Excellent long bay, mix of textiles and non-textiles, very civilised! Wide beach, clear sea with almost no waves. The sea bed has a few patches of rocks for underwater interest, but mainly just sand. It is very popular with Barefooters, some of whom think Plaka beach is the best in Greece! One recent correspondent compared it favourably with beaches in the Caribbean. Another, quoted directly below, is typical:

"I had never even been to a nude beach before in my life but my wife and I both felt perfectly comfortable going nude there because so many others were doing it and not making any big deal out of it. The beach is one of the best I've ever visited anywhere in the world, with soft sand, crystal clear shallow water, and few waves. There are also tavernas and at least one small grocery store scattered along the main road. I highly recommend Plaka for anyone, especially if you're looking for a good naturist beach."

There is easy access, lots and lots of room. A great place for swimming. And if you're lucky you are able to walk a mile without encountering textiles.

It is, basically, a very lengthy clothes-optional beach. There tend to be patches which are predominantly nude and others which are mostly textile, and these may vary from day to day. If your preference is not to see any textiles when you are on a nudist beach this would not be for you. But there seems to be peaceful co-existence along the length of the beach from roughly the Three Brothers' taverna south. To the south is miles of sparsely occupied clothing-optional beach and freelance camping. This beach extends literally miles to the south - try to walk to the end! Plaka seems to be a favourite of naked walkers and joggers - nobody in the predominantly textile parts seems to care. It doesn't get much better than this.

Some parts of the beach have slippery flat rocks as you enter the sea, but other sections are wholly sandy. The sand tends to be very fine and Naxos tends to be quite windy so if there is anything like a stiff breeze blowing you can get uncomfortably sand-blasted. In this case the northernmost area near the Paradiso taverna is to be recommended as the sand is much coarser there.

Plaka is well served by frequent buses from the bus station at Naxos Town marked "Plaka". You can get off at the Paradiso taverna for the little cove, or carry on past Maragas camping towards the terminus (much further south than, according to previous reports, it used to be). Or you can drive - take the road to Aghia Anna and keep on going down the coast road.

Plaka beach was great, huge long expanse of sand, but in August 2000 only a few nudists toward the north end (another report says that this part of the beach is now clothing optional).

Some parts of the beach, notably opposite Maragas camping and some of the tavernas have been equipped with beach umbrellas.

A correspondent who visited in 2000 had to walk south from Maragas Camping for fifteen to twenty minutes past textiles with umbrellas and lounge chairs to get to the nudist section of the beach. Once there, the beach was full of committed nudists (singles, couples and families) for as far as one could look south. It was possible to beach-walk nude for several kilometres. My contributor did, and so did quite a few others. The water was a bit more bracing than in 1999, but still provided a wonderful experience.

South of Paradiso the first kilometre of beach is textile until you reach the Three Brothers Taverna. Nudity begins to be practised from the Three Brothers Taverna and southwards. Here, walking in the nude is not a problem, and between 50 and 70% of the people are nude (July 2001). Happily, in this section the bottom is sandy and nice, generally without the slippery shelf that exists on other sections of Plaka.

2003: the main nudists' section has been pushed about 100 metres further south but there were nudists spread out all along the beach, both north and south of the Three Brothers. Although there seemed to be fewer holidaymakers in general on Naxos this year, there seemed to be rather more naturists, particularly using the Northern end of Plaka. There seemed to be more families. Also and more interestingly and encouraging was the appearance of naturists under the sun umbrellas and using the provided sun loungers that now spoil the central part of the beach.

2004 June: The Captain paid a return visit and thought that the best bit of Plaka beach was close to the Plaza hotel (which is on the other side of the dunes), which is where the bus now turns round.

In many respects Plaka is similar to Kommos beach on southern Crete, both regarding the shelf sections and the tendencies to flying sand on windy days. One contributor and his wife regretted that it was not possible to have a long (several km) nude walk without being offensive in high season. You have to confine your walk to the section where you are and nudity is practised to some acceptable degree. In my contributor's opinion you are in real danger of being offensive if you walk nude in front of commercial umbrellas without any nude people, also walking in other section where you see no nude people which is the case in many sections of Plaka beach. But a report from June 2000 suggests it was possible without difficulty to walk for miles in the nude on Plaka. A report from 2001 confirms this - my correspondent experienced for the first time the pleasure of being able to walk for a kilometre or so with no clothes on.

