RIO de JANEIRO

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RIO de JANEIRO ADVICE and OBSERVATIONS

BRAZILIAN PORTUGESE LANGUAGE

RIO DE JANEIRO FLIGHT

• Confirm your flight at least 72 hours in advance.
• Check the luggage policy for your airline.
• Make a copy of your passport/flight itinerary/hotel reservations and leave it with someone at home. Carry an extra copy with you.
• Request an exit row seat for more legroom.
• Pack headache, airborne and other medicines in your hand luggage.
• If you have a cold or have problems with air pressure, purchase the special ear plugs for air pressure available at most airports or large pharmacies.
• Bring an eye patch for sleeping.
• Bring plenty of magazines, books, DVDs, CDs and extra player batteries for entertainment.
• Although you can get flights from Los Angeles and Dallas to Sao Paulo with a short hop over to Rio, the most flights leave from Miami and New York. Allow plenty of time for your transfer, in case of delay. 
  

COMMUNICATION

• More Internet cafes are popping up in Rio, so use the Internet and phone cards for inexpensive communication with home.  Be sure you have an e-mail account that you can use when away from home in case of an emergency.
• Only call the U.S. using your hotel's phone service if it's an emergency or money is not an issue. An average call can cost $25 to $50.

RIO DE JANEIRO HOTEL ROOMS

• Most hotel rooms are small compared to the U.S., so pack accordingly.
• Air conditioning is not available in many older hotels away from the beaches.
• English language television stations are limited (i.e., CNN, MTV).
• Confirm that the breakfast buffet is included in your room price before going to the breakfast room.
• If you need to cancel a hotel room, confirm the hotel's cancellation policy and get the cancellation in writing in order to avoid cancellation fees later.
• By American standards, downgrade their lsiting of 5, 4, and 3 star hotels by one star.

MONEY and VALUABLES

• Bring at least one ATM card and credit card from the U.S. Use the ATM card to get Reals, since they usually have a better rate than many currency exchange offices. Your ATM card should have a code of 4 digits.
• Cash is more commonly accepted than credit cards at many business establishments.
• Exchange dollars into small bills (5 Reals, 10 reals and coins), since you need small change when out and about.
• Locals don't wear money belts. If you choose to wear a money belt, you stand out as a tourist.
  
• If you don't use a money belt, place your money in hidden pockets or deep inside your bag, so that it's hard for pickpockets.
• Put only things that you are willing to lose in your visible pockets.
• When walking around Rio, carry little cash, a credit card, a driver's license and a copy of your passport with you for identification. It's easier to replace a stolen driver's license than a U.S. passport.
• Store your passport, extra money, plane ticket, list of credit card/ATM card customer service phone numbers and other valuables in the locked hotel safe.

CLOTHES and PACKING

• Buy a packing book, so that you learn how to pack efficiently.
• Pack a compact umbrella, magnifier or reading glasses for maps, and an expandable bag for souvenirs/gifts. 

MEALS

• Find the nearest grocery store and consider purchasing food for a picnic. Also, stock up on your favorite drinks, so that you don't need to buy the expensive drinks in your hotel's mini-bar.
• When dining with a mixed party (men and women), the men are usually always addressed and served first.
• Tipping in restaurants is typically 10-15%, but often the service is included. Ask your waiter (or they usually tell you when they give you the bill) beforehand if paying by credit card, because they have to add it on first.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

• Everything at the International Airport is labeled in Portugese and sometimes co-labeled in English.  With your handy phrasebook in tow, don't be afraid to ask for help while at the airport.
• If you want to experience a subway ride, only catch Linha 1 (Line 1) from Siqueira Campas station in Copacabana northboaund for up to 8 stops in downtown. Linha 1 is being extended south to Ipanema, which will also be useful to alternative.
  

MEN/SAFETY

• Compared to major U.S. cities, Rio is most similar to Miami. Women should use common sense when walking around. Sisters traveling alone should assume they are traveling in a major U.S. city and take the necessary precautions.
• Pickpockets don't fit a profile. Anyone can pick your pocket, so use care when in tourist attraction areas, using public transportation, etc.
• Seek help from official looking people only (train station agents, tourist office, tour bus drivers, airport information desk, airline employees, hotel desk clerks, etc.).
• Although its okay for brothers, sisters should not walk or jog Avenida Atlantica in Copacabana alone at night.

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS

• If it's raining, run into a cafe and relax. Don't get frustrated trying to read maps and street signs in the rain while dealing with an umbrella.
• Before leaving your hotel, check the weather report. Rio can have sunshine and rain on the same day.
• Bring plenty of anti-bacterial wipes (Wet Ones, Purell, etc.) to help prevent illness.
• Before leaving the U.S., find out if your health insurance covers an unexpected visit to the doctor in Rio and the locations of the hospitals covered by your health insurance.
• Have at least a general understanding of the metric system, as it is used for everything.
• If you are a shopper, $600 is the per person limit before you have to pay a duty on your purchase.
  
• Bring some of the books on the Rio Resources List with you on your trip.