Organize your stay Rio De Janeiro
Covid-19 : current situation Rio De Janeiro
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, entry and travel restrictions may apply Rio De Janeiro. Remember to visit the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you leave for the latest information
Money Rio De Janeiro
Currency. The real (noted R$), reais in plural, is the Brazilian currency since 1994. Although inflation is now under control, the currency fluctuates widely
Exchange rate. As of October 2022, the exchange rate was R$ 5.11 to the euro. The currency is convertible. There is no need to order it in France. It is better to change money in Brazil. On arrival, in international airports, avoid the exchange offices before the customs, which are not very interesting. Never change money on the street. Banks and some tourist agencies will change your euros at the officially advertised rates. Sometimes the small tourist agencies in Rio will change at a better rate than the official rate.
Credit Card. ATM withdrawals will be possible if your credit card is international. Remember to check with your bank before you leave. Blue cards are accepted in many places. Check with your bank about withdrawal rates and commissions as well as foreign withdrawal limits before you leave, which can be temporarily increased. We recommend that you travel with a small amount of money, and only withdraw as much as you need.
Budget & Tips Rio De Janeiro
Budget. Brazil is no longer a cheap country. The current collapse of the real makes the cost of living cheaper for European visitors, but the budget for a trip to Brazil remains quite high. It is necessary to count 50 euros for a small daily budget per person, 80-100 euros for a medium budget and 150 euros for a comfortable budget. In the big cities, accommodation can be an important expense. As everywhere, the prices of hotels and various tourist services vary according to the season and the events. During the summer vacations, from December to February (including the Carnival period) and the school vacations in July, prices are doubled or even more in Rio or Paraty, for example. They also vary according to the events. The bill can be very high in "conventional" restaurants. One can eat by the kilo correctly and for a moderate sum. Prepared dishes (PF, prato feito) are generally cheap
In the low season, by traveling only by bus (or by booking flights in advance), by sleeping in decent but simple hotels and by favoring cheap restaurants (self-service by the kilo), you can travel cheaper. In high season, you should avoid tourist spots, unless of course you have made them your chosen destination. You won't go to Ouro Preto at Easter or to Paraty during the FLIP book festival. A flight, the occasional car rental and a guided tour can add significantly to this average budget, while solo excursions (not just anywhere!) and lazy days in a hammock on a beach lighten it. Do not hesitate to bargain for all the tourist services offered, especially in low season, when customers are scarce. For example, the price of guided tours (national parks, etc.) can be discussed. However, it is important to remember that quality service has to be paid for, and that very low market prices are sometimes at the expense of safety and/or respect for the communities and the environment. In addition, it is necessary to respect the work of others and to negotiate within an acceptable range
The airlines Gol and Azul offer interesting pass systems for domestic flights that can only be purchased in France or in the traveler's country of origin after purchasing a round trip ticket to Brazil.
Tipping. In restaurants, a 10% gratuity is added to the amount paid to the waiters. You do not have to leave a tip, except in a few restaurants where the 10% is not included. But there is nothing to stop you from leaving a tip if you liked the service.
Haggling. Negotiating the price of goods, which has skyrocketed in recent years, is a common custom, especially in street markets. Resist the merchants' talent to make you feel guilty for offering a lower price and take your chances by asking for up to 20% off. For even better deals, opt for cash and bulk purchases. In small merchants who are struggling to get by and in some places far from tourist areas, offer a price that is still decent or refrain from haggling.
Taxes. The prices displayed may sometimes be taxed, the practice is not uniform, and the display is not always explicit. In some hotels, you may have to add 5% ISS or 10% service tax (or both!) to the posted price; ask at the reception. In bars and restaurants, the service charge (10%) is not indicated on the menu, but always included in the bill.
Passport and visas Rio De Janeiro
Travelers from Europe must have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Brazil. For many years, Europeans have been able to travel to Brazil without a visa for tourism or business for a period not exceeding 90 days. You can ask for an extension for another 90 days. After that, you will have to leave the territory. For a work visa, the procedure is complex and it is usually necessary to go through the company that hires you
Immigration card. It is to be filled out on the plane or at the land customs post. This card includes your entry date and your exit date. It is given to you upon arrival at the airport. You will be asked for it when you leave. Make sure you do not lose it. If you do lose it, contact the federal police in the city where you are staying
Transit. Crossing from one country to another by land, especially between Brazil and Bolivia, Argentina or Paraguay, is generally done without any formalities (if you are European). It is up to you to do the necessary formalities (exit stamps, entry into the territory), in Brazil, at the policia federal and, in the other countries, at the immigration offices. If you forget to regularize your situation, you may have some problems later, at the airport, when you leave the country. However, the policia federal staff is friendly and understanding, and most visa problems seem to be able to be resolved amicably.
