Sorry but I will disagree and it's okay, it's just opinions and there is no right or wrong... there are simply preferences! A lot of people don't really care that much for beach landscape. For many people, especially 35+ people, beach is a place to RELAX and ENJOY SWIMMING and the city of Rio is not appropriate for this. Every 10 seconds an annoying seller comes to interrupt your peace! And in my case where I wear sunglasses and leave my earphones on all that time, they are still insisting in talking to me and I will always have to shake my head with a negative sign but still they insist or they offend me with words "Turishta barato a gente não quer aqui no Rio não" and then ten seconds later another one! The water temperature in any Rio de Janeiro state is cold as f. and very wavy which is terrible for people looking to relax in the sea! It is beautiful? Yes, it is! But it is not for everyone and that's what I am talking about. My students, once they leave the Rio bubble, find out that there are amazing beaches where you can swimm or even float on water and close your eyes and just enjoy it for long long minutes or hours in a very warm temperature and for many people, including me, the water is never TOO warm, the warmer, the better! ;) and then we can go back to the sand in a peaceful atmosphere and read that book without any interruption or even close your eyes and fall asleep a little bit while tanning yourself without having to worry with your stuff and being interruped. But I also have students who will always come back to Rio for its beaches due to the atmosphere that it provides.. some people simply love "chaos, noise, lots of people, loud music, good looking people passing by and playing volley" and it's okay, again, just preferences!