Things Not To Do In Rio De Janeiro

Things Not to Do in Rio de Janeiro

I was born and raised in Rio, and I’ve been guiding visitors around my city since 2012. So let me be honest with you from the start: yes, Rio requires a certain level of attention in some areas, especially if you’re a tourist. Before you even get here, you’ll probably hear all kinds of things about safety — usually from people who have never set foot in the city. The truth is somewhere in the middle. With the right guidance, the risks drop dramatically, and you can enjoy Rio the way it deserves to be enjoyed.

One thing I always tell my guests: the pickpockets here know exactly who the “gringo” is. Blond hair, blue eyes, that unmistakable tourist look — it draws attention. But that should never stop you from exploring the city safely and comfortably. It certainly doesn’t stop me from taking my guests all over Rio every single week. You just need to do what we locals do. Here’s my honest list.

Don’t Stand on the Street With Your Phone Out Waiting for an Uber

This is probably the most common mistake I see. When you call an Uber, do it from inside the restaurant, the shop, or your hotel lobby. Only step out when the car is arriving. Standing on the sidewalk with your phone in your hand is exactly the moment thieves look for.

And it’s not just while waiting for a ride. These days, phone snatchers sometimes pass by on motorbikes — you turn around for a second and your phone is gone. So when you’re using your phone on the street, take a quick look around first. Nothing will stop you from taking your photos. This is simply the same habit I have as a local, and it becomes second nature very quickly.

Don’t Ignore the Timing at the Beach

Most pickpockets at the beach are groups of teenagers — five, six, seven of them — and they show up mainly during the July school holidays and the summer holidays, usually in the late afternoon. During those times of year, my advice is simple: go to the beach in the morning. It’s calmer, safer, and honestly, the light is more beautiful anyway.

Almost every visitor stays in the South Zone — Copacabana, Ipanema — where the police presence is much stronger and the environment is generally safe. Even so, these small habits make all the difference.

Don’t Overpay at the Beach or With Street Vendors

Ah, the famous Rio “malandragem.” Some street vendors will happily charge a tourist three times the real price, and that can leave a bad taste in your mouth. So here’s my local price guide:

• A beer: never more than about US$2
• A caipirinha with cachaça: around US$4
• A beach tent (barraca) rental: about US$5
• A beach chair: about US$2

Never pay more than that. If someone tries to charge you more, just smile, say “não, obrigado,” and walk to the next vendor.

Don’t Use Your Card With Street Vendors

When you buy a souvenir from a street vendor, always pay in cash. Always. Save your card for official shops, restaurants, and hotels. There have been cases of card cloning with informal vendors, and that’s a headache you don’t want during your vacation.

Don’t Take the Yellow Taxi

I’ll be direct: I do not recommend the yellow taxi under any circumstances, unless it’s from a cooperative recommended by your hotel. Some drivers are not trustworthy — the meter isn’t calibrated properly, or they take a longer route to run up the fare. Stick with Uber, Uber Comfort, or Uber Black. After 8 or 9 at night, I recommend Uber Comfort or Uber Black for any trip across the city.

Don’t Wander Around Lapa, Santa Teresa, or Centro Without Attention

These are some of my favorite areas to show my guests — the history, the architecture, the street art. But they demand more attention than the beach neighborhoods, because of pickpockets and people living on the street.

For the young backpacker crowd who wants to experience Lapa’s nightlife or the samba at Pedra do Sal: take extra care. There are reports of robberies at night, especially around the Escadaria Selarón after dark. My recommendation is simple and it works: take an Uber Comfort or Black directly to the bar of your choice, enjoy your night there, and from the front door of that same bar, call your Uber back to the hotel. No wandering between spots on foot at 1 a.m.

Pedra do Sal on Mondays is packed — wonderful energy, but keep serious attention on your phone and wallet. This is the one situation where I actually recommend that money belt you wear inside your trousers for your documents and cash.

Don’t Walk Around the City in the Middle of the Night

This one goes especially to my Latin American friends visiting Rio. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen tourists strolling through the streets at three or four in the morning as if they were in their own neighborhood back home. Please don’t do this. We locals avoid walking around at that hour, and I don’t recommend it under any circumstances.

Think about it: at that time of night, everything is empty. The bars are closed, the streets are deserted, and there’s much less police presence than during the day. An empty street in any big city is an invitation for trouble, and Rio is no exception. If your night runs late — and in Rio, nights often do — the rule is the same one I gave you for Lapa: call your Uber from inside the venue and go straight back to your hotel. The city will still be there in the morning, and trust me, Rio at sunrise is far more beautiful than Rio at 4 a.m. anyway.

Don’t Accept Drinks From Strangers

For those who like a bit of romance on vacation: if you meet someone at a bar or club, watch your drink. There’s a scam here called “Boa Noite Cinderela” (Good Night Cinderella), where someone slips something into your glass, and when you wake up, your phone, cards, and money are gone. Never leave your drink unattended, and be careful accepting drinks from people you’ve just met.

Don’t Visit a Favela on Your Own

At Rio Cultural Secrets, for safety reasons, we don’t offer favela tours. I know many visitors are curious, and I understand why. But if you really want to go, hire a local guide from that community — never, ever go into a favela you don’t know by yourself. The problem is that if something goes wrong, it goes wrong fast, and you won’t see it coming. Personally, I don’t recommend the visit at all.

And it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: stay far away from drugs and prostitution. Both can bring you serious problems in Rio, and neither is worth ruining your trip over.

The Real Secret: Rio Is Wonderful When You Know How to Move Around It

I don’t want this list to scare you — quite the opposite. Everything I’ve written here is simply how we Cariocas live our daily lives, and we live very well. These small habits become automatic within a day or two, and then Rio opens up to you: the beaches, the mountains, the food, the music, the people.

On our Rio private tours, I take my guests to every corner of this city with complete safety and the right guidance at every step. That’s the difference between visiting Rio and truly experiencing it. If you’d like to explore the city with someone who was born here and knows exactly where — and when — to go, I’d love to show you my Rio.