One regular correspondent says this is the beach they keep coming back to at the end of a holiday because it is such a great beach. They stay in Agia Anna and some days go to the Cove before breakfast for a swim, then in the morning along to Plaka, back for a break at lunch time and then the cove again in late afternoon. Sounds a delightful way to spend the day.

Look out for the roving vendor on his mule. He is still there and his mule has a tendency to refuse to move when the vendor encounters an attractive female.

2005 July:  the best part of Plaka was just after the 3 Brothers taverna. Sunbeds and parasols were available for nudists at 2 for 6 euros.

In summer, beyond the Three Brothers taverna where the dirt road turns inland a little way the beach area was very nude tolerant with about 80% of people nude in June and late September. There is a small section of beach chairs about 100m south of the Three Brothers Taverna but it was noted that in late June nearly all of the occupants were nude although in July and August there are many textiles. The bad news for Plaka in 2005 was that just before the new Plaza Beach hotel a water sports centre had been opened and nudism is not tolerated within at least 50m either side. This area has been filled with beach chairs and umbrellas and some naturists who have been using this part of the beach were told in no uncertain terms to "put some clothes on" and were subjected to having their photos taken by children with mobile phone cameras. Unfortunately, from mid-May until late-September, this area and down as far as the Plaza Beach hotel is strictly textile. The hotel and taverna owners seem bent on driving nudists off the beach. However, beyond the hotel southwards there are still large stretches of beach where naturists can enjoy themselves.

A report from August 2005 confirmed that naturist possibilities were much more limited in high season. Nudism started from the Plaza Beach hotel, just after the point when the path turns to the left (the road indicator marks Plaka). From that point you can find some nudist people (approx 25%). South of that point the beach was pretty empty in the rocky area, where nudism is also possible but no swimming. You can also be naked at the very end of Plaka, after the rocky area, but be careful because families usually arrive around midday and you would be in danger of being offensive.

2006 June: Barefoot reporters were very disappointed. Although long and sandy there was only 30 odd metres when nudists and textiles mixed. The whole area had turned into a normal textile beach. Having said that depending on the time of year things could change. The road behind the beach is very pitted and had numerous bars and tavernas along the entire length up to the Three Brothers who continue to serve excellent food. And a report from August 2006 says there were 100% textile zones (not a good idea to walk through naked) with some nudist zones where nudists were 75% of the people present. Said that, it is a wonderful beach with crystalline water and nice sand. Sand is very annoying when meltemi blows.

Yet other Barefooters who visited in July found many nude couples, 90%, on a long beach where you can walk along naked without people turning their heads. No-one seems to mind, textiles mixed, the longest nude beach my contributor had been to, his favourite island. And in August and early September there were several stretches mixed, some areas mostly naturist, happily co-existing, though how a 'clothed' family can suddenly deposit themselves and feel comfortable amongst an otherwise naturist area is hard to credit - perhaps they're just scared of their own natural assets!. Good beach, but can be windy, in which case Agia Anna is better as the sand doesn't blow quite so much. If you walk away from the bus terminus at Plaza Beach Hotel, there are several areas which seem to be used on the days we walked along there, but I don't think I would agree with the quote of 'miles' of it….! The Dunes north of the Plaza are good south of Maragas Campsite, and provide some respite from sand storms! Another report from September says the beach is still very good for nudism with long nude walks. One Barefooter says he walked past some textile areas naked, but no-one was offended.

2007: it's best to visit outside the peak season. One Barefooter estimated that 75% of visitors were nudists in mid-season, but that it decreases to 25% in the peak time.

The Captain stresses that in his experience, outside the high season Plaka remains an excellent choice. Indeed the next report, from September 2005, confirmed 90% nude south of the Three Brothers taverna. Various other reports make clear that it still felt perfectly okay to be a nudist, and at no time did Barefoot reporters feel uncomfortable. Still, it has changed since the heady hippy-feel days of the early '90s, when the whole beach was 90% naturist.

