cangas, also called pareos, are made with very light material that only takes up a minimum volume when folded. rio is often windy, and for cangas to stay on the sand the corners are tuck underneath the sand, maintaining them in position. almost every posto has a few vendors offering cangas in varying colors - cangas are sold along the promenade and prices range from 20 to 50 reals, depending on the size, beach, and even day of the week.

there is also the option of buying one directly from the sellers who walk the beach. popular cangas are bright in color, and one can get a good idea of what is being used in a particular stretch of the beach just by looking around - prints resembling the sidewalks of copacabana and ipanema are favorites by tourists, but might be a better souvenir than a trendy beach item - bright colored depictions of tropical animals or the city are much more popular choices.