Blame it on Rio
Written: Feb 15 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Spectacular, exciting and perfect for budget travellers.
Cons: Is that a knife in your pocket or are you just trying to rob me.
The Bottom Line: Nerve racking, exhiliarating, sweaty and full of nutters. Just your average backpacker day out in Rio!
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| indiecater's Full Review: Rio de Janeiro |
Rio De Janeiro ranks amongst the most exotic cities in the world. It's nature attractions are world famous and its people legendary for their party tendencies. Despite being a budget friendly city it also has appeal for those on a 5 star expense account. Like most Brazilian cities it has many problems, its ghettos are to be avoided and the city's gun culture gets worse by the day.
Rio has a population of 7 million but you might be surprised to know that its cousin Sao Paulo just down the road has an enormous populace of 17 million. The city is split between the Zona Norte, the industrial and poorest area, and the Zona Sul, the playground of the wealthy. The city's most famous suburb is Cuidad De Copacabana that occupies a narrow stretch of land between the coast and the jungle. Between Copacabana and Ipanema you'll find the city's richest inhabitants. Lurking in the background are the intimidating favelas where Rio's poor are crammed side by side on the city's hillsides.
Rio's inhabitants (known as Cariocas) are a lively bunch known for there excesses come Carnival time. Outside of the celebrations they remain extremely sociable (if you can speak Portuguese or Spanish your experience will be a lot more fulfilling). Brazilians are as a rule a curious race, don't be too put off by the stares in your direction. Anyone who looks in the least bit different is scrutinised with an intensity not seen outside football stadiums. When it comes to beach attire Cariocas have no shame. Brazilians are known for their bikini's (or dental floss as it is known as there). Thongs for both sexes are the rule and a general lack of humility (many are bumpy to say the least!) is the norm down Copacabana's main shopping streets. It seems that showing off is a natural pastime. At first it's hard not laugh but after a time you start admiring the audacity and confidence with which the Cariocas go about their business.
ACCOMMODATION
The Lonely Planet Map section for the city runs to over 10 pages which gives you an idea of the hard work involved in choosing where you are going to stay. Of course many arrive in Rio on a package deal so this is not a problem. For others who arrive at the Novo Rio bus station in the Zona Norte without a clue taking taxi is the only reliable option. You can buy fixed priced taxi tokens in the station which is a good idea as overpricing is almost a hobby amongst Rio's taxi fraternity.
The cheapest areas to stay in Rio are just south of the city centre in Catete, Gloria and Lapa although the latter is a little dicey at night. We took a taxi to Catete as it seemed to have the highest concentration of cheapy hotels. Here you'll find the Hotel Monterrey (dowdy and expensive) and the Hotel Rio Lisboa (even more so) which are both ok if there is nothing else available. Monte Blanco is probably the best budget option in the area. All rooms come with a bathroom, terrestrial TV and noisy air-conditioning. Discounts are available if you are staying for a week or more although a couple of days here, while you find your feet, may be enough. The staff speak English and on the whole are helpful. Another option is Hotel Vitoria. This is a little shabby with a warren of rooms scattered down several badly lit corridors. It gets recommendations in several guidebooks but from what we saw it should only be taken as a last resort. When we were had a look it seemed to be overflowing with backpackers with no sense of smell.
If you are staying for a week or two and are travelling with others then renting an apartment is the best value for money. Copacabana is the most obvious location with its tower blocks and proliferation of rental agencies. Prices in low season (outside high season between December and February) are very reasonable compared to what the hostels or cheap hotels charge. The only drawback is that you don't get to meet many other travellers this way.
As you look for a place to stay there are a few things you need to look out for. First of all get a room with air-conditioning because Rio can get very sticky. When we stayed in early summer (late November) temperatures in the low 40's were not uncommon. Security is also very important, stories of thefts from hotel rooms and apartments are ten a penny. Look for good locks and in-house security before you decide on a place.
TRANSPORT
Rio impressive, yet not all encompassing, Metro is a great way to get around the narrow coastal stretch of land where the city is built. It serves both the Zona Sul and Zona Norte areas and is an efficient way to see the main highlights of the city. Fares come in the form of singles, duplo (return) or weekly but there are no discounts for multi-journey fares. The Metro is undoubtedly the safest method of transport but its limited routing means that it is not enough to get you everywhere.
There seems to be more buses that any other vehicle in Rio. They are the fastest way to get from A to B but travelling on them carries a warning. Make sure you have a good hold of your belongings. Fares are fixed (costing between R$1.30 and R$1.50) so it doesn't matter how far you travel. Some routes offer air conditioned rides but for the majority an open window is the only way to cool down. 'Real' bus company services many of the tourist routes and offers a superior air conditioned service. They go to the airport, bus terminal and many of the shopping malls dotted around the city. At R$4 (just over a Euro) they are great value for money but can be difficult to flag down as they don't have predefined stops.
