this section of the guide focuses on the crowds of the various sections of leme, copacabana, ipanema, and leblon beaches, as  marked by the lifeguards' towers along the beaches called 'postos'. são conrado and barra beach are also divided and marked by postos, but the demographics there are more homogeneous as compared to copacabana, ipanema, and leblon.

all beaches in rio are free to access, by anyone and at any time.   the distinctions we make in our observations are meant simply as general guidelines, an do not reflect or describe actual beach-clubs.