This blog is a bit of a PSA. I spent HOURS trying to verify details of the public buses between Foz do Iguacu in Brazil and Puerto Iguazu in Argentina (and on to the Iguazu Falls). There is very little information online but it's actually fairly easy so long as you're not in a rush.
To get to the park on a public bus from Foz do Iguacu in Brazil is entirely possible: the buses leave from outside the local bus terminal, on the corner of Av. Men de Sa and Rua Taroba. The bus stop has both the Brazil and Argentine flags on it.
There seem to be at least three companies running the Foz-Puerto Iguazu route: Rio Uruguay, Crucere del Norte, and Itaipu. I think the Itaipu buses are supposed to be at 30 minutes past the hour and I got the '7.30' bus which arrived at 7.40ish. However I'd say get the first bus which arrives. It's R$4 single at the moment.
At the Brazilian border the bus will probably stop to let someone off or pick someone up. If you're foreign you need to get off and go through Brazilian immigration. Now a Spanish couple on my bus didn't, and I saw them later at the falls so they evidently got into Argentina. I don't know how having Argentina stamps in their passports will affect them later without the corresponding Brazilian exit stamps, and frankly I don't think it's worth the hassle not to do it.
If you're on an Itaipu bus, get a pass off the driver to get back on again. The bus won't wait. Just complete the formalities, and then go back to the bus stop and just catch the next bus which arrives, which will probably be a different company and you'll probably have to pay another R$4 - but if you wait for the company you started out with you might end up waiting a while. If you have the pass from Itaipu and you end up on a different bus for the Argentine bit of the journey, hang on to it as it may come in handy on the way home!
At the Argentine border everyone has to go through immigration and there's a cursory bag scan, but the bus will wait for all passengers here and it takes no time at all.
My bus driver stopped on a corner in Puerto Iguazu opposite a stop for the falls, but you can also pick up a bus for the falls at the bus terminal. Either way, they're run by Rio Uruguay, they're about every 20-30 minutes, and I was charged A$65 each way. My whole journey including immigration and waiting for buses took less than two hours.
On the way back to Foz just repeat the process in return but with one important caveat: get off the bus in Foz at the Brazil-Paraguay stop which is opposite the terminal on Av. Juscelino Kubitschek. I was on an Itaipu bus and expected it to turn right into Mem de Sa to stop at the place I got on. Instead, the bus carried on and looked as though it was heading to Ciudad del Este and I had to jump off in a random place and find my way home.
If all this sounds like too much of a faff, then I understand taxis aren't too expensive and the driver will help you through immigration. There are also plenty of tour companies doing the trip, but that does tie you down to a specific timeframe at the falls.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Getting away from it all: Ilha Grande and Paraty
After over two months in the hustle and bustle of Rio de Janeiro it was time, when the Paralympics ended, to break out of the bubble and head for some peace and quiet. I chose to start my six-weeks-or-so travel by heading out of Rio to Ilha Grande.
Ilha Grande
This island is pretty sizeable and in retrospect more than two days there would have been brilliant, but I really enjoyed the time I had. Ilha Grande was, according to the guidebooks, first occupied as a pirates' lair (!), then a leper colony and then a penal colony, but now it's all about tourism, in a good way. You can only get there by boat and when you're there there are pretty much no motorised vehicles and when you get more than a couple of hundred metres out of the only really inhabited bit, Vila do Abraao, you pretty much have to hike. It's like someone's picked up a bunch of houses and plonked them on a beach in the middle of a jungle. Wifi is slow, power cuts common and you just have to chill out. There's not much else to do.
Unfortunately it tipped it down with rain on the evening I arrived and all the next day. Nevertheless this was my first proper day of proper holiday so I was determined to get out; consulting the rather basic trail map I'd been given it seemed logical to do a walk which wasn't predicated on stopping by lots of beaches. So I headed out for Dois Rios ("Two Rivers"), which is a semi-abandoned village where the island's main prison was based, about 8km walk from Abraao.
The track is one built by the prisoners and is wide enough for motor vehicles (the island's rubbish truck passed me when I was on the way back), copper-coloured earth embedded with bits of brick, stone, china and terracotta. It went basically upwards for about an hour and then basically downwards for about an hour, with bush/jungle either side, and not much of a view of anything due to the rain. Still it was good to get some serious exercise and I enjoyed walking briskly and overtaking the other crazy people who were also out.
