Brazil Questions

[caeron]

I'm doing my first trip to Brazil, a week in Rio in early August. I've read the forums for years and just never got around to the trip.

I've read people talk about using translation apps on their phones to talk to the boys. Any recommendations?

In many places, I've had great deals on Airbnb, and Rio looks like no exception. But the frequent discussion of safety makes me wonder if I'm still better at a hotel. Thoughts?

Does anybody have an recommendation for english speaking gay guides? I wouldn't mind a guide for a day or two to get used to brazil and make sure I'm safe until I've got a feel for the city.

[Tomcal]

Google translate on my iphone works great, easy to use and fast!  

Personally i think the safety issue is overblown! It is no different then any other big city in the world! There are always going to be people on each end of the spectrum on this so you just have to go with what makes you comfortable!  I have been going to Rio 4 or 5 times a year since 2001 and only had one minor problem with a street hustler(2003) and that was in a hotel! i have been staying in Apartments since 2007 and have never had a issue with safety and we are talking a significant number of guys! LOL I happen to like having my own apt., others prefer hotel living, just your preference!

Enjoy your trip! i may be down there the same week!

[msclelovr]

My two cents. I don’t know if

- you live or have lived in a very big city or

- whether you have travelled in Latin America before.

Unless you have the ‘big city/LatAm’ smarts, I strongly suggest you find an hotel or an apartment with 24 hour security on the building. 

I also suggest you have sex on the premises when you visit a sauna. And if you meet someone at the beach etc, take them to a love-motel.

But if you insist on a guy staying overnight, there’s no need to be shy. Reception at the hotel and Security at an apartment building will have seen it all before. Just ensure that you book for 2 people to stay overnight. Also, any guy you bring back with you will have photo ID that they will check - it’s for your protection. (And not just against possible theft or violence, I was propositioned on one trip by a handsome young muscled and tall preppy guy who assured me he was almost 19. Reception discreetly warned me he was under-age, only 16 when they checked his ID!)

 

[asdsrfr]

I think that there is no difference between an apartment and hotel in terms of safety unless you are bringing someone back to your room--which I would probably avoid on your first trip. Many hotels may not allow guests at all once you check in anyway--so have fun in the saunas. On my first trip I found a hotel a better place to stay only because of the fact that there was usually an english speaking person at the reception to give advice about taxi's, attractions, the metro, etc. Once I got the lay of the land after my first trip I started using apartments which I really prefer.

[caeron]

 

Thanks. I'd thought as much on safety (that it was probably overblown). I've travelled extensively, and while I make no claims to be super streetwise, I think I can handle it.

I really prefer having my own place. I may or may not want to bring a boy home to it, but I can judge that. A number of the airbnb apartments did have 24 hour security, and were still a better deal than a hotel.

On the gay thailand forum, I noticed folks talking about picking up boys in bangkok on dating apps. Has anybody had that experience in brazil?

[floridarob]

1 minute ago, caeron said:

 

 

I really prefer having my own place. I may or may not want to bring a boy home to it, but I can judge that. A number of the airbnb apartments did have 24 hour security, and were still a better deal than a hotel.

 

AirBnB can be hit or miss in Brasil....I've had more disappointments than good rentals.

LOT's of street noise, I'm a vampire, like to sleep in and stay out late, not many have Blackout curtains.

Lot's of banging noise and shit in the building, sometimes right next door because they are fixing a leak or remodeling or whatever.

Uncomfortable beds

 

The list goes on, I've enjoyed hotels more, but these days I'm usually just a week in each place (SP & Rio)...is nice to have room service available and clean sheets and towels every day.

.if I were to stay longer in one place, I'd research AirBnB more I guess...

[caeron]

Fair points.

But I'm not a vampire these days (ah, my lost youth!), and I really like having a kitchen, even if it's just for a few drinks and snacks.

But you remind me I should probably pay closer attention to the reviews on airbnb, and make sure I"m getting what I want, and not just getting cheaper!

[caeron]

 

Does anybody have any advice on net gay escort listings? I'm just wondering if there are other good options besides the saunas? I'm looking forward to those, but want to know if anybody has any advice on other options.

 

 

[mvan1]

3 hours ago, caeron said:

 

Thanks. I'd thought as much on safety (that it was probably overblown). I've travelled extensively, and while I make no claims to be super streetwise, I think I can handle it.

