Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
There's at least one major fancy shopping mall in Barra. It's much safer than downtown, including Copacabana and even Ipanema.
In the hotels you mention, one shouldn't go walking, even in small groups, on the side streets or streets back from the beach after dark (meaning much after about 5 pm in Rio at this time of year). I know a couple who were robbed at knifepoint last week around 8 pm near the Visa Olympic Superstore on the Copacabana beach with lots of people in sight.
I hear you but one doesn't travel to Rio to visit Barra
there is nothing there for a (first time) tourist! It's been well documented that opportunist undesirables are everywhere in greater numbers due to the Olympics...there was even a story about it on BBC or CNN(don't recall which). I had NO problems and never felt unsafe in Ipanema walking at night. It was safe to walk 2-3 streets in from the beach with no issues. Tourists everywhere including females. I'm guessing during Olympics stories of assaults and robberies will no doubt rise.