Crime in Sao Paolo and Rio
Jun 30, 2009, 9:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 16
Crime in Sao Paolo and Rio
Hello. I know that like all cities around the world, Sao Paolo and Rio have their fair shares of crime, particularly toward tourists. Did anyone here experience anything bad in either place? I'm going to both places in Dec.
Jun 30, 2009, 10:14 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Gold, DL MM 8/22/16!
Posts: 2,563
I spent 10 days in Sao Paulo December of last year with my 14-year-old granddaughter. I was also worried, so took some of those disposable cameras rather than a good camera. Never saw any crime incidents or had anything happen to us, except got bad quality pictures with the disposables. We were admittedly not out much after dark, and stayed away from dodgy areas. Did go to street markets and ride public transportation.
I'm pretty careful in situations like that - no jewelry or anything that looks expensive, neck safe for valuables, etc. I think Rick Steves web site has a nice discussion on travel safety and there are others if you do some searching. I tend to take ALL their advice.
The one thing I would suggest is to start that visa process as soon as you can. As I recall, you can't do it until 90 days before, but you could even jump that a little by sending in so it will arrive 90 days before, rather than just mailing 90 days before. Although I was extremely careful, they were not happy with something and rejected ours the first time, so we finally received them just the day before we left. I did learn that it would have taken something like $500 or $750 to get our air tickets changed if we hadn't gotten the visas in time.
Romelle
I'm pretty careful in situations like that - no jewelry or anything that looks expensive, neck safe for valuables, etc. I think Rick Steves web site has a nice discussion on travel safety and there are others if you do some searching. I tend to take ALL their advice.
The one thing I would suggest is to start that visa process as soon as you can. As I recall, you can't do it until 90 days before, but you could even jump that a little by sending in so it will arrive 90 days before, rather than just mailing 90 days before. Although I was extremely careful, they were not happy with something and rejected ours the first time, so we finally received them just the day before we left. I did learn that it would have taken something like $500 or $750 to get our air tickets changed if we hadn't gotten the visas in time.
Romelle
Jul 19, 2009, 8:15 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 138
I've been to Rio and Sao Paulo over a dozen times and have never had any trouble. However, there is a lot of crime and tourists are a popular target. Use common sense as ytou would in any major metropolitan area and don't wear any jewelry, don't walk on the beach at night, don't walk down the street with a camcorder, carry a limited amount of cash and leave your wallet and other valuables in the hotel, etc.