• Introduction
• 1. Anse Source d’Argent
• 2. Grace Bay
• 3. Ipanema
• 4. Lanikai Beach
• 5. Manly Beach
• 6. Paradise Beach
• 7. Plage Malendure
• 8. Plage de Tahiti
• 9. Trunk Bay
• 10. Tulum Beach

Ipanema

“Tall and tan and young and lovely.” So goes “The Girl from Ipanema”, the famous ode to the bathing beauties (or garotas) who lounge and strut on this stunning stretch of sand in Rio de Janeiro. Even four decades after the song’s debut, trendsetting bikinis still set the standard here (who can forget the oh-so memorable dental-floss version?) and the eye-candy remains second to none. The two-mile stretch of golden sand is no slouch either, as it’s edged by a groovy mosaic boardwalk and anchored by twin mountain peaks at its western end. On the sand itself, a mix of Capoeira dancers, volleyball games, soccer, and scantily clad "Cariocas" (locals) command attention. The surrounding neighborhood also brims with hip restaurants, clubs, and shops; beach bums can take aprés-sun strolls along Rua Vinícius de Moraes, a popular avenue offering a stylish spread of bars and eateries, including the most famous of all, the Bar Garota de Ipanema, where the eponymous song was penned.

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