At Dois Rios an old man popped out of a sort of gatehouse and took down my name and arrival time. I looked at the beach, which would have been incredible on a sunny day, and then found the village's snackbar which was busy with assorted wet walkers and three cyclists. I'd passed and been passed by two of the cyclists, a couple of Brazilian lads, on my walk and they were good company. In fact the place was full of a sort of Blitz spirit as everyone tried to dry off and warm up with incredibly strong, sweet coffee, food, and then glasses of cachaca. It was quite good fun actually.
On day two the sun came out so I walked away from the village to a waterfall, the Cachoeira da Feticeira, which involved more climbing. The track was supposed to carry on to one of the island's larger beaches but seemed to stop, so I meandered back via a small beach near the town instead and had a swim and a chill on the sand. In the evening I had dinner in a restaurant which wasn't just by the beach but on the beach. Ilha Grande's that sort of place and I was sad to leave it.
Paraty
Lots of people said Paraty was worth a visit. At the edge of Rio de Janeiro state, this old colonial town has been preserved with pretty white buildings on cobbled streets with no traffic in the historic centre. I managed to find a pousada (= sort of b&b or guesthouse) which is just outside the centre, so a little cheaper, but it's close enough to be able to just wander in for dinner or whatever.
I feel I probably haven't made enough of Paraty. The guidebook and online reviews give rave reviews of various beaches and a waterfall with a natural toboggan nearby, but in all cases you have to get on a bus or on a tour to get to them, and after so many weeks spending so much time in Rio on buses, in Ubers and on the metro I'm a bit sick of transport. So I just did a 'schooner' tour yesterday - the Brazilian escuna translates as schooner, although there's no sails to be seen sadly on these elegant boats with long narrow prows - round to a few beaches along the coast. It was a beautiful day and nice to be on the water and go swimming in it, although I'm not a massive fan of organised tours as a rule.
Today I was filled with a lack of desire to do pretty much anything. I wandered along to Paraty's nearest decent-sized beach within walking distance, Jabaquara, and sat on the sand and read for a bit although it was overcast all day. And then I just mooched around Paraty's shops and galleries and churches and tasted a variety of cachacas in a cachaca shop. It was nice. I guess I probably still need the relaxation!
Practical stuff
Ilha Grande
This island is pretty sizeable and in retrospect more than two days there would have been brilliant, but I really enjoyed the time I had. Ilha Grande was, according to the guidebooks, first occupied as a pirates' lair (!), then a leper colony and then a penal colony, but now it's all about tourism, in a good way. You can only get there by boat and when you're there there are pretty much no motorised vehicles and when you get more than a couple of hundred metres out of the only really inhabited bit, Vila do Abraao, you pretty much have to hike. It's like someone's picked up a bunch of houses and plonked them on a beach in the middle of a jungle. Wifi is slow, power cuts common and you just have to chill out. There's not much else to do.
Unfortunately it tipped it down with rain on the evening I arrived and all the next day. Nevertheless this was my first proper day of proper holiday so I was determined to get out; consulting the rather basic trail map I'd been given it seemed logical to do a walk which wasn't predicated on stopping by lots of beaches. So I headed out for Dois Rios ("Two Rivers"), which is a semi-abandoned village where the island's main prison was based, about 8km walk from Abraao.
The track is one built by the prisoners and is wide enough for motor vehicles (the island's rubbish truck passed me when I was on the way back), copper-coloured earth embedded with bits of brick, stone, china and terracotta. It went basically upwards for about an hour and then basically downwards for about an hour, with bush/jungle either side, and not much of a view of anything due to the rain. Still it was good to get some serious exercise and I enjoyed walking briskly and overtaking the other crazy people who were also out.
 |
| Cachoeira da Feticeira |
On day two the sun came out so I walked away from the village to a waterfall, the Cachoeira da Feticeira, which involved more climbing. The track was supposed to carry on to one of the island's larger beaches but seemed to stop, so I meandered back via a small beach near the town instead and had a swim and a chill on the sand. In the evening I had dinner in a restaurant which wasn't just by the beach but on the beach. Ilha Grande's that sort of place and I was sad to leave it.
Paraty
Lots of people said Paraty was worth a visit. At the edge of Rio de Janeiro state, this old colonial town has been preserved with pretty white buildings on cobbled streets with no traffic in the historic centre. I managed to find a pousada (= sort of b&b or guesthouse) which is just outside the centre, so a little cheaper, but it's close enough to be able to just wander in for dinner or whatever.
