Rio's street crime NOT getting any better.

[greatam]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.76630d4517583adcfee729fe374e1790.1041&show_article=1

 

Pay careful attention to the last 3 paragraphs. As I have posted so many times, my South American business associates REFUSE to go to Rio for our annual meetings. Our meetings are held in a different city every year now. You need to be DOUBLY careful-NO jewelry, disposable camera if you are not on an organized tour, NO fancy clothes, NO purses.

 

Crime is NOT coming down. Wonder what they are going to do for the Olympics? Should be a criminals' free for all.

[chrismch]

We're doing a small independent tour with our guide it will be 6 people. Should we feel secure with our guide as we our doing our day tour next month? You make it seem like we shouldn't even leave the ship unless escorted by a body guard!

[celle]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.76630d4517583adcfee729fe374e1790.1041&show_article=1

 

Pay careful attention to the last 3 paragraphs. As I have posted so many times, my South American business associates REFUSE to go to Rio for our annual meetings. Our meetings are held in a different city every year now. You need to be DOUBLY careful-NO jewelry, disposable camera if you are not on an organized tour, NO fancy clothes, NO purses.

 

Crime is NOT coming down. Wonder what they are going to do for the Olympics? Should be a criminals' free for all.

 

Thanks, greatam.

 

We arrive in Rio on Friday.

 

I feel so much better now! :rolleyes: :D

[keltic]

Hi Celle;

I will appreciate your comments when you come back. I am going at the end of next month, and I have decided not to get too much information about the nasty aspects of the city. I will take a BIG care of myself (always using private tours, and actually hiring a bodyguard which might be a bit overreaction), and try not to get obsessed about it.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We're doing a small independent tour with our guide it will be 6 people. Should we feel secure with our guide as we our doing our day tour next month? You make it seem like we shouldn't even leave the ship unless escorted by a body guard!

 

You will be fine with a guide. The guide knows what areas to avoid, and can spot thieves a mile off.

 

I can't imagine walking alone to the summit of Corcovado. It's jungle--I know people do walk it, we saw many doing that, but they looked like locals, not tourists. I'm betting that Carnival is not the best of times to visit Rio. Just my opinion.

 

We stayed in Ipanema in December and felt quite safe, even walking home from a nightclub after midnight.

[celle]

Hi Celle;

I will appreciate your comments when you come back. I am going at the end of next month, and I have decided not to get too much information about the nasty aspects of the city. I will take a BIG care of myself (always using private tours, and actually hiring a bodyguard which might be a bit overreaction), and try not to get obsessed about it.

 

Sorry, Celtic,

 

I'll be "ön the road" for 10 weeks, so won't be able to comment until after you've gone.

 

We plan to take the usual precautions, not visit any "dodgy" areas, wear no jewelery and carry very little cash. We would not even consider going to isolated places and will have a guide.

[keltic]

woww, ten weeks. It sounds pretty comprehensive indeed. I suppose you will get plenty of experiences with such a big journey.

 

Take care and enjoy.

[treesah]

Hi, Greatam, thanks for posting the article. We'll be leaving for Rio in about 3 weeks. I have several Brazilian friends who have provided the same warnings. No jewelry, cheap watch, no purse. I'll keep a small amount of money on me so as to appease the pickpockets! What a lovely world we live in! I'm already disliking Rio and not looking forward to my visit. It's unfair to be on guard all the time and distrust everyone around you. I'll post a report when we return.

[SonomaMist]

How safe is the beach area and neighborhood around Copacabana and Ipanema? Was thinking of going after BA cruise but would only take guided tours to main sites. Should we even consider this?

 

Thanks.

[Ontario Cruiser]

I have done lots of reading lately on the street crime in Rio and especially Copacabana. I am now very concerned and have decided that we will stay put in our hotel when we arrive on March 15th until we go to the ship on the 16th. Our reason is that we are older (73 & 83) but extremely active, but from what I have read is that they target the older tourists. If we can find anyone else staying at the Best Western Rio Copa that day then we would go for a walk along Avenida Atlantica. It is such a shame to be going to such a beautiful city and have this fear. Luckily we will be taking a tour on the 17th.

We have travelled to most of the world including Egypt while they were shooting tourists but never before did we worry.

Ontario Cruiser

[smeyer418]

...

We have travelled to most of the world including Egypt while they were shooting tourists but never before did we worry.

Ontario Cruiser

 

 

The strange thing in Egypt while there are occasional(about once every two to three years terrorist issues)...there is almost NO street crime. Muggings are extremely rare. Murder is unheard of.

Street crime is worse in every Western Europe city-Paris Rome even London....

Barcelona is almost a sure pick pocketing.

 

Brazil is among the worst in the world....

[stella53]

See this thread for a discussion of safety in Rio ( not BRAZIL).

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=950666

and also see the Rio forum of tripadvsior for a fuller discussion of the subject.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but not all opinions are equal. And some are downright misleading.

