuming plankton, small fish, and sergestid shrimp through wide-open mouths. They pose no threat to humans.

In Oslob’s waters, around a dozen of them, mostly juvenile males, gather every morning just 100 meters from shore. Not because of any ancient migratory instinct, seasonal plankton bloom, or coincidence. Because of a bucket of baby shrimp.

Unlike natural aggregation sites, where sightings depend on migration patterns, plankton cycles, weather, and substantial amounts of luck, Oslob offers near certainty.

What was once a chance wildlife sighting has been engineered into something closer to a scheduled performance, running year-round, six hours a day, seven days a week.

GETTING TO OSLOB

Oslob is a municipality on the southeastern coast of Cebu Island in the Philippines, with its barangay (village) of Tan-awan clinging to the coastline roughly 130 kilometers south of Cebu City.

If you exclude Dumaguete and Panglao airports on the neighboring islands, the major airport nearest to Oslob is Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City, the second busiest in the country. From there, your route to Tan-awan depends on your budget, patience, and appetite for local buses.

Are you considering Oslob whale shark watching DIY? Self-organizers, follow my lead. I landed in Lapu-Lapu from Manila and spent a night at a quite nice Otravel Hostel near the airport. The next day, I paid PHP 450 (6 euros/7 dollars) for a Grab ride to the South Bus Terminal, and then PHP 210 (3 euros/dollars) for a bus to Moalboal. After chasing sardines for several days, I took a bus to Bato, and then another one to Tan-awan, which cost me PHP 141 in total, or 2 euros/dollars.

Traveling to Oslob for whale shark watching mainly? It might be easier to join an organized excursion.

From Cebu City (if you're going direct): The drive runs 130 kilometers and takes about three to four hours. Shared group tours leave between 1 and 5 am (yes, AM!). Private transfers are also widely available, and cost 65 euros or 75 dollars per person for foreigners (entrance fee included).

From Moalboal (the diver's base, 80 kilometers north): Private taxis with a 3 am pickup can be arranged. A shared tour with pickups in Moalboal, Lapu-Lapu, Oslob, Talisay, Cebu City, and Mandaue City is available for 73 euros or 84 dollars per person (whale shark watching ticket included).


From Bohol (whose governer, nota bene, banned operations with whale sharks on his island in February 2025): A 6:30 am boat from Momo Beach in Panglao to Quartel Beach in Oslob takes up to 1.5 hours and costs 19 euros or 22 dollars one-way (if Panglao to Oslob ferry is not full, you can also buy the ticket at the spot with cash, for PHP 1,200). From Quartel, a short 20-peso bus or tuk-tuk ride reaches the Oslob whale shark viewing point.

One note of caution: don't attempt this on a motorbike or self-driven car in those early morning hours. The roads are dark and winding, the tour vans are abundant and fast, and in 2024, ahead of my visit, I could read the reports of a sleeping driver crashing into a roadside fence and a speeding tourist van colliding with a truck.

How it All Started: Oslob Whale Shark Watching History

From Vulnerable to Endangered

In the early 2000s, Oslob was a quiet place, virtually unknown outside the province.

Its waters were just an occasional stop for a migratory species of whale sharks, back then still classified as ‘vulnerable’ (the IUCN Red List would update their status to ‘endangered’ in 2016, after it was estimated that more than half of the global population was lost since the 1940s).

Whale shark hunting and trading their fins, skin and oil were prohibited in the Philippines in 1998. Swimming into a new, technically safer millennium, now threatened mainly by ship strikes and microplastic pollution, these majestic animals became a nuisance to Oslob’s fishing boats, tearing up nets and stealing bait with impunity. They were a nemesis that one was not allowed to fight.

Until local fishermen discovered that, instead of showering them with rocks, they could divert whale sharks from their nets by throwing tiny shrimp in the opposite direction.

If you prefer observing marine life from a boat, go look for pilot whales in Tenerife.

A 2010 Dive That Changed It All

At the beginning of the century, Andreas Luethold, a Luzern-born Swiss, traded the Alps for the Philippines to follow his passion for the undersea. He was in his 30s, had a decade of diving experience in Búzios, Brazil, and continued with divemaster and technical diving courses at one of the first dive shops in Moalboal.

“Hermann Pauli, a German friend who passed away two years ago, and I used to run liveaboard trips for Savedra Dive Center“, Andreas recalls. “I had a deal with the shop owner; I’d help out with guiding and dive safaris and, in exchange, I could always dive there for free.”

In 2010, a word reached him about researchers feeding whale sharks somewhere along the Oslob coast. And the sharks would come by every day.

“Whenever we came back from the safaris, we’d search for them”, Andreas continues. “One day, we found the spot. We asked if we could dock there and dive. For a small fee – more than just a thank you – they let us do it. We jumped in and, sure enough, there were four or five big ones in the water.”

A Swiss expat had just become the first person to dive with Oslob’s whale sharks. He didn’t know it yet, but the millions of others would follow.

The first experience of Oslob whale shark diving, before it became a massive tourism attraction, now lives as a memory. And there is even a video of it; you can check it out on Pipeaway’s YouTube channel.

Animal Cruelty Complaints

Andreas and Hermann shared their once-in-a-lifetime experience with the dive shop owner, and shortly after, they teamed up with the fishermen to bring the sharks to the designated watching area. The diving center started organizing group tours to Oslob, back then for a symbolic fee. Word spread fast. A Philippine TV segment went viral.

“This caused problems for the dive shop because it had received recognition for environmental protection and sustainable diving, such as the Green Fins Award“, Andreas says. “People complained about animal cruelty. So the dive shop stopped offering the service, and the secretary, who also ran a transfer company, or rather, Par Vans, continued the whole operation under the radar.”

Within a year or two, Oslob whale shark watching became so well-known that vans from across Cebu and dive boats from other islands were converging on Tan-awan. Tourists were arriving in thousands.

Within a decade, Oslob had become the world’s largest non-captive provisioned whale shark tourism destination, receiving over 500,000 tourists in 2018, with an estimated US$10 million in ticket sales. That grew to nearly 12 million in the pre-pandemic record-breaking 2019. In 2022, whale shark tourism generated approximately 6 million dollars.

“Today, the whale shark encounter costs ten times as much, and is somehow in the hands of local politicians, bringing 2,000 visitors on some days”, says Andreas, who, meanwhile, swapped active diving with running a superb resort with parrots in Moalboal.

WHERE TO STAY IN OSLOB

I booked a room at D'Downhill Place, a basic guesthouse 600 meters from the whale shark meeting point. Two can sleep in here for 15 euros per night already. Basic is the operative word, but when your alarm goes off at 3:30 am, "basic" is all you need.

For the budget-conscious, Sharky Hostel (aptly named) sits literally steps from the Oslob whale shark watching location, with dorm beds from 7 euros per night.

For those who prefer a swimming pool between shark encounters, Anton's Beach Resort offers direct beach access and considerably more comfort at around 28 euros per couple. It also consistently collects rapturous reviews as one of the most exceptional and affordable Oslob resorts.

As the Oslob whale shark watching experience begins at 6 am and rewards those who arrive by 4, staying nearby the night before is the sanest approach to logistics.

What to Expect From Oslob Whale Shark Watching: The Full Experience Guide

Reserving your spot

An advance booking for the whale shark interaction is possible (and recommended) through the official Facebook page, which handles reservations up to two days ahead between 9 am and 6 pm. You’ll need to pick a preferred time (hourly time slots run from 6 am to noon), and provide each guest’s name, date of birth, nationality, gender, and contact number. In response, you’ll get a reservation code to present on the day of the experience, together with a valid ID, at least 30 minutes before your time slot. You’ll exchange your reservation code for a priority number and pay on the spot.

Walk-ins are also accepted at a separate booth, on a first-come, first-served basis.

As I planned to visit Tumalog Waterfalls after swimming with the whale sharks, and still needed to check out from my Oslob accommodation by 11 am so I could catch the Apekoptravel ferry to Bohol/Panglao, departing at 11:30 am from Quartel Beach, it was in my interest to finish my grand fish adventure as early as possible.

So I did both simultaneously: reserved a 7 am slot via Facebook (the 6 am was already full) and showed up at 4 am to try my luck as a walk-in for 6 am. It worked. With so many walk-ins, I knew nobody would hate me for my double reservation, as someone else would surely fill the empty pre-reserved spot.

Arrival

Arriving before 6 am is strongly advised. From D’Downhill Place, the walk takes only 8 minutes, so I showed up at the Oslob Whale Shark Watching site at 4. At that hour, there were already 60-odd people quietly arranged in four rows of plastic chairs. I’m sure some arrived as early as 2 am, when the snack-selling shop opens its doors, like I learned the day before, when Oslob experienced a power outage, and that was the only place to get some food. I bought noodles, and the owner even managed to heat some water for me on their stove while sharing tips for the experience.

An early arrival means you’ll inevitably encounter many “where do you go?” questions from a variety of local entrepreneurs trying to sell you something, from breakfast to a parking spot. A seller dressed in a cluster of waterproof phone cases weaved between the chair rows, shouting “Okaaaay!” to nobody in particular. “We already have them”, responded a Japanese man. The Americans sitting next to him hid behind gigantic fins, which I thought were forbidden. Then, there was a young man, his head between his knees, napping. Other sleepy travelers clutching their selfie sticks and half-finished coffees.

By 4:15, additional staff had arrived and added four more rows of chairs. At that time, a local rooster woke up.

The clock said 4:30 when a third seating area started to fill. Even in front of the female restroom, a waiting room had been improvised, with several chairs.

A man sitting next to me was guarding four empty chairs for his late-sleeping family members joining the Oslob whale shark watching queue at 5 am.

Just at that moment, a long, didgeridoo-style foghorn sound boomed from the speakers, as if a gigantic cruise ship would run against bangkas, traditional double-outrigger boats ready to bring us to the whale sharks. Was the audio signal a wake-up call for them or for us?

Our snake-line queue began moving, as if playing a game of musical chairs, and one by one, we arrived at the registration desk. I got number 16. That sounded good.

The lady informed us that the cashier would open at 5:45, so our waiting group dispersed on the beach, observing the bloody sunrise penetrating through the morning clouds and eye gunk.

OSLOB WHALE SHARK ENTRANCE FEE

Oslob whale shark watching rates depend on whether you are a foreigner or a local. For Filipino snorkelers, the price of seeing Oslob whale sharks is PHP 500 (7 euros or 8 dollars). International visitors who would like to snorkel next to the world's largest fish pay double – PHP 1,000 (14 euros or 16 dollars). If you want to skip the line and have someone else sort out the transfer logistics, you can arrange the entire day trip from Cebu for 55 euros or 64 dollars.

Oslob whale shark entrance fee is higher for those who want to do scuba diving. Locals pay PHP 1,000, while foreigners need to cash out PHP 1,500 (21 euros or 24 dollars). If you opt for a scuba diving experience, you'll also need a guide and equipment, so it might make sense to take the entire package with admissions and transfers included – the price is 98 euros or 113 dollars.

If you want to add Sumilon Sanctuary as an additional diving site, choose this program for 217 euros or 252 dollars.

Unlike snorkelers who might end up waiting in line up to 2 hours, scuba divers normally don't need to queue. Their actual time spent with the sharks is also typically longer.

Briefing

Before entering the water, visitors are expected to attend a short safety orientation at the Oslob Whale Shark Watching briefing area. Listening to the guidelines felt more like a suggestion than a strictly enforced task, if I may say. Nobody ever told me I needed to go through it; I just noticed people sitting in front of a talking lady, so I joined in.