I feel I probably haven't made enough of Paraty. The guidebook and online reviews give rave reviews of various beaches and a waterfall with a natural toboggan nearby, but in all cases you have to get on a bus or on a tour to get to them, and after so many weeks spending so much time in Rio on buses, in Ubers and on the metro I'm a bit sick of transport. So I just did a 'schooner' tour yesterday - the Brazilian escuna translates as schooner, although there's no sails to be seen sadly on these elegant boats with long narrow prows - round to a few beaches along the coast. It was a beautiful day and nice to be on the water and go swimming in it, although I'm not a massive fan of organised tours as a rule.
Today I was filled with a lack of desire to do pretty much anything. I wandered along to Paraty's nearest decent-sized beach within walking distance, Jabaquara, and sat on the sand and read for a bit although it was overcast all day. And then I just mooched around Paraty's shops and galleries and churches and tasted a variety of cachacas in a cachaca shop. It was nice. I guess I probably still need the relaxation!
Practical stuff
- Getting to Ilha Grande and Paraty from Rio was simple - I booked a transfer with a company called Easy Transfer. They picked me up from my Rio hotel and then, as I was the first in the bus to be collected, drove around Rio picking other people up. There was a couple of hours' drive to the little port town of Conceicao and then a 30-minute boat trip to Ilha Grande. Going on to Paraty, I was on a slower but larger boat back to Conceicao followed by another couple of hours in the minibus to Paraty, where they dropped me at my pousada's door. All for R$145 (£34.50).
- In Ilha Grande I stayed at the Biergarten Suites, which is the private room 'annexe' of the better-known Biergarten Hostel. Quiet, pretty comfortable, a hammock and a couple of friendly cats. Nice.
- In Paraty I've been staying at the Pousada Marendaz, just outside the centre. It's brilliantly-located and pretty comfortable although randomly today appears to have been overrun by a million noisy children - the rooms overlook the interior courtyard, where breakfast is served, and if people are down there talking it carries into the rooms. Apart from that it's been good.
- Going on to Sao Paulo I'm catching a coach run by Reunidas Paulista, at about R$77. I booked it at the bus station a short walk from my pousada but you can book online too. It's going to take six hours. Ugh.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
HARRIS (GBR)
* Note to confused readers: for my last post from the Olympics and Paralympics before this becomes a proper travel blog about, you know, travel, I decided to use the 'flash quote' template which is the backbone of what the Olympic & Paralympic News Service produce, complete with capitalised names!
RIO DE JANEIRO - Comments from Joanne HARRIS (GBR) after the end of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Sunday.
Joanne HARRIS (GBR)
On how she feels right now:
"Knackered, mainly."
On what the Paralympic Games have been like:
"Incredible. I've spoken to such a wide range of athletes in five sports with a whole range of impairments and stories and hopes and dreams. I've spoken to established, experienced athletes with multiple Games and medals behind them, and to rising stars finding out what they can achieve for the first time.
"The atmosphere has been fun and supportive from all sides: the volunteers have helped each other, and the athletes have shown real sportsmanship and friendship which has been a privilege to see. The Brazilians properly got behind the Games and especially behind their own; the sheer volume of noise in the pool whenever the Brazilians were swimming, and particularly when Daniel DIAS won gold, was utterly deafening and exhilarating at once.
"It's a very different sort of Games from the Olympics but that doesn't make it any less competitive or any less exciting. It also doesn't make the athletic feats any less impressive."
On her best Paralympic memories:
"Do I have to pick just one? I don't think I can. Here are a few though:
"When GB won three golds on the Lagoa, not once but twice, in both canoeing and rowing.
"Interviewing Ellie ROBINSON after she won the 50m butterfly S6. She was so very thrilled and shocked and it was lovely.
"Interviewing US swimmer Cortney JORDAN after she won silver in the 400m freestyle S7 because of the way she talked about her teammate McKenzie COAN, who got gold. They're best friends and she gave the impression she genuinely didn't mind being beaten by COAN. To be fair, COAN was also a fantastic person to interview, with a massive smile and brimming with enthusiasm.
"Meeting the Zimbabwe rowing team, who I talked about in an earlier blog, for their joy at being in Rio at all."
On her most random Paralympic memories:
"Having a selfie with the Danish flagbearer at the opening ceremony was odd but nice.
"Having my shoulder squeezed by Brazilian swimmer Phelipe RODRIGUES after what was probably the second of three interviews over the course of the week as I thanked him for the chat."
On why she is very proud to be British:
"Officially one is supposed to be impartial when doing this job, but sometimes it's hard and I'm particularly bad at it. I love seeing the Brits winning stuff, and we won so very much in Rio. I covered 36 finals at the Lagoa (14 Olympic rowing, 12 Olympic canoeing, four Paralympic rowing, six Paralympic canoeing) and Britain won 10 gold medals in those events, plus three silvers and three bronzes. Which is pretty bloody impressive.
