Rio de Janeiro (city)/Barra da Tijuca

From World travel guide

Nightlife in Rio is not all about the historic downtown. On the other side of South Zone lies the West Zone. And special attention should be paid to Barra da Tijuca. Barra as it is called, and it's surroundings are now the most expanding neighborhoods of Rio, and entertainment is the big deal over there. Enormous shopping centers are good for shopping (of course) and have cinemas and bowling alleys to offer. But the clubs are the pièce de résistance of the neighborhood. Filled with young good-looking boys and girls (you have to be eighteen to go in, but there's always a way around that), the clubs of Barra are a 'must' among the foreigners.

Do

In the West Zone you can find some of the best beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Barra da Tijuca's beach is a 10km sand line of clear waters. Surfers love it, and many people also. The sunset is beautiful, especially during the winter. And as you go along you get to Recreio, which is even clearer, and much less crowded. Prainha is now very far away from the crowded Copacabana. Its perfect waves made it famous. It is also on a biological reserve, with restricted car parking spaces. Avoid the weekends and enjoy this between mountains-beauty of the nature on the week-days.

At the far Eastern end of the Barra beach, you will find Cabana do Pepe. Pepe was a famous hang glider that passed away in a hang gliding accident in Japan a few years ago. He started a sandwich shop on the beach that makes a variety of healthy sandwiches. Especially good are the fruit smoothies. Not to be missed. Cabana do Pepe is currently run by Pepe's widow. This is the most popular area of the Barra beach, and is the best area for people watching.

There are many surfing schools all along the Barra beach that hold one and half hour surfing classes. The classes are fairly inexpensive and are mostly populated with locals. Some of the surf instructors do speak English.

Buy

Popular upscale shopping malls are the adjacent "New York City Center" and "Barra Shopping" malls. Special buses are available to take tourists here. Nearby you will also find the Sao Conrado Fashion Mall, replete with an Emporio Armani. Some may find these malls more than a bit too sanitized and American, though, and menacing-looking security guards in mafioso-look dark suits and sunglasses keep out the riff-raff. (Meaning anybody not obviously middle-class.) This might make you feel protected, or might make you feel a bit embarrassed. The more adventurous tourist might make sport of trying to get the guards to smile, as one might a Grenadier Guardsman.

The leather goods in Barra Shopping are some of the best bargains in the mall. Shoes and belts are especially inexpensive. The selection of electronics is very limited and overpriced at all malls. "Kopenhagen" chocolate shop has some of the best chocolates. It is quite nice to stop and have a coffee at one of the several coffee shops in Barra Shopping and people watch. Many of the guards at Barra Shopping are rather attractive ladies, but are quite serious about their job.

This area of Rio is where many of the middle class locals and International executives have moved - Ipanema being considered somewhat passé' - but is utterly characterless, consisting of row upon row of identical high-rise condominiums.

Eat

Don't miss eating at Porcao (Pork) restaurant, a churrascaria. It is located at the eastern end of Barra. Many famous Brasilians will eat here, and more often than not, I will see a celebrity when I come here. Take a look at the pictures of celebrities on the right at the front door. Another excellent restaurant is Barra Brasa, which is located at the western end of Barra.

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