First Brazilian Trip: Florianopolis & Sao Paulo

[ppappi22]

Hello,

Hubby and I will be making our first trip to Brazil this Thursday to join in the carnival festivities. We have decided to skip Rio's carnival as we think it might be 'too much' for a first timer. Also, we were recommended Florianopolis by a Brazilian friend in the States. He said it's very gay friendly. 

I have been reading a lot on Sao Paulo on these forums -- but not much has been said about Floripa? We are staying near the gay beach, Praia Mole. We read there's a gay bar there named Bar do Deca and beyond this bar there's a nude beach with lots of action. Has anyone been? How is it? 

Lastly, from reading here, it seems the bathhouses are less about having fun with locals who are horny and more of hiring escorts? We definitely want to check Lagoa in Sao Paulo. Do people walk around in towels or fully dressed?

Any tips or recommendations are welcomed. Thanks in advance!  

[mvan1]

1 hour ago, ppappi22 said:

Hello,

Hubby and I will be making our first trip to Brazil this Thursday to join in the carnival festivities. We have decided to skip Rio's carnival as we think it might be 'too much' for a first timer. Also, we were recommended Florianopolis by a Brazilian friend in the States. He said it's very gay friendly. 

I have been reading a lot on Sao Paulo on these forums -- but not much has been said about Floripa? We are staying near the gay beach, Praia Mole. We read there's a gay bar there named Bar do Deca and beyond this bar there's a nude beach with lots of action. Has anyone been? How is it? 

Lastly, from reading here, it seems the bathhouses are less about having fun with locals who are horny and more of hiring escorts? We definitely want to check Lagoa in Sao Paulo. Do people walk around in towels or fully dressed?

Any tips or recommendations are welcomed. Thanks in advance!  

Hi, I think you made a wise decision to skip Carnaval in Rio.  It is very crowded during that event.  Many ordinary things like hotels and certain restaurant prices get doubled and tripled in price during Carnaval. 

My first Carnaval in Rio made me ask myself, why I was there.  I did not enjoy it at all.  I enjoyed being in Brazil but I did not enjoy the celebrations because of the massive crowds.  

I am of ordinary height.  However, when I went out walking in the areas where celebrations were being held, all I could see was the backs of the people in massive crowds in front of me.  Performers on stages could not be seen, only heard.  

Despite the crowds and lack of ability to physically see any performance, I am glad I had the experience of attending one Carnaval.  How else can one evaluation something without experience or exposure?

You said you read a lot about Sao Paulo on these threads.  Therefore, I will not go into much except to say there is a lot to do in Sao Paulo during the day if you have interests other than to visit the saunas.  There are more than eighty museums in Sao Paulo and there are a lot of cultural things available. 

You mentioned Lagoa sauna.  I have been there hundreds of times over the years.  The fact that I have been there so often and so many times must mean that I like the place.  You don't need me to go into detail about Lagoa as you said you read this forum.  I cannot add much to what has already been written about that sauna.

I have been visiting Brazil for going on sixteen years, many times each year.  Last year was the first time I had a bad experience on the street with muggers.  That experience will not stop me from visiting Brazil but it will make me more cautious than I have ever been while visiting Brazil. 

You should remain alert while in Brazil.  In my case, there was nothing I could do.  Two muggers appeared out of a doorway around eight thirty at night while I had just exited an Uber en route to a restaurant only about one hundred feet from where I exited the Uber. 

Thus, no matter how careful you are, if your unlucky number comes up, it comes up and often there is nothing you can do about it.  

As to Florianapolis, there are parts of the city that are nice.  However, over the past three years, crime has increased there markedly. 

Here is a link to a study that was updated last month that shows an increase in street muggings in the city.   

https://www.numbeo.com/crime/in/Florianopolis

Your Brazilian friend who recommended the city might not be aware of current statistics. 

You wrote "it seems the bathhouses are less about having fun with locals who are horny and more of hiring escorts" - I believe you are describing a regular gay sauna. 

There are many regular gay saunas in Brazil but I do not go to them.  The variety of person available there is not what I seek and vice a versa.  So, yes, the saunas discussed on this forum are saunas where you will meet hustlers or commonly known as garotos.  

Lastly, you wrote - "   Do people walk around in towels or fully dressed?"

The answer is yes, to both - some people walk around the saunas in towels (most) while some walk around the saunas fully dressed. 

It is up to you how you want to dress and what to wear. 

I have even seen guys in Lagoa wearing a dress and no one gave them any trouble. 

At another sauna in Sao Paulo - Fragata, I have often seen the same man wear a dress - he is transvestite and seems to be liked by most customers and some garotos. 

There will be others to give guidance. 

Have a wonderful time in Brazil - it is not like any other place in the world.   

