Our Beach Reccommendations

Copacabana

(take the metro or bus 570). You may walk from Copacabana along the beach, with a little shortcut around the old fortress of Copacabana (which makes a nice visit as well) to

Ipanema.
Any young Brazilian will tell you that the area around “posto 9” (the showers and watchtowers are numbered from Copacabana all the way down) is most “hip”. There are other adjacent areas where you will find mostly gay people, some mostly for families, so find your spot.

Arpoador
is a nice beach hidden between the rocks at the end of Ipanema. A perfect place to watch the sunset.

Barra da Tijuca (take the metro to Siqueira Campos, then the metro bus) The beach itself is long, but narrow, with rough surf. The area behing the beach is the poshest area of Rio, with one luxury villa by the other. Don´t confuse “Barra da Tijuca” with “Tijuca” when taking a bus. “Tijuca” is a district in the Zona Norte where you definitely don´t want to go.

Praia Pepino
(take the Metrobus from Botafogo) near Pedra da Gavea. Watch the Hang Gliders touch down on this very uncroded beach.

Prainha
(taxi from last Busstation Metrobus in Barra, or take the “Surfbus” at Largo do Machado). Many say the nicest beach near Rio, definitely for surfers (strong waves), secluded beach amidst natural forest.
The schedule for the surfbus (at time of writing) was leaving Largo do Machado at 7:00, 10:00, 13:00, and 16:00, returning at 8:30, 11:30, 14:30, and 17:30. The cost is R$ 3,- each way, and the bus also stops at all the other major beaches)

Praia Vermelha
under the Sugar Loaf, rest there before or after going up there

Flamengo beach:
Not really for bathing, but very close to our Pousada and adjoining to a nice large park, frequently used for all kinds of sports activities by the locals

Ilha de Paqueta:
(a day trip on a boat from “Praca 15”. To get there, take the metro to “Carioca”, then walk down “Rua da Assembleia” until you reach the ferry station by the water. Or take bus 422 from Largo do Machado to bring you there directly.) The island is about a 1.5 hour boat trip away in the bay of Guanabara. Life is very relaxed there, and no car traffic is allowed.

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