A staff member explained to us the Oslob whale shark watching rules:

1. No sunblock or skin protection. The chemicals can be harmful to the sharks and the surrounding reef. If you have sunscreen or body oil on you, rinse it off before boarding. Alternatively, wear a long-sleeve UPF rash guard and leggings for sunburn protection.
2. Remove jewelry. Necklaces and bracelets present a safety hazard, both for the wearer and for the animals. Also, you take an unnecessary risk of losing that beloved earring.
3. A life vest is mandatory. Paradoxically, once you’re in the interaction zone, you may remove it. Apparently, responsibility for bad swimmers stops wherever the bangka stops.
4. Enter the water slowly. Never jump off the boat. The whale shark may be where and when you least expect it. Also, water splashing is exactly how fishermen draw the shark’s attention. You don’t want them rushing into you, thinking you might be krill. Use the ladder attached to the bangka to gently enter the water.

5. 

6. Maintain at least a four-meter distance at all times. The large poster conflictingly instructed five meters as a minimal distance from the whale shark’s body and six meters from the tail. Peer pressure in the water is real, but try to hold the line on the rule even when others don’t.
7. No touching the animals. Besides whale sharks, the ‘no touching’ rule refers to turtles and corals as well.
8. Stay calm. If a shark swims toward you, move aside. If it doesn’t approach you, don’t chase it.
9. No flash photography. Most of their time, whale sharks spend in deep waters. They are sensitive to sudden light exposure, and intense flashes could damage their eyes, cause stress, and weaken their immune system.
10. Take nothing from the ocean. Rocks, shells, fish, and everything else you might fancy cannot be taken home.
11. Leave nothing in the ocean. Your trash belongs to you.

Well, this was my interpretation of the important rules to follow. I might have missed an instruction or two from the presentation, but, more or less, you understand the drill.

If you don’t, you’ll be happy to know that this theoretical introduction ends up like a Christian prayer, with the Sign of the Cross. “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”, the lady said. “Amen”, the congregation responded. So, help us, God.

In the Water

The chaotic organization then continued with verification (that you have paid), and waiting for your number to be called. From a pile of life jackets, you’d pick one, and an hour or two after the arrival, you’d be ready to go.

Wooden bangka outrigger boats, non-motorized, carrying up to a dozen visitors each, were rowed approximately 100 meters from shore (although from the drone footage I took afterward, some boats were tying up barely 30 meters out, where anyone could technically swim to; that is, if informal swimming would be allowed during the operation).

Once in the position, we slid into the water. As spotters, maneuvering small feeder bangkas, were already passing by the rows of approximately two dozen tourist bangkas, scattering small shrimp (uyap or alamang) into the water, the “show” was already on.

Five magnificent creatures, between 3 and 5 meters long, slowly glided through the water. Well, slowly in whale-shark can-grow-to-the-size-of-a-bus terms. I repeatedly felt surprised by their appearance, closer than I would expect, quicker than a human can react. Despite instructing us to stay at least four meters away from the whale sharks, it was obvious they were being fed at much closer proximity to tourist bangkas, a human and their world brushing against each other on purpose. Sometimes it literally resembles a petting zoo.

Their distinctive spotted hides felt vast, their wide mouths open to filter out the shrimp-clouded water. Even if these were technically baby sharks, their presence seemed massive.

The guides were entering the water as well, chasing tips by pushing bad divers deeper for better shots, or diving down themselves to capture a passing sea turtle on a guest’s GoPro.

Our 30 minutes in the water seemed less than enough, but a new group of tourists was waiting to take our place floating next to one of the world’s most ancient surviving shark species.

Get an even clearer impression of the Oslob Whale Shark Watching experience in this 4-minute YouTube video!

COMBINING SHARKS WITH OTHER OSLOB ATTRACTIONS

Things to do in Oslob are not that abundant. As whale shark watching wraps up by midday, you might have a free afternoon, and not know what to do with yourself.

I decided to pair my Oslob visit with Tumalog Falls, a stunning curtain waterfall 15 minutes away from the interaction site. If you don't want to organize the transfers by yourself, join the waterfall hopping tour and see more cascades in southern Cebu.

Many visitors continue with a day tour to Sumilon Island, a pristine marine sanctuary with a shifting sandbar and excellent snorkeling at colorful coral reefs. Combine the tour here, or even stay at the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort.

Another option is to add Moalboal's sardine run to your Oslob mix. Check out the option here or here.

If one cetacean encounter wasn't enough wildlife for the day, there's also an Oslob Macaque Sanctuary. Add monkey watching to your Oslob visit here.

The adrenaline-inclined visitors could combine Oslob with Kawasan Falls canyoneering in Badian, around 60 kilometers north. Mix your preferred activities here.

If you want to extend your Oslob adventure in the air, consider taking a tandem paragliding flight, with packages starting at PHP 3,500 (49 euros or 57 dollars). Get all the info at Oslob Paragliding Cafe.

For history enthusiasts, a visit to the well-preserved Spanish-era Cuartel Heritage Park, with barracks made of coral stones and a watchtower against pirate attacks. The 19th-century Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, also known as Oslob Church, is another monument to the region's colonial past.

Is Whale Shark Watching in Oslob Ethical?

Swimming with whale sharks can surely be an unforgettable, but also morally uncomfortable experience. The ethical debate around Oslob, however, should not be driven solely by sentiment.

The peer-reviewed science spanning more than a decade of on-the-ground research, as well as the arguments in defense of Oslob’s whale shark tourism, can help you get a clearer picture of the issues and find your own answer when considering whether to engage in the interactions with the world’s largest fish.

Ethical Red Flags – The Case Against Oslob Swim With Whale Sharks

1. Widespread Physical Injuries

LAMAVE (Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines) is a nonprofit conservation organization that monitored Oslob’s whale sharks continuously from March 2012 to January 2020.

What they found was striking: analyzing photographic data from 152 individual sharks over 34 months, researchers documented that whale sharks visiting the provisioning (feeding) site have a significantly higher incidence of injury and scarring than at non-provisioned sites in Australia, Mozambique, and the Seychelles.

95% of Oslob whale sharks carry white lesions with a spongy consistency, the result of repeated skin abrasion from boat hulls and propeller strikes.

The cause is behavioral: daily hand-feeding has conditioned these animals to approach rather than avoid boats, including those with propellers. In training them to treat boats as an all-you-can-eat buffet, the provisioning has made them catastrophically bad at self-preservation.

2. Behavioral Modification

A  2015 study found that sharks in Oslob have learned to associate the location with food rewards. Long-term residents arrive, on average, just five minutes after the feeder boats, and show significantly reduced avoidance response to human contact and boat proximity.

Instead of their natural horizontal swimming through the water column, Oslob’s regulars spend significant time swimming vertically near the surface, mouths open, waiting. Scientists have described this behavior as “begging”.

For naturally migratory animals, the desensitization to human contact extends the problem beyond Oslob’s waters. A whale shark conditioned to approach boats as a food signal may do the same in the open ocean, swimming toward fishing vessels (including those actively looking for sharks), with potentially fatal results.

A 2020 study in Scientific Reports documented that Oslob sharks’ time spent at the warm water surface increased sixfold on provisioned days, exposing them to much more direct sun than normal. This could explain almost regular deep dives after the feeding, possibly related to thermoregulation needs. These behavioral changes ripple outward: whale sharks play a role in the vertical and horizontal cycling of ocean nutrients, meaning their altered movement patterns may affect the broader ecosystem and its biodiversity.

3. Disrupted Migration Patterns

Whale sharks are built to travel. Their usual existence involves crossing vast distances to follow seasonal plankton blooms across multiple ocean systems.

In Oslob, some individuals have simply stopped doing that and become year-round residents.

Scientists worry that prolonged dependency on provisioned food could reduce foraging capability and breeding opportunities, delay sharks’ biological clocks, and alter natural distributions in ways the evidence doesn’t yet fully capture.

4. Shark’s Raised Energy Costs

Whale sharks normally feed slowly and intermittently. But in Oslob, the buffet is open for hours, with no rest, resulting in shark fatigue.

A 2023 Flinders University study fitted 16 whale sharks with accelerometers and measured what Oslob’s tourism site actually costs them: a metabolic rate increase of up to 55%, driven by the rapid acceleration and constant navigation around other sharks and boats.

According to available data, fishermen feeding the sharks spend around 130 kilograms of baby shrimp bait per day. Researchers estimated that 220 kilograms of food would be needed just to offset the energy expenditure, meaning the provisioning may not be nutritionally compensating the animals for the physiological costs it imposes.

5. Poor Food Quality

Besides its quantity, the food provisioned for the Oslob sharks is also nutritionally deficient.

In the wild, whale sharks consume a very diverse diet of plankton, krill, fish eggs, and small fish.

When local plankton, which includes 12 different types of organisms, runs out, Oslob imports the replacement food from neighboring islands of Panay and Negros, where plankton is less diverse. Furthermore, because this shrimp is transported from hundreds of kilometers away, it loses significant nutritional value in transit.

Marine biologists have compared Oslob’s whale shark diet to a human living entirely on fast-food French fries.

6. Coral Reef Damage

LAMAVE data documented coral density in the interaction area running more than 2.5 times lower than at a control site, alongside elevated macroalgae cover. The reef ecosystem is degrading. More research is needed to fully parse cause and contribution, but it is suggested that the concentration of tourism activity is linked to it.

7. Rule-Breaking Routine

Despite legislation carrying financial and even criminal penalties for touching the sharks, the researchers have been continually warning that regulations in Oslob are poorly enforced. Compliance monitoring over 3,849 minutes of observation recorded 1,823 touches of the animals, approximately 28 per hour.

Repeated touching of the animals normally living in the ocean’s depths may significantly impact their immune system and overall health. The mucus layer on their skin is a barrier against pathogens, and removing it leaves them vulnerable to infections and disease.

LAMAVE research showed that 92.7% of tourists breached the minimum 2-meter distance, and an average of 17 tourists were observed within 10 meters of a single shark, far exceeding the permitted maximum of six. In that density, local marshals have almost no practical ability to enforce the rules effectively. In my own observation, guides in the water even push less capable swimmers toward sharks, for a better photo.

8. Guilty Pleasure Loop

A study analyzing TripAdvisor reviews found that two-thirds of visitors who raised ethical concerns still classified their experience as a “guilty pleasure” (being aware that feeding an endangered species for tourism might be morally wrong, yet still choosing to do the Oslob whale shark tour and recommending it to others).

Awareness of harm, the study found, does not reliably translate into behavioral change when the experience is spectacular enough. The review cycle feeds the demand. The demand feeds the shrimp buckets. The shrimp buckets feed the loop.

9. Economic dependency of the community

Oslob’s local economy now revolves entirely around the daily presence of these sharks. Hotels, restaurants, transport businesses, and dozens of family livelihoods are staked on the animals showing up every morning.

Putting all your eggs in one basket is precarious enough when the basket is, say, the tech industry. When the basket is an endangered migratory species that you’re actively pressuring to stay put, the fragility compounds.

Economic dependency creates pressure to keep feeding the sharks regardless of harm, because the alternative – the animals leave, and the operation closes – is financially unthinkable for the community.

Ethical Green Flags – The Case For Swimming With Whale Sharks in Oslob

1. Economic Transformation

Before whale shark tourism began, Tan-awan was a poor, sleepy fishing community where most residents earned less than $1 per day. The whale shark operation has generated approximately US$18.4 million in ticket sales in its first five years (2012-2016), creating alternative livelihoods for 177 fishers and diversifying income throughout the wider community (guides, drivers, resort and restaurant staff), enabling them a greater quality of life. The money from the tours funds local healthcare, infrastructure, and education.

Income distribution looks as follows: 60% goes to the fishermen’s association, split among its members, 30% to the municipality of Oslob, and 10% to the Tan-awan barangay general fund. The municipal share funds five marine reserves and the sea wardens who patrol and protect the sharks.

2. Protection From Poaching

Before 1998, when whale sharks gained national legal protection, hundreds were killed annually in Philippine waters for meat, fins, oil, and skin – a single animal fetching tens of thousands of dollars on Asian markets, China in particular.