Tip. Before you leave, remember to photocopy all the documents you take with you. Take one copy of each document with you and leave the other with someone in France. This will make it much easier for you to renew your documents with the consular authorities if they are lost or stolen. You can also keep copies on the official website (mon.servicepublic.fr). All you have to do is create an account and scan your identity documents and other important documents in the confidential area.
Driver's license Rio De Janeiro
During a stay under a tourist visa, not exceeding 180 days, French and European citizens can use their national driving license or have an international driving license issued. According to the French Embassy in Brazil, "a non-Brazilian citizen is allowed to drive during his stay in Brazil, for a maximum of 180 days, provided he has a valid foreign or international license ("Habilitação Internacional para Dirigir"), which he will present with its sworn translation into Portuguese and an identity document". You will need this permit to rent a car.
Health Rio De Janeiro
It is advisable to be vigilant on a few points in order to avoid health problems during your trip. Traveling to Brazil requires taking some precautions against certain diseases even if there is no major health risk
Covid-19. The pandemic has claimed more than 500,000 victims in Brazil and the negligence of President Jair Bolsonaro who denied the danger of the virus and delayed the implementation of vaccination campaigns may result in many new deaths. Today, the disease is under control. The vaccine passport or a negative PCR test remains mandatory to enter the Brazilian territory.
Water. It is strongly advised not to drink tap water anywhere in Brazil. Use only mineral water bottles - more expensive than beer! - after checking that they are well sealed or filtered water.
Food hygiene. The most common ailments are still intestinal disorders. Changing your diet is already a source of disturbance, but when you add to this spicy food, sometimes prepared in unhygienic conditions, it usually results in severe diarrhea, also known as tourista. Take an antidiarrheal, an intestinal disinfectant and stay well hydrated (no fruit juice). If the diarrhea persists or is accompanied by blood loss or mucus, consult a doctor. To avoid these problems, buy sealed bottles of water, boil water (coffee and tea are "safe" drinks), avoid raw vegetables or unpeeled fruit, avoid ice cubes, don't brush your teeth with tap water, and always carry disinfectant tablets.
Bites and stings. Malaria is present in northern Brazil, so it is important to protect yourself properly against mosquito bites. Prevention requires treatment prior to departure, especially if you plan to go into the heart of the Amazon forest. When you are there, use powerful repellents and wear appropriate clothing (pants, long-sleeved sweatshirt, socks). At night, a mosquito net is a must, completed for more security by the use of anti-mosquito sprays. These precautions also allow you to protect yourself against dengue fever, yellow fever or leishmaniasis, diseases that are also transmitted by mosquito species present in Brazil. As for bites, especially from dogs, rabies is still active in Brazil, so disinfect the wound immediately and consult a doctor quickly. And don't forget that wounds in hot and humid climates take a long time to heal and can even become infected. Brazil has many parasitic and skin infections. It is therefore advisable to treat them as soon as possible with an antiseptic and to leave them in the open air as often as possible rather than covering them with a bandage.
Sun. Beware of sunburns! Despite the humid climate, the Brazilian sun is as dangerous as anywhere else. It is therefore necessary to be extremely careful and to avoid long and repetitive exposures. In any case, and regardless of the duration of exposure, it is imperative to use a high factor sunscreen and not to hesitate to cover yourself with light cloth clothes and wide-brimmed hats. Light-skinned children are particularly vulnerable. Excessive sunlight is dangerous for the skin. In the short term, sunburns and other solar allergies have no health consequences other than a few untimely pains. On the contrary, in the long term, UV radiation causes accelerated aging of the skin, and even cancers. It is worth mentioning that the clouds that sometimes prevail in the Brazilian sky do not filter UV rays: when you feel the heat of the sunburn on your skin, it is already too late!
Yellow fever. According to the Institut Pasteur, it is recommended that travelers older than 9 months going to the North and Center-West regions, as well as part of the Northeast region (Maranhão, southwestern Piauí, western and extreme southern Bahia), the Southeast region (Minas Gerais, western São Paulo and northern Espírito Santo) and the South region (western Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul) get vaccinated against yellow fever. Travelers from Congo and Angola will need to show their vaccination certificate when entering Brazil. If you are traveling to Bolivia, you will also need to show a certificate of vaccination when returning to Brazil.