I really prefer having my own place. I may or may not want to bring a boy home to it, but I can judge that. A number of the airbnb apartments did have 24 hour security, and were still a better deal than a hotel.

On the gay thailand forum, I noticed folks talking about picking up boys in bangkok on dating apps. Has anybody had that experience in brazil?

With respect to safety.  A month or so, ago, I posted instructions how to download a Brazilian app to an American smart phone.  The app is a Rio de Janeiro app and it sends smart phones (where ever the phone is) a message each and every time a shooting is reported to the local police in Rio.  The app is intended for Brazilians but it is accessible to anyone in most parts of the world. 

The app signals at least once each hour.  That is a lot of shootings reported.  Not all shootings are in favelas.  The time and address of each shooting shows in the app signal.  

To install the app on Android, go to the Play store and enter OTT (onde Tem Tiroteio)   - The app is free.  The app can also be install on an IPhone.  

I think if you install this app and see the locations shown where the shootings occur, you will know to be cautious while in Brazil. 

I am not saying you should not go to Brazil or that you should go there in fear.  I am saying that there is crime and you should be cautious.  

On your comment about your liking to have a kitchen and all, you never know what kind of apartment you will get when renting in Brazil.  Some apartments are quite nice but many are quite shabby and/or are in bad neighborhoods.  

Considering this is your first trip and you are there only one week, you might want to consider a hotel and check out possible apartment facilities for your next trip.  

As to meeting guys on dating apps in Brazil, it is fairly easy to do.   Just be careful when you communicate if you do not know Portuguese.  Translating apps are good but they are not always helpful for meeting a garoto from an app. 

Saunas are safe and practical, especially for a first time visitor.  

Sorry for being negative about Brazil.  I love Brazil but you are a new traveler to Brazil and I think you should be aware that the reports about Rio being dangerous are true.  Plain and simple.  

 

 

[asdsrfr]

2 hours ago, floridarob said:

AirBnB can be hit or miss in Brasil....I've had more disappointments than good rentals.

LOT's of street noise, I'm a vampire, like to sleep in and stay out late, not many have Blackout curtains.

Lot's of banging noise and shit in the building, sometimes right next door because they are fixing a leak or remodeling or whatever.

Uncomfortable beds

 

The list goes on, I've enjoyed hotels more, but these days I'm usually just a week in each place (SP & Rio)...is nice to have room service available and clean sheets and towels every day.

.if I were to stay longer in one place, I'd research AirBnB more I guess...

I have had bad luck at times with the banging/construction issue at many apartments and even hotels in Brazil and elsewhere. I likewise like to sleep late on vacation and I think this is a worthwhile thing to inquire on when renting an apartment or booking a hotel. In some cases when I mentioned the construction noise to the apartment host they replied "oh that just started today--sorry."

[Badboy81]

8 hours ago, caeron said:

I'm doing my first trip to Brazil, a week in Rio in early August. I've read the forums for years and just never got around to the trip.

I've read people talk about using translation apps on their phones to talk to the boys. Any recommendations?

In many places, I've had great deals on Airbnb, and Rio looks like no exception. But the frequent discussion of safety makes me wonder if I'm still better at a hotel. Thoughts?

Does anybody have an recommendation for english speaking gay guides? I wouldn't mind a guide for a day or two to get used to brazil and make sure I'm safe until I've got a feel for the city.

Google translation like just about everybody else has said will suffice...Learning some Portuguese will get you further and open you to guys outside of the saunas

Look at things besides location regarding your airBnB...I used to stay exclusively at a hotel but now use AirBnB and pay close attention to photos and reviews....Go with your gut on how the owner communicates with you and if all else fails ask for recent pics if you like the location of the place

I honestly DONT recommend staying in an apartment on your first trip since you wont know your way around....

As long as you stay in the touristy areas, you should be fine...Copa, Ipanema....dont venture anywhere that you havent heard of or has some touristy spot...I wouldnt recommend going to the Lapa stairs at night unless you are comfortable

Rio is like any other major city...good parts and bad parts....

Have a great trip

[Badboy81]

3 hours ago, caeron said:

On the gay thailand forum, I noticed folks talking about picking up boys in bangkok on dating apps. Has anybody had that experience in brazil?

Grindr is DOPE for me but I speak some Portuguese and dont tend to be fucked with in Rio but I wouldn't recommend that for first timers...

Try to learn the lay of the land before having guys you don't know in your personal, private space

[Badboy81]

40 minutes ago, caeron said:

 

Does anybody have any advice on net gay escort listings? I'm just wondering if there are other good options besides the saunas? I'm looking forward to those, but want to know if anybody has any advice on other options.

