considered dangerous in the past, copacabana beach is now much safer - however a word of caution is advised to all who wish to enjoy this beach at night - sleeping overnight on the beach is forbidden. the pacification of the nearby favelas, and the increase in the police presence in the region reduced the criminal activity to occasional incidents of pick pocketing.

this link shows copacabana beach on a wikimapia - the link as we present it is best seen using google chrome, as other browsers might not open at the correct zoom settings.

on this link, the instituto estadual do ambiente - inea provides the suitability of several beaches, including copacabana. constantly updated, the red flags mean that swimming is not advisable, green flags mean waters are clean, and yellow flags suggest using own judgment - any of rio's beaches may have polluted waters within 24 to 48 hours following heavy rains. in addition, on this link an early morning shot of the beach is posted daily, showing water conditions.