Early reports sound promising, with half of the few people on the beach in May nude. One Barefooter says he walked naked for miles; there were nudists everywhere. In June  it was as beautiful and clothes-free as ever although facing some expansion of the neighbouring textile sections of the beach. An August report says that nudity was the norm in the section of the beach after the Three Brothers taverna - but it was the only part of Plaka beach where nude bathing was possible and it was sandwiched between two textile clubs. Long nude walks did not seem feasible.

2009 September: The area of the beach to the left of the Plaza Beach Hotel (as you look out to sea) was clothing optional and served by beach beds and umbrellas. We were comfortable there without our clothes even though some people stayed covered (why go on a naturist beach and not strip off?). There were people walking along the beach naked in both directions so obviously a nude walk can be undertaken if you want.

2010 August: naturist possibilities were even more limited. There were many people wearing their bathing swim, so I could say that the nudists were only 2%. The beach is almost full of beds and umbrellas for 10 euros (2 beds and the umbrella). This 2% of nudists were at the part of the beach near Dolphin Taverna. When you park under the tree opposite the taverna, you have to go towards to the sea and then right for 50m.

August: I would agree. There were a couple of nudists on the beach but they looked out of place amongst all the families and tourists. My guess would be that they had been using the beach for years and weren't about to stop, but I would be surprised if a newcomer would feel comfortable without clothing, at least not during high season.

2011 September: most people on the beach after the Plaza Beach Hotel were nude, and the two sunbed concessions were mixed with some nude and others not, but no problems at all.

2012 June: South of 3 Brothers taverna (where the road goes a bit inland) was a cluster of 30+ naturists for 100m or so. Then the next 200m south were textile, and then further south all the way to Mikri Vigli there were very few people, widely spaced out, with a good number of naturists spread out all the way down.

Late June: Plaka is without doubt one of the best beaches you will find anywhere - good sand, clear blue water, umbrellas if you want umbrellas, empty if you want empty. One of the umbrella/sunbed concessions just south of The Three Brothers was 100% nude (mostly mixed couples), and the 'unorganised' beach south is largely nude for a good mile. The bus service from Naxos Chora is reliable and operates at least hourly.

July: Just returned from Plaka, nearby Orkos. After our last visit in 2005, we were surprised the plans about a tarmac road along Plaka haven't been realised.
June was a very nice laid back time at our preferred beach in the Cyclades, with nudity on the same spots as we'd discovered some 20 years ago. Even the umbrella area at Aronis taverna had naturist sunbathers.

Riding along the beach at the bus terminal (Plaza Beach hotel) there  is plenty of opportunity. At our last day early July, we 'd even discovered that a couple of miles earlier (halfway between Maragas & Plaza) there's also a large stretch frequented by naturist addicts. It was really a pleasure to be back after these years, and found the beach unspoilt and discovered the atmosphere hasn't changed.

Our stay at the very end invited for a walk along the water every morning and evening, to finally finish the day in the very quiet area before Mikri Vigla, to enjoy the magnificent sunset.

Though we prefer September, June was super as well, and even early July,  despite the different vacationers, was a pleasant "busier" week. Hope it'll stay like this for still some years! We'll be back

2014 September: Naturists begin as described below, where the road goes behind dunes at the 3 Brothers Taverna (excellent for reasonably priced food & prompt service - some tables on the edge of the beach in the evening). The 1st 3 rows of sunbeds S of this point were naturist or mixed, together with the empty beach either side. The sea was shallow, with a sandy bottom in some areas, stones in others and areas of flat rocks. Which of these are be uncovered from time to time may depend on wave action. S of this there were 2 rows of umbrellas (road access signed "Petrino Beach") with no naturists. When I attempted to walk behind them a customer told me firmly that this was not a "nudie beach" & to go away. S of this a longish stretch of beach, naturist & mixed ( the bus terminus is somewhere behind these dunes). S of this, I was walking S along the water's edge trying to see whether the next range of beds (with thatched canopies - "Sea Melody" is on the landward side of the dunes) had naturists - I have good distance sight & I was no more than 20 yds beyond the last naturist - when a man aged about 60 approached me from behind the beds and said angrily "Go away & if you come back I'll cut your prick off!". I tried to ask him his authority & why he had not politely asked me to put bottoms on, but he continued his angry threats, telling me to get back to my own country & mentioning the police. During this shouting match he grabbed both my wrists. Feeling that he was stronger than I & might have had the ear of the local police & that I might technically be breaking Greek law by being nude, I wrenched myself free & left. To this day, I do not know whether he was authorised by the owner of the beds I was approaching (few Greeks wear any ID or uniform), or simply unbalanced.

