known in portuguese as 'zona oeste', the western zone of rio de janeiro combines truly beautiful beaches with crystal waters, surrounded by stunning landscapes - the mountains and tropical vegetation of the mata atlântica are the region's major attraction.

by far the largest of rio de janeiro's four zones, zona oeste, covers over 50 percent of the city's entire surface area.

in this section we grouped only the main oceanic beaches of the zona oeste, spanning from praia da joatinga, near the border of the zona sul, to praia dos búzios, one of the virgin beaches of rio.