Ipanema Beach,

 in the summer, is the best 5 miles of beach in the world. If you want a really great perspective on Ipanema Beach, and the traditions surrounding Carioca beach culture, purchase the book "How to Be Carioca" available on Amazon, Bookstores, or buy it here at any bookstore in Rio. The beach is a large part of Rio's culture, and everything revolves around it. Ipanema is the true "Praia" culture. In the book, it says "a Carioca is someone who goes to the beach before, after, or instead of work", this is an accurate analogy. "Where do you go to the beach" is one of the first questions a Carioca will ask when meeting someone for the first time. Take care your first few days and use plenty of sunscreen, the ultra-violet rays here can easily ruin a vacation. Brazilian women will wear the famous "dental floss" bikinis, all ages, and sizes, so don't feel shy, go like a local. And the males, well what you may call speedos, or tourists tightes, are called "sungas" here, and they are the proper beach wear, again, all ages and sizes, if you wear anything other, you will be immediatly identified as a tourist. Cariocas do not take a beach towel to the beach. Women sit or lay on their tangas, men sit on their t-shirts or the sand. It is acceptable, for a small fee to rent beach chairs or umbrellas from the local barracas. Drink plenty of water, beers are cheap, but stay away from drinking caparinhas on the beach, the cacacha can be deadly in the sun to "rookies", and if you spill the lime juice on your skin, the hot sun can cause an ugly burn. The water is free from pollution, so feel free to join the zillon other people for a re-freshing dip.