2016 June: confirm nudist from 3 Brothers to the Dolphin Restaurant, then nudist from where the service bus turns round. One of the best nudist beaches I have visited - fantastic.
Plaka beach is no more recommended (July). Between 3 Brothers and Dolphin about 10 nude men and 2-3 nude couples, so nudity less than 5% of total bathers (95% dressed). You can see nudists all over Plaka beach, without any complaints against them (Greece isn't Middle East!) but not relaxed beach - some nudists cover their genitals with towels.
Late September: all nudist for 300 metres south of Three Brothers. Sunbeds cost 8 Euros. Sunbeds (textile) further up Plaka Beach were 6 Euros apparently!

2017 June: We had rent a room in the Magic land in Plaka. The beach in front of the complex was very quiet and there was always a three coupled with nakedness. Unfortunately, when we left, we saw that a newly built villa was laying umbrellas for its occupants.
August: Third visit and it's clearly going downhill. Textiles now using naturist area beds so very few naturists. 50% beds not rented. This is not sustainable for sunbed concession.
September: The section of Plaka from the Three Brothers Taverna to the Dolphin Restaurant appears to be the established 'naturist zone'. In early September it was 60-70% naturist (all ages, including families). On the whole the atmosphere was very relaxed (although one Greek couple took exception and complained to the sunbed seller). Looking at previous reports, there are ever fewer areas of Plaka used by naturists. This one certainly is. The advice should be 'use it or lose it'.

2018 May: Naturist section as described before in recent years. Nudity 90%, rest topless. We stayed almost on the beach in Nikos-Maria-Michaela studios and rooms. Greeks must be very conservative as I asked Michaela why she didn't advertise on her website about the nude beach. She reacted that she didn't like the nudity. I tried to explain the economic assets of it but she was not interested or didn't understand it.

2019 September: Spent 10 days on Plaka Beach opposite Athina Studios. The sunbed section was 100% naturist and the surrounding beach area also. Beautiful clean sandy beach.

2021 August-September: 90% nudist from the "3 Brothers" tavern. The sunbed part for naturists was not there in August and early September, but there were deckchairs for textiles. Very good atmosphere here.

Second week September: The sunbeds dedicated for naturists are almost all hired. Spread over the rest of the beach about 20 people, mainly couples. About 4 textiles; the rest naturist.

In high season the northern border is not the 3 Brothers taverna but a little bit south where the sunbeds for naturists are. (This border is heavily guarded by the aggressive beach bed owner of the "naturist" beds.) The south side is just before the beach beds near the entrance of the campsite. The sunbeds in the middle of the naturist part that you see on Google maps were not there in 2021. So the beach was more an open space. It is a nice sandy beach where you can walk along the waterside.

2023 June: Almost 100% naturist from the 3 Brothers taverna till the entrance of Plaka Camping. Near the 3 Brothers Taverna a sign with "naked umbrellas EUR !0". There were also new sunbeds with bamboo umbrellas. So there were 4 sunbed places. So not so many places anymore for people who don't want to rent a sunbed. We found out that the sunbeds at the naturist part are now owned by the owner of Plaka Camping and Plaka Hotels I and II. The owner told us that she had paid a lot of money for the permit so that is why they placed so many beds. She also said that she hoped that in July and August also "other people" (meaning not naturist) would visit Plaka beach and rent the sunbeds, as she didn't like naked people. Quite unbelieveable this point of view, as we saw the vast majority of guests of her hotel at the nude beach.
Mid of August: During that time most of the beach has been covered by sunbeds and umbrellas leaving practically almost no privacy for nudism, at least in rush hour time. However, there have been a few nudists amongst hundreds of textiles without any issue.