Rio Safety Tips

As mentioned in an earlier post, safety is a major topic in Brazil and even more so, in Rio de Janeiro. We have all heard and read all those horror stories about Rio being one of the most violent and dangerous cities in the world. Yes it is true that Rio is not Kansas City, but it's far from being the war zone like as the media like to portray it. The majority of the violence is located in the favelas. So what can you and I as visitors and travelers to Rio do to ensure we have a safe time there?

First and foremost, as mentioned in a previous post, Rio is definitely not the place to show off. Quite the opposite, try to keep as low a profile as you can. Leave your jewelry, bracelets, rings, watches and expensive cell phones at home.

One thing I always do everytime I go to Rio is to always take with me 2 wallets, one old with expired library or other bogus cards in which I keep some change for what I'll need that day and another wallet, with all my IDs and credit cards that I always keep safely in the hotel's safe. When it comes to money transaction, another key thing to remember is to always keep some cash in the front pockets of your pants/shorts spread out. Make sure you know how much you have in each pocket so when you buy something, you only take what you need from your pocket. It is highly suggested not to take out your wallet in public places such as the beach, street vendors and the likes. Inside the malls or stores, no problem, but outside, be extra careful. At times, during events where there will be lots of people and you want to take a little bit more cash than needed just in case, I would also put some back up cash inside the socks I'd be wearing.

When withdrawing cash from the ATMs, try to do that strictly during the day using an ATM inside a mall or inside an actual branch. When getting the cash out of the machine, stand as close to the ATM machine as possible and take a quick look around you to ensure no one is looking at you. Then take the cash immediately and put it straight inside your front pocket or your wallet. Please do not count the cash there in public! Also, when leaving the bank branch, look around you to see if no one is looking at you and walk away fast in a confident manner. Even better, don't walk to your hotel/apart with your pockets full of the cash you just withdrew from the bank. Hop on the first cab in sight.

When in Rio, try to blend in as much as possible. To achieve that, travel light and just observe how people are dressed and dress the same way. As mentioned previously, clothing is of excellent quality in Brazil and at half the price of the cost back home. Please leave the hawaiian shirts, designer items and the likes at home. For the day to day things, a short, T-shirt and flip flops are the way to go or a simple pair of jeans along some tennis shoes are fine too. If you were to go to a nice classy restaurant or go out at night, then a long trouser with dress shirt and dress shoes are the norm.

If you have to wear a hat/baseball cap, try at least to wear one with a local brand. Wearing caps in Rio is not as common as in North America/Europe. If you are taking your digital camera with you, make sure it is well hidden. Do not carry it in your hands or worst, on your neck. Remember, this is Rio, not Kansas City. Before taking it out, take a quick look to make sure there are no shady looking people around you, take a few pics fast, then put it back in your pocket.

For getting around, cabs are a no brainer and the way to go as they are cheap and safe. Cabbing at night is a must, there's no way around it. Another good and cheaper alternative to taxis is the metro/subway. Rio has a very efficient, fast, safe subway system. Bus is another option as well, but at first, I wouldn't recommend it specially if you don't speak fluent/near fluent Portuguese, don't know Rio and the myriads of bus routes well and this is your first or second time there since it would be easy for you to end up in the wrong bus in the wrong part of town. (I will cover more in detail the subway and bus system in Rio in a future post).

Needless to say not to get too drunk, specially late at night when you're going out. Inside clubs, never leave your drinks unattended. You should never leave your drinks away from your sight at any time. And when leaving your club to return to your hotel/apart, do not walk even if it's only a block or two away. That's the perfect opportunity to get mugged! To avoid that, simply take a cab!

Following these basic common sense tips and precautions have allowed me to have so far a safe and uneventful time in my 10+ trips to Rio so far. And it's not very hard to do. Use the same common sense you would use in any major city and you would be not only fine but have the time of your life. :)