 

 

Tons of posts about that site...

The same with Rentmen.com and other sites

Most of the guys on those sites are in the saunas and charge more...The sauna is the easiest way to find sex and companionship and will be the safest place for a newbie..

If you meet a guy and hit it off, you can always negotiate his rates to come to you at your apartment...(Most hotels will charge for a guest that is not registered to your room)

[wncdemcub]

Ok I’ve had good luck on Airbnb. All depends on your comfort level. It is going to 5 Star, most likely not but I have always felt safe and had more space in an apt. Reviews are your friend...more is better.

 

in terms of bringing guys to my place, I don’t generally bring garatos back so far but that is my preference. But in terms of guys I met on apps (free sex) that is a different.

Google translate will be your friend. As you have traveled, leave your valuables at home or hotel, take only what you need. I buy a cheap watch, wear a money belt, and use an older phone for my SIM card there.

[Walker]

My debates between hotels and Airbnb is not about safety or guest policy.  It is more about the quality of the room/apartment.  3/4 star hotel have clean white towels, white sheets, pillow and duvet, whereas Airbnb may give you dark color towels and sheets etc. Some are well worn.  I always wonder how clean or how new these dark brown towels  are.  One time I rented an Airbnb apt in Sao Paulo.  There was an awful smell of urine near or under or inside the bed, what can you do? NOTHING.  You can not take a picture of urine smell and send to airbnb, can you?  But if you are at a hotel, you can certainly go down to front desk and resolve the issue.  And don't forget about bed bugs, hotels have professional team to deal with this kind of issue, I doubt individual airbnb host ever bother to check for bed bugs.  In addition, airbnb don't give you the exact address until you confirm and pay for the booking. Well... one block difference can be heaven and earth in some cities.  And I could never understand why they won't show address as part of listing.  Perhaps to avoid some legal issues?  So why would I participate in a businesses in the dubious borderline legality?

To me, the only advantage for Airbnb is price.  If I want to stay in an area where hotels are much more expensive than airbnb , I will choose airbnb.   But since airbnb has becoming quite popular, their price are mostly in line with the hotels in certain touristy cities.

[numazu]

11 hours ago, caeron said:

I've read people talk about using translation apps on their phones to talk to the boys. Any recommendations?

Google Translate would be the best one to use, as others have suggested. The microphone feature is pretty good to use if you guys are tired of typing out responses. It helps if both of you enunciate the words, or if you type, make the sentences simple so the translations don't come out weird.

BUT, the best thing that happened to me last trip was when my cellphone battery died, and I was forced to communicate in Portuguese with my companion. It did wonders for my confidence in speaking the language and after that I did not use Google Translate as much. Of course I've been taking lessons so it was probably just the kick in the butt I needed to not rely on GT as a crutch in order to communicate.

12 hours ago, caeron said:

In many places, I've had great deals on Airbnb, and Rio looks like no exception. But the frequent discussion of safety makes me wonder if I'm still better at a hotel. Thoughts?

There are a lot of AirBNB Rio options, especially the Ipanema and Copacabana ones with a lot of reviews from usually Gringos, that are great. They usually have a doorman who act as security so these AirBNBs are pretty safe. The price is usually fair, and it is usually in a residential-ish touristy area that has a lot of spots you want like restaurants, markets and easy access for Uber.  But for a newbie, I'd suggest the relative comfort and security of a hotel, especially if you are not comfortable with the city yet, and especially concerned about safety. You will have (mostly) english-capable staff that can help you orient yourself with the area, as well as have the safety infrastructure (security checking ID's, safes in the room, cameras everywhere) you may need for your own peace of mind.

12 hours ago, caeron said:

Does anybody have an recommendation for english speaking gay guides? I wouldn't mind a guide for a day or two to get used to brazil and make sure I'm safe until I've got a feel for the city.

No clue, I had my BF as my first guide. But Viator has a lot of private tours that may have what you need: https://www.viator.com/Rio-de-Janeiro/d712-ttd#{"listSpec"%3A{"sortBy"%3A"001"%2C"layout"%3A"grid"}%2C"filterSpec"%3A{"selections"%3A[{"name"%3A"groupId"%2C"value"%3A"26"}]%2C"availabilityRange"%3A{"from"%3A""%2C"to"%3A""}}%2C"currency"%3A"USD"%2C"destinationId"%3A"712"}

[Riobard]

I am curious about the utility of the app alerting about gunshots in real time. The app would indicate location occurrence, but invariably after-the-fact. How does this help assure self-protection? If a gunshot in one location is predictive of further gunshots relatively soon after in the same location then I can see its usefulness. Maybe that is the case.