"I'm proud my country puts effort into the Games. It's a relatively small amount per capita and I think it matters. I'm proud that the Paralympians are supported in a similar way to the Olympians and that their achievements are praised just as much. I'm proud that our Paralympic broadcaster went to the effort of getting live coverage from places no other broadcaster touched.
"And as a journalist, I'm glad that our athletes will stop and talk even if they're disappointed with their performances while those from other countries rush by, sometimes even if they won gold."
On what the future holds:
"Tomorrow I pack my bags and head to Ilha Grande, which is an island fairly close to Rio which is known for being a beautiful place to chill out. There's walks and beaches and waterfalls. After that, Paraty (pretty much ditto, except it's not an island), then Sao Paulo, then Iguacu Falls, before I fly to Peru and get confused about which language I don't understand and can't speak."
On who she'd like to thank:
"Working in Rio has been an amazing experience and it was great to share it with my ONS and PNS colleagues who are all superb, as well as various Press Ops team members at rather a lot of venues, but especially Lagoa. And thanks to Lisa for being a great roommate during the Olympics."
ONS/PNS jh
 |
| Men's T54 marathon |
RIO DE JANEIRO - Comments from Joanne HARRIS (GBR) after the end of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Sunday.
Joanne HARRIS (GBR)
On how she feels right now:
"Knackered, mainly."
On what the Paralympic Games have been like:
"Incredible. I've spoken to such a wide range of athletes in five sports with a whole range of impairments and stories and hopes and dreams. I've spoken to established, experienced athletes with multiple Games and medals behind them, and to rising stars finding out what they can achieve for the first time.
"The atmosphere has been fun and supportive from all sides: the volunteers have helped each other, and the athletes have shown real sportsmanship and friendship which has been a privilege to see. The Brazilians properly got behind the Games and especially behind their own; the sheer volume of noise in the pool whenever the Brazilians were swimming, and particularly when Daniel DIAS won gold, was utterly deafening and exhilarating at once.
"It's a very different sort of Games from the Olympics but that doesn't make it any less competitive or any less exciting. It also doesn't make the athletic feats any less impressive."
 |
| Copacabana from the marathon tribunes |
"Do I have to pick just one? I don't think I can. Here are a few though:
 |
| Interviewing GB gold medallist, canoeist Anne DICKINS |
"Interviewing Ellie ROBINSON after she won the 50m butterfly S6. She was so very thrilled and shocked and it was lovely.
"Interviewing US swimmer Cortney JORDAN after she won silver in the 400m freestyle S7 because of the way she talked about her teammate McKenzie COAN, who got gold. They're best friends and she gave the impression she genuinely didn't mind being beaten by COAN. To be fair, COAN was also a fantastic person to interview, with a massive smile and brimming with enthusiasm.
"Meeting the Zimbabwe rowing team, who I talked about in an earlier blog, for their joy at being in Rio at all."
On her most random Paralympic memories:
"Having a selfie with the Danish flagbearer at the opening ceremony was odd but nice.
"Having my shoulder squeezed by Brazilian swimmer Phelipe RODRIGUES after what was probably the second of three interviews over the course of the week as I thanked him for the chat."
On why she is very proud to be British:
 |
| GBR LTAMix4+ - gold |
"I'm proud my country puts effort into the Games. It's a relatively small amount per capita and I think it matters. I'm proud that the Paralympians are supported in a similar way to the Olympians and that their achievements are praised just as much. I'm proud that our Paralympic broadcaster went to the effort of getting live coverage from places no other broadcaster touched.
"And as a journalist, I'm glad that our athletes will stop and talk even if they're disappointed with their performances while those from other countries rush by, sometimes even if they won gold."
On what the future holds:
"Tomorrow I pack my bags and head to Ilha Grande, which is an island fairly close to Rio which is known for being a beautiful place to chill out. There's walks and beaches and waterfalls. After that, Paraty (pretty much ditto, except it's not an island), then Sao Paulo, then Iguacu Falls, before I fly to Peru and get confused about which language I don't understand and can't speak."
On who she'd like to thank:
"Working in Rio has been an amazing experience and it was great to share it with my ONS and PNS colleagues who are all superb, as well as various Press Ops team members at rather a lot of venues, but especially Lagoa. And thanks to Lisa for being a great roommate during the Olympics."