[keltic]

Barcelona is almost a sure pick pocketing, Brazil is among the worst in the world....

 

I was scared of travelling to Rio, but if we stablish this comparision, I will be in Rio as fine as I am when I travel to Barcelona. I travel everymonth to Barcelona, and I have never seen any crime issue, not even pickpockets.

 

I feel better know.

[smeyer418]

I was scared of travelling to Rio, but if we stablish this comparision, I will be in Rio as fine as I am when I travel to Barcelona. I travel everymonth to Barcelona, and I have never seen any crime issue, not even pickpockets.

 

I feel better know.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1145763

 

 

the fact you didn't see them doesn't mean they aren't there....in force...

 

No one guarantees you that even in high crime places that you will be robbed or that you won't be in low crime places.

 

this is the US warning about Barcelona

 

CRIME: Andorra has a low rate of crime. While most of Spain has a moderate rate of crime and most of the estimated one million American tourists have trouble-free visits to Spain each year, street crimes against tourists occur in the principal tourist areas. Madrid and Barcelona, in particular, report incidents of pick-pocketing, mugging and occasional violent attacks, some of which require the victim to seek medical attention. Although crimes occur at all times of day and night and to people of all ages, older tourists and Asian Americans seem to be particularly at risk. Criminals frequent tourist areas and major attractions such as museums, monuments, restaurants, outdoor cafes, Internet cafes, hotel lobbies, beach resorts, city buses, subways, trains, train stations, airports, and ATMs.

In Madrid, incidents have been reported in all major tourist areas, including the area near the Prado Museum, near Atocha train station, in Retiro Park, in areas of old Madrid including near the Royal Palace and in Plaza Mayor. There have been a number of passport and bag thefts reported at Madrid’s Barajas Airport, local hotels, as well as in El Rastro (Madrid’s flea market) and in the Metro.

In Barcelona, the largest number of incidents reported also occurred in major tourist areas, on Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s El Prat airport, Sants train station, Metro stations, in the Sagrada Familia Area, in the Gothic Quarter, in Parc Güell, in Plaza Real, and along Barcelona’s beaches. There have been a number of thefts reported at the Port Olimpic Area and nearby beaches.

[keltic]

Of these events happen, but I wonder in which extent. I avoid at all costs, following the guidelines of these govermental advisories, since they are usually "too conservative", and over exagerating. And it´s normal they do that, since they want to avoid any possible legal actions if they issue soft warnings.

 

If you read the Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministry´s advisories for NY, and had to travel there, you would never visit the "Big Apple", as in the case of 90% per cent of the places in the world in which Spanish travellers visit.

 

I think it´s wiser to trust the locals, because they are dealing with the problem at a daily basis, and of course I insist again, Barcelona it´s not a major crime concern in Spain. Or at least something in which tourist should be so obsessed. It´s normal there are more pickpockets if there are a lot of tourists (Barcelona is not the most visited place in Spain), and I understand they are the prime target. But I think it´s quite easy to get protected against non violent events.

 

As for Rio, I have decided not to read anything else. It doesn´t help at all. I have plenty of guidelines for the city, and taking more measure it would make me a paranoid traveller, and it´s something I want to avoid. Same happens to Barcelona: the more you read, the less safer one feels. Once there, when you walk around with full precautions, you just say: "gosh is that the unsafe Barcelona I have been hearing about"?.

[celle]

How safe is the beach area and neighborhood around Copacabana and Ipanema? Was thinking of going after BA cruise but would only take guided tours to main sites. Should we even consider this?

 

Thanks.

 

We are in Rio right now, and have been here for 4 days.

 

Now, I'm not saying that greatam is wrong - she knows far more about South America than I do - and I have no doubt that street crime exists here.

 

But, we are staying at a hotel at Copocabana Beach and we have seen nothing that has alarmed us in the slightest.

 

We have taken guided tours to Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer statue) and the Sugar Loaf. Last night, we went to the Winners' Parade at the Sambadrome, the last formal event of Carnaval week. There were thousands there, and we felt quite safe.

 

We have taken reasonable precautions:

 

• No flash jewelery
  
• Carry small amounts of cash only and hide credit cards in a money belt
  
• Don't go to the slum areas
  
• Don't walk anywhere alone at night
  
• Stay away from unpopulated areas
  
• Take nothing but a towel to the beach
  

I know that crime is rampant here, but there is no need to hide in your hotel. Take the same precautions that you would take in any large city. No-one would think of walking alone in Central Park, New York. Use the same common sense here.

 

Hope this helps!

[keltic]

Thanks for your live comments. If you read the forum again, have you been offered any private tours in the hotel?. If someone get there without booking any tour, how easy is finding one within hours?.

[celle]

Thanks for your live comments. If you read the forum again, have you been offered any private tours in the hotel?. If someone get there without booking any tour, how easy is finding one within hours?.

