Remember Peter’s Allen, singer and songwriter’s jazzy tune — where the music and lyrics, his voice.. “When my baby smiles at me I go to Rio...” gets your blood pumping and the wheels in your head turning.. ready to hop on a one way ticket to Rio? That’s how I feel when I hear it!

Rio de Janeiro is on the Brazilian coast, looking out to the South Atlantic Ocean, with Salvador to the north and San Paulo to the south. The climate is hot all year round, with occasional rains in the summer. Rio de Janeiro is busy, noisy and full of adventures to be had. 

To experience South America in full party mode, visit Rio de Janeiro at Carnaval time, but stay in a boutique hotel so that you have an oasis of calm to return to.

50L Waterproof Mountaineering Hiking Backpack

Accommodations

Although I enjoy staying at the quirky, funky and flavorful cheap hostels, since Rio de Janeiro attracts high-living, high-rolling visitors, it caters for a wide range of tourists, from those in palatial hotels to backpackers, like me, making their way through Brazil. For budget travelers, a hostel, Hotel & Backpackers (like the one pictured below) is cheap, easy, perfect and Fun! Don’t forget to pack all your belongings and valuables in a durable backpack, — like the one on sale to the left!

For a real special treat, however, book a stay in a boutique hotel, which offers a cool, calm retreat away from the hustle and bustle of this 24-hour city. Rio de Janeiro is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and both its residents and visitors like to live life to the full while they are there. If you need to recharge your batteries, a boutique hotel is the perfect place to stay. 

For a notch well above the hostel, try the 5-roomed La Maison, which is just a stone’s throw from the beach, but once you’re inside is a haven of peace and tranquillity, with a swimming pool and sundeck for guests to use when the beach has become too busy to handle. To really get away from it all, try La Suite, a boutique hotel with just seven rooms and 180 degree views of the ocean, the beach and the Cagarras Islands as well as the point of Arpoador, the rock that separates Copacabana from Ipanema. Here, the beach and great shopping are only a few minutes away by car, which means that you get the best of both worlds.

What To See?

People-watching is an occupation in itself in Rio de Janeiro. Once I’ve had your fill of beach beauties and surf dudes, I’ll take off to some of the many museums that show the works of a range of Brazilian artists; or take a walk in some of the beautiful tropical gardens. If I want to spend my time walking rather than dancing, then take a trip into the mountains for some unforgettable views (which is my preference)!

Transportation

Travelling in Rio de Janeiro can be an adventure. Buses are cheap, but not necessarily reliable or safe, so you’re advised not to take valuables with me if I decide to take a bus across town. Taxis are a more comfortable option, and usually a safer one, although I will still need to be careful. A good hotel will be able to arrange affordable, safe taxi services for you. For an altogether different experience, I’ll try the subway which, although it won’t cover the whole city, is clean, cheap and fast.