It makes sense to look for the fixed price taxi hatch if you are arriving into Novo Rio bus station. Overcharging taxi's are common so even if you can't manage to get a fixed price one make sure the meter is running. At $R10 for 2 to the budget hotel area of Catete the fixed price taxi's make great sense. At the hatch you are given a coupon with the charge to go to your destination. This coupon is the only thing between you and much lighter pockets.
Another alternative that we managed to avoid were the omnipresent white vans that patrol the streets. These vehicles are geared for locals but their destinations are usually clearly marked on the front windscreen. Climbing aboard may end being an experience in itself. Whether it is one you would want to remember is another issue.
ATTRACTIONS
The best starting point if you've just arrived in Rio would be to drop into one of the city's Riotur tourist offices. Here you'll be met with excellently informed english speaking staff willing to let you in on Rio's best kept secrets as well as the 'must sees'. You'll find Riotur just off Copacabana beach on Av. Princesa Isabel and inside the airport and Novo Rio bus station.
Rio positively overflows with things to do and places to see. It would be easy to fill a fortnights stay in the town and surprisingly most things can be done adequately on a shoestring budget. The city's most recognisable sight is Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), that world famous statue of Christ on the hunchback mountain of Concovado. Any visit to Rio must include a visit to this icon. To get there just hop on a 583 local bus from Copacabana (take the 584 back, costs R$1.30 each way). To get the top of Concovado you need to take the 20 minute cog train (R$25 return) that often speeds up at near right angles (a cheaper option, but one that lacks imagination is to take a taxi to the top). Once at the summit the panoramic views of the Maracana stadium, the lagoon, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the Sugarloaf, city racetack and Tijuca National Park are breath taking (chose a clear day). The famous status measures 28 foot across and is smaller that you would think (postcards deliberately make it look bigger). It is quite a strange feeling standing beneath one of the worlds icons, a little bit of a letdown actually.
Pao De Acucar is another of Rio's postcard friendly icons. Also known as the Sugar Loaf it can only be accessed by a 75 person cable car. Situated in Guanabara bay it offers unequalled views of the Copacabana metropolis but really comes into its own at night. A return fare on the cable car costs just R$20 and departs from the bus serviced Praia Vermelha. Take local bus 512 from Copacabana for the short ride to Urca where the cable car departs.
There are 2 ways to get to see a game at the biggest stadium in the world, the Maracana in Rio's Zona Norte. The daring would go it alone, knowing full well that the metro stops (in saying that on Sundays, when most games are played, it is closed) in the general vicinity. You then get to mix it with Brazil's passionate supporters while trying and eek out a ticket (at a capacity of 120,000 it is rarely full so this should not be a problem). For the less adventurous (and at about 10 times the cost) you can pay a tour company R$50 to lay on transport to and from the game, a guide and 'safe' tickets to the game. This is handy if you plan to bring a camcorder or expensive camera as it is noticeably safer travelling in a group. There are numerous agencies throughout the city who cater for this trip. We booked our tour through the efficient, if a little brusque, Brasil Italia Turismo Ltda. at 300 Av. N. S. Copacabana.
Our stay in Rio coincided with one of the biggest games in the Brazilian football calendar. Rio's Fluminese were to take on Sao Paulo's Corinthians in the first leg of the semi-final of the championship. The game was played at a pedestrian pace, not surprising considering the 48C heat. We were seated under an overhead stand so as to avoid any falling objects that worked up fans are known to throw (live chickens being the most memorable). The stadium is surprisingly compact considering its capacity but when the goals to start fly in the atmosphere is special. Surprisingly there was little or no samba action but when Romario hit the winner for the home side euphoria was revealed in several thousand bare chested pogoing locals.
Nestling on the wings of Rio is the Tijuca National Park, a mecca for walkers. There are miles and miles of well signposted tracks throughout the 100 square kilometers of dense greenery and hills. Getting to it is not very difficult as it is accessible from all the main tourist areas.
Rio's heart is easily found by taking the Metro to either Cinelandia or Carioca stops. Rio Branco is the main thoroughfare but its the streets around it where you'll find Rio's true spirit. The main attractions in town are the grand National Library, the eloquent Museum of Fine Arts and Teatro Municipal as well as the astonishingly ornate Cathedral.