The economic value of live sharks attracting tourists has given local communities a powerful incentive to protect the species rather than hunt it. Poaching is now economically irrational.

3. Reduced Fishing Pressure

The fishermen feeding sharks and ferrying tourists in the Oslob whale watching park are no longer netting fish from already-depleted reefs. Local reports suggest fish abundance in the area has increased since the tourism operation began.

The shrimp supply chain also provides income to fishers on neighboring islands, further diffusing pressure on wild stocks.

4. Contested Science

Not every researcher reads the LAMAVE data the same way. A 2019 peer review concluded that studies claiming negative impacts on Oslob whale sharks were characterized by a “lack of baselines, limited methodological approaches, and poor interpretation of results”, and did not provide a sound empirical basis for condemning provisioning. The science is not as settled as advocates on either side often suggest.

5. The Sharks Are “Free to Leave”

The whale sharks in Oslob are not captive. They can and do depart after a few days or weeks. Only around 4% have become year-round residents. If the site were acutely harmful, the argument goes, fewer animals would return. This reasoning has limitations (behavioral conditioning complicates any clean reading of “free choice”), but it is not completely without merit.

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Ethical Alternatives to Oslob Whale Sharks

If the evidence gives you pause, the whale shark tourism in the Philippines has ethical alternatives. They involve trade-offs, primarily around certainty of sightings, but they offer encounters that do not carry the same documented costs and ethical guilt as the Oslob ones.

Donsol, Sorsogon (Luzon Island)

If you want to experience ethical whale shark tourism in the Philippines, head to Donsol. Whale sharks congregate naturally in Donsol Bay to feed on abundant plankton, with no feeding by operators. Tours follow strict WWF-Philippines guidelines, ensuring sustainable interactions, and are accompanied by a licensed Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO). Sightings are uncertain and seasonal (November–May, peak February–April), depending entirely on luck and patience.

Pintuyan, Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte (Eastern Visayas)

Less visited and championed by conservation scientists, Southern Leyte offers wild whale shark encounters in a quiet, non-intrusive, minimal-impact setting. LAMAVE has trained local guides in eco-friendly interaction practices, group sizes are tiny, and daily visitor numbers are a fraction of Oslob’s. The remoteness is its greatest asset, but sightings at sharks’ natural migration route are not guaranteed.

Is Oslob Whale Watching Ethical? – Conclusion

Should you swim with whale sharks in Oslob?

Oslob is not a simple story. It is not a tale of pure exploitation, and it is not the innocent bucket-list experience its marketing presents. It is something more complicated: a community that found a better life by forming an unusual relationship with an endangered species, producing measurable benefits for people and documented costs for the animals.

The whale sharks of Tan-awan are alive. They are protected from poachers. Their presence has funded marine reserves and lifted a village from extreme poverty. These are real outcomes.

So are the propeller scars on 95% of the sharks’ bodies, the behavioral conditioning that has made them approach boats they should flee, the degraded reef, and the image of a wild migratory animal orbiting a shrimp bucket in a fixed mechanical loop, every single morning.

It remains contested whether these impacts, taken together, constitute a long-term population-level threat.

The Philippines has put the whale shark on the 100-peso bill. It reads either as an honorable acknowledgment or as a reduction of an entire endangered species into currency

After spending eight years gathering evidence, LAMAVE, the organization with the longest presence at the site, paused its Oslob research in 2020 because people in power repeatedly refused to implement management improvements based on its findings. The organization stated it would only resume if substantial changes were made. That decision speaks louder than any individual study.

Personally, I feel conflicted about joining the Oslob whale shark snorkeling, even if for reporting purposes. Equally, I must say I didn’t know nearly enough when I entered these waters in 2024.

The video of my encounter sucked. When one of the guides grabbed my GoPro, asking me to dive for the shot as soon as the next shark passed, shouting “Go again, go again!”, it felt like an awkward circus act. Both the tourists and the whale sharks had been trained to perform for the same social media feed, extending the marketing of the project so that even more people decide to jump into this clueless arena.

The Philippines has put the whale shark on the 100-peso bill. It reads either as an honorable acknowledgment of a magnificent animal or as a frank admission that we’ve reduced an entire endangered species into currency. Possibly both.

The clear recuperation of the local economy, in any case, does not free us from responsibility for our actions. Hopefully, this guide brought you useful insight that I may have lacked when I went swimming with Oslob’s whale sharks. The information is here. The decision is yours.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Oslob mean?

In the Cebuano language, oslob means ‘to descend’ or ‘to go down’. The name is not a tribute to the diving opportunities, but a reference to the town’s geographical position on a low-lying, narrow coastline, descending from the hills to the sea.

How many whale sharks are left in the world?

The global population of whale sharks is estimated between 100,000 and 200,000 individuals. The Indo-Pacific population (the one that includes Oslob) is declining twice as fast as the Atlantic one.

Is it safe to swim with whale sharks in Oslob?

Yes. Whale sharks are filter feeders with no interest in humans as prey. Their mouths, though enormous, cannot swallow anything larger than a small fish; their throats are roughly the size of a human fist, which makes you definitely off the menu. The main physical risk to visitors is accidental contact with the shark’s large and powerful tail. Non-swimmers should wear life vests and stay close to the boat. The risk of an intentional whale shark attack is effectively zero.

Is there an age limit for Oslob whale shark watching?

Children 8 and older may enter the water. Younger kids can watch from the boat, accompanied by a parent.

What to bring on a whale shark tour?

While you can borrow the snorkeling gear from the boat, I’d suggest bringing your own (a familiar mask is always better than a provided one you spend five minutes fighting with). Even if there are lockers available near the shower area, a waterproof bag for your belongings is always smart to have with you. Include some drinks and snacks in your pack, and of course – a camera.

Can you wear reef-safe sunscreen in Oslob?

Local regulations prefer no sunscreen in the water at all; wear UPF clothing instead.

When to visit Oslob?

The whale sharks can be seen here year-round, but the best time to visit Oslob is in the dry season (November–May), which offers clearer water and calmer seas. You don’t want to face a cancellation of your boat trip to Oslob due to rough waters. For visibility, the optimal months in the Oslob whale shark watching season are March to June. Avoid peak periods (Chinese New Year, Holy Week, and the Christmas-to-New Year stretch), as you might have to queue up to three hours. When choosing the time, pick the earliest possible time when the sharks are more active.

How many nights to spend in Oslob?

Frankly, one night is more than enough for what the area offers. But if you prefer slow traveling and want to make Oslob your base for experiencing other local attractions, extend your stay for a couple of nights.

Which one is better, Oslob or Moalboal?

For this particular writer, Moalboal wins, no contest. The sardine run is natural, requires no feeding of marine life, and you can access it directly from the beach at any hour of the day without a queue number, a 4 am alarm, or a moral hangover.

Is it ethical to swim with whale sharks in Cebu?
Leave your comment below and pin the article for later!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The authors of all photographs used in this article are mentioned in image titles and Alt Text descriptions. Ivan Kralj is the author of the majority of the images, except for the following, in order of appearance:

Shark injuries - Steve de Neef, LAMAVE
Vertical feeding - KangHeeRhee, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Shark mouth - Elianne Dipp, Pexels
Vertical photo of a shark following a feeder boat ('reduced fishing pressure' segment) - Mounish Raja, Unsplash 
Woman diving under shark - wirestock, Magnific
Banknote - Vintage Printery, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Female diver with a shark (pin image) - Elianne Dipp, Pexels

The post Oslob Whale Shark Watching: Unmissable Experience or Ethical Disaster? appeared first on Pipeaway.

Hi from Gaza!

Writing this from a secret tunnel under the remains of the hospital that we (the Hamas, of course) have been using as a human shield, so we can enjoy eating cakes and ice-cream, sent under the disguise of “humanitarian help”.

How did I end up here, you wonder, in this rubble by the Mediterranean Sea? First of all, many people don’t know what I mean by ‘sea’. I mean ‘ocean’, ‘water’. That sea. Not see, like in vision. Certainly not Eurovision.

Seemingly miles away from the river to the see dioptry, the global audience blindsighted by lasers, sequins, and half-naked hosts, followed the 70th edition of the song contest that went off track.

The narrative of Eurovision has become hostage to protecting the genocide-committing ally’s right to sing at any cost, even at the cost of Eurovision’s own survival. Five European countries joined the Eurovision boycott over Israel, and Martin Green promised to do ‘aaaaaanything’ in his power to bring them back. Well, anything but what they were asking for: putting Israel‘s participation to a vote (which, according to the ESC director’s blatant PR lies, has already been done in his “democratic organization”). The result is the contest’s birthday party that’s rapidly transforming into its funeral reception.

I’m so glad that I followed my instinct and didn’t head to Austria last week, despite being accredited for the event. Watching Green lose credibility and nerves almost every time he encountered an uncomfortable press question felt embarrassing. The media was right to insist on EBU‘s inconsistency and lack of will to tackle the issue that will ultimately destroy both Eurovision and the prospects of Israel in returning to being appreciated on international cultural stages in any reasonable timeframe.

Then again, does Israel care about it much? In this crazy funfair, the country has learned it can act with impunity, just like in the real world (Martin Green says that Eurovision represents the world as it could be – oh, please, no such curses!). Here, all narratives, as Israel instrumentalizes the contest, work.

High televotes? ‘See, the world loves us.’

Low judge scores? ‘See, the anti-Semitic governments will go to extreme lengths just to not see us winning.’

In any scenario, Israel’s political power comes out stronger, solidifying support for its “righteous” actions in the Middle East. Israeli taxpayers are practically supporting brainwashing through artwashing.

Anyone disagreeing that Israel’s Eurovision performances intend to polish its international image is delusional. So, when the article on whether Israel had staged the audience support in Vienna came out, all hell broke loose.

The accuracy of Pipeaway’s Semi-Final story has been confirmed. In all later dress rehearsals, as well as in the Grand Final itself, the footage of Israel’s act included directed close-up shots of the supportive audience mid-song. Contrary to some commenters’ interpretations, our article wasn’t about the conspiracy that people were cheering for Israel (as some clearly do), but about the Israeli broadcaster’s request for such supportive shots DURING the song, something usually done only for truly interactive performances.

KAN‘s request may be completely legitimate, but it is, above all, a rather smart marketing tactic that successfully projects the song’s positive reception and annuls the loud discontent of the live audience in the arena. The booing, however, couldn’t be muted from the results announcement in the same way it was censored out from Eurovision’s YouTube video of Noam Bettan‘s Semi-Final performance.

No matter how tiny a contribution the scripted fan shots were toward setting the story of how audiences enjoy Israel’s song, many die-hard Eurofans rejected even the possibility of being used as a marketing tool.

Under the Facebook post, I was called deranged, incredibly sick, schizophrenic, paranoid, psycho, Hamas-paid, moron, witch hunter, dick weed, and even Marjorie Taylor Greene.

As expected, the prominent insults were also a Jew hater and an anti-Semite. As certain Simon Svensson, one of, I guess, more religious persons in the room, puts it: “Maybe time to get over your pathological obsession with Jews, you Nazi cunt.”

This kind of full-blast response against analyzing Israel’s marketing strategy on Eurovision is a textbook example of how to avoid real discussions in a society that protects its designed “truth” by avoiding looking into a mirror.

It’s been seen so many times. Conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism is indeed quite expected when any issue connected to Israel gets under a magnifying glass. In this, only seemingly religious zeal, an incredible amount of hatred can be spewed, creating a loop that supports the delusion, and probably contributes to real anti-Semitism in the world.

One would think that these self-proclaimed Judaism defenders (in a context in which Judaism was never attacked or even mentioned) would know about Aseret HaDibrot, the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses at Mount Sinai. One of these foundational Jewish laws says, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”. What is indeed calling for anti-Semitism every time someone questions anything connected with Israel, but a manipulation of the religion, and a betrayal of Judaism?

