6 Useful Things To Know Before Travelling To Brazil
Whether you’re travelling to Brazil to relax on one of the South American country’s many stunning beaches, party at the annual carnival or take a selfie in front of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, you’ll soon discover it’s one of the world’s most captivating places.
Just make sure you take a look at the useful tips the experts at REVIEWBOX Brasil have put together before you go.
Avoid tap water
There’s nothing worse than travelling to a country packed with other-worldly landscapes like verdant rainforests, powdery white-sand beaches and thundery waterfalls, only to get sick from drinking water from the tap and limiting your sight-seeing to the hotel room instead. We recommend giving tap water a miss and filling up a reusable water bottle with filtered water.
Protect yourself against mosquitos
From sea turtles and capybara to howler monkeys, toucans and scarlet macaws, Brazil’s famed for its nature and wildlife. Yet, it’s also full of mosquitoes carrying diseases like the Zika virus, chikungunya, malaria, dengue and yellow fever. You should take steps to prevent mosquito bites, make sure you’ve had any necessary vaccinations and taken antimalarial tablets. Cover up in the evening with long sleeves, liberally apply a good insect repellent and use mosquito nets over your bed if possible.
Get used to advance payments
We can be wary about fraud, scams and generally being ripped off when we’re travelling (and at home), so it can be unsettling to be asked for your all your credit card details from a hotel receptionist. In Brazil, this is a common occurrence, as is paying for half of your hotel bill upfront when you first book your room.
Hostels take security seriously
We all want to know where we’re staying is safe and secure, but this can make some hostels hard to find. Many hostels avoid advertising on the front of the building, so before you travel, take a look through previous guests’ reviews for any helpful hints on how to find it or contact the hostel directly. The last thing you want after a long flight is to be unable to find your place to stay.
Try the street food
Brazil has some of the best street food in Latin America, and it’s well worth trying some during your travels. Usually very affordable, you can expect everything from fresh garlic shrimp skewers to the traditional Brazilian dessert, brigadeiros.
Know how to keep yourself safe
This applies to anywhere you travel to, but it’s important to know which areas in Brazil to avoid when you’re wandering around. Listen to the locals if they tell you particular streets to give a miss. Take taxis back to your hostel at night and make sure that instead of hailing a taxi off the street, you take one from an official pick-up spot only. It’s also important to use hostels that have secure lockers for you to store your valuables.