There are any number of tours you can take that are laid on by the travel agents spread throughout Rio's tourist centers. The most popular evening excursion is to visit a Samba School. Costing about R$40 these evenings are not exactly authentic (according to the locals, although you'd hardly guess) and are probably cheaper if you venture out on your own steam. Favela tours are increasingly being added to itinerary's but this is one journey you cannot do alone. See 'City Of God' for all the persuasion you need.
THE BEACHES
Copacabana is perhaps the most famous beach in the world. It's wide expanses of sand, crowds of skantily clad patrons and lively night scene means it reputation has endured for generation after generation. There is downside, however. This is the likeliest place in the city where you'll meet with Rio's criminal side. It can be a little tricky when the sun goes down as the walking banks (us) become more and more attractive to the wrong elements. Sunday is the best day to get a true taste of the Copacabana spirit, it is hectic. The streets are closed down to traffic and so joggers, dog walkers and semi nude beach goers flock to the area. There are often free gigs laid on by the city authorities such as the Pao Music concerts which host Gilberto Gill amongst others. If reggae is not your thing then you can marvel at the foot volleyball that often defies description with skill levels not yet dreamed about back home.
Ipanema (you know the song 'Girl from Ipanema') is a swanky suburb that boasts a better beach than Copacabana and a more laid back atmosphere. It also feels safer which means that on weekends every grain of sand hosts a different soul. The beach is divided up by different lifeguard posts. Posta No 9 is where the beautiful people (or at least the people who think they are beautiful) hang, just down from it Rio's gay population comes out to play (complete with Rainbow flag) and a bit further down you'll get high as the hippies fill their pipes with the sort of stuff the Happy Mondays craved for years. Eye opening, mind expanding, body cooling it all adds up to a walk you'll never forget.
Besides these 2 institutions Rio's coastline is dotted with beach after beach that varies in both the quality and crowded stakes. For many including ourselves, Copacabana and Ipanema offer enough beach life to deter further forays.
SHOPPING
Rio has a number of outdoor markets that fall short of what you'll find elsewhere in South America. Most are tourist driven and adopt the safe approach of peddling souvenirs, crafts and T-shirts. This is great if you are shopping for presents to bring home but they become tiresome after a time. The most celebrated market in the Zona Sul is Ipanema's Sunday Hippie Fair. Here there are bucket loads of leather goods, wooden souvenirs and other cheap tourist tack. On the whole it is too small to be worth visiting unless you are in the area. On the plus the food stalls are varied and the cheapest in this relatively expensive area.
Elsewhere there are small markets all over Copacabana as well as the ubiquitous (and impromptu) stalls that have an never ending one eye trained on the police. For value for money the Uraguayan market just off Rue Alfandega in the city center is much more appealing (to this short of change backpacker anyway) than the soulless Galeria's on Rio Branco and Av. N.S. Copacabana. That said the C & A department store has fabulous bargains.
Rio Sul is a huge shopping mall a short walk from Leme beach (you have to go through the noisy Copacabana tunnel). It was the first mall to hit Rio and boasts 4 floors of glitzy shops and several department stores. There is a cheap 4 screen cinema on the 4th floor and there are plenty of fast food joints. Rio Sul is great if you are looking for brands at knockdown prices but its bland atmosphere and hordes of well dressed Cariocas may put off budget conscious travellers (the free air-conditioning should not be missed though!). Despite this the 'Renner' and 'Taco' stores have a good range of value for money lines.
Rio Off Price Mall is a major disappointment. It is just around the corner from Rio Sul but the 3 minute walk is hardly worth the effort apart from its ok food hall. Rio Off Price has only 1 level and many of the small units have irregular opening times. There are no price differentials here than elsewhere so it's best to ignore the alluring name. Botafogo Praia Shopping near the Botafoga Metro has 8 levels of shopping but hardly differs from Rio Sul except that its smaller. There are some bargain clothes shops but the quality here is quite low. On the 8th floor there is a food hall and 4 screen cinema. Decidedly upmarket Casino Shopping on Av. Copacabana is a mall exclusively for the well healed and heaving of cash. Mostly made up of jewellery stores and expensive travel agents it holds an all day Antique Fair every Saturday that adds a tiny bit to its drab appeal.
If you really want to go shopping in Rio then the place to head is Barra with its endless malls such as the New York center which as you would expect has a heavy north American influence. The only problem with Barra is that is badly serviced by public transport (the metro does not go that far) so may only appeal to the determined shopper.
EATING OUT
Rio is one of the best places in the world for putting on a few pounds (and sweating them off as you walk home in the blazing heat!). The chance to gorge oneself 'Christmas like' is easy. For a set price many places allow you to eat until you turn into an Augustus Gloop like character. All you have to pay for is what you drink, many have salad bars and will cook your choise of meat on the spot. These operations are often called Churrascaria's or Rodizio's.