These labeling tactics, intended to suppress free speech, don’t stay just in online forums. As we learned last week in Germany, even a watermelon (sic!) can be inscribed as an indicator of extremism, simply because, in certain circumstances, due to its colors resembling those on the Palestinian flag, it can be interpreted as denying Israel’s “right to exist”.

Eurovision fell into a coma. From the inside of this deranged Stockholm-Syndrome-universe, it might look like a dream of “what the world could look like” when we close our eyes for a moment and leave the problems on the other side of the sanatorium door.

But those problems lying outside are fellow humans, brutally murdered and silenced, while the voice of their wealthy and corrupted West-backed oppressor gets amplified on the world’s grandest music stage.

That’s no one’s dream, Martin Green. That’s a coma. Living on a life-support machine until your family decides to unplug it.

Have a watermelonish week,

Ivan Kralj    
Pipeaway.com

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The post 🍉 A Slice of Reality Blinded by Glitter – Pipeaway Newsletter #217 appeared first on Pipeaway.

Hi from Zagreb!

Until late last night, I was ruminating whether I should be writing this from Vienna. This week, Austria is hosting the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, a global exercise in music extravaganza and political conformity.

I was even delaying writing this newsletter, as I wasn’t sure what to do after the competition’s continuous struggle to handle a country that, while continuing to destroy the lives of its first neighbors and pulling the entire world into an energy crisis, simultaneously stages performances with sparkling chandeliers and glowing diamonds.

Surprisingly, after I wrote a series of critical articles on this public display of a collective bipolar disorder, including those on Israel‘s artwashing budgets, reality detachment, and Eurovision boycotts, I was still granted a press pass to cover the event again this year.

With one Viennese hotel, I organized my stay, and I was a click away from confirming my bus ticket. But in the end… I didn’t pull through.

As I watched the production team’s press conference yesterday via the Online Media Center, I saw Eurovision boss Martin Green getting increasingly nervous with uncomfortable questions. The questions reaching him now are almost regularly uncomfortable, not because the media is anti-semitic, but because the media is still doing its job. And the director is evading these interrogative bullets with a tone that sounds increasingly more arrogant and passive-aggressive than concerned.

Asked about the broadcasters who pulled out after the EBU‘s lack of serious actions against politically-motivated vote engineering (even after the ad campaign that initiated cosmetic changes in Eurovision rules, Israel launched the same “vote 10 times” promo this year, and then got only a formal warning), Green just said: “We will do aaaaanything in our power to find the pathway back. Ultimately, it’s up to them.”

Coming from someone who avoided accountability already, saying they’ll do ‘aaaaanything’ doesn’t sound convincing, no matter how many a’s one extends the word with.

Later that evening, I also watched the Dress Rehearsal of the first Semi-Final. Sadly, I have to say this was not the Eurovision I remember (and I did watch it for over three decades). Songs and advanced technical set-up aside, the show felt tacky. The atmosphere was flat. The audience seemed like unentertained statists. There was a visible lack of flags and cheers. Even boos. The excitement and the creative production excellence were certainly not on the level of Basel. Who knows, maybe live shows will surprise us differently.

For me, this appearance of the 70-year-old Eurovision didn’t feel celebratory but tired. After the cancelled Eurovision Live Tour, the demand to demonstrate success must be becoming more and more difficult to respond to. Eurovision might go to Asia next, but Israel’s hot potato will be following it, despite the direction’s efforts in sweeping the topic under the turquoise carpet.

I love Europe. I love its political choice to erase borders. But erasing borders shouldn’t mean we’re incapable of drawing a line when needed.

If your stomach cannot process the fact that the European music institution has been hijacked by one country’s need to project normality for mostly its internal political needs, but you still love Europe as a borderless idea, I have another read for you.

Check out Europos Parkas, a place at Europe’s geographical heart, where a teenager stood ground even when a “bullying” political system ordered differently. There, even kids can do it.

Have a European week,

Ivan Kralj    
Pipeaway.com

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The post 🇪🇺 The Song Contest That Lost Its Voice – Pipeaway Newsletter #216 appeared first on Pipeaway.

It can, I’ll find out later, when I’ll confidently step into Marius Zavadskis‘ forest carousel (a steel sculpture misspelled, whether accidentally or brilliantly, as Carousal – a drinking bout), and spin in it, like a hamster. An art that doesn’t take itself too seriously quickly peels you down to your infant layers, where remaining solemn would simply be absurd.

The joyful kid with a stylized mustache (Su Ūsais or With Moustaches) is a work by Evaldas Pauza, a Lithuanian sculptor known for his surreal style and comic twists, also visible in other whimsy bronzes scattered among dandelions on this grassy hill. There is a calm Sitting Policeman, a theatrical Pinocchio whose pointy nose couldn’t escape statue rubbing, and Gintarė or Electricity, a girl experimenting with an electrified balloon and her own braid.

Clustered in this outdoor museum, the artworks stand around the Monument of the Center of Europe, a geographic clock created by the little scientist’s namesake and founder of Europos Parkas – Gintaras Karosas. Placing the plaques indicating distances of European capitals to the central pyramid, this visionary artist created the Park of Europe, uniting the continent in art, as one of its most quietly extraordinary cultural destinations.

If you decide to extend your Europos Parkas visit in Kaunas, make sure to visit another unique institution – the Devils' Museum. 

What Is Europos Parkas?

Not to be confused with Europa-Park, Germany‘s largest theme park, Europos Parkas is a permanent open-air museum of modern and contemporary art established in 1991, some 17 kilometers north of Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.

The total weight of the Europos Parkas collection amounts to 1,000 tons of stone, wood, concrete, and other materials

Its founding concept is both simple and wonderfully strange: in 1989, the French National Geographic Institute calculated the geographic center of the European continent. The result landed in Lithuania, in a quiet forested area near the village of Girija.

Two years later, some 10 kilometers away, the Lithuanian sculptor Gintaras Karosas conceived a gallery-style park. Spreading over 55 hectares, Europos Parkas exhibits large-scale sculptures, landscape installations, and conceptual works woven into a natural setting of hills, woodland, and springs. It was imagined as a museum built into nature, a space where art could freely breathe, weather, age, and interact with the environment.

The displayed artworks range from intimate pieces that occupy just a square meter to sprawling giants covering thousands of square meters. Someone calculated the total weight of the collection, and it amounts to approximately 1,000 tons of stone, wood, concrete, and other materials.

One of the defining features of the art at Europos Parkas is its interactive nature. Many of the installations encourage visitors to engage with them in a tactile and experiential way. For example, some sculptures invite visitors to touch, climb, or even sit on them, creating a more intimate connection between the viewer and the artwork. This hands-on approach not only makes the art more accessible but also enhances the overall experience of visiting the park.

Every year, more than 60 thousand people come to explore this extraordinary Lithuanian museum.

The Founder’s Story – Ambition in the Face of Empire

The backstory of the sculpture park near Vilnius is inseparable from the story of its founder, and it is worth telling properly.

Gintaras Karosas was born on 25 June 1968 in one of the largest collective garden districts of Vilnius – Kryžiokai. As a teenager, he was already exhibiting his own graphic work. By 19, while studying sculpture at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, he had found a wooded site outside the city and become convinced it was the right place for something extraordinary. He began landscaping it by hand – cutting trees, clearing undergrowth – on territory that technically wasn’t his.

Starting such a project during the Soviet era, when the state owned the land and was discouraging international connections through art, was a bureaucratic nightmare. Karosas petitioned for years, only to get expelled from the Academy. After the new director reinstated his student status, the ambitious young man was eventually granted a small plot of undeveloped land. He worked on it alone for the first few years.

Then history intervened in his favor. In 1990, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to reclaim independence. In 1991, the year the USSR formally collapsed, the first sculpture, Symbol of Europos Parkas, was placed in a clearing ringed by oak trees. The museum grew alongside a free nation.

By 1996, American conceptual artist Dennis Oppenheim had contributed his work Chair/Pool, and the international art world began to pay attention.

In 2001, Karosas’s own sculpture was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2024, the park was inscribed on Lithuania’s Register of Immovable Cultural Properties.

What began as one young man’s stubborn dream is now a permanent part of the nation’s cultural heritage.

The Collection – A Forest Full of Phantoms

As you walk through the site in silence, broken only by birds and the occasional crunch of gravel underfoot, you realize you are not alone. The forest phantoms hiding behind every corner don’t quite belong there, yet feel strangely at home. The breadth of the Europos Parkas collection is remarkable.

Still, it is not a manicured sculpture garden with clear sightlines to the next work. It is, first and most insistently, a forest. The paths turn to dirt almost immediately after the entrance. The 120-odd works by artists from 35 countries don’t announce themselves; they appear when they appear, sometimes with grand drama, sometimes so quietly that you’ve walked past before registering what you’ve seen.

Each work was sited by Karosas to interact with its specific surroundings: the light through the canopy, the proximity of a spring, the slope of the land. As seasons shift, so do the sculptures. Leaves fall, moss claims its territory, shadows migrate. The park never looks exactly the same twice, which means there is no wrong time to visit and no single definitive version of it to have seen.

The artists are not minor figures. Magdalena Abakanowicz. Sol LeWitt. Dennis Oppenheim. Beverly Pepper. Sasson Soffer. Ales Vesely. The list runs across five continents and several decades of art history.

Since the early 1990s, the park has hosted international sculpture symposiums, bringing artists on-site to create works specifically for this environment. These artworks weren’t just placed here; they were conceived with this landscape and existing pieces in mind.

5 TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT

1. Wear proper shoes. Paths are natural and unpaved beyond the entrance. Wear trainers or walking shoes that accept mud without complaint. Don't wear anything you'd be upset to find decorated with forest.

2. Download the map beforehand. Or download the Europos Parkas app. Without following a suggested route, it's easy to double back or miss works entirely – the grounds are large and not always intuitively signposted. Then again, at a place like this, sometimes the best moments happen when you let yourself get a little lost.

3. Choose your season deliberately. Spring brings wildflowers, fresh greenery, and soft light. Autumn transforms the park into something more melancholic and atmospheric, which suits many of the more reflective works. Summer sees the most visitors; arriving early guarantees a quieter experience. Winters are more minimal, sometimes stark, covering the sculptures with a blanket of snow.

4. Don't rush. The best encounters happen when you stop following the route and sit with a piece for a few minutes.

5. Combine your visit. Nearby Lake Balsys is accessible by the same bus line and offers a peaceful complement to the art. The 18th-century Verkiai Palace, a former residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, is also on the road back to Vilnius. If you have a car, the official Geographic Center of Europe monument in Purnuškes is a free and worthwhile addition. Visiting these places is one of the best things to do near Vilnius.

Must-See Works at Europos Parkas

What to see at Europos Parkas? It’s a lot, of course. But in the center of Europe, some works are especially worth stopping for. These are the park highlights that will haunt your camera roll.

LNK Infotree – Gintaras Karosas

The park’s most famous work is a 2001 Guinness World Record holder, officially the largest art installation made from television sets. A 700-meter labyrinth with the outline of a tree originally incorporated 2,903 TVs. Later, Lithuanians donated 600 more small screens, which were also included in the walls of the TV graveyard spreading over 3,135 square meters.

Among these electronic boxes, instrumentalized to colonize people’s minds, household by household, lay a toppled statue of Vladimir Lenin, a symbol of Soviet ideology. Walking through the maze of stacked, mute screens, their propaganda power disabled, must’ve been a genuinely thought-provoking experience.

Over the years, due to weather and human intervention, the LNK Infotree has mostly deteriorated, the majority of TV sets were recycled, and only a restored fragment is currently on display. Some visitors find this anticlimactic. I found it oddly appropriate: there is something fitting about a monument to Soviet decay that is being decomposed itself.

