Brazil with Children?

[MsJaneAusten]

Has anyone been? With kids? Tips/recommendations?

I've been offered the chance to stay with friends in Rio next Easter. I'd have my 5yo and 8yo DSes with me. Ideally, we'd spend 3-4 days with the friends in Rio, then spend a week visiting the jungles and/or Iguazu and/or beaches, then back to Rio for the final 3-4 days.

Weather looks manageable at that time of year. Kids are both reasonably well travelled so I'm not worried about the flight itself, but I'd love to hear from people who have been with children about how they found it (safety, friendliness, things to do, etc)

Thank you

We've been without kids to Rio and Paraty. Rio had lots to do - one of the least safe places I have been - first hotel on Cococabana beach a man was ordering prostitutes at breakfast and they were on the beach and second hotel you could hear people being shot in favela which waiter told another couple was normal. Interesting to see round it and visit famous landmarks. Weather was good. As long as you follow FCO advice on safety should be OK. We stayed at Sheraton and PortoBay. Magnificent view from Portobay room with balcony over Cococabana but some male guests who had come for prostitutes. Some interesting conversations overheard but not ones I would want my kids to here!

Paraty felt much safer and was lovely. We stayed in rainforest there, cobbled streets, horse and carriage rides, nice beach, fishing boats you can pay locals to go on. Think we stayed in Pousada Bromelias which was lovely and would recommend there. Friendlier in Paraty than Rio, fairly similar to UK. The driving was little on erratic side, we had a transfer but guy kept closing his eyes clearly too tired to drive. Met some nice Argentinians on that transfer who offered to take over driving. Didn't see any wildlife apart from monkeys in Rio but very beautiful.

I have had friends who lived their and their daughter was born their and DP goes every year.
Friends daughter was transferred from hospital to secure compound stayed there for 2 years till transfer to Airport home as kidnap risk for blonde hair blue eyed children is very high.
DP travels with a bodyguard the whole time in armoured vehicles and has been in a convey where one of the bodyguards had to 'neutralise the risk'.

It is not some where I would take children.

I think staying with your friends would be fine and they will have recommendations on where to go and where not to go. Like any major city, keep valuables to a minimum and don’t wander into favellas or dodgy neighbourhoods. Hotels always advise on this! I would consider getting guided tours and get taxis. We didn’t go with children but we didn’t feel unsafe. I have not heard of British children being kidnapped there.

We have been to iguazu Falls but stayed on the Argentinian side. It’s exciting and worth the effort. Paraty would be good too. We actually went north to the beach area of Praia Do Forte which I really recommend. We stayed at Farol das Tartarugas. Simple but lovely and a short walk into town.

We also went to Salvador but that’s quite an intense place. It has a slave history and is famed for its drumming and an amazing church. Cruise ships call in and there are some great little hotels. We stayed at Casa do Amarelindo in the old town on the hill. It might not be a city to suit everyone but it’s unique.

We completed the trip by staying in Ouro Preto and Tiradentes which are fantastic colonial towns. Possibly not places to interest children.

In Rio we sampled the beaches, did a tour of the Maracana Stadium, went to the Santa Teresa neighbourhood and of course went up Sugar Loaf mountain and to the Christ the Redeemer statue. All of those ideas are safe. Get taxis if you don’t book tours.

We didn’t go up to the Amazon Basin because we had been to Amazonian rainforest areas before. You could add in this possibility though and it’s safe! I would talk to DC and see what they might enjoy most. However do go! Take the opportunity and speak to your friends about recommendations.

We visited Rio with children but I wouldn’t do it again. Crime has risen again since the police crackdown for the olympics.
The city was beautiful but there were so many armed police, literally every few metres. Many buildings have big ground floor bars around their entrances with secure locks. The drive on the highway from the airport to the centre passes the edge of a couple of the favelas and it is grim viewing.
We didn’t go out after dark and left phones, camera and all watches and jewellery in the hotel room.
Sugar loaf mountain was a great, easy trip, as was Christ the Redeemer (tickets from the square along Copacabana).
We had a great time but in hindsight we shouldn’t have taken the dc.

There are many countries with armed police visible all the time. At least they are taking security seriously. We never felt threatened after dark but stayed in our neighbourhood. You cannot avoid seeing poverty in many countries. We have taken DC to India, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and several other places where poverty is very obvious. It’s something to discuss rather than totally avoid. Children cannot be protected from everything. How do Brazilian children cope one wonders?