Mochique at 796 Av. Copacabana is a typical rodizio that is prevalent throughout town. Their R$10.90 deal offers an all-you-can-eat-buffet and is fabulous value for money. Every few minutes great slabs of meat are offered to anyone who can stomach anymore. You are a given a small sign that says 'Stop' on one side and 'Go' on the other. This means that you will be continually offered different cuts of meat while you are switched to 'Go'. The buffet offers salads, breaded chicken, fritters, lasagne and lots of other appetizers. An alternative to the all-you-eat-buffet are the numerous Per Kilo restaurants down Av. Copacabana. The best one is the Temperate chain who combine good value for money with great food quality. Here you can pay anything from R$1 to R$3 per kilo.
If like many tourists you end up renting an apartment you can vary your eating style by self catering. There are lots of supermarkets such as Super Ex (their fresh bread rolls are exquisite) that are reasonably cheap and situated on all the main thoroughfares.
ENTERTAINMENT
Rio's famed nightlife may be a little overstated outside of Carnaval but there is usually a huge choise of nightspots to fill most nights. Just be careful because the instances of muggings amongst drunken backpackers is worryingly common.
Being such a huge country it's not too surprising to find a large variety of beers available. The suitably monikered Skol is probably the most popular. 'A Cerveja Que Desce Redondo' it says and only the sozzled amongst us would argue. Another brand called Antartica is also very popular if a little impossible to pronouce in Portuguese without elaborate tongue gymnastics. Despite its name you can find warm varieties of it throughout town. Brahm is another popular beer, it has enough to stoker most thirsts and place a stake in your drinking heart!
'Paddy Fla's' is a tiny pub just off Av. N. S. Copacabana on Rue Carvalho that is blessed with a charm that you don't normally find outside of Ireland. On Friday and Saturday nights there is a cover charge of R$4 but the live music (on the tiniest stage in the world) is ace. With cocktails and chopps (small glass of beer) going for R$2.50 staying sober is not an option. 'Paddy Fla's' sister pub Shenanigans in Ipanema (Rue main street) is a flashier affair. Entry is through a downstairs door which leads to the comfy if a little sterilised pub upstairs. This place is really lively at the weekend but prices are in line with many of the late night clubs.
On the nightclub front Copacabana is where it is at. 'Bunker 54' has a great reputation with backpackers. With 3 levels of different music styles it gets busy from Wednesday to the weekend. 'Help' is perhaps the most famous club and is popular with tourists and locals alike. This means that you have to be especially careful when you leave it as muggings are common (hence the name Help, nah!). Dance music is the speciality here and its clientele are predominantly young. It is situated just off the beach on Av. Atlantica.
For a more restful drink there are several temporary bars all along Av. Atlantico that are perfect for a view of beach activities and the comings and goings at the swanky hotels across the street. Be prepared for a bit of hustling from the local can collectors (and there are loads of them, who are friendly on the whole) and the odd beady eye on your belongings. For this reason its best not to carry anything of value, just enough for a few beers. There are no public toilets in the area so if you have to, use one of the nearby hotels. Never try to offload on the beach as you'll be more vulnerable to thieves, it happened to one of our party as we sat drinking just 100 metres away!
The 'Canecao' arena beside Rio Sul Shopping Centre in Botafogo is great for shows. In a modern arena there are many price levels with the top tickets selling for R$25. We went to the 'Samba Tem MPB no Samba' which was dubbed as a showcase for 'modern samba artists'. Although we really enjoyed it, it turned out to be a night of local teeny bop crooners. By the end we'd seen enough white suited heavy jewelled singers to last a lifetime. 'Canecao' has a public bar and food and the waiter service is excellent. As you'd expect prices are a little higher than average.
The 'Allegro Cafe' in Loja Modern Sound mega shop at 502 Rua Barata Ribeiro is a classy affair. It is perfect if you feel pooped after an evenings browsing for expensive imported music. There is a huge choise of music on offer but for the poorer traveller it may prove to be eye candy only. The 'Allegro Cafe' itself is on a elevated floor and has a daily music program that veers from easy listening to eclectic jazz sessions.
The most popular tourist shows take place the Platform shows in Leblon. Not exactly authentic according the locals but you get to chose from a lavish buffet and there is transport there and back. At R$115 per person it works out much more expensive than going it alone. A cheaper option that is well recommended locally is held at Ipiranga 54 in the Laranjeirs suburb. Local bus 573 stops nearby and passes through Copacabana. You'll find plenty of locals and the best food in all of Rio. Sunday nights are dedicated to Samba and put the Platform shows to shame.
