I don’t understand the appeal of sunbathing?

ND, and absolutely hate it. I can't understand it at all, it makes me feel sick. I do very much like being next to the sun, in a nice shady spot with a bit of a breeze. Weirdly, I don't have a problem walking about in the sun and am quite happy exploring jungles or deserts. Even more weirdly, I'm an avid convertible lover and feel horribly claustrophobic if I'm driving with a roof on a sunny day! Just the lying there that seems to upset me.

I never sunbathe as I have very fair skin and want to avoid damaging it. I'd sit out under a pool umbrella, slathered in sunscreen, and read a book though.

They do that normally anyway.

It's not just for the purposes of sunbathing.

I'm like you OP, I can’t stand just lying there for ages, be it on a beach or by a pool. I don’t like the heat either and nor do the DC. All of us are NT, just don’t like the feeling of being hot.

All of our holidays are touring, but we have managed the occasional half day on a beach.

Poor DH would probably love a fly and flop holiday in the sun but he is outnumbered!

I couldn’t sit or lie still that long without at least reading a book or listening to a podcast. Even then I always run hot so I’d hate it. Especially on holiday. I don’t understand lying on a pool lounger for hours on end when you could be seeing the sights. Or wouldn’t it be nicer to just have a long lie in in bed instead 😂 I can do tourist or lazy, neither include sunbathing 😂

I agree that sunbathing is incredibly boring. I like getting a tan and I do tan quite easily so on a good day I force myself to lie in the sun ( in my back garden) for 20 minutes . But I rarely last that long. I wouldn't dream of lying by a pool or lying on a beach. Not the holiday for me

I absolutely love it, but the rest of my family have increasingly found it boring, so this holiday I did a lot of reading by the pool while the others went walking (or gaming in the holiday apartment in the afternoon…)

Have you never meditated? Or done any sort of prolonged relaxing activity? It’s fantastic.

Each to their own. Perhaps I needed to reword that but what with skin cancer on the rise ( my Dad also had melanoma a few years back ) - I just think peeps need to be more careful, that’s all. Each to their own though and if someone wants to bake all day face up in a bikini, that’s their choice and not my business. Just stating my preference and most definitely not looking for a bun fight ( I’ve literally just turned 50 as it’s after midnight and my birthday- so an argument is not gonna happen! )
😊

I used to love it before moving to Australia, though never the sun lounger by the pool kind. I tan quite easily.
You don't get the long, more moderate sunny days of Europe and the UK that I knew when living there - the heat goes from 0-90 very quickly indeed so for me it's hat on, sunnies and an umbrella every time.

I am very pale, burn easily and have never sunbathed. I now have less wrinkles than my friends who do sunbathe.

It is nice being on the beach under a parasol though, can read my book for hours.

I don’t like it in the slightest, there is no way you’d ever find me choosing to sit/lay in the sun.

I had a diagnosis if melanoma, and the dermatologist asked where in the world I’d been basking - but I hadn’t!!

I hate sunbathing and never do it. I find it boring, I can't sit still for long; I want to be off exploring on holiday. I love reading, but not outside in the sun, it doesn't feel right. Also I burn so easily that I can't relax in the sun even when slathered in sunscreen.

I didn't like it either until I had DC, now it's just a socially acceptable chance to lay down somewhere warm in the middle of the day

I like feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin and heat from the sand or holding smooth warm pebbles while listening to the waves. And lying on a comfortable sunlounger reading a good book is pretty tough to beat.

I am not vain when sunbathing though - good job as I typically look sweaty, pink and swimwear is pretty unforgiving of my middle-aged belly.

It's not compulsory though, if you don't enjoy it, don't do it. (And if you do enjoy is wear sunscreen!)

Oh god I love being by a sunlounger by a pool on holiday! Book, drink, podcast for headphones when I want to lay on my front.
I feel solar powered and like the sun recharges me!
My caveat is that I would do this for maybe an hour or two on a holiday each day. And not one we are on with the kids, dh and I take a holiday for ourselves late on in the year without the kids (2 adults and a teen!), those holidays are more busy and energetic.
But the ones where it’s just us 2 we’ll take a couple of hours out of the day to relax by the pool, have a dip to cool down and get back out for reading. Then we go out and do something (like find a bar 🤣) or a day trip somewhere.
We would both be bored doing this all day every day but it always features somewhere.

It’s not for everyone and that’s fine, not all holidays suit all people - great job there’s such an array of choice!

Bit of a leap from your original question

I love just lying, doing very little. It is so relaxing - reading a book, people watching, doing some puzzles, dipping in the pool or sea occasionally. So, so different from daily life of 'busy-ness'.
I have never 'got waxed', can't imagine where you would find a bikini for hundreds of pounds - let alone want to , have never used fake tan in my life, don't wear make up even for a night out let alone to lie by a pool. So there isn't much of a link between this post and your original question.

In relation to the original question, autistic or not, you are aware that people are all individuals, with different things they enjoy or don't enjoy, surely ?

I have friends that like doing all sorts of things I don't. I don't have to enjoy something to understand that it can be very appealing to someone else.

It bores me to death. I've been on holiday with friends who would happily lie in the sun for 10 hours a day, every day for a fortnight. I can do it for an hour, then i want to be going for a walk or a swim or a drink or anything at all.

I've never sunbathed in my life.

Never really thought about why others do it but not something I've ever wanted to do. I have never been on that kind of holiday, don't even own a swimsuit/bikini.

Everyone's different ultimately!

I never sunbathe, but I love lying on a beach in the shade or under a parasol by a pool reading and enjoying the beautiful views. I do long swims, go for a beach side lunch, sleep. And yes, I pay thousands to do so. Its a great pleasure for me.

I don't like sunbathing or lying by the pool. I understand why others do- they like relaxing with the feel of the hot sun on their body. I like misty autumn weather tramping through the woods. Just personal preference!

Should that be our end goal, compliments on our skin? Why would you cringe at perfectly usual behaviour?

I hate sunbathing, its so boring! Nt here and very active, I'd prefer to do some kind of activity anyday over sunbathing. My ND daughter can not understand why anyone would walk without purpose. She's only happy if you're walking to get somewhere, not having a look around!!

I used to absolutely love it until a couple of years ago (I’m 35).

I HATE it now. I hate being out in the sun for ages. I hate sweating and being boiling and I basically just whinge the whole time. It makes me really ratty.

I've never sunbathed in my life. Can't Stand the heat.