ONS/PNS jh
Thursday, September 8, 2016
The joy of the Paralympic Games
Today is the first day of the Paralympic Games. Last night I was fortunate enough to be one of the team collecting flash quotes from the flagbearers before the opening ceremony, easily one of the most fun things I've done so far.
There was such an infectious mood among the athletes, even though they had a long wait - the first countries, at the start of the alphabet, started arriving at about 4pm and they started moving out about 6pm. Such a lot of diversity (of all types) in one place, and everyone trying to get selfies of themselves with other people from other countries, catching up with friends, and wreathed with smiles. There was a samba troupe moving around to keep everyone entertained, complete with several dancers and musicians with disabilities, which went down well.
My favourite interview was probably Annika Lykke Dalskov Risum from Denmark, a four-time Paralympic medallist in her third Games, who was so excited and happy and willing to talk and then wanted a selfie with me!
Once we'd collected enough quotes we went and watched the ceremony. The parade of nations was a bit long - the music a little repetitive and the gaps between countries too big - but once they got back to the ceremony part it rattled along nicely with beautiful choreography and design celebrating different types of disability. My favourite bit was where they brought pictograms to life by pushing them through giant cages, while the stage was turned into giant basketball courts, running tracks and so on with lights. Incredibly clever and effective.
It was also incredibly emotional. The Paralympic flag was carried in by a group of children and their fathers wearing special boots created by a Brazilian, which allow disabled children to walk supported by an adult. The kids were loving it and the Paralympic athletes they were walking past were loving it and I suspect half the crowd was somewhat tearful.
Then as the torch was being carried around the stadium it started to rain, and former runner Marcia Malsar fell and dropped the torch. But she got up again and to huge cheers and a standing ovation made it, solo, to the handover point.
Then the flame was lit, amid the pouring rain, and the Games officially began.
In the past few days I've been speaking to athletes in the three sports I have responsibility for - rowing, canoe sprints and sailing. It's been incredible listening to their stories. Some are at their first Paralympics and a few only took up their sports a short time ago; others have spent their lives pursuing elite sport, particularly Irish sailor John Twomey who is here at his eleventh Paralympics (six discus, including gold in Seoul; two where he also did table-tennis; and now five as a sailor).
I spoke to the Zimbabwean coxed four, who have the most basic of training facilities back home and whose effervescent coach Rachel Davis has supported them financially as well as on a sporting basis. I met GB rower Laurence Whiteley, who got bone cancer aged 14 and is one of just two survivors from his treatment group of 14 in Newcastle. I spoke to canoeist Curtis McGrath, who had his legs blown off by an IED in Afghanistan only days before the London 2012 Paralympics started and made a promise to his mates stretchering him away that they'd see him compete at a Paralympics - some of them will be in Rio.
I had a chat to Anke Molkenthin, who at 54 is competing in two sports in Rio (rowing and canoeing). She was diagnosed with a congenital nerve disorder in the 1980s and even with only 80 per cent of nerve function ran ultra-marathons through to the end of the 1990s. I met the fantastically fun Aussie sailing duo of Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch; during their training every day Fitzgibbon, who has quadriplegia, has to pass the jetty which he fell off in 1997. Yesterday I met Kenyan rower Itaken Kipelian, who got polio aged five and was taken away from his Masai family by a missionary and educated. Now he's supporting four of his brothers through school and he says his life has been a miracle.
The atmosphere is subtly different from the Olympics. Everyone wants to win just as much but I think there's an even greater camaraderie between competitors. And in my sports in particular, I get the impression that the athletes feel by participating they achieve real freedom which they don't always have on land. Sport makes a tangible difference to these athletes' lives and I'm looking forward to covering their achievements in the next 11 days.
There was such an infectious mood among the athletes, even though they had a long wait - the first countries, at the start of the alphabet, started arriving at about 4pm and they started moving out about 6pm. Such a lot of diversity (of all types) in one place, and everyone trying to get selfies of themselves with other people from other countries, catching up with friends, and wreathed with smiles. There was a samba troupe moving around to keep everyone entertained, complete with several dancers and musicians with disabilities, which went down well.
My favourite interview was probably Annika Lykke Dalskov Risum from Denmark, a four-time Paralympic medallist in her third Games, who was so excited and happy and willing to talk and then wanted a selfie with me!
Once we'd collected enough quotes we went and watched the ceremony. The parade of nations was a bit long - the music a little repetitive and the gaps between countries too big - but once they got back to the ceremony part it rattled along nicely with beautiful choreography and design celebrating different types of disability. My favourite bit was where they brought pictograms to life by pushing them through giant cages, while the stage was turned into giant basketball courts, running tracks and so on with lights. Incredibly clever and effective.
