Location
Copacabana and Ipanema are great but sometimes you might want to see the more remote beaches and escape from the crowds. If you don´t have an own car, there´s a pretty great & cheap way to do it, the Surf Bus! The bus starts at the Largo do Machado and makes its way down to Botafogo, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon Beaches. The bus continues down the coast and drops riders at several beaches including, Sao Conrado, Barra da Tijuca, Recreio, Macumba, and Prainha. The bus does not go as far as Grumari Beach, as buses are not allowed in the environmentally protected area. However, it is a short walk from Prainha. The Surf Bus has racks to hold up the surfboards and they play surfer music and videos along the way. But you don't need to be a surfer to ride the bus, as tourists of all ages can take the ride! The ride to the beautiful beaches down the coast takes about 60-90 minutes.
The bus starts at the Largo do Machado and picks up riders at hotels and street corners along Copacabana (Avenida Atlantica) and Ipanema Beach (Avenida Viera Souto) between 7:30-8am, 10:30-11am, 1:30pm - 2pm, and around 4pm. It returns from Prainha and heads back to Rio de Janeiro at 8:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 5:30pm.
The cost is only R$ 5 each way.