Inside world’s ‘swinging capital’ where 40-women orgies take over clubs and couples romp in sand dunes near nude beach
A COUPLE slips away into the sand dunes, their bikinis left strewn behind like breadcrumbs leading to a very naughty adventure.
Nearby, naked holidaymakers splash carefree in the sea, soaking up more than just the sun.
While the temperature may be dropping in the UK, things are seriously heating up in Gran Canaria - and we’re not just talking about the weather!
Every October, Brits descend on the tiny Spanish island, just off the northwestern coast of Africa, looking for a bit of partner-swapping fun in paradise.
With its infamous nudist beach and quirky shopping centre - where you can grab groceries by day and swing by night - it’s no wonder Gran Canaria is fast becoming the swinging capital of the world.
While Brits and Germans might battle for sun loungers in other holiday hotspots, here they’re more than happy to drop their towels and hop on together - no reservations needed.
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I arrived at the tail-end of Maspalomas Fetish Pride, an annual celebration of all things kink on this Catholic island.
But it’s not the only X-rated event in town. The UK’s biggest swinging festival, Swingathon, has jetted in for its very first frisky getaway, and as I’ve been granted exclusive access to cover this week-long escapade.
“Gran Canaria is filth with a healthy dose of family fun,” says Matt Mitchell, 39, a machine operator from Lincolnshire.
“The shopping centre is the Mecca for swinging. People from all over the world come here to meet other swingers.
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“Last year, I came to snap some photos at one of the popular swinging clubs inside. I went upstairs, and there was a 25-person orgy happening. Standard.
“Someone spotted me and said, ‘Come in!’ and before you know it, I’m number 26, having a great time.”
Swingathon founder Matt Cole adds: “Yeah, the Cita Centre is a bit of a strange place because in the day, you're in there buying your clothes and stuff and then at night time it’s the swinging hotspot.
“But that's how it is over here. It's so accepted, whereas in England, it’s all hush-hush and out of the way.”
Swingers on tour
Matt shares how he honeymooned here last year with his wife, Stacie, 29, and loved the freedom “so much” that he decided to make it the annual destination for Swingathon-on-Tour.
When asked about the sexiest thing he’s ever witnessed unfold at a swinging club on the island, he says, “There were 40 women, all piled together and having fun. Yeah, that was pretty cool!”
Matt reveals he’s flown out with 60 fellow Brits, all bunking down at the Cordial Green Golf Bungalows.
You can just go for a drink, walk around in your nice underwear or naked, and obviously go for a play if you want to, or even just chill in the hot tub
Matt
A week on this tour will set you back around £1,000 for accommodation and flights. Most swinging clubs on the island offer free entry for women, while couples pay €20 and single men shell out €50 to keep it from turning into a “sausage-fest.”
“You don't have to do anything in a club,” continues Matt, as he shows me around the popular swinging strip.
“You can just go for a drink, walk around in your nice underwear or naked, and obviously go for a play if you want to, or even just chill in the hot tub.
“Every club has loads of different playrooms, so there can be a playroom where you can close the door and it's just either you and your partner or you and another couple.
“You've got playrooms where you can have single guys, you've got big orgy rooms and there's lots of different scenarios which are all down to what you want.”
'Spoilt for choice'
Long-term partners Raya, 42, an admin manager, and Tim, 44, a business manager, from Peterborough, flew out with Swingathon.
The pair have been “spoilt for choice” while away and have enjoyed threesomes and foursomes on a nightly basis.
“I’m bisexual and swinging gives me the chance to enjoy men and women, often at the same time,” explains Raya. “From snogging to sex, the only limit is what you place on yourself.
“Sometimes we just go for the social scene. Other times we swing from dusk till dawn.”
Visiting the Gran Canaria with the group is the first time the couple have attended a swinging event overseas.
