published by adaptsurf, a non-for-profit organization created to facilitate beach access for people with limited mobility, the guide guia adaptsurf - acessibilidade das praias (adapt surf guide to beach accessibility) gives and excellent summary of many of the most popular oceanic beaches in rio, both in terms of accessibility and types of waves formations.

on this link, the instituto estadual do ambiente - inea provides the suitability of several of rio de janeiro's beaches. 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 unsuitable waters within 24 to 48 hours following heavy rains.