The city renown worldwide for its wild Carnival celebrations featuring near-naked samba dancers has finally gotten its first official nudist beach.

Following a 20-year legal battle, Rio de Janeiro enacted a law officially designating Abrico beach as nudist.

The enactment makes Abrico one of a handful in all of Brazil, advocates say. Despite Brazil's reputation for anything-goes hedonism, complete nudism is frowned on.

Abrico beach has been attracting nudists since the late 1950s in defiance of legal charges including "offending public morals".

The law frees nudists from any threat of legal action and provides increased protection, including patrols to keep peeping Toms away.

The isolated beach is located about 40 kilometres west of Rio's central area.

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