WHERE TO NEXT?
Well if the Copacabana and Ipanema wasn't enough for you then you could always head north to Porto Allegro where the beaches grow on trees. Despite our guidebooks efforts to keep us from 'expensive' Florianapolis 18 hours south of Rio we were not be persuaded. When we arrived in mid-November the place was just about to kick off its summer season (December to February). With half priced rooms aplenty we ended up staying for nearly 3 weeks. Florianopolis is a funny sort of town with its industrial wing on the mainland and the more touristic end on the beautiful island of Santa Catherina. There are dozens of beaches on the island and most are worth the trip by local bus.
We spent a week on the North Coast at Canaverias and just under 2 weeks on the much prettier East coast resort of Ingles. That said filthy effluent still poured openly into the sea (the concrete pipes were not even disguised). The water was far cleaner at Praia Santanio which can only accessed by walking over a series of sand dunes. With little or no hotels in the area it is an ecological bathers dream. It's remoteness means that you can often have a square kilometre of beach to yourself.
Florianapolis' bus station has many estate agents that can set you up with an apartment, otherwise you could just chose a resort and get one yourself. At $R30 a night it is for nothing. The Allguel Apartments have very friendly owners Amandio and Rosilda. Their number is (48) 99982421.
Campo Grande is the gateway to the Pantanal. The Pantanal has the best access to wildlife on the continent. Typical 3 night/2 day tours from Campo Grande cost around $US100 but you've got to be very careful in choosing a tour operator. We went with Pantanal Discovery who are based in the Campo Grande bus station and our less than enjoyable experiences meant that we cut our tour short by a day. Despite the disappointment we got to see alligators, Capy Varas, Monkeys and Deer. The tour included a stint of Piranha fishing and an afternoons horse riding. With all this its difficult to see how we could have felt so let down. It was just that the guide we had just wasn't all that interested in making our time in the Pantanal all that memorable. Other places to visit in the area include Bonita that has the best snorkelling in the country and the truly awesome Foz De Iguazu waterfalls (a mere 14 hour bus journey away!).
MISCELLANEOUS
Despite what you might thing logging on to the Internet is pricey in Rio. The main cafes include the ridiculously overpriced Tudo Facil on Av. N. Sra De Copacabana. At $R2.50 for the first 15 minutes it is off most backpackers budget. On the plus side they offer cheap phone calls over the internet at R$1 per minute to most European countries. The cheapest internet cafe can be found on Av. Copacabana called Inter Games which charges $3 per hour. The fact that it offers no access to some sites and the staff get baffled at the easiest of requests won't put most off.
With the intense heat and humidity you'll likely come across the odd hundred cockroach, but thankfully mosquitos are in short supply (and I'd swop the crunch of a roach for the itch of a bite anyday). Heat exhaustion is a distinct possibility and Rio's enormously stretching jungles of concrete can make city walking akin to safari's through the Sahara. Bottled water is available on every corner and is inexpensive and is indispensable if you want to remain conscious.
One of the biggest hurdles when travelling to Rio is trying to surpass the language difficulty. Portuguese is a difficult language to grasp and the speed with which locals dispel words you'll often only catch the last syllable uttered. However, that is the joy of travel and you'll find yourself making much use of body language and signaling. Thankfully Brazilians are a very visual people so once you make a passable movement they'll try and understand what you require.
To the uniniated Rio can be a bit of an eye opener (and for many a pocket opener). The city is among the most scenic in the world but it is unlikely that will spend time here without witnessing some of the crime that ravages the city. Thankfully the worst of the violence is contained within the favelas that climb up the city's hillsides. That said, most visitors will feel lucky if they come away without having being mugged or at least pick pocketed. The best advise is to be always on your guard and keep valuables back at your hotel. Only carry the minimum amount of cash, although it is always useful to have some ready in case you are approached by a knife wielding mugger. We were victims to an extent ourselves. Our apartment was given the once over (incredibly, just 2 Irish football jerseys were taken) for valuables. We knew it was an inside job as the door was locked when we got back. That said we felt that for a 3 week stay we got away lightly.
Rio was the last stop on our 15 month round the world trip. Since writing this we have returned to normality. Looking back it was probably the scariest place we visited, this left a bit of a bad taste. There is much more to Brazil than Rio so next time we're back (and we will) Natal, Salvador and the beaches south of Porto Seguro will be programmed into our compasses. Now where's the job section of the Irish Times.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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indiecater
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Location: Ireland
Reviews written: 64
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I now write at http://mp3hugger.com
It's an indie mp3 blog don't you know.
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