A few tips for enjoying and staying safe at probably the biggest party in the world. A Middle Age Nomad's 'MANs' guide to the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil.

Head over to my previous article backpacker tips & hacks highlighting further backpacker tips.

When I began planning my round the world trip, I kept recalling Roger Moore as James Bond at the Carnival and so was keen to make it a highlight. Here are a few tips to one of the most famous parties on earth. reveller

To the rest of the world it is known as Carnival, but to Brazilian's it is written Carnaval. This comes from Portugal and means literally 'Goodbye to meat' to mark it's the last time to indulge before the 40 days of Lent. Carnival is a combination of Venetian Masquerade Balls and African tribal traditions, paying respect to their gods, dressing up in elaborate costumes to ward off evil spirits.

Dates

The Carnival takes place every year during the end of February and sometimes early March. The precise dates vary every year so check online. The official dates for 2020 were from the 21-26th of February. The street parties and fun last for more than a fortnight and often begin before the official dates, despite the official party lasting 5 days with Carnival Saturday, Sunday and Monday being the main days.

The first Carnival took place way back in 1723, today it has over 2 million revellers. The fun is however, not limited to just Rio, as other towns and cities around Brazil join in as I experienced in São Paulo. Preparations often begin the year prior and it is taken very seriously, bringing in around US$1 billion in revenue every year.

Information

A few links to official websites:

Smartphone Apps

A few links to official apps:

Organized or Street?

Sambódromo is the official location where the parades go past, you can purchase tickets for the grandstand for around £80 but go up to £800 for the best.

This is the place to see the extravagant costumes and floats we are familiar with and where the top samba schools in all of Brazil compete with each other. Every night, the main official parade starts at 9pm and ends around 6am the next morning.....only in Brazil can an event cover such crazy hours, maybe it's due to the heat or maybe it's just Brazil.

If instead you want to be a part of the Carnival, then the blocos is the right choice. The street parties take place all around the city, simply follow your ears for a more random experience or do an internet search for details. You could for example go to the beach neighbourhoods of Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana one day. The following day head to the downtown neighbourhoods of Lapa, Santa Teresa, Centro and Cinelandia. This is a good plan as moving around Rio is not easy due to the sheer number of visitors. blocos

If you attend The Santa Teresa Street Party and want to get sweaty and be a part of the fun, stay at street level. If you want to see everything without getting crushed, walk to the raised walkway and take up a position against the railings. You could in theory, party for 24 hours as I saw people at 7am going home on the metro. These bloco parades move very slowly so you don't have to worry about missing the party once you have found one. I found that many rarely start on time, so don't worry about getting to one late.

Beaches

There are two main beaches in Rio, Ipanema and Copacabana with a different feel to each. Ipanema seems to be the busier of the two, with a much younger and trendy crowd. Copacabana seems to be slightly quieter and for families.

Alone or Group?

If you can go with friends.....all the better, yes, you may lose each other occasionally or permanently, but at least you started together. group

This is one of the benefits of staying in a hostel as you can make friends easily and go together. If you are alone, this also works out fine, as you can go wherever you want and just join in the crowd.

Staying Safe

It's better to go out without valuables, especially jewellery and expensive watches etc. However hideous, a bum bag is advisable to keep a small amount of cash. Alternatively put it inside one of your front pockets and not a rear one, as this will make it too easy for professional pickpockets.

Take photos by all means, but be sure to put your phone away as there are even reports of phones being snatched while someone is taking a selfie. It is probably safer to take your smartphone out for one full day to take all your photos and leave it safe at your accommodation for the rest of the Carnival. Having said this, I felt totally safe throughout my stay in Rio.

If someone comes up to you, they are usually wanting money if poorly dressed. Depending on your opinion on this subject, one option is to simply say that you're not Brazilian (Eu não sou brasileiro) and politely walk away. If you see or feel trouble is brewing just walk away immediately.

