Barra da Tijuca Beach

Barra da Tijuca Beach stretches for 18 kilometres, making it Rio's longest beach and a world unto itself. Far from the crowds of Copacabana and Ipanema, Barra has a spacious, open feel with consistent Atlantic surf and a more suburban, family-friendly character completely different from Rio's famous South Zone beaches. The beach hosted surfing events during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and the area retains excellent Olympic sports infrastructure.

The Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood behind the beach is Rio's most modern district — a planned urban area of wide boulevards, shopping centres, and residential towers that feels more Miami than traditional Rio. The combination of world-class urban infrastructure and 18 kilometres of uncrowded beach makes it increasingly popular with families and working professionals who want the best of both worlds.

The beach itself offers excellent conditions for surfing, bodyboarding, and kitesurfing throughout the year. The open ocean exposure means conditions are generally less gentle than the South Zone beaches, so swimmers should pay attention to lifeguard flags. Beach kiosks and surf schools line the shore, and the Recreio dos Bandeirantes end merges into the more secluded natural environment of Prainha and Grumari.