The best thing about Barra is the beach. It stretches for 18km, with the blue sea lapping at the shore. The first few kilometers of its eastern end are filled with bars and seafood restaurants.
The young and hip hang out in front of barraca (stall) No 1, in an area known as Praia do Pepê, after the famous carioca hang-gliding champion who died during a competition in Japan in 1991. The beach is more accessible than ever thanks to the new metro station at Jardim Ocêanico, located about 1km north of the shoreline.
