Barra da Tijuca beach stretches for 18 kilometres along the Atlantic coast, making it the longest continuous beach in Rio de Janeiro. The sand is wide and the surf is reliably stronger than on the sheltered bay beaches further east. The undeveloped western end, toward Recreio dos Bandeirantes, is the least crowded and the best for surfing.
The beach is backed by a two-lane road and a cycle track — the cycling infrastructure in Barra is the best in Rio. Kite surfing is popular in the middle section of the beach, where the winds are consistent. Beach bars (barracas) line most of the strip; the food at the better ones goes well beyond beer and chips into serious fish and rice dishes. This is not a glamour beach in the style of Ipanema, but it is a working-class Rio beach at its most genuine.