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I am planning a trip to Brazil later on in the year with some friends. We don't want to do the regular tourist stuff, but instead want to get a real feel for Rio (while being safe). If anyone can give me any advice, tell of their experiences, do's & don'ts or give me any info, it would be greatly appreciated.
The Botafogo neighborhood is a safe middle class area that is not very touristy yet it is not far from Ipanema or other more tourist oriented areas. I wish I had spent more time in Botafogo when I was there.
I did check out the Bar Bukowski which is located in Botafogo. Yes, a bar/club in Rio named for the U.S./Los Angeles based poet (Charles Bukowski). I didn't see many tourists here. Mostly young Brazilians enjoying music and drinks. Cool place.
Location: The edge of the world and all of Western civilization
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I stayed in Centro when I went there (Rios Nice Hotel, to be exact), and it was a pretty cool area. I loved the colonial architecture in the area and I, for the most part, felt safe while I was there. The hotel was okay, but had breakfast. I'm not too demanding in accommodations though, but it was a pretty basic room that I would say doesn't meet most American standards, but it was clean, affordable and a place to lay my head for the night. I ran into one instance in Rio where a kindhearted stranger noticed that I had something on my shoe... which isn't strange at all to have a complete stranger notice that I had something on my shoe that shouldn't be there. Obviously that was fishy, so I quickly went toward the more crowded beach and the guy disappeared. Aside from that, I had a great time there and only wish I had spend another day or two in Rio. I guess the do/don't in that is to use common sense. That situation was clearly a scam and I wasn't about to fall victim to it. Also, from Centro you can pop in and out of more touristy areas like Copacabana, Leblon, Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountain more easily. You can also access less crowded beaches like Flamengo from that part of town. Also, what I wish I knew then that I know now: you'll likely fly into GIG, and a taxi from there can be pretty expensive. You can save quite a bit of money to take the airport bus to SDU (Santos Dumont) and then take a cheaper taxi to your hotel from there.
I am going in 11/16 to 11/25. I have been to Rio twice (2009 and 2011) I had a blast 2009. It was a wash-out in 2011 (it was rainy, cloudy, etc my entire stay). 2016 will be a do-over.
Don't wear anything flashy. Nov is the start of Summer. Dress like a carioca (rio de jaineiro resident). Shorts, tee shirt and sandals. Be sure to speak a little bit of Brasilian Portuguese. Maybe do a non-credit course at a college or rosetta stone.
If you want to pick up Brasilian babes, you should rent a vacation apartment. Getting girls back to a hotel is somewhat a procedure.
A lot of activities to do in Rio:
Surfing
Kayaking
Hiking
Stand up Paddling
Brazilian Jujitsu (there is a Gracie Academy in Rio)
Skydiving
Paragliding
Scubadiving
Sugar loaf Mountain + Christ Statue (you should do a 1 day tour of these sites to get out the way)
You should visit Buzios, Ilha Grande, and Angra dos Reis.
There's no reason to avoid the tourist stuff in Rio. The sights are great and beautiful.
Go to touristic places, but it's true that there are some places that locals go that are also answome.
Beaches: Prainha and Grumari in Rio, Itacoatiara in Niterói.
These beaches are far from South Zone but are must go ones (in a sunny day, of course).
Serra dos Órgãos National Park: This is another place that not so many foreiners go. Take a guide for the Pedra do Sino trial (6 hours each direction), and also visit the subseat of the park in Guapimirim.
In the city of Rio there are others trials that you can go with guides. There's a easy one that begins in São Conrado's hang gliding ramp, that you don't even need a guide if you stay in the trail, to Pedra Bonita Rock. Amasing!! Also only for sunny days.
For rainy days there are lots of museums, cultural centers, shopping malls, etc that are touristic but also very much visited for locals too.
Just use preventive measures to keep from getting mosquito bites as the Zika virus is nasty, to the point where they have cautioned pregnant women not to travel to Brazil.
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