| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Mon February 6, 2012 04:34 PM UTC
if it were me I would concentrate to solve question #2 forgetting #3 because you're going to Rio on the busiest and most expensive week-end, it's Carnival.
try to get an accomodation and forget to pay only 25-60US$ per night if you want to go safely close to clubs & bars, walking, ... ....
| Was this reply helpful? | yes  | no  |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Mon February 6, 2012 06:29 PM UTC
1. you will be as safe as your common sense makes you. Being an African American woman, you will look quite like many locals, so you will not stick out at all. It is then about how you carry yourself or where you go that would attract attention.
2. The main tourist and safe areas are Copacabana and Ipanema. However they are also the most expensive.
3. Looking during Carnival for $60US a night may not be easy. Start at the cheapest hostels you can find and work your way up. Many have been booked for months.
4. The food is good and safe here. Good meats, bbq, lots of rice and beans. Obviously there's a bit of everything, but just let your nose do the work.
5. Bars and clubs are ubiquitous in Copacabana, Ipanema and Lapa. Some of the streets may not be the safest place to be at the late hours, but the bars and clubs are always happening. Just try not to bring purses, bags, etc. that can get nabbed.
6. Taking photos is not an issue in the majority of the tourist areas. If you go into the favelas (slums) or back streets, that's when you want to exercise caution. Just make sure your camera is securely stashed when you're not using it.
7. If you get a hotel, they can pre-book a taxi for you. Otherwise, upon arrival you can also get a prepaid taxi from the airport to center for ~B$50. If you opt not to get a prepaid taxi from the kiosks in the airport, the taxi queue outside may be long, but the meter price may be a bit less. Taxis only take cash.
8. Too many places to mention. What do you like? If you want to go to the Sambodromo for the parade, you must book now since prices will skyrocket and availability will not last forever. (I don't have the official link now, but do a search for "Sambodromo tickets")
9. If you brought cash, there are money exchange offices in the airport and almost every block in the central city. If you use a card for ATM withdrawals, banks are likewise never more than a block or two apart. I've never had a problem with ATM's here, but do exercise common sense. Note that some ATM's charge ~B$17 fee on top of what your bank may, but not all ATM's charge.
10. Never hired a guide, but I know there are lots of them out there.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Mon February 6, 2012 07:31 PM UTC
1. Is it safe to travel there as a single African American woman?
Yes, definively yes.
2. What location in RIO would you recommend to stay?
The best place is near to South Zone, like Copacabana, Leme, Ipanema. But as near as you are by South Zone the more expensive it is.
3. What hotel would you recommend that are clean, safe, reputable and not so expensive looking to spend about $25-60 per night?
$25-60 ? Forget !!! because it's Carnival.
For this price you can try hostel, but I can not guarantie any of those :clean, safe, reputable...
http://www.hostelworld.com/hostels/Rio-de-Janeiro?source=adwordsrio&kid=454726&aid=2&gclid=CPjGyKyNiq4CFQ5U7Aod62Xb4Q
4. Where or what foods do you recommend?
It depends what you like, we have here, everything , international cuisine style.
5. Is safe to go to any night clubs or bars for cocktails?
Yes, depends on wich night clubs. Also there are a lot of public spaces, bars, restaurantes in front of the beach, etc... where is safe go around for coktails, You will find a lot of Americans doing this.
6. Is it safe to video or take picture in public?
Yes, but remember: you always will look like a tourist, so donīt worry about your safety, but take care you photo camera (donīt live it alone, and hold it tight in crowdy places)
7. How do I go about booking taxi for pick up from airport?
At the GIG Airport, you will find several companies where you can pay by Credit Card, and the price is done by destination, it is pre-paid, that way, you donīt need to pay the driver. From Airpot to Copacabana, for example, it costs 35 u$. There also a bus , very, very cheap.
http://www.rentanapartmentinrio.com/galeao.html
8. What are some must see places to visit while in RIO?
a lot, but depends on what you like.
9. Where should you change over your money and are there ATM's accessible.
HSBC, Citybank, BRADESCO, ...
10. Can you hire a tour guide?
of course, google a little bit or ask at the hotel staff.
I recomend you, read Forums and Rio destinations guide on VT.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Mon February 6, 2012 07:44 PM UTC
1: yes absolutely as long as you use general common sense.
2: Best part of Rio to stay is Ipanema in my opinion.
3: Can not really answer that.
4: Churrasco for sure. Brazilian Barbeque when itīs at itīs best. The north east brazilian fish dish "moqueqa de peixe" is also very good.
5: You are safe in the bars and clubs as long as you stay away from the strip joints, but what would you want to do there anyway?
Ordinary brazilian clubs are totally fine, but take a taxi home when you leave the club.
6: Taking photos in public is fine.
The brazilians do that themselves all the time and generally loves being photographed.
7: At the airport you can get a taxi at the exit and they are generally fine.
If you want to save money then there is an airport bus too that takes you to all the main hotel areas in Rio and that is totally safe and an ok choice.
8: There are many places and i am sure someone else will come with good answers here.
9: ATMīs are very coomon in Rio and you have them at the airport too at the secodn floor when you arrive.
10: Yes you can, but be cafreful about hiring people without license as they are usually not very good and a waste of money.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Mon February 6, 2012 08:41 PM UTC
About item 7
-At the GIG airport there are severals taxi cooperative (special taxis) that is offering you the service as soon as you arrive, the rate is pre set and the value is too high. I just call two of them: Cootramo and Transcoopass, and the price from GIG to Copacabana is 99 reais, more or less 55 US.