A few handy emergency numbers:

Emergency: 199
Police: 190
Civil Police: 197
Tourist Police: 041 21 2332-2924
Ambulance: 192
Fire: 193

Language Basics

Obrigado/a – thank you (male/female)
Por favor – please
Bom dia – good morning
Boa noite – good night
Tchau – good bye
The bill please – a conta por favor
I'm not brazilian – eu não sou brasileiro

Accommodation

Staying in Rio during carnival time is insanely expensive, my advice would be to book as early as possible. If you're staying in the Ipanema or Copacabana beach area's then prices are even higher. my-hostel

Five star hotels are likely to be £400-500pn and even a bed in a hostel, is likely to be around £40pn compared to a more normal £10pn. A better option is to book yourself an Airbnb room in a shared apartment or better still, if you're in a group club together and get a whole one for yourselves.

A further option is couch surfing which tends to be free as it's literally a sofa you will be sleeping on. This option has the added benefit of you staying with a local person and their knowledge. The main area I chose to stay was Lapa, it is known as the party and restaurant area but also kind of sketchy in that poverty is on many street corners, so you should be mindful of the surroundings.

Transport

Using a taxi and even using taxi apps can be expensive during Carnival time as prices are inflated, but a safe option to get you home at night. The Metro system is very cheap at £1 per single journey and efficient, but it seems that each station has different closing times so you should plan on getting your last Metro train home at night no later than 10:30 to 11pm. queue

However, during the actual 5 official days of Carnival the Metro runs 24 hours. Don’t forget to buy your transport ticket(s) in advance which was unfortunately the mistake I made, as l let my travel card run dry and had to walk 15 minutes to another station to top up. All of the official modes of transport all get extremely busy with overcrowding becoming a problem so it's often better to walk between street parties as many roads are blocked off to road traffic.

Money

Many of the ATM/Cash machines run out of money over the Saturday & Sunday so top up beforehand. Fortunately even street vendors accept debit/credit cards as they want to guarantee their income!

Food

For cheap and healthy food, head to restaurants known as “comida por kilo”, food by the kilo. buffet

The food is tasty and is Brazil’s answer to fast food where many office workers in particular choose to have lunch. The selection will include salad items, hot traditional dishes as well as desert. For under £5 you can get a very decent meal.

Clothing

Keep things simple with a t-shirt and swimming shorts for the guys and shorts, t-shirt or bikini top for the ladies. This seemed to be what everyone was wearing with the addition of some bright colored elements bought from local shops to add a little Carnival pizzazz.

Some guys choose to dress in girls’ costumes, but overall, less seems to be more when it comes to Carnival outfits. Flip-flops, trainers or sandals again seem to be the perfect choice as you need something comfortable as you're going to be on your feet for most of the day. A hat also helps keep the sun off your face and keeps you cooler too.

Booze

Before and during your booze fest, drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and heat stroke as the temperatures reach the mid 30s and often over 40 degrees. I would suggest buying the large 1.5 litre bottles of water as you will get through these very quickly as well as being cheaper.

Fortunately there are so many street vendors selling ice-cold beer, water, juices and even cans of G&T for about £1 per can. vendors

A cheaper option is to go to a major supermarket and stock up, especially if you are in a group. Licensed vendors are everywhere, you’ll recognize them decked-out in the logos of various beer companies. Their prices are pre-set, governed and consistent and often cheaper then local supermarkets as they are trying to make some money.

What is more perfect than walking down both Ipanema and Copacabana beaches and having vendors walking with trays of ice-cold Caipirinhas for under £2 a pop, heaven......cheers everyone and happy Carnaval! beach-cocktail

Go easy on the Caipirinhas (the national drink) as they are very sweet and easy to drink, but pack a punch later on!

Try to put your rubbish into bins as this helps the army of street cleaners that follow the parade to clean up after everyone. cleaner

You will also notice lots of the homeless and poor people picking up cans and bottles to recycle to make some additional money with their first choice scouring dustbins; a sad but seemingly efficient form of recycling.

Music

Music tends to be Brazilian Samba with most of the street parties having some form of live band. You find yourself walking up and down the streets joining a float (truck). If you can’t samba, just move your feet and body and simply join in and immerse yourself in the fun, as this is what all carnivals are about.....no judgement, just fun.....enjoy.

HOMEPAGE