Stay safe in Rio De Janeiro
The capital of Brazil, Rio De Janeiro, is home to spectacular landscapes, friendly people, beautiful beaches, and wild parties. In a few words, Rio is an amazing metropolis where you can have a lot of fun dancing samba, eat delicious food, and learn some Portuguese. Though the residents of this mega-city are hard-working people, there are also street criminals and thieves who have chosen robbing tourists as their primary profession.
Like in every other big city in the world, in Rio, too, you should be very careful with your belongings while exploring the streets of this beautiful place.
Pick up a map
If you’re planning a trip to Rio, you need to check an internet map or a physical map of the city and the location of your hotel. Also, make a route of all the places in the city you would like to visit. Don’t wait until you arrive there and stand on a sidewalk with a map in your hands, without a slight idea where you need to go. If you look lost and confused, you’ll become an easy target for the local thieves. Every time you can, call a reliable taxi company from the reception of the place you’re staying.
Learn the language
Another thing you should do before going to Brazil is to learn a bit of Portuguese. English and Spanish will do good if you need to order a beer or to find a toilet, but that’s all. You don’t need to be fluent in Portuguese, but try to gain a basic knowledge. You will need it to move around, ask for directions, maybe report a robbery or ask for help. So, don’t be lazy and start an online course.
Look like a local
Beachwear around town is like you have a sticker note on your forehead saying: “I’m a tourist!”. The temperatures are high in Rio, but if you’re not on the beach, avoid wearing Hawaiian shirts and stick to jeans, sneakers, and a regular one-color T-shirt. You won’t be as visible to the hungry thief’s eyes. Staying out of trouble is what you need on your vacation.
Leave your iPhone at the hotel
The streets of Rio are not too friendly for iPhones. Don’t be silly, and leave it hidden in your hotel room. A city tour without your phone can be way more amusing because you won’t spend time staring at the screen. Also, you will feel safer out there knowing that you have nothing valuable on you. Don’t wear any jewelry or watches, or openly show cameras, passports or credit cards. Hide some cash in your socks and carry a color copy of your passport. You don’t need more for a night out in Rio.
Easy on the booze
Getting wasted in a foreign country is never a good idea. Take it easy with the tasty caipirinhas while dancing samba in one of the Ipanema clubs. On the way out of the club, make sure a waiter or a club manager calls a taxi for you. Be careful of what you’re consuming and don’t accept any suspicious substances that you are offered. A nightclub in Rio is just not the right place to experiment. Have fun on the dancefloor and be aware of your surroundings.
Follow these simple tips if you want to stay safe while visiting Rio de Janeiro. Don’t be paranoid or think that you will get robbed for sure because you won’t. But always be careful, no matter where in the world you are. Big cities have more street crime than small villages and that’s a fact. Have fun, take care, and good luck!
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