in rio de janeiro, the number one spot to see and be seen in daytime is at the beach, called 'praia' in portuguese. beach life holds an important space in carioca culture - in one sense beaches are the grand social equalizers, because everyone is allowed to enjoy the luxury of spending hours sunbathing on the sand.

the basic beach items to think about are the beach cloth to stretch on the sand, the bathing suit, sandals, and sunglasses. when preparing for what to wear on rio's beaches a few things must be kept in mind - cariocas have a strong sense of fashion and put much thought in what they wear, including at the beach - often not strictly following a specific trend as suggested by fashion magazines, but instead creating their own individual combinations of beach-wear.