Bilharzia is the tropical disease with the highest mortality rate after malaria (200 million people worldwide). After an incubation period ranging from three weeks to six months, the disease manifests itself through high fevers, blood in the urine or allergic skin reactions. The best prevention is to limit contact with unsalted stagnant water. Bilharzia is very treatable once detected
Malaria. Malaria is also called malaria. If you are traveling through a country that is a malaria transmission zone (in all humid or equatorial areas, in the entire Amazon region in Brazil, the North and Center-West regions, as well as part of the Northeast region), consult your doctor about the appropriate preventive treatment: it differs according to the region, the period of the trip and the person concerned. Avoiding treatment is possible if your stay is less than seven days (and provided that you are able to consult a doctor in case of fever within a month of your return) In addition to pills, reduce the risk of contracting malaria by avoiding mosquito bites (repellent and covering clothing). Between sunset and sunrise, near standing water and shaded areas, the risk of being bitten is highest. More detailed information is available at: www.saude.gov.br/malaria. Check with a doctor in France before leaving for prophylaxis (tropical diseases). In all cases in Brazil, protect yourself from mosquito bites.
Mandatory vaccination Rio De Janeiro
There are no mandatory vaccines for French people going to Brazil. Nevertheless, vaccines and preventive treatments are recommended. It is important to talk to your doctor several months before your departure to plan for possible vaccinations and prophylactic treatments. According to the Institut Pasteur website (www.pasteur.fr), vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended, regardless of the conditions and duration of the trip to Brazil, and for hepatitis B, vaccination is recommended for long stays. For yellow fever, vaccination is recommended if you are traveling to high-risk areas in Brazil. Against typhoid, in case of a long stay or in precarious hygiene conditions (children: from the age of 2): one injection 15 days before departure. There is no malaria in the states of Rio and Minas.
Security Rio De Janeiro
Rio and Brazil have the reputation of being a dangerous country for tourists. This is certainly an exaggeration, but it is undeniable that violence is omnipresent in the metropolises and medium-sized cities, a paradox of one of the most welcoming nations in the world. This violence is not specifically directed against tourists. It is mainly Brazilians who are the first victims. The fault lies directly with an iniquitous social organization, where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. The eighth largest economy in the world is not able to feed a tenth of its population properly and leaves a third in great misery. The risks incurred by tourists are mainly limited to theft. A few precautions and a little common sense are usually enough to avoid trouble. As a general rule, large urban centers, which concentrate all the misery of the world along with hordes of tourists, present the greatest risks. Smaller towns and villages, away from the noise and fury, are considered less of a "risk zone", but you should also be vigilant.
For the latest information on local security, consult the "Travel Advice" section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/voyageurs. Be aware, however, that the site provides an exhaustive list of potential dangers and that this sometimes gives a somewhat alarmist picture of the real situation in the country.
Time difference Rio De Janeiro
There is a 3 to 5 hour time difference between France, Switzerland or Belgium and Brazil, depending on summer or winter schedules and time zones. When you arrive in Rio, you have to set your watch back (when it is 3 or 5 pm in Paris, Geneva or Brussels, it is noon in Rio). Brazil is spread over three time zones: the South, the Sudeste, the Nordeste and the eastern part of the North and Center-West are at GMT-3h, while the rest of the country is at GMT-4h, except for the Acre and the extreme west of the Amazonas, which are at GMT-5h
In practical terms: when it is 3 or 5 pm in Paris, Geneva or Brussels, it is noon in Rio; it is 10 am in Montreal and 3 am in French Polynesia. Almost the whole country lives on Brasilia and Rio de Janiero time, except for Boa Vista, Cuiabà, Manaus and Porto Velho; in the west, it is an hour earlier. When it is noon in Rio, it is 11:00 am in Manaus.
Spoken languages Rio De Janeiro
Although familiar with tourism, Brazilians speak few foreign languages. Brazilian Portuguese is spoken throughout the country. Except in the major cities and with tourism professionals, you will meet few English or French speakers. However, Brazilian Portuguese is relatively easy to learn. Its grammar is simpler than that of academic Portuguese and the Brazilian accent will sound much more familiar to your ears than that of the Lusitanians. In addition, Brazilians are very patient and lenient with travelers who try to express themselves in their language. Those who make the effort to speak to them in Portuguese will usually find that they are met by a person who is willing to listen and who will use a great deal of ingenuity to inform them. Portuguese is a Latin language and many of the words in its vocabulary have the same roots as those in our language. If you have a good knowledge of Spanish, you will quickly be understood. If you have no knowledge of Spanish, a small French-Portuguese or French-Brazilian dictionary will get you started. And then it is part of the pleasure of the trip to be able to communicate with the locals you meet and to immerse yourself in their world. Learning Brazilian Portuguese is not very difficult and we strongly encourage any Brazilian lover to do so. There are several excellent methods of learning Brazilian Portuguese. Make sure that it is Brazilian Portuguese, as the Portuguese spoken in Portugal has some differences. In the larger cities, you may be able to find Portuguese teachers by looking in the classified ads.
