jacolis

Hello:<BR><BR>I will be at a conference in Rio staying at the Sofitel. Is it safe to go down to the beach and rent a beach chair for a few hours? I have heard lots of stories about muggings on the beach. Is it safe to go during the day? <BR><BR>I presume that I will leave all my valuables (watch and ring) at the hotel and will leave my hotel key at the front desk. <BR><BR>Thanks!

Flyboy

I think the beach warnings about muggings are related to people going there at night. During the day, Copacabana is a very busy, active and interesting place to spend some time. Not bringing valuables is prudent and the correct approach. You will have a wonderful time.

mrwunrfl

<BR>Hi jacolis,<BR><BR>I stayed at the Sofitel in November and enjoyed it quite a bit. Of course, leave your valuables at the hotel, in your in-room safe. The room keys are the generic magnetic strip cards without the room number on it, so you can take it with you. The Sofitel has beach chairs, umbrellas, and towels available down at the beach (no charge for guests, so this is why you ought to take your room key card). Take 20 reals or so to buy a couple of cold drinks and maybe something from the roving vendors. It is certainly safe during the day.<BR><BR>You can stroll along the sidewalk next to the beach at night. There are a few sketchy characters around, like in the spot at the end of the beach right in front of the hotel (there are a couple of trees, some boats, and vendors there).<BR><BR>Out the door of the Sofitel, the first restaurant to the left has pretty good food at good prices. Continue in that direction to the corner, cross the street, and turn left. At the corner you will find a small restaurant open to the street. There is a small counter with stools. It's a good place for a snack. I went there every morning for great coffee (2 reals) and something for breakfast.<BR><BR>I arrived at the Sofitel just as the World Economic Forum was ending their conference there. They had quite a spread of food out during the day. I think you'll get pretty good treatment.<BR>

Dondiega

Jacolis, my advice would be to not even bring your ring or any good jewelry to Rio in the first place. Leave all your jewelry at home and just wear a cheap watch. 20 reais is about $5.60, a beer on the beach is about .60 cents. The Sofitel has a couple of good restaurents but you can try in Copacabana Don Camilios near the Rio Othon Palace next to Cabrall 1500 or go to Porcaos Rio in Flamengo for the best rodizio chuascaria in town. During the day walk anywhere, at night Ave. Atlantica is ok but limit your distance and your exposure, take taxis it's better.

RW

Jacolis -- I was in Rio last week and stayed in Copa and rented a beach chair for the entire day and didn't have any problems. I left the key at the front desk and didn't take more than 25 reals with me to the beach. You will be just fine at the beach during the day. At night, I was advised not to walk on the beach.

cindyn

I was unfortunately, robbed on the beach in '01. Sat underneath an umbrella with backpack strap (didn't contain much but towel, friend's money while he went for a swim, etc.) wrapped twice around my arm. We had a few other beach bags (books, towels, etc.) laying open. I must have dozed off (one too many cipirinhas previous ngt) for no more than 10-15 min-- that's long my friends left me, when bag was taken. I was wearing dark sunglasses so you really couldn't tell from afar whether I was awake or not.<BR><BR>My buddy speaks fluent Portuguese and asked the 2 families (with little children) sitting 10 feet away from us whether they saw anything. They shook their heads. These guys are very quick. I found Ipanema to be safer with less loiterers and solicitors on the beach.

Dondiega

Cindy, it is a shame when something like that happens I know it happened to me many years ago I left my watch and money in my sneaker and went into the water. When I returned to my towel the money and watch were gone. This took place in Ipanema so your advice that Ipanema is better, well it only looks that way, it is not. I was also on the beach one day in Ipanema and I found myself in the middle of a gun fight, yes this hsppens in Copacabana and it also happens in Ipanema too, I was there. I have been to Rio over 40 times and I always hear people say that Ipanema is safer and I always wonder why they say that.

Dondiega

I just got back from Rio and spoke to a man who is from Holland and he told me that he got mugged 2 times walking down Viera Souto in Ipanema at night. During my stay I never heard of any problems in Copacabana. I just wanted to note this fact.

pattysuericia

I was also robbed at the Copacabana and I preferred Ipanema. Notwithstanding that, I had a great time there.

Travelnick

Interesting reading different experiences - often lots of people say that as they were not mugged in Ipanema but heard of someone that had been mugged in Copacabana, the latter is safer. I got pickpocketed coming out of a club on Avenida Atlantica some years ago close to Copacabana Palace(at the peak of reporting of Rio violence)- 3 of us were surrounded by about 20-25 little kids wanting money. I saw the kids hand go into my chino pocket and shouted for the others to go for the nearest cab. There is not a lot else you can do - throw a few punches or shove 6 of them off in one go and hope none of them have a knife? The kid got hold of my dirty handkerchief that was placed over my mugging money. Do you still get all these kids around you at night? There is no way I would have walked any more than 100 metres on Avenida Atlantica at night. The other story I heard was of a guy coming out of club in Ipanema and having a razor blade slashed across his face as he showed that he did not have his watch on.

Dondiega

Yes the kids are still there, mostly they try to get you when you are getting out of a taxi, they wait for you to exit the taxi or they open the door for you and ask for money. My new strategy is to lock taxi doors as soon as I get in then when I get to the destination and they are out my door to open it, I pay my bill to the driver and I quickly go out the door on the other side and run to my destination and they can't catch me all the time yelling obscenities at me. It worked all the time. And yes I have had them put there hands in my pocket too in the past but they got nothing. It's all part of the Rio experience either you deal with it or you don't.

NNJBOBBY

Yes I saw the kids too.