-about ordinary taxi: If you go out and catch a common taxi, it will be half of the price and do not worry, because you literally do not leave the airport, only out of facilities in the first door you pass will have taxi. Usually the price is half of special cooperative taxis.
-as I said, there is also a bus every 30 to 40 minutes interval, very cheap, start time 5:30 am until 11:00 pm (I just call them to verify the schedule working hours )
-common taxis and buses only take cash.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Mon February 6, 2012 10:20 PM UTC
TROLL alert????? Can any real poster be this clue-less?
"2.What location in RIO would you recommend to stay?
3. What hotel would you recommend that are clean, safe, reputable and not so expensive looking to spend about $25-60 per night? "
If you are seriously suggesting that you don't yet have a place to stay for Carnaval, I would seriously recommend cancelling your plane tickets.
(Note: Cheapest accomodations, hostel dorm bunk beds, back in June when there was some choice, are about R$1000 for the 7 night package (U$83/night)this year. Cheap basic pousadas run well over U$100/night in 'regular' high season, but not at Carnaval.)
Good luck sistah.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Tue February 7, 2012 03:42 AM UTC
Ah since these are the same questions you asked Sat Feb 4 about traveling to Mumbai, I'm guessing you gave up on that trip and are now thinking about Rio. You got some pretty good answers. I will answer however that I wouldn't stay in Lapa, I would only stay in Leblon or Ipanema for safety sake b/c I felt fine walking around there at night even. As for hotel, better even would be to try and rent an apartment.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Tue February 7, 2012 10:34 AM UTC
OK first I want to start of by saying I am not a troll nor clueless!!!!
I am asking these questions because I am traveling by myself to a country that I never travel to before!!!!!
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY POSITIVE INFORMATION THEN PLEASE BY ALL MEANS THEN LEAVE YOUR NASTY COMMENTS TO YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I do understand that Carnaval takes place around this time so I will have to pay more noney for the hotel stay.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Tue February 7, 2012 10:39 AM UTC
I will be traveling to Mumbai however I have pushed my trip dates back due to my scheduling issues but I am still traveling to Mumbai very soon!!!
And yes I am thinking about going to Rio instead. I have the liberty to travel around the world for free so I able to make changes at the last minute.
Thanks for your information!!
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Tue February 7, 2012 11:04 AM UTC
well... I did not think you're a troll.. just you surely might have thought to go there without knowing what it really happen there during Canaval and before anything else, where to stay is the first problem to solve it. When I wrote that I did not checked any fares but I was sure the budget you wrote it was too little NOW I did check it.....
Firstly let's say that who recommended cancelling your plane ticket, really meant seriously.
I just had a check, the matter of fact is if you want a good hotel at Ipanema, from 18th till 24th, THE FEW ROOMS still available would cost a lot of money. At this moment the lower rate is 4,225 USD!! for Everest Rio Hotel for the last room left. A week in at Tower Residence more than 5,000USD.
this only for sleeping....
have a nice trip :)
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Tue February 7, 2012 02:19 PM UTC
"Now I do understand that Carnaval takes place around this time so I will have to pay more noney for the hotel stay."
But what you do not seem to understand is that hotels fill up *completely* well in advance (like in June/July, with full rate paid in advance to book) and right now it would be VERY DIFFICULT to find a space at any price. What is likely to be left is either in poor condition, overly expensive even for that time, or very far from where you'd ideally want to stay.
I am sorry if you took offence, but it seems to me to be so extremely naive not to have done some research online and to understand these factors well in advance that only a troll might post such questions.
My suggestion then would be to get on the phone personally with some properties that interest you in order to ascertain which of them might still have vacancies. I would also recommend booking the first one that does have space, at any price or location. If not, camping on the beach or traipsing around in the current heat wave for the whole of day one is not likely to be fun, but could be a reality. You will not find even a hostel bunk for less than I posted above; the rate you quote hardly exists even at regular high season.
My best advice is still to desist for this year and start planning early for Carnaval 2013.
A good informational site for a lot of your other questions is www.ipanema.com including must-see places.
You will be able to go to clubs, take photos and circulate freely, using some street smarts, of course. There will be street parties and you might want to try to buy a ticket for the iconic Sambodromo parades on Sunday and Monday.
Taxis are available outside the airport terminal, or by pre-paying a bit more when solicited inside the terminal.
ATMs are allover town. Don;t use the pnes inthe airport though; they've had problems recently with cloning. The ones in a bank lobby are safer, IMO.
The good tour guides will already be booked up, but the city is easy to get around in on your own by taxi (or metro/bus).
Best wishes for whatever you decide.
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
| Rio de Janeiro |
Re: TRAVELING TO RIO FEB 2012 AND I NEED SOME INFO!! THANKS Posted: Tue February 7, 2012 03:31 PM UTC
I appreicate all your input and advice, however this is kind of a last mintue travel plans to Rio due to the fact i have the liberty to fly for free. I did in up getting a very nice hotel in the heart of Rio that one of my friends set up for me. I always do my research before traveling anywhere i go. I put these questions on this forum to get more information/different than I already had. I am well aware that Rio is a very well travel place & people book well in advane for Carnaval just like other countries I have traveled to for Carnaval. Thank you & have a wonderful day!
| Was this reply helpful? | yes | no |
|
|
[Reply]
|
