Why
exactly are the beaches in Rio de Janeiro so well-known? The answer is simple—there are just so darn many
beautiful sun-drenched beaches all in one locale, in fact over 50 miles of
beach shoreline—and the most famous are Copacabana Beach and Ipanema Beach.
Copacabana Beach is by far the
most famous beach in the world. (No
doubt, Barry Manilow is singing his
hit “Copacabana” in your head
right now.) The beach was named after
the Copacabana
Palace Hotel
which caters to the rich and famous. And if you look at the lyrics, you’ll see the
song is about the hotel, and not the beach!
Its
white sands stretch long, wide, and crescent shaped and are perfect
for sunbathing and swimming. It sits
anchored at one end by Sugarloaf
Mountain
and the old Copacabana Fort at the other
end.
The
bustling beach is noted for its wavy mosaic-covered
promenade,
Avenida Atlantica, making it an ideal place for strolling or people-watching. It is also party-central 24/7 with a hubbub
of activity.
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| Copacabana Beach |
The
2.5-mile long beach was made famous in the
1950s
lined by nightclubs, casinos, and hotels.
The beach is quite wide in places and flatter than neighboring Ipanema
Beach, as well as having calmer waves.
In addition, it is the site of the world’s largest New Year’s Eve party,
Revéillon, where thousands come dressed in white to watch the
fireworks at midnight and party until dawn to watch the sunrise.
Ipanema
Beach, on the other hand, is a narrower beach with
rougher water. (Ipanema is a native
Indian word for “bad or dangerous water.”)
While Copacabana tends to be more popular with tourists, Ipanema
attracts a more upscale crowd with its beach lined with high-end condos and
expensive hotels. It has been dubbed the
world’s sexiest beach!
Ipanema
Beach is part of one long beach flanked on the upper
end by Arpoador Beach and on the lower end by Leblon Beach.
It will forever be associated with Tom
Jobim's famous song “The
Girl from Ipanema,” which he and the poet Vinícius de
Moraes wrote while sitting in a bar watching “tall
and tan and young and lovely” girls
walking to the beach. (Go ahead…I know
you’re humming it right now!)
 |
| Ipanema Beach |
Arpoador
Beach is the dividing line between Copacabana Beach
and Ipanema Beach. This 600-yard area is
more family friendly. It is most notable
for the giant rock that juts out from the shore into the crashing waves.
The
most recognizable beaches in photographs, however, are the Botafogo
and Flamengo Beaches. Botafogo
Beach is the horseshoe shaped beach seen in aerial views that overlook the Christ of the
Redeemer Statue looking toward Sugarloaf Mountain. Flamengo
Beach sits adjacent on Guanabara
Bay and houses the Museum
of Modern Art.
Barra
da Tijuca Beach is actually the longest
beach in Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the least crowded Brazil beaches you'll
find in Rio and a favorite with surfers.
Other notable beaches around Rio include Sao
Conrada Beach, popular with hang gliders; Vermelha
Beach, at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain where one
might spot monkeys playing in the trees above; among many more.
Along
the beaches are numbered
postos, or
lifeguard stations, set every few hundred yards and are some of the most common
landmarks along the beaches. Sand sports
are also common, especially futebol (soccer), vôlei (volleyball), and
futevôlei (foot volleyball!).
And here, too, is the beach you’ve all heard
about—Abrico
Beach. Located in the Grumari area
in the far west of the city within a nature reserve, it is the one chosen by
those who wish to swim and sunbathe in the nude. In fact, this beach legally became a nudist
beach in 2003. Topless sunbathing is
prohibited on all public beaches in Rio, except for Abrico Beach.
2. Bring no food or drink with you. You are expected to buy from the hundreds of
beach vendors. (As well as rent or buy
anything else you may need.)
5. And everyone wears skimpy bikinis or Speedos,
not bathing suits.
Seriously…would I lead you wrong? You don’t want to be branded a gringo in Rio!
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