Edited February 26, 2019 by mvan1

[Riobard]

Perhaps you can do a search here and find some contributions about rentboys in the Floripa sauna venues. Just enter the short or long form. But I think the info remains ambiguous. You have not clearly indicated your leaning even though Lagoa is on the bucket list. My interpretation is you seek regular play. 

[ppappi22]

Thank you so much for your input! Of course we'd like to experience some culture while in Sao Paulo, so if you have recommendations on tours, guides, museums and restaurants -- please share! 

Also, I must admit I was a bit unaware of the high crime rate in Brazil. We travel a lot to Latin American and Europe and usually are very vigilant about our surroundings. But it sounds like in Brazil we should be very, very careful. I mean -- being mugged while getting out of an Uber? Scary! 

One last question: any good gay massage studios? 

 

[ppappi22]

6 minutes ago, Riobard said:

Perhaps you can do a search here and find some contributions about rentboys in the Floripa sauna venues. Just enter the short or long form. But I think the info remains ambiguous. You have not clearly indicated your leaning even though Lagoa is on the bucket list. My interpretation is you seek regular play. 

We seek regular play (guys we meet on grindr) and rentboys. We're both tops -- so finding a bottom is important. TMI? 

[Riobard]

Massage houses with tantrica [nudge wink] are less stable. This is my observation following the ads over the years. I stick to Lagoa or Fragata.

netgay.com.br may yield some ads/links

[Riobard]

TMI?? We expect fully rendered explicit accounts!

 

[Riobard]

Caution re: Grindr, etc. There are reports of setups. Unfortunately, you would need to take several hours to scan this forum section for testimonials related to the darker side. The cautionary info is woven into the fabric of more generic threads here. You may have in your favour being an N of 2, giving pause to wannabe opportunists. 

Edited February 26, 2019 by Riobard

[mvan1]

31 minutes ago, ppappi22 said:

Thank you so much for your input! Of course we'd like to experience some culture while in Sao Paulo, so if you have recommendations on tours, guides, museums and restaurants -- please share! 

Also, I must admit I was a bit unaware of the high crime rate in Brazil. We travel a lot to Latin American and Europe and usually are very vigilant about our surroundings. But it sounds like in Brazil we should be very, very careful. I mean -- being mugged while getting out of an Uber? Scary! 

One last question: any good gay massage studios? 

 

Hi, you said you travel a lot to Latin America and Europe. 

Brazil is no more or less dangerous than parts of Latin America.  Some parts of Europe are as dangerous as Brazil.  

Medellin, for example.  I was there last year and had a wonderful time.  It is not as interesting (to me) as Brazil but it was fun.  I would return.

You do not need to go to a studio for a massage.  At the saunas there are usually guys who are fairly good at massage.  When you go into the sauna, just ask to see the masseur.  

As I wrote, there are more than eighty museums in Sao Paulo.  The most famous is MASP located in a very good neighborhood downtown (Avenida Paulista).  Last year they had on display more than fifty original Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.  Yes, originals!  Think of the cost of those treasures.  

There is so much to do you really should check google.  As I do not know your interests, I do not know what to recommend.  

Prior to your going, you might want to see about setting up your telephone so you will be able to communicate while in Brazil (Uber, garotos etc). 

Edited February 26, 2019 by mvan1

[mvan1]

11 minutes ago, ppappi22 said:

We seek regular play (guys we meet on grindr) and rentboys. We're both tops -- so finding a bottom is important. TMI? 

If you go to the saunas, you will not be disappointed. 

[Riobard]

I use DK Eyewitness travel guides, hardcover. Much cheaper formats of those publications available iBooks or Kindle. The Brazil version would cover SP and Floripa, as well as RJ for future. The RJ Top10 version is unnecessary if you spring for the country guide. 

I described a walking itinerary for SP in the thread 'SP in dribs and drabs' here, Sept 2018?

Edited February 26, 2019 by Riobard

[Riobard]

I can try to post a screenshot of the mapping but not until home in a week, as i am currently in east coast zone of the country without the SP portion of my materials. BTW DK guide got two of the SP churches mixed up. 

[lopesv2]

Hi @ppappi22 some hints:

Safety in São Paulo- the Paulista avenue region,  Pinheiros, Vila Madalena and Itaim are the more touristic and safer regions. General advice is to avoid wearing expensive jewelry. Rua dos Pinheiros has a ton of restaurants and Vila Madalena has lots of bars. The most famous museum is MASP in Paulista Avenue.

Saunas are basically Lagoa, Fragata and Rainbow.

Massage places: Inhouse and Gold Therapy.

Download WhatsApp to communicate with Brazilians. It is the best way to reach us.

 

 

[ppappi22]

10 hours ago, lopesv2 said:

Hi @ppappi22 some hints:

Safety in São Paulo- the Paulista avenue region,  Pinheiros, Vila Madalena and Itaim are the more touristic and safer regions. General advice is to avoid wearing expensive jewelry. Rua dos Pinheiros has a ton of restaurants and Vila Madalena has lots of bars. The most famous museum is MASP in Paulista Avenue.