Double Negative Pyramid – Sol LeWitt

Sol LeWitt‘s geometric minimalist structure from 1997 sits in the landscape with quiet authority. The central figure of the minimal and conceptual art movements in the 1960s, who believed the idea behind a work was the work itself, delivered a work made from concrete blocks, reaching almost six meters in height and twelve meters in width.

The iconic American artist asks the viewer to move around the Double Negative Pyramid, to see it change, not just because of the perspective. The falling shadows and the play of light, even in the pyramid’s image mirrored in the pond, contribute to a constant shift in perception.

Space of Unknown Growth – Magdalena Abakanowicz

Despite crossing the Iron Curtain for numerous exhibitions that built her international reputation, the artist Magdalena Abakanowicz never managed to establish a sculpture park in her native Poland, another place controlled by the USSR. The godmother of the installation art, instead, became one of Europos Parkas’s most committed ambassadors.

In 1998, what was planned to be just four of her ‘abakan’ eggs became a nest of 22 concrete ovoid forms, the largest one weighing over a dozen tons. These massive brooding boulders are a testament to the park’s ambition to host artists of genuine international stature.

PRACTICAL VISITOR INFORMATION

Address: Europos Parko g. 300, Joneikiškės, Vilniaus r., LT-15143

Working hours: Open daily from 10 am to sunset. Last entry in summer at 7 pm; in winter at 4 pm.

Admission: You can book Europos Parkas tickets on Klook or Tiqets. An adult ticket costs €12. Student, senior, disabled, child, and family discounts available. Free admission for pre-schoolers accompanied by parents. Dogs are welcome, too. If you want to combine your Europos Parkas visit with Liubavas Manor, another museum founded by Gintaras Karosas, you can do it all for €17.

On-site facilities: Restoranas restaurant and café in an old apple orchard is open 11 am – 10 pm. Booking ahead is recommended for meals. The museum gift shop offers a variety of art-related merchandise and publications, souvenirs, and postcards. You can send them via their very own post office.

How long to allow: The park offers different mapped routes; the shortest can be completed in 60 minutes, though a full visit takes 2-3 hours or more, especially if you'll be taking a lot of photos of Europos Parkas attractions.

Where to stay: For lodging options close to Europos Parkas, consider booking this villa with a sauna or this garden suite near the lakes. For those who prefer the luxury of staying in Vilnius Old Town, you can't go wrong with the historic Stikliai Hotel or the design-focused Hotel Pacai. Those who want a well-rated bed without a mortgage can check out Corner Hotel and Somnia Apartments.

Getting there from Vilnius

By public bus: Take bus no. 6 from the city center, then transfer to bus no. 66 at Giedraičių st. Walk from Skirgiškės station. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes.

By bike: Even if you can rent a bicycle directly at the park, you can also do it in the center of Vilnius (this option costs €19 for a day) and cycle to Europos Parkas. The ride is approximately 20 kilometers, often taking a scenic route near the Neris River. If you're too tired to bike back for another hour, the bus no. 66 allows passengers to bring bikes on board.

By car: Around 30 minutes. Parking is available at the entrance; a €2 fee applies. An EV charging station is also available.

By taxi or rideshare: Practical if traveling in a group.

Europos Parkas – Conclusion

Art historian Amy Dempsey included Europos Parkas in her book “Destination Art“ as one of the world’s most important art places worth traveling to. She is right. But this park is much more than an art locus on someone’s bucket list.

What stays with me is not any single sculpture, though several are remarkable. It’s the original act of will – a teenager in a Soviet forest, clearing trees by hand, certain against all reasonable evidence that a patch of overgrown, marshy, desolate woodland was going to matter.

One stubborn nineteen-year-old outlasted the empire that told him no

There is something instructive in that. Not inspirational in the poster-quote sense, but genuinely instructive: about what gets built when someone refuses to accept the limits of what is supposedly possible. About what a country can become when it stops being told what it is.

Empires rise and fall. It is the lesson our modern kings keep failing to learn.

It’s visible in the dismembered Lenin rotting among long-forgotten analogue TV boxes.

A Berlin Wall fragment rising beside the trees whispers it again.

As I walk through the Lying Head, an enormous head the stage designer Adomas Jacovskis once constructed for the opera “Macbeth”, I can sense only emptiness. Rusting in grass, like a reminder that ambition and madness have a lifespan, this artwork echoes the same: power that rests on moral collapse will eventually be beheaded.

In Vilnius, one stubborn nineteen-year-old – a mustachioed baby, really, with a vision nobody else could see – outlasted the empire that told him no.

Lithuania is not a peripheral country. It is a place at the center of the idea of Europe, where art and nature can outpower the most violent human ideas.

All roads, if you follow them long enough, lead here.

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Hi from Zagreb!

The first Saturday of May marks the celebration of World Naked Gardening Day, which is an occasion to nurture your vegetables, fruits, and flowers without clothes.

Knowing that my family wouldn’t be stripping into birthday suits, I spent the day preparing a birthday cake for my Mom, a raw deliciousness made of nearly a kilogram of nuts, some dates, currants, and blueberries. Patched my own recipe, and was proud about how it turned out. It was rather caloric, but we only unbuttoned our trousers. Happy 74, dear Mom!

While our family celebrated indoors, I can understand the therapeutic effects adventure-prone spirits feel when they explore nature without the burden of clothes. Whether it’s naked hiking in Australia or enjoying summers on nude beaches in Greece, we can reconnect with our planet and improve our wellbeing by simply stripping.

So, I have a prescription for you this summer! If you happen to visit Croatia, I recommend you discover either the island of Rab, where Kandarola Beach represents an important historical reference for the European naturism movement, or head to Central Dalmatia, where you can explore the FKK beaches of Makarska Riviera – prepare your itinerary by consulting this detailed guide!

If you’re a person of visuals rather than words, I have also published a short drone video that displays aerial shots of this coastal beauty stretching under the Biokovo Nature Park.

Now, I’m heading back to my seasonal job hunting. And all of this reminded me that I saw an ad for an Operations Officer in an FKK camp. Well, keeping my options open…

Have an open-minded week,

Ivan Kralj    
Pipeaway.com

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The post 🍰 Time to Celebrate: From Birthday Cake to Birthday Suit – Pipeaway Newsletter #215 appeared first on Pipeaway.

The Makarska Riviera has more quality nude beaches than most people realize. You just have to know where to look

The Makarska Riviera, 60 kilometers of coastline stretching from Brela to Gradac, has long been one of Croatia‘s busiest summer destinations. But between the promenades, the resort pools, and the peak-season crowds that swell to 60,000 people a month, there are pockets of coastline where a different kind of holiday exists.

Hidden coves tucked behind olive groves. Rocky bays reachable only by paddleboard. Beaches with FKK painted on a boulder in neon orange, as if someone felt the need to make the obvious official.

Whether you are a seasoned nudist or just curious about trying going au naturel for the first time, this guide will help you discover the best clothing-optional beaches on the Makarska Riviera. We cover them along with practical tips, etiquette, and everything you need to know before you go.

Ditch the swimsuit! Here’s your curated guide to Makarska Riviera FKK.

Check the entire FKK ranking in our YouTube video.

FKK in Croatia

Croatia has one of the oldest naturist traditions in Europe. Since the early 20th century, when places like Rab’s Kandarola Beach were disrobing royalty, the country has been quietly ahead of the curve. It was one of the first in Europe to embrace organized naturism, and today it remains one of the continent’s most welcoming destinations for those who associate a holiday in paradise with Adam and Eve’s outfits.

Well, people might’ve been less buttoned up during the former Yugoslavia, but the legacy survived. The abbreviation FKK, borrowed from the German Freikörperkultur (“free body culture”), is still the standard sign language for nude beaches across the coast.

In Croatia, public nudity is technically illegal, but nudism on designated FKK beaches and long-established informal naturist sections is permitted and accepted.

Dalmatia is, politically speaking, more conservative than the northern Adriatic. Strong traditional values, a certain patriarchal solidity. And yet the Makarska Riviera still has more quality nude beaches than most people realize. You just have to know where to look.

This is that guide. Fifteen beaches, with directions, honest opinions, and the kind of detail you won’t find on the sanitized lists.

Did you know you can experience naked sunbathing even on the beaches of landlocked countries? Discover naturism in Switzerland, at Basel's FKK riverbank!

Top 15 Nude Beaches of Makarska Riviera

1. Blato FKK Beach

My favorite nudist beach on the Makarska Riviera is one that FKK guides forget to even mention. Marked on Google Maps just like Blato FKK Beach, the harder-to-access location is what probably still preserves its status as a ‘hidden gem’.

Tucked beneath the Iron-Age hill-fort of Matijaševica, concealed by dense Mediterranean vegetation on the path between Blato (one of Živogošće‘s three settlements) and the larger beach of Velika Duba, Blato FKK is the kind of place that most passersby walk straight past without ever noticing it exists.

The beach is formed by a natural escarpment, with small pebbled zones between rocks, perfectly sized for a towel, a book, and possibly a paddleboard.

The water is exceptional, and the sea access is gentle. Swim north, and you’ll discover a hidden cave with its own private pebble beach, which will feel like a reward.

How to get to Blato FKK Beach

From Blato, head west. Climb the footpath toward Velika Duba, but then cut into the coastal vegetation. After about 100 meters, you’ll be able to descend to the beach via the rocks. Alternatively, rent a paddleboard from Blato or Velika Duba and arrive in style from the sea.

Where to stay near Blato FKK Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Villa Dalmatina in Blato or at Apartmani Boban in Mala Duba.

2. Moritz Beach & FKK Strand

Nobody seems entirely sure who Moritz was or why this stretch of coastline bears this name. But if the Swiss St. Moritz is the icon of winter luxury, its Croatian namesake is the unsaint, sun-drunk cousin who shows up in summer with nothing on and absolutely no apologies.

Closer to Blato than to Drvenik, where they administratively belong, Moritz Beach and the neighboring FKK Strand are two pebble beaches separated by a short forested path.

Between them sits another, even smaller beach – roughly two towels wide – for those who prefer their privacy quantified in one-digit square meters. A few steps away, there is a little sea cave, sheltered and shaded, which has become something of an unofficial gathering point for gay visitors. You can reach it by rock-hopping, or simply wade through the shallows from Moritz, preferably naked, if you don’t want waves to wet your pants.

The whole cove has an amorous, end-of-the-world quality that the surrounding pines and the deep Adriatic blue only amplify. It’s one of the most quietly romantic corners of Makarska Riviera, where you don’t need to dress to impress.

How to get to Moritz Beach

Look for the improvised parking by the Adriatic Highway (D8 road) between Camp Boban and Camp Male Čiste. Leave the car here and walk the path downhill through the trees to the jetty, then follow the rocks right to find Moritz and another shade-providing cave.

Where to stay near Moritz Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Camp Milo Moje in Donja Vala or at Holiday Home Mia in Strnj.

3. West Secluded FKK Beach

Further south toward Drvenik, the coastline gets wilder, and the beach names get less inspired. On Google Maps, one beach is simply called Beach FKK. Its immediate neighbor is West Secluded FKK.

Nobody has named them, and given what happens to well-named beaches on the Croatian coast, this may be the shrewdest act of preservation in Dalmatian tourism history. Maybe the greatest value of these beaches is exactly in their anonymity and the anonymity they guarantee to their visitors.

The stretch near Camp Čiste is rough, craggy, and beautiful in the way that places untouched by sunbed rental tend to be: caves alternating with coves, rocks giving way to pebbles, the sea doing exactly what it wants.

If you’re looking for privacy rather than comfort, this is your coastline. Come prepared: there’s nothing here but nature, and nature has not installed a beach bar.

How to get to West Secluded FKK Beach

Parking above West Secluded FKK is limited to a couple of cars. It’s often easier to park at Moritz Beach and walk south, carefully on the side of the Adriatic Highway, or by following the coast from Moritz Beach, if you are willing to climb a small coastal wall between the two camp sites.

