Ipanema beach
A lot of people know about this beach not from the lessons of geography and not from their own tourist experience, but thanks to the bossa nova's popular jazz song "Girl from Ipanema" ("Garota de Ipanema"). Its authors, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, made this coast no less famous than Copacabana. It is interesting that in translation from Tupi, this toponym means "bad, dangerous waters." In fact, the waves on this site are quite aggressive, so the beach is definitely worth a visit to surf lovers, but be careful for those who went here just to swim.
Photos
Beach description
The beach stretches for 2 km between the Hotel Jardim de Alah and the Arpoador Beach, which is separated from Copacabana by a rocky cape of the same name. It's considered to be a place of recreation for the elite, partly because of prices, partly because of a kind of local “club”, which is composed of artists and musicians.
The beach territory is a flat sandy shore, conditionally divided into several sections, marked by numbers:
- 8 – children's area, a place loved by couples, preferring a quiet and unhurried leisure time;
- 9 – a gathering place for hippies and other hipsters with concerts and dances until dawn, as well as a recreational area for sexual minorities;
- 10 – a plot where lovers of outdoor activities can go wild, as here you can play football, volleyball and frescobol.
Water and sand are cleaner here than on Copacabana. This is explained by the more intense waves, the better organization and order on the beach itself. Actually, the waves here are very strong, and even fall on the shore. They strongly “drag” you back, so be careful and swim only where the locals do it. Don't let the kids go alone to the water.
The depth starts gradually, the bottom is without any cliffs. But because of the frequent and high waves, depth can be difficult to recognize, and it is constantly changing.
When is the best time to go?
The best time to visit Brazil – is in spring and autumn. During this period, mild and dry weather reigns here. In winter, there is heat and heavy rains. And in the summer (from June to August) the lowest temperatures are recorded in the country.
Video: Beach Ipanema
Infrastructure
Ipanema Beach is a lively and well equipped beach, where it is not only prestigious and fashionable to relax, but also comfortable. Sun loungers, toilets, parasols, showers are those taken for granted things that you should not even consider to be the advantages of the beach. But what really sets it apart from other areas on the beach are upscale shops, nightclubs and trendy restaurants that are located, if not on the sand itself, then within walking distance from the entrance to the beach.
One of the most popular and glamorous hotels is considered here to be Arena Ipanema Hotel 4*. In cafes you will be offered a wide selection of dishes. Feijoada is definitely worth a try - spicy stewed pork with beans, which is usually served with a side dish, which includes chopped oranges, fried eggs, cassava flour, thinly sliced cabbage and white rice. In kiosks located on the beach you will find coconut water, corn on the cob, fried shrimp, baked cheese rolls and other snacks. It is advisable to drink all this with a traditional cocktail "caipirinha", which is prepared from Brazilian rum from sugarcane, lemon and sugar.
When choosing out of beach activities, vacationers can choose activities both on land and on water. The latitude of the beach allows you to play team sports, such as football, volleyball or paddball. Frescobole (that is beach tennis) is especially popular, it is played using wooden rackets and a rubber ball. And, of course, how to be on the Rio beach and not to see surfers? Surfing and kitesurfing here will impress even an experienced conqueror of waves, because the waves here are such that you only need to have time to catch them.
Weather in Ipanema
Best hotels of Ipanema
All hotels of IpanemaUseful information
- If you go here on a Saturday or Sunday, get ready that the beach will be crowded. Therefore, it is better to come here early to take a seat.
- Ipanema Beach is one of the most expensive places to stay, the area is full of wealthy residents. Therefore, the service in restaurants and hotels is of the top-class, and the crime rate is perhaps the lowest in Rio. If you compare with other areas, then in the area of Ipanema can relax most safely and peacefully. But you should not relax at all – keep an eye on things.
- New Year and the carnival, which is held from mid to late February, is the time when there is a tourist boom in Rio. Therefore, if your goal is to swim and lie on the beach, it is better to choose another time to relax. And if you are going to Rio for these events – book your places in hotels in advance.