Cities in Southern Brazil are among the safest in the country. Santa Catarina's fishing villages, such as Sao Francisco do Sul, Porto Belo, Bombinhas and Garopaba are safe destinations. Indeed, Florianópolis and other big cities, like Blumenau, Joinville or Curitiba are also safe places.
Crime. There are high levels of crime, particularly robberies, within Brazil's cities and the murder rate can be very high. This can vary greatly within a city, so familiarise yourself with the geography of a city and take local advice to identify the riskier areas.
Flying to South America is expensive because of passenger banking. Poorly explained, but it basically has to do with scheduling the flight around the arrival and departure times at US airports making the price of operating a plane on those North-South routes high compared to East-West routes.
Brazil is by no means a cheap place to live. That places Brazil as the sixth-most expensive entry in a ranking of 58 countries, tied with Italy and France, and leaving behind places known for their high living costs, such as Denmark.
Which airlines fly to Brazil? LATAM Airlines, United Airlines & American Airlines fly the most frequently from the United States to Brazil. The most popular route is from New York to Sao Paulo, and LATAM Airlines and Japan Airlines fly this route the most.
Here are 10 tips to staying safe and making the most of your trip in exciting Rio.
- Take Care At Night. Walking around alone at night is something to avoid in any city.
- Swim With Caution.
- Take Care In Favelas.
- Be Careful Cycling.
English isn't spoken widelyNot many Brazilians speak English, particularly outside Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. Brazilians are hospitable, though, and most will figure out a way to communicate.
Brazil on a shoestring budgetBrazil can be an extremely rewarding country to explore on a budget. With an average cost of around $20 USD per day, spending two weeks here totals about $280; a downright frugal adventure. Things like cafe food and public transit are cheap, and you'll never lack things to do.
Over 50 million Brazilians live in inadequate housing. In addition to urban slums, rural areas of Brazil also experience significant poverty and lack of quality housing. This means many Brazilians rural dwellers do not have access to sanitation systems like flushing toilets and running water.
Although most of Brazil is nearly as safe for women as for men, it's a good idea to keep a low profile in the cities at night and to avoid going alone to bars and nightclubs. Similarly, women should not hitchhike alone or even in groups (men or couples should also exercise caution when hitching).
Brazil has serious problems with crime. With roughly 23.8 homicides per 100,000 residents, muggings, robberies, kidnappings and gang violence are common. Police brutality and corruption are widespread.
The CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Brazil: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza. Shot lasts 2 years.
The Most Dangerous Cities in BrazilThe most dangerous areas in Rio de Janeiro are considered to be: Rocinha, which until recently hosted favela tours for tourists, but has seen a dramatic increase in crime. The Del Castilho, Bangu, Pavuna, and Cascadura neighborhoods in Zona Norte.
A valid U.S. passport. As of June 16, 2019, U.S. citizens do not need a visa if they are traveling to Brazil for tourism, business, transit, artistic or sport activities, with no intention of establishing residence. Find a Brazilian consulate in the United States.
These are countries US citizens cannot visit very easily at all!
- 01 of 05. North Korea. Gavin Hellier/Robert Harding World Imagery/Getty Images.
- 02 of 05. Iran. Paul Keller via Flickr.
- 03 of 05. Cuba. HYanWong via Wikimedia Commons.
- 04 of 05. Libya. Lucag via Wikimedia Commons.
- Saudi Arabia. Al Jazeera English via Twitter.
Mexicans and other foreign nationals with US tourist visas are not permitted to enter the United States by land, rail or sea ferry unless they can prove their trip falls under the definition of “essential travel” as described above.
Complete the visa application form DS-160. Pay the visa application fee. Present a passport or other valid travel document. If the passport is damaged, we recommend that you obtain a new passport before applying for the visa to avoid any delay in the processing of your application.
The citizens of Brazil, like many other nationalities, are exempt from getting a visa when planning a trip to Mexico for tourist reasons. Nevertheless, you are still required to purchase a Mexico tourist card.
