Brazil is a safe country overall, but tourists must take extra safety precautions when traveling near the borders due to an increased risk of crime. As always, it's important to be aware of your surroundings and stay with trusted partners or groups when traveling through these regions.
It's crucial to remember that Rio de Janeiro's safety varies greatly depending on the area. The South Zone, home to the popular tourist destinations of Copacabana and Ipanema, is generally safe for tourists during the day. However, the West Zone, known for its high crime rate and gang conflicts, is best avoided.
Safe neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro
Most of Zona Sul (South Zone) is safe, including: Ipanema. Copacabana. Leblon.
Rio de Janeiro is generally considered safe for women, but as with any large city, it is important to take precautions. Women should avoid walking alone at night, and should be aware of their surroundings at all times. It is also recommended to dress modestly and to avoid carrying large amounts of cash or valuables.
Rio de Janeiro is one of the biggest tourist spots in Brazil, and while it has seen a decrease in crime rates over the past few years, safety is still an issue. Tourists should remain cautious when visiting this vibrant city.
In the southern region of Brazil, on an idyllic island just off the coast sits Florianopolis, arguably Brazil's best place to be. Sunset in the city of Florianopolis, Brasil's safest city.
Do not Visit the Beach after Dark | This is rule number one. You are relatively safe on Copacabana Beach during the daylight when there are many people around, but your chances drop significantly lower when you visit the beach after dark.
Any visit to a favela can be dangerous. You're advised to avoid these areas in all cities, including 'favela tours' marketed to tourists and any accommodation, restaurants or bars advertised as being within a favela.
Pickpockets and petty criminals operate most often in Rio's popular tourist areas, such as Copacabana, Centro, and Lapa. The beach also attracts a lot of criminals. Avoid walking on the beach at night, especially on the north end of the beach.
What about at night? As a touristy area, Ipanema is quite safe. This is not a beach where you need to worry about violent crime, and there is always a visible police presence throughout the day. As in most parts of Rio, the biggest risk by far is pickpocketing, so keep a close eye on your belongings.
According to Atlas da Violencia 2019, Sao Paulo has a homicide rate of 13.2/100 000 inhabitants. This is nearly one-third of the homicide rate from Rio de Janeiro (35.6/100 000). Other violence indicators like robbery, assaults, or kidnappings also show that Sao Paulo is safer than Rio.
Rio's yellow taxis are plentiful and easy to hail, particularly via free apps like 99Taxis or Easy Taxi. They're generally a speedy way to zip around and are usually safe.
The popular ride-hailing service Uber is available in Rio de Janeiro. It is generally considered safer than regular taxis, and the fares may be cheaper. Taxis can be hailed via the Uber application for smartphones. There are also local ride-hailing alternatives, which include 99Taxis and EasyTaxi.
Vidigal: Often considered to be the most foreign-friendly favela in Rio, visitors can even stay in any of the guesthouses (or pousadas), and dine in some restaurants or sip cocktails in its many bars.
Police violence in Rio
Despite the decrease in comparison to 2019, every year from 2020 to 2022 saw more than 1,200 civilians being killed.
Rio's most dangerous favelas
Vila Cruzeiro and Complexo do Alemão were the two favelas that reacted strongly against the UPPs, resulting in a high number of shoot-outs and excessive murder rates. They have police units nowadays, yet problems still occur in these large favelas in the north of Rio.
Is Brazil Safe for Solo Female Travelers? Brazil faces real issues of poverty and crime so solo female travelers will need to be on guard. This is not a destination for new travelers and I would only suggest solo female travelers visit here if they are experienced solo travelers.
What are the problems faced in favelas? Because of crowding, unsanitary conditions, poor nutrition and pollution, disease is rampant in the favelas and infant mortality rates are high.
Those three are one next to each other and the traveller will walk along the beach promenade visiting all three. The main difference is that Copacabana is more alive, there are more open shops, bars and restaurants that travellers will appreciate, because the prices are lower and the presence of tourism is higher.
As for safety I would say both are about the same, where to stay should depend on your budget. The only difference is that Copacaban has more car traffic and lacks the chic roads of Ipanema like Garcia d'Avila but both are safe during the day, by night simply try not to walk in places where there's no one around.
While Rio does have a certain security risk involved, visitors can greatly minimize their risk by following a few common sense rules. Try to travel in a group preferably with local friends. At night, avoid walking on the streets alone. Be careful about public transportation at night.
Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs. Use caution at, or going to, major transportation centers or on public transportation, especially at night. Passengers face an elevated risk of robbery or assault using public, municipal bus transportation throughout Brazil.
Amapá, Acre and Roraima are the poorest states in the country with 0.59% of the national GDP.
São Paulo is the richest and most populous state in Brazil, ranking 16th and 27th worldwide, respectively; Rio de Janeiro is the second richest and the third most populous state, ranking 65th and 59th worldwide; Minas Gerais is the third richest and the second most populous state, ranking 80th and 55th worldwide.