Saunas are basically Lagoa, Fragata and Rainbow.

Massage places: Inhouse and Gold Therapy.

Download WhatsApp to communicate with Brazilians. It is the best way to reach us.

 

 

Thank you for the info! We’re staying at the Renaissance in São Paulo. I’m sure that’s a safe area and it doesn’t seem that far from the gay neighborhood. 

[mvan1]

4 hours ago, ppappi22 said:

Thank you for the info! We’re staying at the Renaissance in São Paulo. I’m sure that’s a safe area and it doesn’t seem that far from the gay neighborhood. 

 

That hotel is only one block from Avenida Paulista, a major street in Sao Paulo.  

I stayed at that hotel last year.  

If you have at least "Platinum status" with Marriott Hotels (the holding company of Renaissance Hotel) you will be able to use the club lounge during your stay.  You can also buy access to the lounge if the hotel is not full.  I do not know the cost to buy access to the lounge.  You have to ask at the check-in desk.  

That hotel has one of the better club lounges of many of Marriott's chain hotels.  It is large and has breakfast and dinner included while using the lounge.  It is also open during the day for minor snacks.   If you have access to the lounge, you pay nothing extra for your meals in the lounge.   

If you walk one block to Avenida Paulista, then walk to Trionon park, you will find many hustlers in the park looking for customers.  Although there are hustlers in the park, you are better off going to a sauna for safety purposes.  

Here is a link to the park - 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parque_Trianon

Here is another link that shows the area of the park as well as the famous MASP building and other interesting places in that general area.  For reasons I do not understand, the link includes photos from Paris and Munich and other cities.  But, most of the photos at the beginning of the link are related to Sao Paulo. 

https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&q=sao+paulo+-+trionon+ark&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2m6f_rdrgAhXkJTQIHfo3DZ4QsAR6BAgEEAE&biw=1120&bih=604

Have a great time - 

Edited February 26, 2019 by mvan1

[ppappi22]

On 2/26/2019 at 4:35 PM, mvan1 said:

That hotel is only one block from Avenida Paulista, a major street in Sao Paulo.  

I stayed at that hotel last year.  

If you have at least "Platinum status" with Marriott Hotels (the holding company of Renaissance Hotel) you will be able to use the club lounge during your stay.  You can also buy access to the lounge if the hotel is not full.  I do not know the cost to buy access to the lounge.  You have to ask at the check-in desk.  

That hotel has one of the better club lounges of many of Marriott's chain hotels.  It is large and has breakfast and dinner included while using the lounge.  It is also open during the day for minor snacks.   If you have access to the lounge, you pay nothing extra for your meals in the lounge.   

If you walk one block to Avenida Paulista, then walk to Trionon park, you will find many hustlers in the park looking for customers.  Although there are hustlers in the park, you are better off going to a sauna for safety purposes.  

Here is a link to the park - 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parque_Trianon

Here is another link that shows the area of the park as well as the famous MASP building and other interesting places in that general area.  For reasons I do not understand, the link includes photos from Paris and Munich and other cities.  But, most of the photos at the beginning of the link are related to Sao Paulo. 

https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&q=sao+paulo+-+trionon+ark&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2m6f_rdrgAhXkJTQIHfo3DZ4QsAR6BAgEEAE&biw=1120&bih=604

Have a great time - 

Nice! Yes, we have access to the lounge. The location looks central to sight see.

Have you ever had a guy stay over the night at this property? Do we need to register him and/or pay a fee? 

We had to pay a fee at the Marriott in Medellin for having a guest stay over, but it’s never an issue at the Sheraton in Mexico City. 

Although we are aware that the safest bet is to meet boys at the sauna — some people on here have mentioned that have asked boys from the sauna to spend the night?

[Riobard]

A few months ago I took a few shots of some of the Masters at MASP, top floor. Here is a sample cluster. The works are arranged on stands surrounded by a perimeter of windows and natural light, rather than the traditional placement on gallery walls. It is easy to view there, and taking a shot does not disrupt other patrons' enjoyment. Kkkkk ... I did actually gaze extensively, not just blast thru with the shutter in front of my face. Somehow I mistakenly  got trapped in a separate queue of locals on a Sunday morn who got in free and in priority time when doors opened. The images are not crisp because I grouped them for this post. Tap the cluster to sharpen the focus.

Edited March 1, 2019 by Riobard

[mvan1]

On 2/27/2019 at 9:23 PM, ppappi22 said:

Nice! Yes, we have access to the lounge. The location looks central to sight see.

Have you ever had a guy stay over the night at this property? Do we need to register him and/or pay a fee? 

