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Under the Sun · Beach

We show the vibes.
You pick the scene.

"The sand is the social space."

Rasta Beach Sundays at Leme Posto 1. The hidden beaches off residential streets in São Conrado. Praia Vermelha tucked behind Sugar Loaf. The way locals do the beach.

Build a Trip Around These See the Under The Sun Pillar →
Part of the Under The Sun pillar · See on the full menu

★ Beach Day in Motion

The way our beach days actually look.

Not the postcard. Not the empty-sand stock shot. The actual rhythm: the local rituals, the right kiosk, the corner where the breeze hits right, the moment the light turns. A BBE beach Tuesday, in 17 seconds.

A Day at Rasta Beach

Chairs, cooler, staff on the beach so you can actually swim. Optional volleyball lesson with Jonas (former pro player) or soccer with Ezequiel (former pro footballer since 16). Full Rasta Beach day details →

On the groundThis is where you actually meet people. Bring sunscreen and sit on the chairs we set up.
Best timeSaturday or Sunday afternoon, 12pm-5pm. Year-round, peak Oct-Mar.
Pairs withBeach Volleyball Lesson, Casa Black Saturday night.
Half dayUp to 4/pp

Arpoador Gym Session

Outdoor beach gym workout with Brazilian fitness influencer Ezequiel. Includes photo content creation.

On the groundOutdoor gym, beach gym energy, content for your feed. Zeek makes you look good on camera.
Best time7-9am or sunset.
Pairs withBuilt in Brazil Gym (full session), Rasta Beach Day after.
2 hrsUp to 4$50 content fee

Pedra do Telégrafo Hike

The famous cliff hike with the hanging photo spot. Our route, guided, with water and a local who knows the trail.

On the groundNot the highest hike in Rio. The best photo, though.
Best timeEarly morning, weekday, dry season (Apr-Oct).
Pairs withRasta Beach (afternoon recovery), Casa Black Saturday night.
Half dayUp to 4Free

Tandem Paragliding from Pedra Bonita

Same launch as hang gliding, longer flight, gentler ride. Tandem with a certified pilot, lands on Pepino Beach.

On the groundSame launch as hang gliding, longer flight, gentler ride. Pick this if heights freak you out.
Best timeMorning, dry season (Apr-Oct).
Pairs withRasta Beach (Pepino landing), Christ + Waterfall.
Half dayUp to 4$212/person

Arpoador at Sunset

The rock between Ipanema and Copacabana where Rio gathers every evening to watch the sun drop and clap.

On the groundYour guide times the climb, picks the angle, and pulls the content. The crowd literally claps as the sun touches the horizon, it's the city's daily ritual.
Best timeArrive 90 minutes before sunset, year-round. Skies clearest April-September.
Pairs withArpoador Gym Session in the morning, Pedra do Sal Monday after.
1-2 hrsUp to 6$50 content

Pick Your Beach · 3-Stop Sampler

Rio has 22 named beaches, they're not the same scene. Across 2-3 half-days your guide takes you to Posto 9 (Ipanema), Leme (Posto 1), Arpoador, and Rasta. By the end you know which beach is YOUR beach for the rest of the trip.

On the groundEach beach has its own crowd, water character, food scene, and music. Leme for quiet + young Black gay scene. Posto 9 for the international party. Arpoador for sunset. Rasta for community energy. Chairs and cooler at every stop.
Best timeSpread across 2-3 days for the full feel. Single-day version available if you're tight on time.
Pairs withBeach Volleyball / Soccer Lesson at the beach you settle on, Arpoador at Sunset to close the experience.
2-3 half daysUp to 4$25/day group
Photo by request

Nude Beach at Abricó

Praia do Abricó in Grumari, Rio's only official naturist beach. Quiet, beautiful, no pressure.

On the groundTucked into the western coast about 40 minutes from Zona Sul. Far from the main strip, mostly locals and regulars. We brief you on the etiquette before you arrive.
Best timeWeekday morning is quietest. Weekends busier but still mellow.
Pairs withPedra do Telégrafo Hike (same coast), Recreio surf, scenic Grumari drive.
Half dayUp to 4$40 transport

Beach Club Day · West Zone ★ Adults + Kids

The Zona Sul has the postcards. The west zone has the day clubs, chair service, lounges, calm water, the kind of beach day that runs 11am to sunset. We pick the venue that fits the group (couples, kids in tow, or adults-only).

Options on the tableFaro Vidigal, rooftop perch over the bay, golden-hour vibe, dressy daytime. Joatinga, private cove between São Conrado and Barra, calm water, families. Barra cluster, bottle-service kiosks + loungers, all-day Sunday energy, plenty of room for kids.
Best timeYear-round but peak Oct–Mar. Weekdays are calm; Saturdays + Sundays are full but lively.
Pairs withSugar Loaf evening, Boate All In night (Barra cluster), Vidigal sunset after.
Half day2–6Venue fee passed through + guide

Beach Volleyball or Soccer Lesson

30-minute or 1-hour lesson on the beach. Volleyball with Jonas (former pro player). Soccer with Ezequiel (former pro footballer since age 16, still connected to the scene).

On the groundJonas was a pro volleyball player. Ezequiel was a pro footballer since 16 and still moves in that world. Either way you're learning from somebody real.
Best timeLate afternoon, after the heat dies down.
Pairs withRasta Beach Day, Built in Brazil Gym session.
30-60 minUp to 4Free (BBE team)

Guided Hike with Waterfall

Scenic trail to a little-known waterfall. Safe, guided, worth every step.

On the groundEasy hike, real waterfall, almost no other tourists. Underrated.
Best timeMorning, year-round.
Pairs withChrist + Secret Waterfall, Botanical Gardens.
Half dayUp to 4Free

Christ the Redeemer + Secret Waterfall

Full experience with a waterfall stop on a route most tourists never take. 2 person minimum.

