Beachgoing in Brazil
Close your eyes, say the word "Brazil," and one of the first images to float up in your mind most likely will be of a tropical beach: white sands, azure water, and a fringe of palm trees. There’s good reason for that. The country boasts 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) of coastline, and most of the population is concentrated along the coast, where the ocean’s moderating influence tempers the tropical sun.
Beaches are often the center of social life, and there is one to suit every taste: kitsch paradises where you can sip juice cocktails under brightly colored umbrellas, chichi playgrounds for the rich, windswept gems, hard-to-reach fishing villages, and surfer havens with pounding waves.
In short, beaches are places to tan, strut, eat, drink, play sports, catch up with friends, and chat with strangers. Beaches are also worth a visit for people-watching and experiencing this quintessential aspect of Brazilian culture.
What to Expect
Brazilians are well known for being comfortable wearing very little. This goes for all ages and body types. Men often wear sungas, Speedo-style swimming trunks, though they avoid high-cut models that show too much leg. In recent years, the popular sungao, a wider model, has taken over as the outfit of choice. Surfers wear board shorts, and these are acceptable on and off the beach.
Women generally wear small two-piece bathing suits, although stylish one-pieces have increasingly become a part of Brazilian beach fashion. Since details such as size, print, and design vary, fashionistas will buy several bikinis to alternate during the summer. Window-shop if you want to get a sense of this year's models. Although the infamous string bikini can still be found, it is no longer considered chic.
Men and women will generally wear light, easy-to-remove clothes over their bathing suits so that they can undress easily at the beach and then compose themselves enough at the end of the day to make a stop at a beachside restaurant. Havaianas, rubber flip-flops that come in a rainbow of colors, are ubiquitous.
Finally, kangas (sarongs) are a must. The large rectangles of cloth come in a variety of prints and can be used to sit on the sand and to drape over your lounge chair or around your shoulders. Bringing a bulky towel to the beach is something a Brazilian generally wouldn't do.
Forget your kanga at the hotel? Never fear, Brazil’s inventive beach vendors will happily sell you one, along with everything from sunblock, light summer dresses, bikinis, and even grilled shrimp. Usually, you can rent lounge chairs, sun umbrellas, and even children's paddling pools from them as well.
Food vendors offer cheese grilled over live coals, popsicles, savory pastries stuffed with spinach, meat, or cheese, frozen açaí slushies, and fresh fruit. Drinks range from the conventional—water, beer, sodas—to the uniquely Brazilian, such as green coconuts, sweet maté tea, and caipirinhas.
While beaches in Brazil are relatively free of hazards—no sharks or jellyfish—conditions vary. Always heed local warnings about riptides. When in Rio, check the newspaper section next to the weather to see if the beach you're planning to go to is clean. Heavy rain showers often wash sewage and trash into the ocean, rendering otherwise beautiful beaches unfit for bathing for at least 24 hours.