Where to stay near West Secluded FKK Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Victoria Mobilhome at Camp Dole or at Holiday Home Mia in Strnj.

4. Garma Beach

In a parallel universe where the internet doesn’t exist, Garma Beach tops this list of Makarska Riviera’s best FKK destinations.

A pebble cove scattered with gigantic rocks and an occasional rock arch, with trees growing directly out of these photogenic boulders – Garma has the Brela Stone vibe, with the attitude of a place that never asked to be discovered.

The problem is that it was discovered – by clothed bathers with good taste in scenery and no particular interest in FKK. The result is a first-come-first-served situation: arrive early or in shoulder season, and the cove is yours. Arrive in mid-August at noon, and you’ll be negotiating for a patch of rock between a quarrelsome family from Munich and a group of teenagers with a portable speaker.

May or October, though? You might have the whole beach to yourself. That version of Garma is spectacular.

How to get to Garma Beach

Park above Dračevac Beach, walk south toward Podgora on foot, and when you reach the Podgora Boat, the welcome vessel moored by the Adriatic Highway, turn right. Garma hides behind the olive groves.

Where to stay near Garma Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Villa Cascada in Podgora or at Residence Visković in Tučepi.  

5. Dračevac Beach

Among the Makarska Riviera’s FKK beaches, Dračevac, just south of Tučepi, is the rare one that actually announces itself with an official township sign reading ‘Nudist Beach’. That’s a small bureaucratic miracle in Dalmatia, where most naturist spots communicate their status through painted rocks and social osmosis.

The beach is a generous 400 meters of white pebbles, with easy water access, Biokovo as a backdrop, and pine trees framing the coastline in an almost boringly beautiful way. If you are more fond of shore diversity, walk beyond the Hamak Viewpoint, and try your luck at beach number 4.

Dračevac’s water is still the kind of blue that makes you question whether a filter was involved, even in real life.

There’s also a beach bar serving snacks, an almost unheard-of luxury in the Makarska FKK landscape.

Crucially, Dračevac holds its FKK character in peak summer, when other nude beaches quietly surrender to textile pressure. For size, reliability, and the sheer pleasure of lying on good pebbles under a big mountain with a cold drink within reach, this is Makarska Riviera’s standout clothes-free beach.

How to get to Dračevac Beach

You can access Dračevac Beach on foot; whether you walk from Tučepi or Podgora, it will take you approximately 20 minutes. Limited parking across the main road costs €3/hour or €20/day.

Where to stay near Dračevac Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Residence Visković in Tučepi or at Villa Cascada in Podgora.  

6. Nugal Beach

Let’s be honest about Nugal.

It genuinely deserves its place on those lists of the world’s most beautiful beaches. A crescent of pale pebbles enclosed by 30-meter cliffs, turquoise water so clear it’s almost impolite, and a pine forest that provides shade with the generosity of a place that has nothing to prove. In calmer seasons, or early on a weekday morning, it still delivers the experience that made it famous.

But Nugal has become a victim of its own photogenic excellence. The scenic corners of the internet are littered with Nugal’s beauty, which has had the predictable effect of filling the beach with people who arrived specifically to photograph it.

The nudists, now compressed onto the beach’s eastern end, share the 80-meter stretch with fully-dressed visitors apparently unbothered by the prominent FKK signs, and equally unbothered by the discomfort this causes the people actually using the beach as intended.

No hidden gem survives social media forever, and Nugal’s transformation into a “sardine can” of beachgoers is simply a case study in that particular tragedy. The beach is still worth visiting. Just calibrate your expectations: this is now a beautiful, partially naturist beach with regular discomfort, not the FKK oasis it once was.

Visit at dawn or in September. You’ll still love it.

How to get to Nugal Beach

Nugal Beach is accessible from Makarska via a 40-minute walk through Osejava Forest Park, or alternatively by boat, which also brings textile visitors. If driving, park at the Kaufland supermarket (free for 2 hours), as leaving the vehicle on the Adriatic Highway roadside will reward you with a hefty fine.

Where to stay near Nugal Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Holiday Home Nugal or at Holiday Home Sanja.

7. Cvitačka FKK Beach

Strung along the Dr. Franjo Tuđman Promenade north of Makarska’s Biloševac area, Cvitačka FKK Beach comprises a series of small pebble coves separated by rocks, shaded by cliff-grown trees, and helpfully signed in neon-orange FKK lettering that leaves no ambiguity about the dress code.

The central, textile section of Cvitačka gets lively – jet skis, beach bars, the full Mediterranean summer circus. The FKK coves at either end are the escape hatches.

The southern stretch is a sequence of intimate little corners; the northern section, next to the dog beach, has a pleasant, shade-abundant, anything-goes atmosphere.

The whole area has a reputation for being welcoming to LGBTQ+ visitors and to first-timers alike, which makes it one of the more socially relaxed naturist options on the Riviera.

How to get to Cvitačka FKK Beach

Park at one of the Biloševac lots (€15/day) and walk north. Or take Makarska’s tourist train along the coast and hop off at your preferred cove.

Where to stay near Cvitačka FKK Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Aminess Laurel Khalani Hotel or at Romana Beach Resort.

8. Krvavica FKK Beach

South of Ramova port in the small coastal town of Krvavica, beneath cliffs whose upper edges host olive groves and lower parts a mural of a bull, the Krvavica FKK Beach unfolds along what the locals call Kamenita Cesta – the Stone Road.

A series of pebble stretches divided by rocks, each offering enough separation to feel like your own private inlet. One section is particularly popular with gay visitors.

Nearby, abandoned, weather-bleached, and graffiti-covered, stands a UFO-shaped Children’s Health Resort, a relic of Yugoslav modernism that never quite made peace with the twenty-first century. It lends the whole scene a slightly surreal quality.

Float on your back in the deep waters of Krvavica, sky above, cliffs around, and the whole thing does feel rather like another universe, or at least a dimension.

How to get to Krvavica FKK Beach

Even if one can walk to Krvavica from Makarska, drivers can park near the defunct Children’s Health Resort (free after 5 pm), then walk 500 meters south to reach Krvavica FKK Beach.

Where to stay near Krvavica FKK Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Casa Dalmacija or at Apartments Tolić.

9. Baška Voda FKK Beach

The northernmost entry on this list of the best nude beaches of Makarska Riviera extends south of Baška Voda, toward the newly revamped camping resort in Baško Polje.

A natural extension of the well-established Oseka Beach, Baška Voda FKK Beach is a large, easygoing stretch of coastline with simple water access and plenty of space for all interested nudists.

The overall vibe of the place is quite relaxed, and if you need a beach bar, a shower, or god-forbid a changing cabin, Oseka’s facilities are just a pebble’s throw away.

Continue further south toward Promajna, and the promenade gives way to more, rawer naturist sections between the boulders.

Not the most dramatic beach on the Riviera, but sometimes “uncomplicated and pleasant” is exactly what you need.

How to get to Baška Voda FKK Beach?

Walkable from Baška Voda via the seaside promenade. By car, look for the informal parking lot between the olive groves off the Adriatic Highway near Oseka Beach coordinates.

Where to stay near Baška Voda FKK Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Hotel Horizont or at Pinadria Camping Resort.

10. Iza Klobuka Beach, Zaostrog

Known on Google Maps simply as Beach Zaostrog, the area named Iza Klobuka is a half-kilometer chain of small beaches separated by enormous rocks, each providing enough natural partition to feel genuinely isolated.

The eastern end begins at Zaostrog‘s westernmost house; the western end meets Lučica Beach. In between: pebbles, boulders, clear water, and a Robinson Crusoe quietness that depends somewhat on who else has discovered it that day.

Zaostrog FKK beach can be hit-or-miss; other visitors don’t always observe naturist etiquette, and the tourist mix varies considerably through the season. But on a good day, with the right cove claimed early, it’s a lovely place to disappear into.

Some sections are only reachable by sea, which is a feature rather than a limitation: a paddleboard expands your options.

How to get to Iza Klobuka Beach

Leave your car by the Adriatic Highway and follow the narrow downhill path, or park in Zaostrog village and walk west along the promenade.

Where to stay near Iza Klobuka Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Apartments Plana or at Villa Deluxe.

11. Jarsan

North of Igrane, the so-called “virgin beach” of Jarsan runs for over a kilometer along a stretch of coastline blissfully removed from road noise. The crickets here aren’t competing with traffic.

The beginning is spectacular: giant rocks beneath pine trees, the kind of scenery that photographs itself. Then the shade recedes, the path continues, a thick FKK sign appears painted on a rock, and you think you’ve arrived. You haven’t.

The textile crowds have colonized this stretch, too, which means the actual nude section requires additional westward walking. Sadly, the further you go, sea access gets trickier; pebbles give way to rugged, Lego-brick-feel rocks. So the more nude you get above the ankles, the more you’ll need water shoes to fully enjoy this part of the Makarska Riviera.

How to get to Jarsan

Start from the lookout above Mala Plaža, head north onto the macadam fire road. Follow the Jarsan sign down the stairs and walk the coast until clothing becomes optional in practice, not just in theory.

Where to stay near Jarsan Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at TUI BLUE Makarska Hotel or at House Dobrila.

12. Živogošće West FKK Beach

A note on geography first: Google Maps marks a Živogošće FKK West Side beach between Igrane and Živogošće that has a tendency to attract non-nudists with cheerful disregard for the designation. The beach worth your time is slightly different: the unnamed pebble beach just past Plažica, a small dog beach at the edge of Živogošće’s Porat settlement.

Here, meticulously laid stone paths lead into deeper water, helpfully guiding you past any sea urchins (which are, for what it’s worth, an excellent indicator of water quality, so treat them as a compliment rather than a hazard).

The beach is small. The graffiti is naturist-standard. A pipe on the beach displays, in Slovak, a ‘dad joke’ reading: “Friends from the Czech Republic, we wish you a boring evening.” The Slovak word for boring being nudný.

If you get easily bored on beaches, you’ll certainly lack interest in staying on this one for long. However, even nights can be incredibly romantic here, so rethink your decision of leaving after sunset, and instead, aim for the stars.

How to get to Živogošće West FKK Beach

Park in Porat and walk all the way northwest past the last set of houses (Apartments Silvija), and before the olive groves. If you still want to try your luck with the Google-pinned Živogošće FKK West Side beach, you’ll need to get up on the road connecting Porat with Igrane, and descend somewhere midway, when you see a footpath next to a larger tree.

Where to stay near Živogošće West FKK Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Beach Apartments Villa Holiday or at LEGIN.

13. Živogošće FKK East Side

Živogošće FKK East Side arrives with impressive credentials. A 500-meter naturist enclave on the southern edge of Porat, entered through a stone archway inscribed with the letters FKK, beside a historical Latin Licinianus Epigram and a statue of a nude Nymph – someone, at some point, really committed to the aesthetic.

The reality is more complicated. The coastal promenade connecting Porat with Mala Duba runs roughly one meter from your nudity, which is a proximity that requires either exceptional unselfconsciousness or a complete philosophical recalibration of what “naturist enclave” means.

The beaches themselves are thin, occasionally close to cliffs that have a slightly precarious lean to them.

What seems to be a great walking zone that can take you all the way to the southern nude beaches (the top 3 of this list!), sadly, contributes negatively to the ranking of this inconveniently cut-off FKK beach.

How to get to Živogošće FKK East Side

Descend from the Franciscan Monastery in Porat and continue south past the sports court. Or approach from Mala Duba heading north.

Where to stay near Živogošće FKK East Side

Check out the rates for your dates at TUI Blue Adriatic Beach Hotel in Porat or at Apartmani Boban in Mala Duba.

14. Gradac FKK Beach

The most famous beach in the southernmost town on this list is, fittingly, its FKK beach – a long white stretch on the northern edge of Gradac, between the town’s last buildings and a small open-air gym, if you’re into street workout and calisthenics.