It was also incredibly emotional. The Paralympic flag was carried in by a group of children and their fathers wearing special boots created by a Brazilian, which allow disabled children to walk supported by an adult. The kids were loving it and the Paralympic athletes they were walking past were loving it and I suspect half the crowd was somewhat tearful.
Then as the torch was being carried around the stadium it started to rain, and former runner Marcia Malsar fell and dropped the torch. But she got up again and to huge cheers and a standing ovation made it, solo, to the handover point.
Then the flame was lit, amid the pouring rain, and the Games officially began.
In the past few days I've been speaking to athletes in the three sports I have responsibility for - rowing, canoe sprints and sailing. It's been incredible listening to their stories. Some are at their first Paralympics and a few only took up their sports a short time ago; others have spent their lives pursuing elite sport, particularly Irish sailor John Twomey who is here at his eleventh Paralympics (six discus, including gold in Seoul; two where he also did table-tennis; and now five as a sailor).
I spoke to the Zimbabwean coxed four, who have the most basic of training facilities back home and whose effervescent coach Rachel Davis has supported them financially as well as on a sporting basis. I met GB rower Laurence Whiteley, who got bone cancer aged 14 and is one of just two survivors from his treatment group of 14 in Newcastle. I spoke to canoeist Curtis McGrath, who had his legs blown off by an IED in Afghanistan only days before the London 2012 Paralympics started and made a promise to his mates stretchering him away that they'd see him compete at a Paralympics - some of them will be in Rio.
I had a chat to Anke Molkenthin, who at 54 is competing in two sports in Rio (rowing and canoeing). She was diagnosed with a congenital nerve disorder in the 1980s and even with only 80 per cent of nerve function ran ultra-marathons through to the end of the 1990s. I met the fantastically fun Aussie sailing duo of Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch; during their training every day Fitzgibbon, who has quadriplegia, has to pass the jetty which he fell off in 1997. Yesterday I met Kenyan rower Itaken Kipelian, who got polio aged five and was taken away from his Masai family by a missionary and educated. Now he's supporting four of his brothers through school and he says his life has been a miracle.
The atmosphere is subtly different from the Olympics. Everyone wants to win just as much but I think there's an even greater camaraderie between competitors. And in my sports in particular, I get the impression that the athletes feel by participating they achieve real freedom which they don't always have on land. Sport makes a tangible difference to these athletes' lives and I'm looking forward to covering their achievements in the next 11 days.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
The beaches of Rio
I am not what you'd call a beach person. I don't go on holidays where lying on a beach is the entire aim (although if that's your thing, enjoy). I love water, I love the sea, and I quite like the odd hour or so of sitting on a beach reading or something.
So the fact Rio has a LOT of beaches wasn't really a massive draw, but somehow I've managed to spend a little time on most of them. And so, without further ado, here's a non-beach-person's guide to (some of) the beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
In common
All the beaches have a few things in common: the lifeguard posts, or 'Postos', at intervals along the beach. They're numbered and manned in daylight hours and they have showers, lockers and toilets (which you have to pay for).
They also have great wide pavements running along by the road with segregated cycle/running paths too, making the beaches popular places for cariocas (inhabitants of Rio) to exercise. There are little kiosks/beach bars at intervals, selling beer, fresh coconuts (they drill a hole and insert a straw for delicious fresh coconut water) and food.
Mainly all the beaches have people in common - people of all ages, shapes and sizes, enjoying the sand and sea. They play beach volleyball or Brazil's own 'futvolei', which is a mashup of football and volleyball; they sunbathe; they flirt; they run. And the majority are in the skimpiest of bikinis or shorts. It doesn't matter what your age or figure, a tiny bikini, preferably with a thong, is the clothing of choice on a Rio beach. The total lack of body self-consciousness is rather refreshing.
Copacabana
The granddaddy of them all, a beach which everyone's heard of. Copacabana runs for 4km, or 2.5 miles, from Leme down to Fort Copacabana. During the Olympics it was the site of the beach volleyball arena and there are loads of beach volleyball pitches the whole length.
It's certainly a nice beach, but it's not my favourite. It's very busy with lots of sunbathers, tourists and hawkers selling you everything from capirinhas to sarongs to sunglasses. The sand is pretty good, but I found nicer sand elsewhere, and because it's so busy there's quite a lot of litter on the beach.
