Brazil Query?

Bullensroad

Hello There,

I am thinking of going to Brazil on a holiday do a bit of touring and stuff it is supposed to be very nice. I have some questions that i would like answered.

1. Does Irish citizens require a visa to visi Brazil?

2. Where are the nicest places to visit in terms of scenery and things to do?

3. Is the talk of all the crime a myth or is it a case that every country has bad apples that like to rob people.

Many thanks for any suggestions and answers to my queries.

Cheers,
Bullensroad.

PunyHuman

1. No visa is necessary.

2. There's enough going on in Rio to keep you busy for ages, and the Iguazu falls are a must-see. Ihla Grande, Florianopolis and Belo Horizonte are supposed to be nice too but I didn't visit them.

3. Petty crime is certainly a problem in Rio; I was mugged there. It's pot luck really, I met several people who hadn't had any problems. Just keep your wits about you.

I read recently that gun deaths in Brazil decreased to only 36,000 last year, so it's much safer now (!)

Bullensroad

Thanks for the info PunyHuman any more info from board.ie surfers would be appreciated.

Bluebells

I went to rio, belo horizonte and ouro preto (small student city from colonial times, close to belo horizonte). There was loads to do, rio was so beautifull. It was easy for me to find out things to do, places to go because I was staying with a brazilian friend.

It is dangerous so just be extra carefull and try not to look like a tourist.

No visa needed.

Bullensroad

Cheers for the info has anybody been up in the northeast the beaches and surfing supposed to be nice up in Natal and Recife?

Third_Echelon

Just back from a few weeks in Rio...

I have to say I had a great time. Rio is a little rough around the edges to say the least, but I really liked it. The beaches are amazing. The scenery is stunning and there is plenty to see there.

We had about 2 or 3 day trips out of Rio. Went to Minias Gerias, where we went white water rafting, which was excellent. On the way you pass through 'Giants Land', which is all rain foresty etc.

Headed down the 'costa verde' and did a trip around the tropical islands around there. Stunning scenery to say the least.

In Rio there is plenty to see. Sugar Loaf, Chirst Redentor etc. A few days on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches are a must. The food is really good. The pubs and nightclubs I also enjoyed. In the pubs you get a sheet and they record what you had to eat or drink over the night and you pay at the end. If you are on a budget just be careful, but Brazil is so cheap it doesn't really matter.... Bottle of beer is about €1 to €2 on average.

If you are a football fan, a trip to the Maracana stadium is a must. Tour/Museum is a little dissapointing, but you get to say you were at the Maracana at least. It was only about €4 entry fee, so you weren't ripped off at least.

With regards to security, if you are stupid you will get mugged in Rio. There were 5 of us and nothing happened to any of us. I suppose we could have been lucky, but we met an American couple on one of the tours and they got mugged on their first night there. They went down to the beach after dark, which if you read any guide book, states that this is a big no-no. But they did that and got mugged...

Don't look like a tourist and you will most likely blend in. If you stick out like a sore thumb in bermuda shorts and a hawian shirt, you are just putting a sign on your head 'mug me'. See how the locals dress in the climate and try and stick to something similar. Normally you will find that a pair of speedos and flip-flops will suffice

Dont carry a lot of cash around with you. Bring enough for that particular day/trip. Dont carry your camera in your hand. Bring a bag and put it in that. Take your picture and put it back in the bag. Just be sensible in Rio and you will be fine.

The favelas, which are the slums/shanty towns are all over Rio and border most areas, they aren't just in one area, so you should be aware of where you are and dont wander down the wrong direction. As a taxi driver said to me, 95% of the favela dwellers are decent people. Its the 5% that give them the bad name.

Don't by any means intentionally walk into a favela. They are run and policed by the drug gangs and you could find yourself in a whole lot of bother...

The safest neighbourhood would be Ipanema, which is probably the 'richest' place in Rio, which I liked I have to say. Most of the best restaurants, bars and nightclubs are in Ipanema.

I would recommend the lonely planet guidebooks for tips etc on security and for all other aspects. I got the Rio de Janeiro book for my trip and it was excellent.

If you need any more info just pm me etc...

monkeyfudge

I was in Belo Horizonte earlier in the year and had a miserable time.. ha..

but it really wasn't the city's fault... it was my girlfriend and her stupid family's fault... they live in a bubble over there so I got to see very little...

PunyHuman

Third_Echelon wrote:

With regards to security, if you are stupid you will get mugged in Rio. There were 5 of us and nothing happened to any of us.

Thanks a lot, gringo. I was mugged. Violently. In broad daylight. On the street. Right outside the Copacabana Palace.

A random, traumatising, unavoidable experience. I don`t need to be called stupid on top of it.

Third_Echelon

PunyHuman wrote:

Thanks a lot, gringo. I was mugged. Violently. In broad daylight. On the street. Right outside the Copacabana Palace.

A random, traumatising, unavoidable experience. I don`t need to be called stupid on top of it.

I wasn't referring to you as stupid or your situation. I was more referring to the couple that I met, who WERE stupid.

Of course random muggings, nothing can be done about. I'm sorry it happened to you, but I wasn't referring directly to you as stupid. I was referring to people who make themselves prime targets by not being street-smart... i.e. walking around with their camera in their hand. Pulling out wads of cash on the street etc etc..

It can be a bit dodge around the palace hotel alright. I was approached by hookers down there who were very forward. The area had that general vibe about it, that I wasn't too keen about. There was also some young girl that was trying to pickpocket me, but I knew what she was at...

She was a very bad pick pocket and made it look obvious, so no goodies for her that night...

Third_Echelon

I think it also very much depends on the demographic of your travelling group. It seems to be couples or lone travellers/tourists that are easier targets.

I just happened to be with 4 other lads, so the odds of a single person mugging any one of us in a group that size were significantly reduced. Of course if they pulled a gun, then you obviously hand over everything, but human nature tells you that you shouldn't take on 5 people...