Rio’s Do’s & Don’ts

The Brazilians
The 6 million cariocas – this is how the citizens of Rio refer to themselves  - are known for their zest for life, which can be witnessed especially impressively by visitors during carnival time. The relaxed party mood  – naturally always supported with pulsating music and high decibel sociability  -  can sometimes only be blocked out by earplugs. Brazilians are interested in others and open. So if you know a few phrases in their language it could open some doors for you into the world of the cariocas.  For visitors eager to communicate, it may happen that they are spontaneously invited home into the apartment of a family. But this invitation should only be taken seriously if it’s made repeatedly and specifically. It’s not necessary to arrive punctually for this kind of invitation, although within Brazil the buses, airplanes and business partners are indeed punctual. So let yourself be captured by the Brazilian zest for life! 

Tippingg
When eating out in Brazil, you are expected to tip the servers 10% (servicio or atendimento). Sometimes the service charge is automatically added to your bill, and then it will say servico incluido, or if no service is charged it will say nao incluido . Yet a satisfied guest should in any case add a 5 - 10% tip to the bill, even if this is not a strict requirement. 

As well, the hotel pages in Rio also expect a small tip, as do hairdressers or beauty salon workers. Gas station attendants and taxi drivers round off their amounts in Rio.  

Driving & Rental Carss
For many guests at our apartments, the traffic situation in Rio is at first quite confusing. If you are mainly staying in Rio, it is not recommended to rent a car. Very often there are traffic jams and car theft is unfortunately more the rule than the exception.  It goes without saying that you should never leave any valuables in your car! If you want to rent a car to visit the areas outside of Rio, you will need an international driving license and a credit card.  

For visitors, it’s also often not so easy to cope with the traffic chaos of Rio. Many visitors think that the pretty red-yellow-green lights located at intersections must be meaningless. The fact is that even the police advise drivers not to stop at red lights at night if you can avoid it, because there is a danger of carjacking. If you are a guest at our apartments in Rio and wish to use a car, first ask about a parking spot. Many of our apartments in Rio have parking spaces, although it’s not specifically mentioned, because most of our guests prefer to use taxis or public transportation.  

Dressing when going out and on the beach
In Rio, even in high class hotels, nobody expects much more than light sporty clothing. Even if you prefer to dress well, your choice of clothes should not signal that you are well-off and you should avoid wearing expensive jewelry and watches. In Rio’s Sao-Bento monastery church, men wearing shorts are not allowed entry, but this strict dress code is more of an exception in the city of Rio. Some Rio discotheques also have specific dress codes. Sandals and shorts are prohibited in most clubs and discos and are only accepted in open air bars. Even if Brazilians like to show off their assets and you can see many buff rear ends on the famous beaches of Rio, topless bathing is not widespread and is often so strictly prohibited that the police might intervene. On the famous city beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, going topless is not allowed, although the very tiniest bikini is acceptable. 

Crime
In the poor areas surrounding Rio -  the favelas – you’ll find millions of people living who continually experience that the beauty of the mountains and white sand beaches does not feed them. An environment of criminality sadly arises from social necessity. Rolex watches and gold jewelry that’s a decoration for one person,  might a few seconds later be securing another person’s long term needs for making a living. It is therefore recommended not to create social envy and demonstrate your social wealth. Crime remains a problem on the streets of Rio and there are certain rules which you should follow to avoid becoming a victim. A stronger police presence has reduced the level of attacks greatly in recent times, however. 

Here is a clear list of some of the rules that you should follow in order to enjoy your holiday in Rio: 

• Please use your apartment safe. Leave your valuable documents in your apartment and when outside carry only a copy of your ID in case you are asked to show it. Do not carry too much cash with you. 
• If you like to wear jewels, gold, platinum or diamonds, do not bring your own with you. These kinds of items can be easily purchased in Rio, but you should not wear them on display prominently. Lock your purchases in your apartment safe and open up your packages when you return home. (If you wish to buy jewelry, do not forget to bargain and watch out with whom you do business.)
• Do not go alone into the favelas and avoid dark and lonely areas at night. 
• Do not hang cameras or camcorders on your shoulder. If you bring along an expensive camera or laptop, think about taking out insurance. 
• When in restaurants, hide away cell phones, purses and other easy-to-steal items so that no one can grab them and take off.
• Never leave or bring ANY valuables to the beach, even if you think you have your eye on them. The street children of Rio are faster than you. 
• Take a taxi instead of a public bus. The taxis are quite cheap. If you take a bus, keep exact change ready to avoid taking out your wallet and fishing around for money. 
• Do not accept drinks from strangers and never leave your drink unattended. In Rio, tourists can be tricked with “Good night cinderella“: spiking drinks with sleeping pills to make it easier to rob them. 
• If someone spills something on you or gets you dirty and someone else offers to help you, be very careful because his or her partner can use the distraction as a trick to rob you. 
• Don’t get involved with the drug scene and avoid “pitboys“, muscled young men who cluster in groups and have nothing else to do but create a fight for no reason.
• If you experience problems with the police, do not offer any bribery money, because this could be taken as an insult.  You may be asked to pay them off – this is not the most moral way, but sometimes just the easiest thing to do. You can also ask what is the highest fine for what you have committed.
• Should you still experience problems in Rio despite taking these precautions, then do not resist and do not provoke violence.
• If you are robbed and pickpocketed, and want to report it to the police, go to the  DEAT tourist police in Leblon. You will only get help at other police stations, if you speak Portuguese. 
• Of course we help support our apartment renters if they encounter difficulties in Rio. And be assured that despite the long list of precautions, it is still very, very rare to experience serious difficulties.