We had to pay a fee at the Marriott in Medellin for having a guest stay over, but it’s never an issue at the Sheraton in Mexico City. 

Although we are aware that the safest bet is to meet boys at the sauna — some people on here have mentioned that have asked boys from the sauna to spend the night?

I never had to pay a fee when a garoto stayed over.  However, I do not have another registered guest (your partner) with me in the room.  If you have a separate room from your partner, you will not be charged for a visitor to your room or to the lounge. 

Since I don't know your set up at the hotel, it is difficult to answer. 

Clearly, if you have your own room, you will not be charged for a visitor to spend the night and/or if the guest accompanies you to the lounge.   

On the other hand, if you share a room with your partner, it is likely a third person visitor will be noticed as you enter the hotel.  The lounge is fairly large with several divided sections.  It is unlikely you will have a problem gaining access to the lounge as it is accessed via your room key.  Besides, you are entitled to a guest in the lounge.  The rules, as they are written, are ambiguous.  

The fact that you had to pay a fee at a different hotel has no bearing on the hotel in Sao Paulo.  Look at the Marriott rules (and whether you have your own room) as they now control most of their hotels.  

To be on the safe side, since you are allowed one guest (as a Platinum member)  it might be better for you to enter with the visitor and then have your partner use his key to enter a minute or so later.  This is only to avoid possible embarrassment assuming your partner does not have his own separate room.   

Edited March 1, 2019 by mvan1

[trzinko]

i would like that you tell us more about Florianopolis and beaches. gay beaches.  any possibility of meeting guys there to meet a rich uncle.  i was pretty succesful with this on ipanema. i would love to hear details about florianopolis, because i investigate an option to go there if it is good and better then ipanema.

[Riobard]

I just retrieved at my house my little walking guide for 4 churches and the cemetery west of them. SFA and Conc are mislabelled each other by the publication. You can mosey along this area commencing Sé or the intersection Paulista & Concolaçao west of the cemetery which is north side of Conc. You may have already discovered all this. Tap the image to enlarge. It is blurrier at the top which is less relevant. 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Riobard

[ppappi22]

On 3/1/2019 at 7:55 AM, trzinko said:

i would like that you tell us more about Florianopolis and beaches. gay beaches.  any possibility of meeting guys there to meet a rich uncle.  i was pretty succesful with this on ipanema. i would love to hear details about florianopolis, because i investigate an option to go there if it is good and better then ipanema.

Floripa was a lot of fun! It’s carnival at the moment, so it was busier than usual. Bar do Deca is the place to be. Beach was crowded and lively. A $100R bracelet gets you into the nightclub, which gets crowded at night after everyone moves from the beach inside. Bracelet also includes $70R towards food/drink. 

 

But the best part is the nude beach that’s just beyond Bar do Deca. Tons of gorgeous guys letting it all hang out. At night, in the trails behind Bar do Deca I found tons of action. Lots of cruising! 

[pauleiro]

On 3/5/2019 at 4:35 PM, ppappi22 said:

Floripa was a lot of fun! It’s carnival at the moment, so it was busier than usual. Bar do Deca is the place to be. Beach was crowded and lively. A $100R bracelet gets you into the nightclub, which gets crowded at night after everyone moves from the beach inside. Bracelet also includes $70R towards food/drink. 

 

But the best part is the nude beach that’s just beyond Bar do Deca. Tons of gorgeous guys letting it all hang out. At night, in the trails behind Bar do Deca I found tons of action. Lots of cruising! 

Praia da Galheta is indeed really hot. When did you go to see these tons of gorgeous guys ? 

[wncdemcub]

For sightseeing in São Paulo look into the free walk tours they give you a great overview of things like Batman alley, via Magdalena, soccer museum, masp, itau cultural center, ims, Japan house 

head over to Liberdade for a wonderful Japanese experience! Large market on Sundays! 

This is just to name a few!

[axiom2001]

On 2/25/2019 at 7:18 PM, ppappi22 said:

Thank you so much for your input! Of course we'd like to experience some culture while in Sao Paulo, so if you have recommendations on tours, guides, museums and restaurants -- please share! 

Also, I must admit I was a bit unaware of the high crime rate in Brazil. We travel a lot to Latin American and Europe and usually are very vigilant about our surroundings. But it sounds like in Brazil we should be very, very careful. I mean -- being mugged while getting out of an Uber? Scary! 

One last question: any good gay massage studios? 

 

netgay.com.br for massage studios.  I checked out an enticing and very well put together massage web the other evening via that website.

Edited March 10, 2019 by axiom2001

[Tartegogo]

On 2/28/2019 at 12:23 AM, ppappi22 said:

Although we are aware that the safest bet is to meet boys at the sauna — some people on here have mentioned that have asked boys from the sauna to spend the night?

Yes, I have done that at least 3 times, no problem. The only thing is the hotel registration rules, make sure they allow it.