On the groundThe route most tourists never take. The waterfall stop is the part you'll remember.
Best timeMorning, clear-sky day. Avoid rainy-season afternoons.
Pairs withSugar Loaf (different angle, sunset), Parque Lage.
Full day2-4$40/person

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Cable car to the summit, sunset views over Guanabara Bay. Guide included for context and logistics.

On the groundSunset is the only time worth going. Golden hour is the whole reason.
Best time1 hour before sunset, year-round.
Pairs withPedra do Sal Monday samba (after), Casa Black Saturday.
Half dayUp to 4$36/person

Botanical Gardens

350 acres, 6,500 plant varieties, orchid house, giant water lilies. Relaxed and beautiful.

On the groundQuiet half-day. Worth it after a heavy night.
Best timeMorning or late afternoon, weekdays.
Pairs withParque Lage (next door), Lagoa Kayak.
Half dayUp to 4$18/person

Parque Lage

Beautiful park at the foot of Corcovado. Starting point for the Christ trail. Café on site.

On the groundFree, beautiful, close to Botanical Gardens. Get coffee at the café.
Best timeMorning, or after a hike to refuel.
Pairs withChrist the Redeemer (it's the trailhead), Botanical Gardens.
2-3 hrsUp to 4Free + guide

Hang Gliding from Pedra Bonita

Tandem flight off the cliff in São Conrado, landing on Pepino Beach. Certified pilot. The view of Rio you came here for. Weather dependent, we plan a backup day.

On the groundOnce-in-a-life. Weather decides, we always plan a backup day.
Best timeMorning, dry season (Apr-Oct) for best wind window.
Pairs withRasta Beach (Pepino landing zone), Christ + Waterfall.
Half dayUp to 4$240/person

Copacabana Beach Walking Tour

Optional breakfast inside Forte de Copacabana (reservation, cash for entry), then walk the full Copa promenade to the end of Leme. Every landmark narrated, posto by posto. Optional lunch at the Copacabana Palace OR a less-costly local spot with the same view.

On the ground2.5 mi of beachfront walked end-to-end. You leave knowing every kiosk that matters, where to swim, where to people-watch, and where the actual locals sit.
Best timeDay 1 of your trip, the orientation move. Morning start if doing the fort breakfast.
Pairs withSunrise Run with Zeek first thing the same day, or Pick Your Beach the day after.
Half dayUp to 4$15 fort + food own expense

Posto 9 · The Gay Beach

The rainbow-flag stretch of Ipanema. Daily gay social scene for decades, mixed international and local crowd. Posts 8-9 + Farme de Amoedo street for after-beach. Chairs and beach service handled.

On the groundThe international tourist's gay beach, where you go to meet other travelers. Mixed Brazilian/foreign crowd, English commonly heard.
Best timeSaturday-Sunday afternoons. Weekdays calmer.
Pairs withBofetada bar crawl on Farme de Amoedo after, The Home Saturday into Sunday.
Half dayUp to 4$25 group

Posto 1 Leme · Black Gay Daytime

Posto 1 at the end of Copacabana. Rio's most vibrant gay beach for young Black Brazilians, quieter than Ipanema, more local, more music. Where Bryant goes when he's not working.

On the groundDifferent vibe than Ipanema, local crowd, Brazilian Portuguese dominant, music coming from the kiosks. The version of Rio's gay beach scene that doesn't make Instagram.
Best timeFriday afternoons + weekends. Walk the boardwalk first to find the right kiosk.
Pairs withPink Flamingo Thursday or Black Cat the night before, brunch in Botafogo after.
Half dayUp to 4$25 group

Pepino Beach (São Conrado)

Where the hang gliders land. Calmer water, smaller crowd, far better swimming than Copa or Ipanema. Walkable from the hang-glide landing zone, perfect post-flight wind-down.

On the groundLess developed beachfront, fewer vendors, more open sand. The undertow is real here so we stay closer to shore.
Best timeAfter hang gliding, mid-afternoon.
Pairs withHang Gliding from Pedra Bonita (lands here), late lunch at a São Conrado spot.
Half dayUp to 4$15 group

Prainha Day Trip

35 minutes west of Rio. Surfer's beach, much less crowded, no street vendors. The version of Rio's coast you don't see in postcards. Cooler, ride included, lunch at a nearby botequim.

On the groundProtected by nature reserve so it stays clean. Beginner-friendly waves at the right tide. Park your stuff, swim, eat, leave by 5pm.
Best timeWeekday for max calm. Weekend brings surfer crowd.
Pairs withPedra do Telégrafo Hike same trip (same direction), Nude Beach Abricó.
Full dayUp to 4$40/person transport

Praia Vermelha + Sugar Loaf Combo

Small protected beach at the foot of Sugar Loaf, calm water, no waves. Pair the swim with the cable-car ride to the summit. Best combo for travelers who want both nature and Rio's signature view.

On the groundSwim first (the water's that calm), then walk 5 min to the cable car. Sunset summit if you time it right.
Best timeLate afternoon, swim, snack, summit at sunset.
Pairs withSugar Loaf Mountain (included), Botanical Gardens earlier in the day.
Half dayUp to 4$36/person

Lagoa Sunset Bikes

Rent bikes around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas at golden hour. 7.5 km loop, food trucks and quiosques the whole way. The most relaxed two hours in Rio, Christ visible the entire ride.

On the groundFlat, paved, no traffic. Stop at a kiosk halfway for açaí or coconut water. Easy for any fitness level.
Best time90 min before sunset, finish the loop as it drops behind Corcovado.
Pairs withBotanical Gardens earlier (right next door), Parque Lage breakfast.
2-3 hrsUp to 4$15/person

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