Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro

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First developed in 1894, Ipanema became in the 1960s one of the most famous beach communities in the world. The world took notice of Ipanema when it emerged as the centre of the bossa nova music movement. Specifically, the song A Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema) written by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, which topped music charts for weeks, made Ipanema a household name. Ipanema today is one of the high-end neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro, with expensive houses, apartments, shopping and restaurants. Many visitors seeking the beach life of Rio have to choose between Ipanema and Copacabana. Ipanema is a little smaller and a touch more exclusive, but the beaches are super crowded, yet the restaurants and shopping are a little better. Ipanema is delineated by Copacabana, Leblon, the Atlantic Ocean and Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. Take a look at the travelogue: "Boy and Girl from Ipanema" for photos of Ipanema's crowd.

Going to the beach in Rio de Janeiro has a culture of its own. The city has numerous beaches to choose from and range from the polluted or deserted, to the clean(er), beautiful and packed. Copacabana and Ipanema are the two most popular, but equally beautiful and much more isolated is São Conrado (though it is officially outside the city of Rio). Not surprisingly, beaches tend to be quieter in the middle of the week, but on weekends and holidays, the whole of Rio seems to be on the beach. It is definitely worth experiencing the beach when its crowded, if at least for people watching, but relaxing it is NOT! The attached photo shows just how crazy and crowded it could be. For photos of people on the beach, take a look at the travelogue: "Boy and Girl from Ipanema."

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Spend a beach day at Ipanema. You can surf too. The area is great for people watching, swimming, surfing, getting a tan. Once you have that tan, sport it along the boardwalk. This and Copacabana are wonderfully long with fabulously wide and lovely boardwalks!

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I'm sure if you've read the Rio guides here on VT, everyone makes a comment on both Ipanema and Copacabana beaches so I'll spare the history and what not. Ipanema beach, im my opinion, is MUCH better then Copa in a lot of ways. For one, it's cleaner and chances are you'll find more locals on this beach then at Copa. The surf is quite exceptional here so bring a boogey-board if you have one! Be careful though the waves can knock you over. I know they did to me. Pack some SPF 70 sunscreen on those hot days.

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We all know the song of course, and you're sure to hear it wherever you travel in Brazil, so why not take the time to see where it all started? You can visit this cafe in Ipanema where the song was written. The story is that the writers, Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim, used to meet each other here every day, and would always see the same beautiful girl walk past on her way to the beach. Eventually they were inspired by her to write that song.

Now you can sit in the same cafe too, which has been renamed "A Garota de Ipanema", and even if you're not that interested in the story of the song, it's a good place to come and hang out and enjoy a coffee. And if you are interested, you can read the story on the walls!

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah

When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ooh

Ooh, but I watch her so sadly
How can I tell her I love her?
Yes, I would give my heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea,
She looks straight ahead, not at me

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, I smile –
but she doesn't see
She just doesn't see, she never sees me...

Just pay attention in the swimming condition of the sea, most of teh time Ipanema is a paradise for surfers and some brave fellows like me who really know how to face a rough sea...The ocean is Ipanema can be quite unfriendly, but it is always a pleasure to feel yourself in a FRUIT MIXER once in a while! hahahahaha :)

SEPTEMBER 2007

Rio is a beach destination, this is for sure!!! So bear in mind that at least one or two days you have the spend the whole day in the beach exactly like our people love doing!!!

Remember I told you...IN BRAZIL DO LIKE THE BRAZILIANS....So almost everyday, all we like to do is baking ourselves on the sand, enjoying the see and watching beautiful people!!!

IPANEMA IS WAY LESS TOURISTY THAN RIO, Ipanema is our house, very very residential and less hotels on the Coast.

This is the beach where you will see TONS OF GIRLS FROM IPANEMA..and for the women...they will see the MUSCLY BOYS FROM IPANEMA!!!

Very colourful place...Ipanema is more than a district, IPANEMA IS A LIFE STYLE!

OCTOBER 2007

I live very close to Ipanema, from our house it takes about 15 minutes walijng distance, so when I have time I always go to the beach with Rafael, my great friend who lives with me and his family. the water is quite cold, but it does not reach a "canadian level", so you can handle!

The water is clean and in a very hot day you can relief in these delicious water!

So everytime you can just GO TO THE BEACH and chill out!

Many thanks to my personal photographer Rafa!!!

SEPTEMBER 2007