For those who have already built their body, the beach is also a runway. Unfortunately, just like Živogošće’s East Side, Gradac FKK Beach is embraced by a promenade. The presence of the potential audience will either not bother you at all or bother you completely, depending on your philosophy of naturism.

The beach seems to be friendly to dog owners, especially at its western end, near the Dolphin Watch Point.

How to get to Gradac FKK Beach

From Gradac, walk Obala Bošac north toward Brist – the beach appears after the town ends. By car, turn off the Adriatic Highway toward Zaborci Street, continue another 350 meters, park at the macadam lot, and walk downhill to the outdoor gym. The FKK beach is directly behind it; you can’t miss it.

Where to stay near Gradac FKK Beach

Check out the rates for your dates at Apartmani Ujdur in Gradac or at Apartments Tina in Brist.

BONUS FKK: Middle Wild Beaches

Halfway between Igrane and Drašnice, connected by a fire escape road, a handful of wild coves open onto the sea. Google Maps has christened one of them Middle Wild Beach. The better one, a nameless bay immediately to the north, remains officially anonymous and all the better for it. These practically private coves are among the Makarska Riviera’s best-kept secrets.

Finding these beaches requires navigating narrow footpaths through olive groves and occasionally overgrown scrub, trusting your instincts, and accepting that some paths will not lead where you expect.

When you do arrive, though, the reward is real: wide pebble beaches, a handful of like-minded sunseekers at most, and a quality of quiet that feels genuinely rare.

Occasionally, boats anchor offshore, and their nude occupants sunbathe without ever troubling themselves to leave the deck. This is, in its way, the purest form of naturism on the Makarska Riviera.

If you don’t have a boat to jump into the deep from, water shoes are non-negotiable here.

How to get to Middle Wild Beaches

Walk the macadam road between Drašnice and Igrane, take any narrow downward path that presents itself, and commit. Discovery is part of the deal.

Where to stay near the Middle Wild Beaches

Check out the rates for your dates at House Vedrana in Igrane or at Apartments Tila in Drašnice.

How to Choose the Right Nude Beach on Makarska Riviera

The Makarska Riviera’s nude beaches span a full spectrum from “urban and accessible” to “you will need a boat and some resolve”.  The best beach for you depends on the kind of experience you are seeking.

For first-time naturists: Cvitačka is an accessible and welcoming option.

For families: Garma and Iza Klobuka are scenic beaches even the little nudists should enjoy.

For gay travelers: Krvavica and the coves south of Živogošće are worth checking out.

For couples seeking maximum privacy: The wild stretches around Drašnice, Igrane, and Živogošće are ideal for quiet naturist retreats.

For nature lovers: Garma and Nugal Beaches are the clear standouts (crowds notwithstanding).

Best Time to Visit Makarska Riviera’s FKK

The naturist season on the Makarska Riviera runs from late May to early October.

July and August, with the warmest sea temperatures and longest days, are peak months. But the more famous beaches, like Nugal, can get crowded.

For the balance of warm weather and stressless experience, June and September are the sweet spot. Shoulder-season visitors often find they have even the most popular spots nearly to themselves.

At trendier beaches, early morning or late afternoon visits pay dividends in both space and atmosphere.

7 FKK Tips for Makarska Riviera’s Nude Beaches

1. Respect privacy. Don’t stare. Photography is a strict no-go on FKK beaches. Keep your phone tucked away.
2. Bring a towel. Always sit on your towel, both for hygiene and comfort on the pebbles.
3. Protect yourself from the sun. The Croatian sun is intense. Bring a parasol if you have one, but that’s not enough. Even in the shade, the parts of you that have never seen the sun are the parts that will burn first. Use a high-SPF, reef-safe sunscreen.
4. Stay hydrated and energized. Most nude beaches on the Makarska Riviera have no permanent facilities. Bring everything you’ll need for a day, from water to snacks.
5. Use adequate footwear. As you might be visiting more remote beaches, which require a hike over uneven terrain, sturdy shoes are essential. Similarly, for rocky entry into water, consider bringing reef or water shoes.
6. Leave nothing behind. Many of Makarska Riviera’s best naturist spots are pristine precisely because visitors treat them with care. Take all rubbish with you.
7. Respect the mix. On split beaches, keep a considerate distance from the textile section. If you’re the one visiting in swimwear, find a corner that doesn’t encroach on the naturist zone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is nudism legal in Croatia?

Yes. Croatia is one of Europe’s most naturist-friendly countries. Nudism is allowed, totally legal, and socially accepted on designated FKK beaches and in many informal naturist sections of beaches. It is not permitted on general public beaches or in towns.

Are there any officially designated FKK beaches on the Makarska Riviera?

Yes – Dračevac is the most prominent officially signed FKK beach on the Riviera. Many additional beaches are traditionally naturist-friendly, as they are typically on the edge of urban zones, or at least have informal naturist areas that are locally accepted.

Do I need to be a nudist to visit FKK beaches?

No. FKK beaches in Croatia are open to all. Many people visit simply for the relaxed atmosphere or greater privacy, without necessarily going fully nude. Go as far as you’re comfortable.

Can families visit naturist beaches in Croatia?

Generally yes. Croatian naturism is grounded in a culture of respect, relaxation, and body positivity.

What does FKK mean?

FKK stands for Freikörperkultur, a German term meaning “free body culture”. The word has been used across the former Yugoslavia since the mid-20th century and remains the standard term for naturist beaches throughout Croatia.

Makarska Riviera FKK Beaches – Conclusion

From the dramatic cliffs of Nugal to the nameless coves between Drašnice and Živogošće, the Makarska Riviera offers some of Croatia’s finest naturist beaches.

Our list of the best FKK destinations in this part of Dalmatia is not exhaustive. Other nude beaches you could check out on the Makarska Riviera are Kraljev Gaj, Sveti Petar Peninsula, Vrulja near Brela, Čaklje, Promajna, or Klokun Bay.

But it doesn’t matter whether you are looking for a famous clothing-optional beach, a beginner-friendly spot, or a secluded cove where you can truly disconnect; this stunning stretch of Croatian coastline with free-spirited atmosphere can welcome your nakedness.

The Makarska Riviera offers a sense of connection with nature that is becoming ever rarer in the Mediterranean

What makes these beaches so special is not simply the opportunity to sunbathe without a swimsuit. It is the combination of the extraordinary natural beauty of Biokovo Mountain as a backdrop, crystal-clear water to swim in, and the sense of freedom that comes from experiencing the Adriatic in its purest form.

Unlike some industrial FKK camps in the north, the Makarska Riviera offers “wild naturism”. Most spots are integrated into the natural landscape, rather than fenced off, offering a sense of connection with nature that is becoming ever rarer in the Mediterranean.

So stop window shopping for swimsuits. Pack light. And go. Surrender to the peculiar liberty of having nowhere to put your phone.

Last updated: 2026. FKK status and beach classifications can change – always verify locally upon arrival.

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Hi from Sljeme!

Climbing mountains always feels therapeutic to me, not just when I lose dear friends.

In the absence of Biokovo, a mountain rising from the sea of the Makarska Riviera, home to my job that was not meant to be, Zagreb hill jumps in to heal my mind at the career crossroads.

The hike to the mountain lodge Puntijarka took two hours, and there, before climbing another 40 minutes to the top of Medvednica, I made a fuel stop and treated myself to their famous baked beans.

Croats associate eating beans with mountain hikes, but another special occasion to include beans in one’s diet is also the International Workers’ Day – May 1.

I’m welcoming this week’s May Day unemployed or – as they euphemistically call it on LinkedIn – between jobs.

After I shared the news that I quit my Guest Experience Manager job in a newsletter, a reader responded with celebratory language.

“Congratulations on your decision to leave your job”, Kevin wrote. “And thanks for not only the update but the journey to secure this job. Not always an easy decision, but I have also learned to trust one’s judgement and intuition.”

I have read the same “congratulations!” word when I asked some AI model to offer comments on my resignation letter.

Whether it comes from friendly humans or just polite machines, I must say I love this rephrasing of the situation and the way we are allowed to look at it. While many people I know reacted with a courteous “I’m so sorry it didn’t work out”, I adored the perspective shift that practically expressed “I’m so happy for you!”.

We don’t encounter this undefeated point of view enough in our daily conversations, I believe. Leaving environments by choice is indeed a piece of good news, even if the decision was a hard one. It’s still a decision that breaks the shackles and sets us free for something else.

What could that “something else” be?

How about becoming a professional masseur? In Chiang Mai, I joined a Thai Massage course for a day – you can read all about this adventure in my newest Pipeaway article.

Should I circle back to one of my previous 9 lives? Should I resurrect on TV? In a circus? At a hotel?

Or… OnlyFans?

I already mentioned that Borut Veselko, the Slovenian TV chameleon of professions who tried many, co-shaped my excitement for the job market as a creative playground. That certainly doesn’t mean I can’t see myself going back to the type of jobs I stayed loyal to for up to 13 years, establishing myself as an expert rather than an experimenter. But I’m also fond of the idea that we are actually free to outdare societal expectations and try anything once.

I honestly love the unladen freedom that, after reaping Croatian journalism awards, one can end up choosing the job of, let’s say, a garbage collector in Switzerland. I’m not saying my interest goes that way. But never say never.

If you want to jump in with professional orientation thoughts, I’m always happy to hear them out. Or, even better: if you have a perfect project for a creative shapeshifter like myself – hire me?

In any case, all is fine. Mountains are nice. Beans are tasty. And I am celebrating.

Have a relaxed workers’ week,

Ivan Kralj    
Pipeaway.com

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The post 🫘 Not May Day: Beans There, Done That – Pipeaway Newsletter #214 appeared first on Pipeaway.

I wanted to know what Peony was doing exactly. I wished to learn the secrets of Thai massage

There’s a particular kind of quiet inside a spa that feels different from anywhere else. Not silence exactly – more like everything has agreed to lower its voice. Soft footsteps, the distant water trickling, the faint clink of ceramic cups. That immediate hit of calm put me in the zen zone, yet I had to stay fully awake. I wasn’t here just to enjoy the pleasures of relaxation, but on a research mission: to confirm that my recollection of an extraordinary royal massage five years earlier, when I famously fell asleep mid-treatment, was still grounded in reality.

That late night at Lane 7 of Nimmana Haeminda Road (Oasis Spa closes at midnight, making massage a perfect lulling to sleep), I’d been in the good hands of Peony, a supervisor with a decade of experience. It showed.

After I changed to loose green clothing, I received a massage I could only call dedicated, precisely calibrated, and very strong (just like I requested).

But even more – I wanted to know what Peony was doing exactly. I wished to learn the secrets of Thai massage. And so began my journey to Thai Oasis Spa School. To become, at least briefly, a masseur.

Why even take a massage course in Chiang Mai?

Take an evening stroll through Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second-largest city, tucked in the northern hills, and something becomes clear quickly: you’ve come to a massage town. After a long day of temple hopping, Chiang Mai’s massage parlors fill up with tourists seeking relief for aching legs. Rows of masseuses rubbing their clients’ feet in sync look like a well-oiled massage machine.

But beyond the affordable treatments, Chiang Mai has quietly built a reputation as one of the best places in the world to actually learn Thai massage. Not in a flashy, over-marketed way. More through sheer density and institutional seriousness. Schools are everywhere. From months-long professional certification programs to casual drop-in workshops designed for travelers who just want to try it out.

I’d initially entertained grander ambitions. A long back-and-forth email exchange with Thai Oasis Spa School’s manager revealed that Thai government certificates for longer courses were reserved exclusively for Thai citizens. The full Spa Therapist course (84 days) or one of the 25-day programs in Aromatherapy, Swedish, or Thai Massage were off the table.

It was a mini-disappointment. I didn’t truly need a diploma to frame on my wall. But, for a fleeting moment, the idea of becoming a therapist had genuinely taken root. It just seemed the stars didn’t align around it yet.

