While the secret island doesn’t show up on maps, hundred of adventurous Brits escape there every summer where connections are anything but conventional
“You’re on an island where anything goes, but it feels incredibly safe nothing happens without consent. It’s like Disneyland for swingers” – so says one of the holidaymakers to the so-called ‘Spicy Island’, where Brits indulge in their wildest fantasies.
Amanda Leigh, a 38-year-old dancer, found unexpected freedom in a hidden swingers’ haven off Croatia’s coast. She anticipated a “hot girl summer” but ended up meeting her now-partner Alex, during a skinny-dipping adventure amid strangers.
Her journey into the swinging lifestyle began over a decade ago at an adult-only resort in Mexico. Now, she’s a seasoned participant, with Spicy Island being her destination of choice.
“Last year I met Alex and this year we’re ready to open our relationship up,” Amanda shares. “I want to fulfil the ‘hot wife’ fantasy and I’m looking forward to exploring this further.”
The exclusive two-week getaway, now in its third edition, is run by Spicy Match, who take over the entire island for as many as 600 guests. The secret location is revealed only once attendees board on the boat from the mainland.
The ticket prices range from £1,000 for a simple bell tent to £2,500 for a luxurious two-bedroom sun lodge, complete with meals, fire-eaters and educational sex seminars.
“You only find out where it is when you get on the boat,” reveals Amanda. It was on this mysterious hour-long boat ride that she encountered Alex, a spa technician.
“I couldn’t get over how hot Alex was,” she confesses. “We started flirting right then and there, and by the third night we were together while skinny-dipping in the pool.”
The pair didn’t end up swinging with anyone else, instead spending the trip getting to know one another. Amanda says the sex was “incredible” and finds the freedom of being intimate on the beach or in front of others “very liberating”.
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Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a welcome bag containing condoms and wristbands to tell them apart from staff. Video recording guests is banned, but stripping down is encouraged.
The resort designates “play area” zones for various interests – couples, singles, and those into BDSM.
Amanda wants to set the record straight on swinging, noting: “People think swingers are gross or glorified cheaters. But it’s about consent and communication. You’re free from unwanted advances – it’s nothing like a standard nightclub.”
The island attracts people of all ages, including James and Katherine Gordon, 55-year-old sweethearts from Kent who have been swinging since their teens.
Katherine shares with confidence: “We’ve been to swingers events all over the world; the island ranks at the top. We’ll literally say, we’re into full swapping and single men.”
Before arriving, they’d already connected with others online and planned to meet for dinner in the port town. “Last year, 40 of us had dinner together the night before we left,” Katherine recounts. “It’s easy to build connections before you’ve even arrived.”
She admits her preference for younger men often takes the lead when it comes to flirting. James humorously remarks that he is content to “outsource” these days, admitting he can’t keep up.
“The meals on the island are communal, so we sit next to people we think we’ll vibe with,” she continues. “You flirt like you would in any bar or club.”
Katherine reveals that while she may be reserved in day-to-day life, this lifestyle unveils a more audacious side of her. They reserve a two-bed lodge, dedicating one room for rest and the other for enjoyment.
“It just suits us better,” she confides. “And after 30 years, we’ve made a lot of friends here.”
She describes the atmosphere as inviting: “You might see people having sex on verandas or making out on shared beds or you might find someone quietly reading a book.”
Meanwhile, Katie Jones, 38, and husband Simon, 49, from Hertfordshire, gear up for their second jaunt to the island, having stumbled upon it during a trip to the French naturist resort Cap d’Agde.
Embracing the liberty to be nude, unwind or participate, Katie shares, “You can find a quiet spot or join the pool parties – there’s an amazing energy.”
Despite the anything-goes atmosphere, she notes that the retreat doesn’t rely on booze to get the party started. “People don’t get too drunk because it’s about sex and alcohol doesn’t help with that.”
She describes the event as liberating and relaxed. “If you’re curious, you can come and see what you find. You don’t have to swing but it’s all there if you want it.”
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