The public loos are good though; lots of them, mostly built semi-underground, clean and safe and only about 50p to use.
I paddled a little in the Copa wavelets but didn't swim. I've read differing accounts of how clean the water is off Copacabana and the general consensus seems to be it's all right but not brilliant. The waves are biggest in the middle of the beach and towards Fort Copacabana the water is calmer, the beach narrower and a little quieter.
Ipanema/Leblon
Technically Ipanema beach stretches from the Arpoador rock at the eastern end to the canal which connects the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas with the sea, and then from the other side of the canal to the western-most end of the beach is Leblon. The Leblon end is narrower and I confess I didn't actually step foot on it, but if you sit on Arpoador at sunset (the best time) and look down the beach you can't see much difference!
Ipanema, in my opinion, is nicer than Copacabana. It's quieter and there are fewer hawkers to interrupt the sunbathing. The surf close to Arpoador is bigger and there are more surfers there, but it looked pretty calm in the middle (although again I failed to swim at Ipanema).
A word of warning though to tourists: Ipanema is, especially at weekends, a hotspot for thieves. A colleague had his wallet pinched while browsing a market near the beach and all his cards were promptly maxed out and I've heard of several other cases of theft from Ipanema beach and the surrounding area - which is nice, so attracts people with cash. Lots of good restaurants in Ipanema and Leblon.
Flamengo
Flamengo beach, north of Copacabana, has a good view of the Sugarloaf and is a nice beach in and of itself, next to a park. However its waters are those of Guanabara Bay, which are more polluted than further south, and several guides recommend not swimming off it.
Barra
Barra beach, out west beyond Leblon, is incredible. It's 18km long, a vast stretch of the softest golden sand you can imagine. It definitely has the best sand of any of the beaches I've visited. It's deep and just lovely to sit or walk on.
I did go swimming off Barra; the waves are fairly big even on a calmish day and unpredictable in the sense that they come in from all directions. There are surfing and kitesurfing schools on the beach in addition to the usual beach volleyball pitches.
The road is also quite close to the beach and quite noisy, which makes sitting in one of the bars a little less relaxing than in other places, but only a little.
Barra is much quieter than the beaches closer to the city in terms of hawkers and it's got a more local feel. However development is coming fast - the east end of Barra now has a lot of hotels and the new line 4 of the metro runs out there - so I don't know how long it'll last. At the eastern end there are a number of fancier bars. Towards the west there's a whole section with no pavement, at the moment, and no lifeguard posts for several kilometres.
Pontal/Macumba
Where Barra ends there's a rock (the Pedra do Pontal, per Google Maps) and then a smaller, shorter bay and beach split by another rock in the middle. I think the eastern half is Praia da Macumba. Pontal/Macumba is framed by the Pedra do Pontal at one end and cliffs at the other end and you can drive along the coast road to some even nicer beaches, apparently. If you have a car, which we didn't.
I spent two rather nice days at Pontal, once alone and once with colleagues, and enjoyed them both immensely. It's much much quieter than the other beaches, all locals, lots of families and groups of kids, and the people running the bars along the path seem nicer and more relaxed too. The big thing on Pontal is fish, served fried and hot and eaten with your fingers. I had sardines both times; the second time the four of us shared a big plate of sardines with salad and chips and had a few beers each for R$70 (£16). The lady serving us was delightful, although we couldn't communicate properly, making sure we didn't order too much and keeping the cold beer flowing.
The sea at Pontal is calm and quiet by the Pedra and the surf picks up as you go along the beach, although not dangerously so. There are flags warning of currents but as a confident swimmer I felt very safe out beyond the first breaker - apart from finding it hard to get out of the sea as there's a bit of an undercurrent sucking the waves back out once they've broken on the beach.
Sandwise Pontal is slightly coarser than Barra but still pleasant to walk on, if tricky - it's so deep, it's a real effort to walk! Much better, perhaps, to stroll along the paved path - no cars running along this beach - and then find a spot for a bit of relaxation with the sound of the waves all that can disturb you. Bliss.
So the fact Rio has a LOT of beaches wasn't really a massive draw, but somehow I've managed to spend a little time on most of them. And so, without further ado, here's a non-beach-person's guide to (some of) the beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
In common
All the beaches have a few things in common: the lifeguard posts, or 'Postos', at intervals along the beach. They're numbered and manned in daylight hours and they have showers, lockers and toilets (which you have to pay for).