It seemed already precious to understand what Thai massage actually feels like from the other side. So when a half-day course aligned with my dates in Chiang Mai, I didn’t hesitate.

Of course, massage isn’t something you can even begin to grasp in a few hours. But as a window into the profession, it felt like a decent place to start.

Why I Chose Thai Oasis Spa School

If you’ve scrolled through travel forums looking for a Thai massage training course in Chiang Mai, you’ve probably noticed the same handful of names come up again and again.

Thai Massage School Shivagakomarpaj (the Old Medicine Hospital), Sunshine Massage School, Ong’s Thai Massage School, International Training Massage School… These institutions will fight for your attention as soon as you start exploring options.

With dozens of schools scattered across the city – from the temples of the Old City to quiet residential neighborhoods – the choice of massage training in Thailand can feel overwhelming. Many of them are more traditional, some more clinical, others more bare-bones.

Thai Oasis Spa School sits somewhere else entirely. It’s polished, but not in a sterile way. It doesn’t feel like a classroom so much as an intentional environment curated to make you slow down, with time that works differently. That’s a great atmosphere for real learning.

Honestly, after I did my best-informed research on options that would offer simple half-day sessions for inexperienced beginners, my decision was an instinctive one. But it was also based on my own massage experiences at Oasis Spa, which were consistently at an exceptional level. I saw this spa as a professional one, an exemplary case of a wellness institution. So, if I wanted to step into this world, these felt like the right doors: something I would respect and feel respected for after completion.

What is Thai Oasis Spa School?

Founded in 2009 with the belief that education is fundamental to Oasis Spa’s high standards, the school is based at 131/44 Moo 1, Chang Puak, in the northern reaches of Chiang Mai, well away from the tourist bustle. Over 2,000 students have passed through its doors.

The curriculum blends traditional Thai massage, rooted in acupressure and Thai Lanna tradition, with western methods, and carries real institutional weight: recognized by Thailand’s Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Health, and the Department of Skill Development. For recreational students like me, that means a certificate of attendance. For professional course completers, a certified diploma.

The catalogue runs impressively wide. A 6-hour introduction at one end; the 500-hour Qualified Spa Therapist program at the other (120 hours theory, 380 hours practice – enough to launch a career).

The half-day “Head, Back & Shoulder Massage” course I attended is a highlight for time-pressed travelers. It seemed designed as a standalone skill-builder, not just the most basic taster.

This is my first-hand account of completing this Thai massage course.

What the Half-Day Thai Massage Course Actually Includes

The course I took focused on head, back, and shoulder massage – a kind of condensed introduction to Thai techniques adapted for beginners.

Whether you’re a traveler looking to pick up a skill, a wellness enthusiast wanting a taste of authentic Thai massage techniques, or someone considering a longer program down the line, this course seemed a perfect intro.

Here’s what that looked like in practice:

• A short introduction to basic principles
• Demonstration by the instructor
• Guided, step-by-step practice
• Switching roles (giving and receiving)

There’s no heavy theory. No anatomy deep-dives. No memorizing Sanskrit terms or energy line maps.

Instead, it’s very physical. Very immediate. You watch a movement. You try it. You get corrected. You try again.

Where to stay near Thai Oasis Spa School?

I booked the nearest solid hostel I could find and relied on Grab transfer from there on. My Way Hostel was honestly not the best choice, but you can’t be too critical for a nightly rate of 250 baht (6.60 euros or 7.70 dollars).

For a single room closer to the course, the school can recommend a few places that provide special rates to its students, and are all within 550-750 meters. Those are the We Valley Hotel, the B2 Black Hotel, or Maan Fah Place (offering discounted monthly rates for longer stays).

My first impressions

On the day of the course, I woke up early enough to walk to the school, where my arrival was expected at 9 am. It was still an hour-long stroll in tropical morning humidity, so I’d probably rethink that choice next time.

The building itself was a surprise – modern architecture, a dark minimalist facade, and a white-framed entrance. This effective contrast (visible even in the black-and-white roadside curb) is common in Thai spa design, and here it contributed to a clean, organized look, creating a calm, professional aesthetic one would expect from a space of renewal. Of course, we’re in Thailand, so even the most polished geometry gets softer edges with trees and greenery bringing nature to the picture. Something that could feel corporate feels serene instead.

Despite being part of a well-established institution linked to the wider Oasis Spa group – which also has branches in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket – the Chiang Mai school has the atmosphere of a boutique training center rather than a factory churning out certificates.

As I waited in the lobby with a checkered gray‑and‑white tile floor, I filled in a registration form and sipped from an Oasis-branded water bottle. Everything felt unhurried. The first impression was very professional; even the lit candle in a ceramic holder suggested I was at a place where rituals are treated with mindfulness.

I paid 300 baht (7.90 euros or 9.30 dollars) for the obligatory uniform and changed while storing my personal belongings in a locker. My outfit for the day consisted of a white branded t-shirt and black kang-keng sa-dor, simple wrap-style fisherman pants that I still love wearing at home today.

Inside the Head, Back & Shoulder Massage course

My Thai massage course began in a classroom. Among the two dozen empty tablet arm chairs, I was the only student that morning, warmly greeted by my teacher, massage instructor Andaman Wongkajorn.

“Like the sea”, her words splashed me like waves.

“I know, I just stayed on your shores!”, I replied, memories still fresh from visiting The Anda Mani Khaolak Beachfront Villas.

Miss Andaman, recipient of the Outstanding Teacher of the Year 2026 Award from the Chiang Mai Private Education Association, also introduced Khao-ot (khao: rice; oht: oat), a pretend assistant half her size. The muscular doll served as a model for demonstrating which areas of the body to massage and which ones to avoid.

Massage is a delicate profession, after all. As incidents in Udon Thani and Phuket tragically showed in 2024, the wrong technique applied to the neck can cause paralysis, or worse.

The theory section exists for a reason. It took us only ten minutes to explore the overview of the head, back, and shoulder technique, and its benefits. Once your ear adjusts to the specific English pronunciation of your teacher (something I got used to at yoga classes back at the Hilltop Wellness Resort in Phuket), the theory is easy to follow. Whenever I had a question, the teacher readily answered or even demonstrated specific areas on my own body.

Then we moved to the next room, with ten prepared massage beds. Here, assistant trainer Miss Amonrat Paojae took over, while Miss Andaman left for a dressing room to change clothes so she could become a ‘test dummy’ of my very first massage under professional supervision.

Learning by Feeling

Amonrat demonstrated the full sequence slowly, building methodically from the foot-cleaning procedure up toward the back, shoulders, and head – our main massage targets of the day. Fifty minutes of patient, question-welcoming ‘look and learn’.

Then it was my turn to replicate the techniques. The trainer was always on my side, ready to correct my posture and hand placement without the learning feel pressured.

The first few minutes of manipulating another body feel unsure and awkward. Climbing the massage table might not look very graceful. Where do my hands go? Is this the right order? Is it… good?

The instructor doesn’t overwhelm you. Corrections are small, precise: adjust your angle, use your body weight rather than your hands, slow down…

Thai Lanna massage, rooted in the traditions of northern Thailand, differs subtly from the more commonly known central Thai or Bangkok style. It tends to be slightly softer in its pressure application, with more emphasis on rhythmic, flowing sequences. For a beginner, this makes it more accessible.

Here’s the thing, though. My personal preference is a strong massage (remember what I complimented Miss Peony for?). As I surrendered to the massage flow, my pressure started climbing. And I completely forgot that under the towel was Miss Andaman, a real, live, fully sentient human being. My massage instructor was extremely patient while handling my style.

But I guess learning to massage is oddly similar to learning a dance step. Our bodies don’t always listen, we hesitate between transitions, and we bump a few toes in the process.

Only time and practice remove the mechanical and disconnected feel. And one embraces the rhythm that both ‘dancing’ sides approve.

Besides the certificate, I received compliments for my performance. I was left to believe that I could truly start a new career: massaging people.

Can You Really Learn Massage in Half a Day?

Short answer: yes. And also: not even close.

By the end of the session, you can absolutely perform a basic head, back, and shoulder sequence. You remember the general flow. You understand how to apply pressure more effectively, without brute hand force. You’re no longer guessing blindly.

But this isn’t mastery. Nowhere near it.

Think of it like learning a few chords on a guitar. You can play something recognizable. Maybe even enjoyable. But you might miss a few steps, muddle the order of the notes, and occasionally fall completely out of the tune. You’re not ready to perform on stage yet.

What you do gain is confidence to try, awareness of technique, and a structured sequence you can repeat. But there is still so much to learn – from deep technical precision to adaptability for different body types. Professional-level consistency comes with time as well.

One thing that caught me off guard was how physically demanding giving a massage can be. By the end, I was sweating as if I’d spent the morning in road construction – because I still have so much to learn and adopt (for instance, how shifting weight and adjusting body position can replace the tiresome investment of hands).

Something that looks effortless from the outside is, in reality, a quiet choreography of pressure, timing, and awareness. And for a few hours, you get to step into that role. Not as an expert, but not entirely as a beginner anymore, either.

And if time allows at the end of the course, you’ll even receive a free massage from your instructor, as I did. In the Western Hemisphere, that alone would cost what you paid for the whole course. Here, besides the immediate benefits of the treatment, you also get the inside knowledge and an interactive travel experience with a skill that you can actually take away.

Who This Course Is (and Isn’t) For

This kind of half-day experience is a great fit if you are curious about the art of Thai massage but not ready for a full course, if you want a hands-on travel memory instead of another temple visit, or if you’d like to learn to give better massages to your partner.

For anyone who has no prior experience, the half-day Thai massage class with no prerequisite knowledge required is a perfect start.

But if you’re looking for deep technical training or prefer theory-heavy learning on your way to a professional certificate, you should probably look for another class on the Thai Oasis Spa School list (for instance, Thai 10 Meridian Line Massage – 180 hours, or the Qualified Spa Therapist – 500 hours).

The half-day course is not a cheap way to replace serious massage education. It is just an introduction, that white-framed doorway into a much larger house of massage knowledge.

THAI MASSAGE COURSE - PRACTICAL INFO 

Location: 131/44 Moo 1, Chang Puak, Muang, Chiang Mai

Phone: +66 53 920 188

Website: oasisschool.biz

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

Course duration: Normally 6 hours (Head, Back & Shoulder)

Course price: 3,500 baht (approx. €92 / $108)

Uniform: School-provided, 300 baht (€7.90 / $9.30)

Level: Beginner-friendly, no experience needed

Language: English instruction available

Is a half-day Thai massage course in Chiang Mai worth it? – Conclusion

Taking a short massage course in Chiang Mai is one of those activities that sound like a tourist cliché until you actually do them. And then you wonder why you waited so long.

A half-day Thai massage course is an affordable, genuine window into a wellness tradition that stretches back centuries

Thai Oasis Spa School is a legitimate, professionally run institution that takes its reputation seriously.

The Head, Back & Shoulder course won’t make you a therapist. But it will give you a real, transferable skill, one backed by authentic Thai Lanna technique, that you can practice on willing friends and family members long after you’ve left Thailand.

It’s an affordable, genuine window into a wellness tradition that stretches back centuries.

And somewhere in the middle of sweating through your first real massage, correcting your hand placement for the fourth time, and accidentally manhandling your very patient instructor – something shifts. You’re no longer just a recipient of this craft. You’re beginning, however haltingly, to understand it from within.

For anyone considering a massage course in Chiang Mai, Thai Oasis Spa School is a strong, welcoming, and genuinely memorable place to start.

Are you considering taking a Thai massage course in Chiang Mai?
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Disclosure: My participation in the Thai Oasis Spa School massage course was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

Also, this post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The post I Took a Thai Massage Course in Chiang Mai: Here’s What It’s Really Like appeared first on Pipeaway.