What's the best way to ring in the New Year? To join the party on Rio de Janeiro’s mighty Copacabana beach! Watch the spiritual and the secular come together for one amazing night.
Photo © iStock/Rune_Landale
Location
Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Dates
31 December.
Description
Rio’s biggest holiday after its spectacular and rowdy Carnaval sees around two million people pack the sands to welcome in the New Year – you won’t be laying out a towel and throwing a Frisbee on Copacabana beach this night. From about 8pm, top bands perform on stages strung out along the 4km-long beach, pumping out a variety of Brazilian and international music. At midnight, a spectacular fireworks display lights up the night sky for up to 20 minutes. The hardiest of revellers keep things going all night long, then watch the sun rise the next morning.
Within this huge party there’s the subplot of the Festa de Iemanjá. This Candomblé (a religion originating in Africa) festival celebrates the feast day of Iemanjá, the goddess of the sea. Participants dress in white and place their petitions on small boats, sending them out to sea. If they’re carried away on the current it’s a sign that the goddess is pleased. If the petitions return, the prayers will not be answered. Along with the petitions, celebrants send candles, perfumes and talcum powder to appease the blue-cloaked orixá (spirits or deities).
So big has the New Year’s Eve party on Copacabana grown, however, that many Candomblé devotees have begun to seek more tranquil spots, such as Barra da Tijuca or Recreio dos Bandeirantes, to make their offerings. The essence of the Festa de Iemanjá remains, however, with New Year’s revellers on Copacabana customarily wearing white, and many throwing flowers and other simple offerings into the sea hoping for a little of Iemanjá’s largesse.
A couple of other ways to view the Reveillon party are from a boat off the beach, or from one of the parties that are held in the hotels lining the beach. These are top-dollar affairs but, if you’re uncomfortable in crowds, it does at least mean you won’t have to share the moment with two million other people.
Level of participation
5 – party with the beautiful people.
Essentials
Go easy on the valuables – Reveillon is a boon for petty thieves. After Carnaval, New Year’s Eve is the second-biggest season for Rio hotels, so expect silly prices, especially in the hotel strip along Copacabana beach. Hotels may also demand minimum stays of up to four nights.
Safety
Aside from the thieves, the Reveillon is a generally peaceful event. Large police reinforcements patrol the party, and Candomblé devouts pray close by – all creating a safe environment of festivity.
However, crowd safety should be observed. Party with a group of friends if possible, and if you become lost, organize a meet up point. Try to avoid the throng of human traffic at the end of the event – before the last show, either leave a little earlier or stay a little later – this will minimize any safety problems associated with large crowds.
Traffic will be blocked around the beach – you will encounter a fair bit of congestion – but hey, it’s New Years Eve!
Other local attractions
See Rio’s full beauty from atop Sugarloaf Mountain, or from Corcovado and its famed Christo Redentor statue. You can see the city’s underbelly on a favela tour.
More Info: Rio De Janeiro Tourism website.
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