I’m bisexual and swinging gives me the chance to enjoy men and women, often at the same time
Raya
“Nothing could have prepared us for the variety of clubs, the diversity of people, the different fetishes and play options, and the sheer amount of swinging going on here,” says Tim.
"The scene back home is mid-level, but coming here is the pinnacle of swinging,” adds Raya.
Most nights, the couple head out to the clubs in shorts, T-shirts, or jeans. “Underneath, I wear a sexy bikini,” says Raya. “If it’s a themed event, we’ll dress up.”
During this trip, they had sex as a couple in an exhibition room open to all clubbers, and they say it took their pleasure to new heights.
“Making love in an open room to each other is strangely intimate, even with a crowd watching,” Raya explains.
On other nights, they’ll meet a single girl, guy, or couple at the bar.
“We chat, and if we both like them, we use our code word, so we know we’re both interested. It’s a joint decision,” Tim shares.
“We then head to a private room and make sure to check with the other person or couple about their limits before we dive in. Some couples just want to touch, while others want full intercourse.”
After a busy night swinging, they often return to their hotel room and still have the energy to make love.
One of our rules is to always make time to make love together at the end of the evening
Raya
“That’s the best sex ever,” says Tim. “We’re both buzzing and turned on from the night, and we channel that into each other.”
The couple, who run a social media page called Hedon and Hell about their swinging lifestyle, believe swinging can help prevent divorces and keep marriages from getting stale.
“I know so many couples who don’t swing who end up splitting because of cheating,” Tim continues. “Swinging takes that out of the equation and brings you closer, in and out of the bedroom.”
While they admit they sometimes get “a little jealous” of each other, Raya explains, “That’s normal, but swinging as a couple means it’s minimal. One of our rules is to always make time to make love together at the end of the evening.”
Naked attraction
Nearby, Josh, 29, and Dee Grant, 43, a mum-of-four from Manchester, are gearing up for a day at Venus - a luxurious nudist swinging resort nestled within stunning subtropical gardens right in the heart of Maspalomas.
The couple have been together for six years and are on their first swinging holiday together.
“Gran Canaria is the place to be if you're going on a swinging getaway,” Dee says.
“The swinging scene here is so open. It’s not taboo like it is in the UK. There are big venues that are very publicised - you can go to five or six places.
“Ninety per cent of the people are in the bars leading up to these venues for the same reason, so you don’t get those awkward sideways glances, wondering if you’re all there for the same thing.”
The swinging scene here is so open. It’s not taboo like it is in the UK
Dee Grant
Dee explains how their boundaries have evolved over time.
“When you first start, it’s usually, ‘Oh, we don’t want to kiss other people, and we don’t want a full swap.’ But we soon realised that a lot of those initial boundaries were quite unrealistic, which is really common.
“So we slowly learned to approach it with a rough idea of what we were expecting, not to go too wild, and to discuss it afterwards. If we decide to experiment a little more that night, we just communicate about it afterwards.”
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The couple shares that they swing together and play separately and have already “made friends” with other swinging couples on the island.
“We tend to go out together,” Dee explains.
“We go to the same locations, but we also go our separate ways once inside because we like different people. But that has evolved over time as well. We do swing as a couple too - I still like him,” she laughs.
Dunes of debauchery
Meanwhile, back at the beach, naughty couples are stripping off and sneaking into the dunes.
Officials have recently tried to cordon off the area to deter pleasure seekers from getting it on in the infamous dunes, citing concerns over damage to the ecosystem.
Despite the looming threat of jail time and hefty fines, frisky couples still flock to the protected Maspalomas Dunes for some alfresco action.
Bisexual Kerry ‘Red’ Voellner, 45, who runs the Adam and Eve’s swinging club in Manchester and helps organise Swingathon, has been revelling in the freedom of the beach.
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“I’ve been in the sea with my friends today,” she says.
“We’ve all been naked. Nobody’s done anything; we’re just enjoying the feeling of freedom. Here, you can walk around with your clothes off in the sunshine with your friends. What more can you ask for?”
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