Nightclubs and bars in Rio de Janeiro

This is a great traditional samba club in Lapa. There is good food to be had early on in the night, and the live music they put out is pretty good too. Get there early, as on a weekend, there is a line out the door, as is the case with all the samba clubs in Lapa. By day, the buildings in the neighborhood look a little like urban bomb shelters. By night, the graffiti filled garage doors are all rolled up, and the whole neighborhood comes alive with bars, restaurants and clubs. No disrespect to Ipanema, Copacabana, and Leblon, but this is the true heart of Rio's nightlife

Dress Code: Casual to clubbing attire. I'd skip wearing shorts here.

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Waxy´s hosts live music 7 nights a week. Offers a large selection of beers (heniken, stella, sol, brahama etc...) and a large selection of cocktails! They have live music 7 nights a week and it located in a very safe and central location (vinicus de Moraes 71b) just next to the famous Garota de Ipanima. A greast hang out for gringos and locals alike.

Dress Code: Relaxed!

Connected to Barra Shopping is this entertainment and restaurant complex. The complex features some 18 multiplex cinema's and restaurants such as TGI Friday's, Bob's (Brazilian burger chain similar to McDonald's), McDonald's, Outback Steakhouse, Pizza Hut and Subway.

The club is called Mess and it is close to Copacabana... watch out, you are in the more touristy areas now, so the hookers and other people of the night are abundant... music is mixed, a long set of hip hop when i was there...lots of muscular pitbull boys, so do not get into any fights, otherwise, the place is nice and very packed

Dress Code: Casual

We found this place by chance when we strolled past when we left the Garata Ipanema. It's a popular local hangout and was jammed. The love music was non stop and excellent as was the food and drinks.Good prices too.
Warning though if you stop for drinks only there is a cover charge of 8Real.

The best gay bar in Rio is 'Le Boy' in Aproador. I would rank it as one of the top five gay clubs in the world - up there with 'Heaven' in London, 'Splash' in New York and 'Le Queen' in Paris. It is positioned along Rua Pompeia which is flanked by the western end of Copacabana and the eastern end of Ipanema in a very posh neighborhood. Although you are okay walking there in the evening when you leave in the early hours I would suggest a taxi. Entrance costs 15 reals (accompanying women have to pay 20 reals).

The place itself is massive, at least 70 ft long. At one end is a stage, at the other toilets and entrance - you can go to the gigantic spherical bar in the middle and stairs and balconies overlook it all.

Go-go dancers perform for the crowds, two on the bar, two on podiums above the dance floor. They get paid to gyrate to the music just clutching a small towel. I won't tell you how they keep that towel up...I'll leave it for your imagination.... The music is also good, not a fan of the dark room but tend to get really busy.

The first few days we were in Rio, we kept asking every gay person we met, "Where do we go for dancing?" And, without fail, every single person answered, "The Week!" Located toward the International Airport in an up-and-coming area, The Week is Rio's newest and craziest gay dance club, and it attracts a hip, attractive, professional, and international crowd. It had a gigantic downstairs dance floor, VIP area, small chic swimming pool, and deck with sitting area. The first thing you'll notice as you approach the club is the music thumping from inside. Once on the dance floor, you will see the most stunning dancers you have ever seen in your life! It will take 20 - 30 minutes to get to The Week via taxi, but it makes it well worth the drive by providing a consistently good crowd and great music in a clean, sexy, modern setting, and not too expensive.

Carnival in Rio is a huge international event. The parade and all that entails is not accessible without tickets. I know that people have had trouble even with tickets, if they do not include transport and guidance to and from. In the mid 80s everything changed, as the usual, bleachers that were assembled and then disassembled on Presedente Vargas Avenida, made way for what is now known as the Sambodrome, or permanent structures, along a different street. Having taken group tours there both before and after, - I strongly recommend that if you actually want to participate in all that, - that you make sure that you are provided with transport there and guidance in and out. However I am not sure exactly how to get that done. My tours were five star, so all was done for us. The Rio Carnaval (Portuguese spelling), having been to several different ones, - is by far the most elaborate and the best known. It is an exhilerating experience that should not be missed.

Dress Code: Dress comfortably...this is a street party. A good idea is to wear the traditional white.