Top Brazil hotels
Come on! No more danger than usual ... São Paulo
11 Reviews IT IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER BIG CITY! IT IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CITIES IN THE WORLD!!!! IT IS SO COMMON TO BE ROBBED OR KIDNAPPED THAT THERE IS NO "SHOCKED" REACTION WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT!...
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Pelourinho Salvador da Bahia
7 Reviews I set out on foot for a restaurant about an hour after sunset on Monday, 14 July 2003. I soon got lost. I should have turned around and gone back the way I'd come. Instead I walked on, finding myself...
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Favela slums Manaus
3 Reviews Stay away from the favalas (slums) in Manaus. These are durg infested, dirty, and impovished areas. Crime is huge and common in these areas. The poores favelas look like garbage dumps, the homes are...
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Watch your back! São Paulo
14 Reviews IT IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER BIG CITY! IT IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CITIES IN THE WORLD!!!! IT IS SO COMMON TO BE ROBBED OR KIDNAPPED THAT THERE IS NO "SHOCKED" REACTION WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT!...
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Thieves Salvador da Bahia
5 Reviews I´m sniffing at the fact that this establishment is eligible to receive ten times ratings by VT staff. I am mad as hell at this place and I´m warning all of you, stay away !!!! There is NO EXCUSE for...
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Jacare...Caymane Manaus
4 Reviews careful, those big, very big Crocodiles( called Jacare in Brazil) are realy not in the mood to get hassled and a swim with them could be your last when on the River, never ever leave the boat or for...
See All 20 Warnings Or Dangers in Manaus
Traffic São Paulo
6 Reviews Traffic is a real b**** here, so allow plenty of time for your trip whether you're taking the bus, taxi, subway or car. Things get worse when it rains and/or during rush hours. Coach travel: I was...
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Carnaval Salvador da Bahia
2 Reviews Carneval in Salvador is the best party i have ever been to and i would go back any time. I did have a little problem with 2 guys though who beat me up for unknown reasons. Visiting a hospital in...
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Travel in tropical South... Manaus
3 Reviews You will hear repeatedly that there are no mosquitoes on the Negra River. This may be true on the river itself, but once you get into the forest or near people there are mosquitoes. Perhaps not enough...
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Drugs Manaus
1 Review Due to Manaus's link by boat with Colombia, drugs is a growing problem. When I spoke to soem of the people in Manaus they simply said it is part of the economy: the poor sell drugs to the poorer....
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Beware, Brazil is a very dangerous place. Don't carry large sums of money in your pokets and try to travel in groups. Also, don't wear flashy jewelry as it may attract too much attention. Especially at night, you need to aware of your surroundings (Copacabana area)
When I went to Ouro Preto it was the end of July-Brazil's winter. However, being from Los Angeles, CA I brought mostly summery light clothing. Unfortunately, Ouro Preto gets very cold at night and in the mornings and very foggy. It rained at night and the visibility was depressingly low. However, by midday it cleared up enough to see the beautiful churches lining the little valley and almost made the car ride worth it.(see next tip)
I can not think of anything worst than being on vacation in Brazil or any other place, for that matter, with no money. This is the danger of carrying just cash, or just a credit card. It is also the reason that I do not carry all my money or equivalents in one place.I would recommend that you take a credit card with atm utility, cash and a good quanity of travellers checks, especially if you can buy them with 1 percent or lower commission [Many banks will give them to long time customers without commission.]. I prefer American Express because they have offices in Brazil. Never hand your card to someone and let it go out of your sight. Use usual atm precautions. Do not travel with much more cash than you are willing to have stolen. I carry travellers checks as insurance and a reserve for special purchases. They can be inconvenient to exchange but very useful if the atm machines or your...
I must pay a special tribute to HSBC banks, that have been especially helpful during my trip in Brazil. I have a VISA international card, however i had a very hard time trying to get some cash from ATM machines, especially in Minas Gerais. Banco do Brasil is a good bank, but not all of their ATM accept Visa.The only banks where it always worked was HSBC.When I was in Ouro Preto, I really got in trouble. After paying the hostel, I only had 5 R$ left ! I spent my day going from banks to banks... and impossible to get some cash ! I was starting to think about selling my camera to eat or something... I had already tried 6 banks.Then I arrived to the last bank that was HSBC. I went anxiously to the ATM and ... it worked. I think the security guard at the bank though I was crazy because I almost cried of joy !Thanks HSBC !
