Arpoador Beach
Arpoador beach – the birthplace of surfing in Brazil
Arpoador beach is the birthplace of surfing in Brazil as a sport and lifestyle. The beach is a small bit of sand and rock located between the beginning of Ipanema beach and Copacabana. It has incredible views of Ipanema and Leblon. To reach Arpoador beach walk along Ipanema beach on Avenida Vieira Souto and you will eventually get to Arpoador.
Sports on the Beach
Arpoador beach has some of the best surfing in the area. It is the birth site of the surfing culture in Rio de Janeiro and has many surfing tournaments a year. For the brave, there are surfboards for rent as well as surfing experts to instruct you. For the truly daring spotlights on the beach allow surfing at night. At Posto 8 there is a weight lifting area where you can watch the muscle bound locals work out. There is also an exercise area in the same location.
The Rock
Also called Arpoador, this rock that juts out into the ocean. At the base of the rock is a hiking trail. Enjoy hiking out to the end of the rock but do not do so alone or late at night. Fishermen cast their lines from these rocks and families will purchase the fish right off their hooks. Locals know this is the best place to be at sunset for some of the best views. And when the sun sets the locals have a habit of clapping, bowing to the spectacle of nature. During summer time one of the best things to do is to watch the sunset at Arpoador, all the people at the beach claps when the sun goes down, it is an unbelievable scene and feeling. Also the beach is well illuminated at night allowing the beach goers to swim at night and cool off!
Around the Beach
There are plenty of hotels near the beach. The 5 star Sofitel and Hotel Fasano are the most luxurious hotels in the area and right near Arpoador beach. More affordable hotels include the Arpoador Inn and Mercure Arpoador. There are also several apartments in the area to rent short term. Dine at Azul Marinho on Av Francisco Bhering at Arpoador Inn for some of the best seafood. Try pargo fish with potatoes and rice baked in a heavy covering of salt and the bananas with ice cream.
Born with the surfing advent in Rio and Brazil, the Galeria River (River Gallery) come from the exact vision of the sport of the first surfers, who wanted to live from the culture created by the surfer style. Over the years, the Gallery has gained from other sports related stores, which characterize our city sports and future Olympic city. There are now skate shops and skating, climbing and trekking shops and tattoos shops. Currently, the gallery is undergoing a new phase with the stimulus opening stores focused on gastronomy, thus recovering, a behavior that characterized the decade of 70/80, where young people were in the evening after the beach.
Diabo Beach
At the end of Arpoador Beach there is a small beach called Devil’s Beach. The young people from Rio usually make parties there. Devil’s Beach overlooks the Copacabana fort, before the descent to the beach there is a place where you can sit on benches to enjoy the beautiful view, having a cold coconut water.