In contrast, if gunfire occurs in a more randomly geographically scattered pattern, the immediate notifications would have no more usefulness than periodic review of the patterns and hot spots (likely already established).

[likeohmygod]

Riobard this app is usefull mostly for the people living in favelas (or close) , where gunshots usually mean 2 things:

1) Enemy gangs trying to push inside 

2) Police operations. 

Be sure that if on one of these places you can listen to one shot, 90% sure there are will be more to follow. 

For random bullets somewhere in the middle of a road in the zona sul, there's no predictive meaning. 

[Riobard]

Yes, that makes sense, LOMG ... then not really applicable to visitors unless strolling up the ladeira behind 202.

[Tomcal]

Getting back to the posters question about Airbnb vs Hotel, i have been renting the same Apt for the last 7 years in Ipanema! except for my last trip when i waited until 4 weeks before arriving and it was booked but i ended up with a apt i liked just as well! Both of these places have great locations in relation to the beach, restaurants, ATM’s and are located in a safe area!  These are my 4 personal “must have” requirements!  also once you develop a relationship with the owner they are some unexpected benifits like having my own set of keys so no one has to check me in, no deposits for damage or prepayment or cleaning fees!(I end up leaving it cleaner then when i get there!). 

there is no 24 hr doorman at either place as both are relatively small buildings less then 20 apts each, but there are 2 separate locked doors before you get to the Apt door which is a heavy re-enforced door and have never had a issue in spite of the Heavy traffic to my apartment! :-)

[Riobard]

Caeron, I am going to private message you with a lead on a guide. He is well known at the sauna brothels and of course therefore interested in providing BF experience for pay as well, but likely open to a nonsexual daytime guide role and ushering you in to your initiatory sauna experiences. The key is he is local, bright, and language proficient. 

[Riobard]

Re: netgay, several of them are sauna garotos. Overall, the prices are higher, the guys are shorter in height, and the advantage to the brothel clubs is selection and on the on-spot vetting. One of my 117/202 faves just started listing but may be in Curitiba. 

[axiom2001]

On 6/4/2018 at 10:18 AM, msclelovr said:

My two cents. I don’t know if

- you live or have lived in a very big city or

- whether you have travelled in Latin America before.

Unless you have the ‘big city/LatAm’ smarts, I strongly suggest you find an hotel or an apartment with 24 hour security on the building. 

I also suggest you have sex on the premises when you visit a sauna. And if you meet someone at the beach etc, take them to a love-motel.

But if you insist on a guy staying overnight, there’s no need to be shy. Reception at the hotel and Security at an apartment building will have seen it all before. Just ensure that you book for 2 people to stay overnight. Also, any guy you bring back with you will have photo ID that they will check - it’s for your protection. (And not just against possible theft or violence, I was propositioned on one trip by a handsome young muscled and tall preppy guy who assured me he was almost 19. Reception discreetly warned me he was under-age, only 16 when they checked his ID!)

 

Although I never had a problem regarding valuables or other possessions, I'd highly recommend that you have these items secured or hidden discreetly.  One of my former acquaintances had hidden a good sum of reais behind a painting in his apartment.  He found it missing after an amigo whom he trusted had left.

- cologne- hidden if you're into it     ---of course passport   ---money   ---watches   ---cameras  ---cell phone if you're not using it, etc.,   etc.,   etc....

[caeron]

This is, in fact, the key thing that gives me pause about doing an Airbnb. Lack of a safe or other place to secure valuables if I choose to have a guest.

I may do it anyway, and as others have said, just not bring anybody back with me to the apartment. I was looking at building with 24 hour doormen. Anybody have any experience on how much you can count on a doorman to help with checking a guest versus a hotel reception? 

[SolaceSoul]

I’ve stayed at several AirBnBs in Brazilian cities that had safes in the master bedroom. I stayed at one in Cuba that had a safe. I just returned from Spain and two of the apartments where I stayed both had safes.

They are more common than you think. You might want to do a search that includes the word safe or lockbox, or just read the apartment descriptions. Or you can just send a message to the owner and ask them directly before committing.