| Arpoador Brazil beach Travel Information
Ipanema is one of the most glamorous and pretty
parts of Rio. It has a magnificent beach and tree-lined streets that are packed
with restaurants, bars, and shops. As one of the most expensive and exclusive
neighbourhoods, the people who live here are not only wealthy, but also glamorous
and beautiful. The beach has beautiful, soft white sand and is framed at either
end by mountains and hills - Ponta do Arpoador at the eastern end and the Morro
Dois Irmãos, which makes the setting even more picturesque. The clean blue water
is quite rough, and its large waves crash onto the shore – it’s a little turbulent
to swim in unless you’re a strong swimmer but good fun for messing around in,
or you can surf a bit farther down on Arpoador Beach.
The area has been
immortalised in the famous Bossa Nova song, “Girl from Ipanema.” Sitting
here on the beach now, sipping agua de coco from a green coconut (this really
is the best hangover cure!) whilst people-watching, it’s easy to see what the
singer was on about. But it’s not just the women in their dental-floss bikinis
that catch the eye. Plenty of men stroll along the beach sporting their ultra-tight
Speedos and ensuring that everyone can have a good look at what they’ve got to
offer. They stroll past, they skate past, they run past – acting as eye candy
for girls and boys (Ipanema is also a gay hotspot).
The beach is well
catered for, too – not just by the cafés and bars that line its edge, but also
by the toilet facilities and showers that are provided at regular intervals along
the beach. Be prepared to queue, though – there is only one toilet and people
use it for getting changed, so don’t leave it until you’re bursting.
Drums usually start in the afternoon, and there are often small parties along
the beach with samba sound systems and dancers and capoeira dancers. As the sun
starts to set, the beach setting becomes even more beautiful with the vivid cocktail
of reds and oranges peeking from behind the lush hills lighting up the water.
Buy a passion-fruit caipirinha from one of the men that sells them along the beach
and walk up to the Ponto do Arpoador. The view from this point is absolutely beautiful
– the caipirinhas are pretty good too, and pack quite a punch! This is the best
way to start off an evening of partying. Either head home to shower and then hit
one of the numerous nightspots, or else just hang out here.
In the evening,
the beach takes on a new life as the alcohol starts flowing and the beats continue
into the night. Around Carnival, you’ll be sure to see some young men dressed
up in school-girl outfits and fully made up, creating havoc along the beach –
flirting comically with boys who are chilling out with their girlfriends, dancing
provocatively, and performing rude gestures with the aid of props they find lying
around on the beach, umbrellas, beer bottles, etc. You’d be forgiven for thinking
that these boys were gay, but when they see a group of girls, they bound up to
them, stroke their hair, call them beautiful, ask to be spanked, and beg for a
kiss. How confusing. I can say that being chatted up by a man dressed as a woman
is something that has never happened to me apart from in Rio.
Jutting
out from between Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the night-lit Arpoador Beach
is Rio de Janeiro's surf spot and weekend gathering sport for well-to-do cariocas.
Ipanema is a neighborhood that summarizes the best Rio de Janeiro
has to offer. There's a legendary beach, a bustling nightlife, restaurants to
write home about, the most sophisticated street shopping in town, cultural centers,
museums, excellent hotels in all price ranges...
Better yet, everything
is in a walking distance, and it's easy to find your way around. Streets are lined
up in a grid, and you have the beach and Lagoa as your references. If you had
only one day in Rio, and you want to experience the city like a local instead
of a tourist, this is the place you would be heading to.
Most of what
is known as Ipanema today belonged to aristocrat José Antonio Moreira Filho, the
Barão de Ipanema. Ipanema means bad water in Brazilian Indian dialect,
but since the name was inherited from the baron, it has nothing to do with our
beautiful blue sea. Once the tunnel connecting Copacabana to Botafogo was opened,
Ipanema was finally integrated to the rest of the city.
In 1894 Vila
Ipanema was founded, with 19 streets and 2 parks. The neighborhood started to
grow faster with the arrival of streetcars in 1902. Ipanema became a household
name in the 1950's and 60's - it is the birthplace of Bossa Nova. The whole world
learned about it with hit song The Girl from Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim and
Vinícius de Morais, both Ipanema residents.
Since then Ipanema is always
setting new trends, and what happens here reverberates throughout the country.
Take Banda de Ipanema, for instance. What started as a celebration among a few
dozen friends ended up bringing a new life to Rio de Janeiro's Street Carnival
festivities. Today the parades attract as many as fifteen thousand, and many other
neighborhoods have street bands of their own.
The first pregnant woman
in a bikini was actress Leila Diniz in the 70's, she lived on Rua Aníbal de Mendonça.
The first men sunbathing in a bikini bottom was Fernando Gabeira at Posto 9 in
the early 80's. The first topless woman (who bothered asking? - 80's), and the
dental floss bikini (late 80's) are among fashion statements that were made here
first.
Ipanema has played an important cultural role in the city since
its early days. There are major art galleries, universities, several schools,
avant-garde theaters, art movie theaters, cyber-cafés... Do not be surprised to
discover a cozy café with a web connection inside a bookshop or clothing store.
Fitness is also a big thing. Expect to run into juice shops every other
block. People going into and coming out of the many state-of-the-art gyms. Activities
offered sometimes include capoeira, you could well walk in and give it a shot.
Keep your sunglasses on to better watch the sun-kissed girls and boys of Ipanema
go by.
When the sun sets, the fun does not end. With an assortment of
cafes, bars, and clubs there's always something happening at night. Stroll around
Praça da Paz, Baixo Farme and Baixo Quitéria. Watch a live music performance,
crash a circuit party, sip a beer or fresh coconut under the stars at a beach
kiosk. Gays and lesbians have their own beach spot, and enjoy venues and clubs
on Rua Teixeira de Melo, Farme de Amoedo and surroundings.
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