There is a reason this place is called 'HELP.' Located in Copacabana, this is the epicenter of prostitution and crime on gringos - avoid at all costs. If you are interested in prostitutes for some reason, then stay away from this place as well. You will lose your shorts in more than one way. I would also avoid even walking by this place at night, especially if you look really gringo.
One of the sweetest drinks in Brasil is caldo de cana (sugar cane water) - but be sure to drink it directly after it is squeezed. Never, ever drink caldo de cana that has been sitting around. It can put you in the hospital.
OK, I can say this because I am a 6th generation Texan. Americans are loud, obstentatious, sometimes annoying, and a little too flashy with the bling. In Europe, this type of behaviour will earn one free passage on the A-train out of any establishment owned by a Frenchman. In Brazil, it will get you into serious trouble.If you speak english, wear gold (or other material objects that glimmer), sport shiny shoes, or tote around a prada bag, there is one word for you: TARGET.So, my modus operandi, when in Brazil, is to tone it down in public with the following rules:1. No jewelry.2. No ipod.3. No loud english in public.4. Carry belongings in an old bag. 5. No gringo swimsuit and 'hawaiian' shirt on the beach. Also, be sure to watch for people watching you. Follow these rules, and have a great time in Brazil. You can really reduce your chances of being a target by doing these things, but...
Brazil is definately a sunny place, from south to north...this is a great thing, but you must take care with serious sunburns!Even in a cloudy day, if you are in the beach, you must use sun protector with more than 15 FPS...the climate can be very iluding....
Foreign women are usually very concerned about coming to Brazil, since what everyone hears is that brazilian men can be very unpolite and harrass women in general.I can´t agree with that. I live in this country, i was born here, and travelling to other places around Europe, I did not find any difference from where I come from. Of course, we can never generalize...brazilians usually have a more open behaviour, but we can´t say man can get aggressive or unpolite. Whistles, dying looks are common, many will try to talk to you, etc, but nothing more serious than that, usually.The major problem is that women travelling alone are the easiest target for robberies...If you are coming in an organized trip, with a group, it´s okay....but backpacking completely alone, depending where you are going to, is not really a good idea. Avoid walking alone at night or empty spots...If anywhere, someone...
You must take care about some things when coming to Brazil...as everyone knows, many places in the country, mainly big cities, are not the example of safety....Because of the uncontrolled growth and the social difference, violence exists, unfortunately. There are a thousand stories of robberies, mainly in São Paulo and Rio. That does not mean you can´t get out of the hotel without being robbed....in fact most part of the country is extra safe, except the megalopolis....But the greatest reason for robberies is that people usually don´t pay attention and don´t take care...pickpockets are everywhere, waiting for someone unprepared to steal money, cameras and purses. If you follow some rules, you´ll be okay:1- Always ask about the surroundings...Inform yourself in the hotel or with locals if there is any danger on walking alone at night, if there is any place you should avoid going to or any...
Copacabana Palace Rio de Janeiro
21 Reviews and 355 Opinions A veritable Rio landmark, Copacabana Palace continues to enjoy a reputation as one of the most...
Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi São Paulo
4 Reviews and 200 Opinions ALL PICTURES ON PAGE 1 ( PICS 1 - 5 ) AND ON THIS PAGE # 6 AND 7 TAKEN IN SEPTEMBER 2003 , PICTURES...
Aram Yami Hotel Salvador da Bahia
1 Review and 100 Opinions I did not stay at the hotel, but my good friends did and I visited them there, hung out in the...
Reviews and photos of Brazil attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Brazil sightseeing.
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Q: Hi there! I am looking for people, who love dancing, have attended or are planning to attend Brazilian dance (Samba, Forro)...
A: I don't think that this topic belongs on a VT forum. This site is about sharing tips, vidoes and photos on travelling. It's not a site where you want to meet up with...
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