 

Our hotel is not one of the big ones, so I can't speak for them.

 

We asked at Reception and our hotel has brochures for some tours and can apparently arrange them. While they are not big into promoting them (no display area) they were helpful and willing, once we asked first. There was a two-price option - cheaper if you pay cash, and about 20 Reais extra if you pay by credit card.

 

The tours to Corcovado and Sugar Loaf operate daily (half day each). Some all-day tours that go outside Rio only run on certain days.

 

Hope that helps.

[keltic]

I mean arriving unorganized and finding a private car. I didn´t mean regular tours. As far as I know the hotels usually have "private contacts" as "private taxis", to be contacted as tourists arrive.

 

What about the airport drive?. Did you find it threating?. There are reports about problems in this route.

[celle]

I mean arriving unorganized and finding a private car. I didn´t mean regular tours. As far as I know the hotels usually have "private contacts" as "private taxis", to be contacted as tourists arrive.

 

What about the airport drive?. Did you find it threating?. There are reports about problems in this route.

 

Not sure about the hotels having people who will do private tours for you.

 

I would not be game to hire and drive a car myself here! The traffic is crazy. Yesterday (being Sunday) the whole of the beachfront road (at Copacobana) was closed to traffic going in one direction.

 

Usually, it's a divided road, with 3 lanes of traffic going in each direction. Yesterday, from early morning to 8PM all the traffic going west was diverted along back streets, while the traffic going east continued. The blocked off west-bound lanes were used for pedestrians, small children riding bikes, rollerbladers, etc.

 

Suddenly, at 8 PM (it was dark by then, as daylight saving ended Saturday night), a line of police cars with flashing lights started driving west, followed by normal traffic, and the road was back to normal.

 

This morning, traffic on all 6 lanes is travelling west, and nothing travelling east. That's probably just an arrangement for the peak hour traffic, but how are you supposed to know what rules apply, when? (It makes crossing the road an interesting exercise, too!)

 

There are 22 tunnels in Rio and traffic flyovers and lots of one-way systems.

 

Taxis are plentiful. I'd just get a taxi, which is what we plan to do today, to go to Ipanema and to the Sugar Loaf again.

 

We had arranged a pickup from the airport. Just as well, as our flight was delayed by 3 hours and we arrived at 2:30 AM, to an almost-deserted airport. At that time of night, the roads were almost deserted, too.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I wouldn't wait and try to find a private guide at the airport. You can certainly find a cab, and then perhaps your hotel could find one for you. But better to make yourself a list of private guides and contact them in advance--they tend to be pretty busy, and so will likely be booked up months in advance.

 

Our ride from the airport to Ipanema, with a driver, was very long and slow, not at all scary, except the motorcyclists who use the space between two lanes as their own fast lane. :eek:

[keltic]

I had booked a private tour for six hours at 159 euros, but I am not sure if it´s a good price. Someone told me that at the receptions of the hotels they usually have "cabs" which tours can be arranged at good prices. So it has made me think about it. No idea, if this may be reliable.

 

About the airport, taking the Rio Shuttle is really cheap, comparing the 80 euros for the private car.

[gregdude]

Keltic,

This is off topic, but I still have you on the Veendam Meet & Greet for 3/19 in BA. Are you still on the Veendam or have you made other plans?

 

Thanks,

[keltic]

Keltic,

This is off topic, but I still have you on the Veendam Meet & Greet for 3/19 in BA. Are you still on the Veendam or have you made other plans?

 

Thanks,

 

Hi Gregdude, I have posted a replay on the thread.

[celle]

I mean arriving unorganized and finding a private car. I didn´t mean regular tours. As far as I know the hotels usually have "private contacts" as "private taxis", to be contacted as tourists arrive.

 

What about the airport drive?. Did you find it threating?. There are reports about problems in this route.

 

Keltic,

On our last day in Rio, we decided to go back to the Sugarloaf and watch the sunset from the top.

 

We asked our hotel concierge to arrange a taxi for us (having seen taxis waiting for people at the Sugarloaf). He told us that the hotel had a special driver, who would take us there, and return to pick us up when we wanted, for 60 Reais. We had the concierge translate for us, and we wrote down the time that we wanted to be picked up for our return - use the 24-hour clock.

 

It worked out fine. We left the hotel at 5 PM and the driver agreed to pick us up again at 8 PM. We had 3 hours to enjoy at leisure, take pictures of the sunset, and ride the cable car back down.

 

Our driver was waiting for us, and we got back to the hotel on time. We didn't have to pay him anything for the first journey (to the Sugarloaf) but paid the full agreed amount when we got back to the hotel.

 

Incidentally, the regular taxi driver who took us to Ipanema earlier in the day agreed to a certain amount and then tried to charge us that amount per person when we got there - DH just laughed at him and gave him the amount first agreed. We just picked up a taxi on the street for our return, and had no problems.