Local tips - My favorite spots in Rio

It is almost impossible to pick my favorite place in Rio. In a city with 25 beaches, about 20 parks, 10 waterfalls... you have to figure out what place best fits your preferences, style or mood!

With that in mind, I chose some places that I love to go in my free time especially on the weekends or on a day off. First, the beach! Okay, but as I said before, there are so many beaches in Rio, so how can I choose a favorite? Definitely the Grumari beach, Barra de Guaratiba Beach and Marambaia Sandbank,  all located at the West Zone of the city.

I've spoke about Grumari in a previous post, so now I'll introduce a must to go place in Rio, that most people haven't heard of yet. The Restinga de Marambaia (Marambaia Sandbank) is a protected area by Brazilian Navy, so part of the beach is only accessible by the military and in other part the public can access it but it's also controlled by the Navy. It makes the place a preserved paradise, comfortable to visit during all year long including on holidays. But what else makes this place so special? The water sports! In every beach you can relax and suntan, for example, but in my favorite spot you can take your equipment or rent a kayak, stand up paddle or do a boat tour around its green coast and clear water. It's fun for the whole family! 

For sure there are other beautiful places, such as the Joatinga Beach - a small and rocky beach with perfect waves for surfers and ideal If you want some privacy. 

It's important to know that these places are not so busy and consequently not full of shops, restaurants or beach sellers, so the best thing to do it's to take your beach bag with everything you need such as water, fruits, sandwich, snacks and whatever you feel like to consume in paradise!