known in portuguese as 'zona oeste', the west zone of rio de janeiro combines beautiful beaches with crystal waters, surrounded by stunning landscapes - the mountains and tropical vegetation are the region's major attraction. by far the largest of rio de janeiro's four zones, zona oeste covers over 50 percent of the city's entire area.

this zone is large in size, but not so in population - in fact, the west zone is also the least densely populated area of the city, with extensive areas of untamed nature, and some of the most appealing and longest beaches in rio.