They also have great wide pavements running along by the road with segregated cycle/running paths too, making the beaches popular places for cariocas (inhabitants of Rio) to exercise. There are little kiosks/beach bars at intervals, selling beer, fresh coconuts (they drill a hole and insert a straw for delicious fresh coconut water) and food.
Mainly all the beaches have people in common - people of all ages, shapes and sizes, enjoying the sand and sea. They play beach volleyball or Brazil's own 'futvolei', which is a mashup of football and volleyball; they sunbathe; they flirt; they run. And the majority are in the skimpiest of bikinis or shorts. It doesn't matter what your age or figure, a tiny bikini, preferably with a thong, is the clothing of choice on a Rio beach. The total lack of body self-consciousness is rather refreshing.
Copacabana
The granddaddy of them all, a beach which everyone's heard of. Copacabana runs for 4km, or 2.5 miles, from Leme down to Fort Copacabana. During the Olympics it was the site of the beach volleyball arena and there are loads of beach volleyball pitches the whole length.
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| Copacabana |
The public loos are good though; lots of them, mostly built semi-underground, clean and safe and only about 50p to use.
I paddled a little in the Copa wavelets but didn't swim. I've read differing accounts of how clean the water is off Copacabana and the general consensus seems to be it's all right but not brilliant. The waves are biggest in the middle of the beach and towards Fort Copacabana the water is calmer, the beach narrower and a little quieter.
Ipanema/Leblon
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| Ipanema and Leblon from above |
Ipanema, in my opinion, is nicer than Copacabana. It's quieter and there are fewer hawkers to interrupt the sunbathing. The surf close to Arpoador is bigger and there are more surfers there, but it looked pretty calm in the middle (although again I failed to swim at Ipanema).
A word of warning though to tourists: Ipanema is, especially at weekends, a hotspot for thieves. A colleague had his wallet pinched while browsing a market near the beach and all his cards were promptly maxed out and I've heard of several other cases of theft from Ipanema beach and the surrounding area - which is nice, so attracts people with cash. Lots of good restaurants in Ipanema and Leblon.
Flamengo
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| Flamengo on a cloudy day |
Flamengo beach, north of Copacabana, has a good view of the Sugarloaf and is a nice beach in and of itself, next to a park. However its waters are those of Guanabara Bay, which are more polluted than further south, and several guides recommend not swimming off it.
Barra
Barra beach, out west beyond Leblon, is incredible. It's 18km long, a vast stretch of the softest golden sand you can imagine. It definitely has the best sand of any of the beaches I've visited. It's deep and just lovely to sit or walk on.
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| Barra at sunset |
The road is also quite close to the beach and quite noisy, which makes sitting in one of the bars a little less relaxing than in other places, but only a little.
Barra is much quieter than the beaches closer to the city in terms of hawkers and it's got a more local feel. However development is coming fast - the east end of Barra now has a lot of hotels and the new line 4 of the metro runs out there - so I don't know how long it'll last. At the eastern end there are a number of fancier bars. Towards the west there's a whole section with no pavement, at the moment, and no lifeguard posts for several kilometres.
Pontal/Macumba
Where Barra ends there's a rock (the Pedra do Pontal, per Google Maps) and then a smaller, shorter bay and beach split by another rock in the middle. I think the eastern half is Praia da Macumba. Pontal/Macumba is framed by the Pedra do Pontal at one end and cliffs at the other end and you can drive along the coast road to some even nicer beaches, apparently. If you have a car, which we didn't.
I spent two rather nice days at Pontal, once alone and once with colleagues, and enjoyed them both immensely. It's much much quieter than the other beaches, all locals, lots of families and groups of kids, and the people running the bars along the path seem nicer and more relaxed too. The big thing on Pontal is fish, served fried and hot and eaten with your fingers. I had sardines both times; the second time the four of us shared a big plate of sardines with salad and chips and had a few beers each for R$70 (£16). The lady serving us was delightful, although we couldn't communicate properly, making sure we didn't order too much and keeping the cold beer flowing.
The sea at Pontal is calm and quiet by the Pedra and the surf picks up as you go along the beach, although not dangerously so. There are flags warning of currents but as a confident swimmer I felt very safe out beyond the first breaker - apart from finding it hard to get out of the sea as there's a bit of an undercurrent sucking the waves back out once they've broken on the beach.
Sandwise Pontal is slightly coarser than Barra but still pleasant to walk on, if tricky - it's so deep, it's a real effort to walk! Much better, perhaps, to stroll along the paved path - no cars running along this beach - and then find a spot for a bit of relaxation with the sound of the waves all that can disturb you. Bliss.
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| My footsteps on Macumba |
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