I know this is about Rio. Sorry I'm going off topic a bit. But can anyone share me the experience in Sao Paulo? I'm going there for the first time next month. I'd appreciate any tips on safety, do's and don'ts; which areas to avoid, etc...

Thanks!

Sounds a lot like this thread.

Going there for 35 + years or so, business, family, and friends. I will try an answer your question, and stay on topic.

EXPERIENCE:

1. GRU is the main International airport hub, about 30 miles from the city centre. I have come in at all hours, and the Balloon Cafe there is a welcome relief, 24x7. They know me on sight, and after a long transatlantic flight, I can get a tall German draft Beer and hot Pao de Queijo at 0600. There is security and safety inside the airport, but like anywhere in the world, don't wander away from your luggage, documents, and bags.

2. Traffic problems are major, and can be unreal. I missed a flight out one time leaving 4 hours ahead of flying time ( 2.5 hours at 1600 to get to the airport ). Be patient and paln
3.

Talking in French and typing in English, I just hit the wrong key:

2... Be patient and plan way ahead. Taxi's are relatively safe, but keep your luggage in the boot, or out of sight inside, as incidents with theives on motorcycles occur.

3. Safety in General: When in Rome.... and Rome as we know has crime. Since this is your first time, it is known as SAMPA to the young. Everything is available in SP from excellent restaurants, to better brand stores. Comments of how expensive everything is go with the boom economy Brasil is enjoying.

A coveted Nespresso machine I bring as a gift now and then is 100 Euros, 150-250 US Dollars, and R$ 1000 in Brasil ! It used to be Johnny Walker Red or Black, but Nespressos are very appreciated in the land of the finest coffee in the world. Hard to figure, but go with the flow, and it is 110v-60 electrical, with PAL-M TV. (You are allowed such gifts when arriving without duty fees; You don't need to hide it ).

The hard part is buying a 110V machine in 220-240 Europe.

There is much to see and do in SP, but try and travel in a group if you can, and without a lot of cameras, Ipods, etc. I wear a suit on business, and slacks and a shirt when casual. No watch ( just a small pcoket-sized cellphone ). If you want to go and see something, perhaps the Contemporary Art Museum, or the famous Mercado Central, ask about it first, how you are planning to travel there, and listen to suggestions, especially at night. Whenever I go out I lock away my passporte and take the minimal of credit cards and R$.

I have never had a problem, but read about others that have. There is crime everywhere, even in Zurich, but as pointed out to me here in this thread, there is a difference in scale. Just take the normal low profile precautions suggested here, which all have merit.

I'll close this with the olde refrain that Paulistas have to work so Cariocas can play. There is an appreciated good, hardwork ethic here, but in this good economy, Paulistas like to enjoy themselves and play too.

I hope this is helpful to you.

Swissaire, thanks for sharing your experience. They will definitely help.

Va em frente !!!!

I'm in Rio now... visiting a fellow FTer, ajnaro.

My first trip to South America, its all new to me. But am heeding what is said here .. and staying alert. No cash except cards.

But as I'm travelling alone, its pretty hard to go anywhere that one would go as a local.. Sugar Loaf mountain etc.

So will stay in most of the time and venture out with friends for meals.

But its still nice to see the beach at Copacabana from the apartment here.

Don't sit inside. Walk out to the beach and follow the sidewalk down to Ipanema. When you get to Arpoador you just follow the highway until you again hit the beach at which point you will enter Ipanema. The place has so much energy along the water during the day. You will be fine. Take a modest amount of $Rs with you. Take the Ipod and make sure to stuff into your clothings. Just keep an eye out around you.

+1. I just came back from Rio for 1st time. Reading the posts in this thread made me nervous but when I got there, it was perfectly fine to go on the beach during the day. Definitely recommend getting out and taking the stroll as George suggested.

Do go to both Sugarloaf and the Redeemer for the spectacular views.

The only times I felt wary in Rio was while wandering off by the Christ Redeemer tram station and some local kids advised me not to go up a hill as it was a favela. That, and some places in Santa Teresa while going down the hill after taking the bonde up. Besides that, everything was perfectly fine as long as you are alert.

You find it hard to get to Sugarloaf (P�o de A�ucar)??? You could safely go there by taxi and take the tram to the top, with lots of other tourists. Or find a tour. I personally wouldn't do Cordovado (Christ the Redeemer Status) alone, but there are tours that go there, as well. I even went to a soccer game at Maracana, again with a tour (they took us to the stadium by bus and escorted us to the area where our seats were; we met them just outside the stadium after the game).

Walking is a great idea. I'd leave the iPod back at the hotel. The only particularly risky area in the aforementioned walk is where the road goes inland between Copacabana and Arpoador/Ipanema, and I found it risky only at night. I have oflten walked along Avenida Atlantica in Copacabana at night. Lots of people selling stuff. I'm sure there are pickpockets, because there are lots of tourists, but I didn't carry much money, and avoided darkened side streets. Ipanema is even calmer in general, and it's a nice place to walk along the beach, looking at the scenery (human and otherwise), watching volleyball games, etc. but there are far fewer restaurants, etc. along the beach road. Easy enough to grab a beer or coconut at one of the kiosks along the beach.

I'm all for being careful in Rio. However, going to Sugarloaf is easy. I took the bus there. I also rode the subway a lot and of course walked a mile or three every day. I used to go to an Internet cafe and play the FT poker tourney and walk back to my apartment at midnight.

Just use common sense.

I was last year walking at night at Ipanema, not so late, and I found it a bit solitaire. There were people, yes, but not many people as Copacabana. At Copa I see lot of people, local or tourists, watchmen, police, I felt far more safe at Copa.

Interesting thread. Rio has a bad reputation even within Brazil. It's quite a pity that such a beautiful place does not offer enough safety to tourists especially at night. It is not like it is hard to determine which areas should be heavily policed or that they are really extensive. But things have improved and I believe will continue to do so.

I know this is meaningless but I have been to Rio easily 60 times. I was never victim of a crime. I follow basic precautions without being paranoid.

This thread keeps evolving, so it's time for me to post again. As a Rio de Janeiro resident I have never had any violence at all towards me and none in recent years to any family or friends, a circle of a couple hundred people. That said, there have been attacks fairly close by.

I find walking in Rio perfectly safe day or night, and do so regularly. We live in Jardim Botanico but go to Leblon, Botafogo, Ipanema and Copacabana every week. We sometimes visit friends in Dona Marta, a favela, at night. Friends often dine in favelas. I mostly am not inclined to do so myself, but it is good to be realistic.

Yes there are dangers in Rio and Sao Paulo also. If you behave in an urban conscious way you are quite unlikely to have problems. If you:
1)drink and drive-beware.
2) buy drugs-beware
3) be obviously inebriated walking late at night-beware
4) pick up the readily-available ladies/men of the night-beware
5) flash your money-beware
6) wear much jewelry or obviously expensive clothing- beware
7) wander about in dark deserted streets after dark- beware

Otherwise you're not likely to have many problems.

Don't accept the panic. Just be prudent.

Most importantly, as all cariocas know, if there is a problem, absolutely do not react, as the criminals are savage and brutal.