the most curious anecdote involving ipanema dates back to 1988, an historical summer still famous today as the 'verão da lata' - the summer of the can. late in 1987, a boat carrying 22 tons of marijuana was forced to get rid of its cargo while being pursued by brazilian navy.

20,000 cans containing 22 tons of marijuana fell to the bottom of the ocean - to be slowly released by the tide along a great portion of the brazilian coast. the cans started to float and appeared on the sand of ipanema for weeks, making of 1988 the most famous summer ever in ipanema.

ipanema has become a point of reference for beach life, musical, cultural, and sporting events such as the circuito ipanema posto 9, and the tournament rei e rainha do mar (king and queen of the sea), among others. the other famous spot of ipanema beach is a stretch of posto 8, internationally known as the best gay beach in rio.