Communication Rio De Janeiro
For a longer stay, it is advisable to buy a rechargeable SIM card from a local cell phone agency, which is compatible with your smartphone (beware of the mini, micro or nano formats). Normally, the operation is quick and you only need to show your passport, but you now need a CPF (you can have a CPF established at the post office). With the CPF, the agent will install the new card directly into your phone. Having the Internet on your phone makes it easier to travel (Uber-type applications come to mind) and search for information, and you can pay with the PIX system. It is also common to have to make or receive calls to organize your visits, so it is very useful to have a Brazilian number.
Use your cell phone. If you want to keep your French plan, you will have to activate the international option (usually free) before leaving by calling your operator's customer service. You can buy a flat rate pass from your provider which allows you to have access to the 4G network and a prepaid volume of data, calls and SMS.
Who pays what? The rule is the same for all operators. When you use your French phone abroad, you pay for the call, whether you make the call or receive it. In the case of an incoming call, your correspondent also pays, but only the price of a local call. All calls made from or to foreign countries are not included in the package, including calls to voice mail
Phone booths and prepaid cards. Phone booths are becoming fewer and fewer. They are disappearing from many places, as the generalization of cell phone access makes them less and less used. To obtain an international call. From Brazil, you can use a phone booth (orelhao/oes, literally "big ears"), which works with cards from the local operator (Telemar in Rio and Telefonica in São Paulo, for example) that you can buy at newsstands and post offices (cheaper). Remember to buy several cards, because the credits will run out quickly! The most convenient is to buy a card. Embratel, available in most kiosks. It will cost you a minimum of R$ 10 and will allow you to make the communication without having to change cards every thirty seconds! From 7pm onwards and on weekends, calls are cheaper. Be careful, in many newsstands or souvenir stores, they will try to sell you the Embratel card at a higher price.
To call in P.C.V. in Brazil. From a public phone booth (orelhao), you need to dial 9, followed by the number of the chosen operator (Embratel or Intelig), the area code without the zero and finally the number of your correspondent. To make an international call, dial 00 01 07.
Electricity and measurements Rio De Janeiro
110 or 220 V, the voltage in Brazil may vary. If you do not have a bivolt device, check before plugging it in.
The two-hole plugs, without grounding, are French standard. You will sometimes find newer three-hole plugs as well (different from the French ones though) but not everywhere. You can buy a universal adapter in France before leaving to be able to use your computer for example, otherwise it will not be possible!
Distance and temperature measurements are the same as in France. Brazilians use the metric system and degrees Celsius or centigrade
Luggage Rio De Janeiro
Travel light, especially if you plan to see a lot of the country. An ergonomic backpack is probably the most practical piece of luggage. Brazil offers many opportunities for hiking and backpacking, and an awkward suitcase could turn into a nightmare. Luggage is picked up free of charge in the luggage compartment of the buses, where the ticket given to the owner of the luggage will be requested upon collection. For day trips and small excursions, a small bag is required.
Adapt your bag to your stay. Depending on your itinerary (lazing on the beach or intensive trekking in the mountains) and the season of your departure (it can snow in the winter in the south), the contents of your bag can vary greatly. That said, the weather is usually nice and warm. You will probably spend most of your stay in a T-shirt and flip-flops. Bring cotton T-shirts or shirts; a rain poncho or K-way; a cap; a pair of sandals or flip-flops (to be purchased locally!); two pairs of light pants or shorts; a bathing suit; a pair of sneakers; a flashlight; a Swiss Army knife; a kit with toiletries and medical supplies; sunglasses; a good thick novel for the endless boat or bus rides that we will exchange in a French Alliance once finished; a pocket dictionary or French-Brazilian lexicon; a padlock to close the bag, a photocopy of your passport; emergency numbers in case of loss/theft of your belongings; earplugs; a small pair of binoculars to better see the animals; a cultural exchange currency: books, comics, photos. And a camera, of course. Remember to have a nice shirt or blouse and pants for certain places or events.
Take covering and/or warm clothes : a little wool for the cool nights (it can happen almost everywhere, especially in autumn and winter) and for the freezing nights spent in the air-conditioned buses, a long-sleeved shirt and pants for the regions with mosquitoes; winter clothes for the southern region in winter or even in Ouro Preto.
