Rio de Janeiro Tourist Traps

One of the biggest tourist traps in Rio de Janeiro, in my opinion is doing the 'Favela tour'. It's a guided tour inside a favela (shanty town).

I believe people can be curious about how people live in a slum, but visiting it like visiting a zoo, sounds a bit strange for me !!!
I have never done this in any place of Brazil nor will I ever do it!!!

The poor and poorer favelas can be very dangerous. Drug dealing is common and popular amongst the poorest of the favelas. The crime rate is very high in these places. The poor sell drugs to the poorer and it is an endless chain. I reccomend only seeing them from far.

Unique Suggestions: If you still are interested in such kind of "Favela Tour" please never go yourself there or trust anybody you knew a few hours before who wants to show you around....
it is like a self-suicide!!!
If you are really interested to see how the poor are living there, then please contact a Tour Operator and go there within a group!

I will not post any of the Favela Tour -Operators here 'cause I am against this kind of tourism, but if you really want to visit a shanty town you can be sure that you find something, at least you can ask at your hotel reception for it.

For those of you who understand to read in portuguese you can have a look at the Favela's Webpage:
http://www.vivafavela.com.br

For the people who are interested in the biggest Favela in Southamerica called "Rocinha" in Rio:
http://www.rocinha.com.br

To all of you who maybe are thinking to go to the very famous and - I guess- biggest discothec in Soutamerica called "HELP" in Copacabana be aware of that there you will only find prostitutes, no normal women to go out with the day after or something like that....
for all this women you have to pay!

Unique Suggestions: And besides of this, there are a lot of brazilians who knows that every night a lot of foreigners are there, so pay a lot of attention, because there it can be dangerous ....!

To those of you who still are interested in here's the Web-adress:
http://80.78.233.178/index.htm

Fun Alternatives: Okay, if you are a single boy/man and want to know a beautiful brazilian girl/woman better go to other clubs or discothecs in Rio, ..there are a lot of options better than HELP!

At night all Copacabana coast will be crowded with prostitutes but be careful around the Sofitel Hotel, this is a place for the transvested "girls".

Unique Suggestions: Prefer the girls around "Help" discoteque.

Fun Alternatives: Always ask the price and check with your hands if it´s a girl or not. Good luck.

Hard to list,it can be everywhere or maybe,nowhere,depends only on you,your good sense,what I think one needs in anyplace!
I think maybe,the important point is crossing a street...drivers won't give a damn if you stand on the lines or not,here to cross a street is a real Indiana Jones adventure,use your legs and reflexes,don't ever trust that drivers will stop and be gentle,usually,if you cross away from the traffic lights,it will be like a dance betwen the cars..btw,brazilians never(forgive me those who does)will cross the street at traffic lights,so just watch how to do it..
Picture:Thomas,another nephew,Ipanema,sunday early morning(a better time to cross the street with a baby stroler..)

I wouldn't believe this if it didn't happen to me and 2 other people I met. There is a guy on Copacabana that will discreetly throw dog crap on your shoe. He then appears out of nowhere (and even from the opposite direction), points it out, and very nicely offers to clean it off and polish your shoes for you. He doesn't care if you are wearing sandals, tennis shoes, whatever, they are all fair game. Ticks me off, but I'll give him points for ingenuity!

The women! I am serious! As I said earlier on, a friend of ours ended up marrying a local!

Rio = Temptation .. you have been warned! :)

One more thing that seems weird, there are a lot of tours to go see the slums in Rio!! I have no idea why on earth would anyone pay $$$ to see the slums and the people living in amazing poverty! It is almost like going to watch animals in the zoo!! I found it immoral, a waste of time and money! (one of the few times you will see me talk about immoralty!). But hey it is your time and money!

Unfortunately, Rio has a big crime problem. The majority of locals will let you go about your business, not giving you the time of day, but some see you as a chance to make a quick buck. Dont carry cameras, jewellery, watches, lots of cash with you at night, and try to get cabs between your locations. Walking the front around Copacabana is generally OK, but outside of there, be really careful.

Capoiera Guys ..they 're all over the place and all looking for the same thing ..green backs. On the topic of money, they have plastic money in Brasil. You think i'm joking? I'm not.. they have a plastic 10 reais Note.. why you ask? well so that it doesn't get wet when you run into the Atlantic.