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Rio de Janeiro, like any other large city, has its fair share of violence. A bit of common sense goes a long way; with that in mind we won´t attempt to list all that could happen and how to avoid it. Our aim is just to give you some pointers.
- Rio is not the place to flaunt jewellery;
- Valuables are best kept in the safety deposit box in the hotel;
- A photocopy of your ID or passport is usually good enough to have on you; except if you´re driving.
- Most restaurants and stores take credit cards so having a lot of cash on you is not necessary.
- If you plan to leave the touristy areas, it´s best to have a tourist guide. Downtown is also safe enough (daytime).
- Expensive cameras or other equipment are best carried on shoulder straps and put away when not being used.
- Taxis are cheap enough, so unless you're on a shoe-string budget, why bother with urban buses .
- It is not a good idea to accept drinks from strangers in bars and clubs; spiked drinks are very common.
- Inviting somebody you´ve just met back to your hotel is plain daft. There are plenty of sex motels around. Likewise, going back to their place is asking for it!
- Wearing sandals and socks is not only ridiculous but it´s like screaming ' mug me"! :-)
Important: if unfortunately you need to report an incident to the police, this is the only Police Department that deals with turists in Rio:
Delegacia de Atendimento ao Turista - DEAT
Address: Av. Afrānio de Mello Franco - Leblon
22430-060 Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
Tel.: (21) 2511-5112 / 2511-5767
Fax: (21) 2294-1992
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