Tohu Beach Bar

Tohu Beach Bar occupies a stretch of Plaka Beach in southern Naxos, operating as both a sunbed setup and a full bar-restaurant from morning until well past midnight. With a 4.5-star rating across more than 530 Google reviews, it draws consistent praise and holds its ground as one of the more established beach operations along this long, sandy coastline.

Plaka Beach itself is one of the longest beaches on the island — a wide sweep of fine white sand backed by low dunes and tamarisk trees, running south from Agia Anna toward Glyfada. Tohu sits within the Maragkas section of this stretch, roughly 8 kilometres south of Naxos Town. The beach bar describes itself as eco-friendly, which in the context of Plaka aligns with the relatively undeveloped character of this part of the coast compared to the more built-up sands closer to town.

The venue runs a sun bed reservation service by phone or Instagram DM, which is worth using in July and August when Plaka fills quickly on clear mornings. It opens at 9:30 AM every day of the week and closes at 1:30 AM, meaning you can arrive for a coffee at mid-morning, stay through lunch, and return for drinks after sunset without the place shutting around you.

What to Expect

Tohu functions as both a beach bar and a restaurant, which puts it a step above the basic sun-beds-and-cocktails model common on busier Cycladic beaches. Daytime service begins with breakfast options and carries through to full lunch and dinner, so guests who book sun beds do not need to leave the beach for food.

The setting is open-air and directly on the sand. The bar and kitchen are positioned so that seating — whether at tables or on sun beds — faces the water. Plaka Beach here is wide, flat, and composed of fine white sand that stays relatively cool underfoot even in the heat of the afternoon. The sea is shallow close to shore and deepens gradually, making it suitable for children as well as those who prefer a long wade before swimming depth.

The aesthetic leans toward relaxed and informal rather than the more designed, DJ-forward beach clubs you find further north along the Naxos coast. The eco-friendly framing points toward an approach that favours a low-impact footprint on what is one of the least overdeveloped beaches on the island.

Food and drink are available across the full operating window, and the late closing time of 1:30 AM means Tohu doubles as an evening destination. You can come for sunset drinks and stay for a late dinner without the kitchen having closed on you.

How to Get There

Tohu is at Plaka Beach in the Maragkas area, roughly 8 kilometres south of Naxos Town. By car, follow the coastal road south through Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna, continuing along the beach road until you reach Plaka. Parking is available along the road that runs behind the beach, and in shoulder season it is straightforward to find a spot. In July and August, arrive before 10 AM if you want to park close.

By local bus, the KTEL line running south from Naxos Town stops at Plaka Beach. Check the current summer timetable at the Naxos Town bus station on the seafront, as frequencies increase in peak season. The ride takes around 20–25 minutes from town.

Taxi from Naxos Town to Plaka is a short trip and inexpensive by Greek island standards. Ask your accommodation to arrange a pick-up in the evening if you plan to stay for late drinks.

There is no ferry or boat landing at Plaka, so all access is overland. The beach road is well-paved and accessible to all standard vehicles. There is no significant incline between the road and the sand, making access relatively straightforward for those with limited mobility, though the soft sand itself can be difficult to navigate in a wheelchair.

Best Time to Visit

Plaka Beach runs almost fully exposed to the north, which means the summer meltemi wind — the strong northerly that sweeps the Cyclades from late June through August — hits this beach with some force on its worst days. When the meltemi is blowing hard, the sea becomes choppy and sand gets airborne, making prolonged sunbathing uncomfortable. On those days, beaches on the eastern side of the island are more sheltered.

Calm days in June and September are the most pleasant time to visit. The sea is warm enough by late May, and the water stays swimmable well into October. In July and August, the beach is at its busiest, particularly on weekends when visitors from Naxos Town make the short drive south.

For the beach bar experience specifically, late afternoon and evening suit Tohu well. The sun drops toward the western hills rather than the sea from Plaka, so sunsets here cast long side-light across the sand rather than the spectacular over-water displays you get from west-facing beaches. The quality of light in the last two hours before sunset is, however, excellent for photography.

Arriving for the first coffee of the day at 9:30 AM means you can claim sun beds before the main crowd arrives after 11 AM.

Tips for Visiting

• Reserve sun beds in advance during July and August. Call +30 2285 041950 or send a direct message to @tohubeachrestaurant on Instagram. Beds go quickly on clear summer mornings.
• Bring cash as a backup. Card payment is standard at most Naxos beach bars, but connectivity on Plaka can be intermittent — having cash avoids any hassle at the end of a long afternoon.
• Check wind conditions before committing to a full day. The meltemi can make Plaka unpleasant on peak wind days. Greek weather apps and the local forecast from Windy or Meteoblue give reliable 48-hour readings.
• The beach bar is open until 1:30 AM every night. If you are staying in Naxos Town and want a beach evening rather than a town bar evening, Tohu is a viable destination by taxi and easy to reach after dinner elsewhere.
• Plaka is a long beach with multiple operators. Tohu sits in the Maragkas section. If you arrive by car and park at the wrong end, it is a walk of several hundred metres along soft sand — check coordinates (37.0588, 25.3591) before leaving the car.
• Children are comfortable here. The shallow entry into the sea and the wide flat sand make this a practical family beach. The restaurant menu and all-day food service also help with the logistics of keeping a family fed without leaving the beach.
• Respect the eco-friendly positioning. Plaka Beach has retained more of its natural character than beaches closer to Naxos Town partly because operators along this stretch have kept development relatively low-key. Carry your rubbish back to the bar bins and avoid disturbing the tamarisk-backed dune area.

What to Order

Tohu operates as a full restaurant as well as a beach bar, which means the menu spans breakfast, lunch, and dinner rather than limiting itself to drinks and snacks. The research available does not itemise specific dishes, so the safest approach is to check the current menu directly via Instagram or on arrival.

For drinks, the full range of cocktails, Greek spirits, wine, and cold beer is standard for this category of venue. A freddo espresso or freddo cappuccino in the morning is the Greek beach coffee of choice and worth ordering over an iced coffee if you have not tried it. Greek coffee — boiled in a small copper briki and served with the grounds settled at the bottom — is the slower, stronger alternative.

Lunch at a beach bar on Naxos typically means grilled fish and seafood, salads, and meze plates designed to work with a cold beer or a glass of local white wine. Naxos produces drinkable table wine from the island's interior, and several bars along Plaka carry it. For an evening meal, fresh fish by weight is the most reliable order at any sea-facing restaurant on the island — ask what came in that morning.