Rio de Janeiro's youngest neighborhood is Barra da Tijuca, or simply Barra as locals say. It is an area where everything is superlative. The beach is seventeen kilometers long (almost 11 miles). Here is the largest convention center in Latin America. The largest shopping mall too, with over 650 shops, and its own monorail system. Instead of supermarkets you have hypermarkets, with thousands of square feet. Add theme parks, natural reserves with wild birds and alligators,  preserved beaches with limited access to cars, and you start to get an idea of the myriad possibilities.

1. Riocentro Convention Center 2. Marapendi Reserve & Lake 4. Parque Trevo das Palmeiras 3. Bosque da Barra 5. Terra Encantada 6. Barrashopping 7. Downtown/Cinemark 8. Barrapoint