Rio Beaches
Rio is the place for beaches. The big ones - Copacabana and Ipanema - are two of the most famous beaches in the world. They’re so popular they’ve had songs written about them.
Copacabana
Ipanema
A great thing about Rio is that you have these two massive beaches on your doorstep. It’s a great feeling to relax on the beach or walk along the seaside and see everyone else around you just enjoying life, sunbathing, sipping on caipirinhas, playing beach volleyball, or whatever they feel like doing, like there is not a worry in the world.
Copacabana and Ipanema are divided into 12 sections called Postos (6 each).
Ipanema
Ipanema is the place to see and be seen. This beach attracts a younger crowd and feels more upscale and hip compared to Copacabana. It’s cleaner and safer, due to the location. There are more and better options for food and drink around Ipanema. The stunning view of Dois Irmãos is an added bonus.
Copacabana
Copacabana is still an amazing beach and is probably the more popular one from a foreigner’s perspective. It’s so iconic the name immediately springs into mind when thinking about Rio. But the neighbourhood of Copacabana just feels a little more dated compared to Ipanema, like something that was once very fashionable and is now past its prime. This is the vibe that I got from the architecture, the hotels, the eateries.
Arpoador
The small peninsula between Copacabana and Ipanema is popular spot among locals and travellers alike and a nice place in Rio for watching the sunset.
Barra da Tijuca
Neither Copacabana and Ipanema holds the title for the longest beach in Rio. They are long beaches and it takes quite some time to walk their entire length - but that is only 4km for each. Praia do Barra da Tijuca (and the other named beaches that are part of the same strip) stretches for almost 20km! I’ve read that Prainha, the beach that follows just after, is quite nice.
Other beaches
There are actually more named beaches around Zona Sul, such as Praia do Leme at one end of Copacabana, or Praia do Arpoador and Praia do Leblon at either end of Ipanema, but people tend to refer to the two main stretches of sand as simply Copacabana and Ipanema.
There are many other smaller beaches scattered along the shores of Rio de Janeiro (Flamengo, Botafogo, Urca, Forte, Fora, Vermelha), but they’re no match for Copacabana and Ipanema.
Safety
Copacabana and Ipanema are safe to visit during the day, since there are so many other people around. Never leave your valuables unattended though - just as you shouldn’t on any other city beach. While Zona Sul is as safe as it gets for Rio, it’s probably best to avoid the beaches at night, especially if you are alone.
More in Rio de Janeiro
Everything you need to know about the Rio Carnival