Anyone been to Brazil? Some input please!?

Question

My friend and I are thinking of going on this 14-day Brazil tour in the Summer. Stops would be Rio, Salvador, Manaus, and and Iguazu Falls. Does that sound like a good plan?

Also, I am not too concerned about safety, really. I hear Rio is dangerous and all, but I figure if we just stay smart and react to things on insinct, we'll be okay. With that said, though, I was just curious if it's just Rio or if places such as Salvador and Manaus are also very bad in terms of crime?

What's the weather like during June?

What kind of vibe does Salvador, Bahia have? Caribbean? African? Both? Relaxing? Or busy?

Food? Better to go to supermarket chains? Are those easy to find?

Transportation? On our free days, we'll have free time to be outside of the tour group in all of our destinations. Is taxi the safe bet? I hear buses are iffy.

General precautions at the airport?

What's the general reaction towards a "Gringo"? I was at Peru this past Summer and it wasn't negative.

More tips? TY!

Answer 1

I prefer to visit Northeast than Iguazu Falls.

In Northeast, we have beautiful cities (Maceió / Recife / Natal / Forataleza), with dunes, beaches, delicius and tipical foods.

This cities are very next between the states and very cheap.

Salvador are inside Northeast. Iguazu Falls are in the South.

I know all the country. Norhteast is the better !!

Answer 2

Actually Rio de Janeiro is a dangerous city. I can't deny. But Rio is the most beautiful city of the Brazil to me. Some hoods are dangerous, but anothers aren't. The South Side is more safe.

Salvador stays in Northeast of the Brazil and it's a wonderful city. It has a diversify culture, a diversify music, because in there is the foundation of the Brazil. And it's not a dangerous city like Rio, but there are some dangerous places. Manaus is a nature city. It's the biggest of the Amazônia and it's a little dangerous. Do you have an advice? When you stay in a big city in Brazil, try to stay in the South Side of the city(it's more safely).

The weather in June is good. Calm and a little cold. If you go to Rio this epoch, in there will rain a little, if you go to Salvador is a little hot, but it rains sometimes. If you go to Manaus, in there rains very much somedays, but when stop it, it's very hot. Here will be autumn.

Remember: there are not sea beaches in Manaus, there are river beaches only. But in Salvador and Rio there are sea beaches.

The kind of vibe Salvador has is African. Because the Bahia is the region that have more black people out of the Africa in the world.

It's easy to find food in all city (all of them), but it's better you go until a supermarket, because sometimes in the streets the people can do a more expensive price than the normal because you are a foreigner.

If you go to a distant place is better to take a bus, but if it's a near place of city of the tour group is better you take a taxi. But pay attetion in the distance (sometimes the city is near too much and the price is more expensive).

Passport in the hands, nothing of metallical materials in the body. And one day before of the travel, try to sleep early because in the day the airport can be cogestioned and you will need of very patience. But try to see the security advices before to go at Internet or at  airport. Ok?

Gringo means foreigner, isn't it? We like very much of all the people of the world. But pay attetion, sometimes some people can want to use to advantage of you. But we are really cool.

I advise you to meet Fortaleza in the Ceará (Northeast of the Brazil), Florianópolis in the Santa Catarina (South of the Brazil), Brasília in Distrito Federal (Centro-Oeste of the Brazil).

Xingó is a beautiful place too. Xingó is the fifth biggest canyon of the world. It is in Canindé do São Francisco in Sergipe (Northeast of the Brazil). The canyon is beautiful because it's different of the deserts. It's beautifiul because it has the waters of the São Francisco River. Beautiful. To arrive in there you have to take here in Brazil an avion to go until the Aracaju in Sergipe. In Aracaju you take a taxi in the airport and ask to the taxist to go until the Rodoviária Nova. In Rodoviária Nova you buy a bus ticket to go to Canindé do São Francisco. In Canindé do São Francisco you take a taxi to go to Xingó Hotel. And you'll be in there, ok? To go back you make the inverse.

Ok? Best Wiishes!

Answer 3

I answered this before, but that is ok :)

If you go in the Summer you have a lot of nice things to do in Salvador and Rio de Janeiro. June is not Summer in Brazil, but it is still warm. Manaus is also amazing in my opinion, but 14 days are not enough for all these places, but I am sure you will have a lot of fun. If you are a nature lover, the Amazon rainforest and Iguacu Falls are unforgettable.

Salvador is busy in downtown, but still nice to visit. If you wanna just relax and rest, the best choice is to be in Stella Maris or Flamengo beaches. They have a lot of places not expensive.

About the safety, it is smart if you don't bring anything you can't stand to lose (expensive cameras, jewelry, passport: NEVER!!!). Try to not be alone, be alert during the day and much more in the night.

You can send me a message here and perhaps I can help you a little bit about this question.

Answer 4

Rio's always beautiful at any time of the year. I have spent many weeks there and saw nothing that was dangerous; it's like visiting New York or San Francisco (just need to be carefull) ... best places to visit are Fortaleza, Bahia, Rio. Everyone is friendly and willing to help. Airports easy and so is security.