Insider Guide to Brazil

• Currency: Reais US$1 ≈ R$3
• Seasons: Summer Dec-Feb (40°C), Autumn March-April (30-35°C) , Winter June-Aug (25°C, rain), Spring Sept-Nov
• Main Airlines: Copa, Azul, Gol, Avianca & LATAM
• Phone Carriers: Tim & Vivo (best coverage). You can get a sim card at any street kiosk. At a phone carrier store, you need to bring your passport. You can recharge your card at nearly any pharmacy or kiosk.
• Housing Websites: Easy Quarto, Home Exchange, Guestoguest, Facebook groups
• Useful sites: OLX (Brazilian Craigslist)
• CPF: Brazilian identification card. If you’re in Brazil for a few weeks or months, definitely get a CPF, it will make your life so much easier to do just about anything like getting a sim card with a plan, a gym membership, signing up for a local supermarket card etc.
  Go to a Receita Federal with your passport and say you want a CPF. It only takes a few minutes (if there’s no queue). There 2 locations: one is in Ipanema close to Posto 9, Rua Barao de Torre 296. Closest metro station: Nossa Senhora da Paz. The other location is in the Centro.
• Tourist Stay: up to 90 days (3 months) for tourists. To stay longer, you need to go the Federal police at the airport and get an extension. Otherwise, you will pay R$100 per day or $33 per day for each additional day you overstay after 90 days.
• Holidays: https://br.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/holiday-calendar/
• Grocery shops: Zona Sul, Pão de Açúcar, Mundial (Mundial is the cheapest so go off-peak hours otherwise it’s mayhem)
• Gyms: Smart Fit (modern equipment for R$89.99 – $30 / monthly with an initiation cost that varies best on their promotions. I joined their gym without an initiation cost so be on the lookout for their discounts), BodyTech (very expensive, the Brazilian Equinox), Balance fitness

• 99 – order a real taxi from your phone
• Cabify – another Uber but better because the they partner with big parties & events and offer 40%+ discounts on those nights with the party promo code)
• BeerorCoffee – find coworking spaces
• Gympass – get gym access
• Mude – find gyms nearby and  working out classes
• MetrôFácil – plan your journey on the metro (Rio de Janeiro)
• Fogo cruzado – see where there have been shootings (This is really important to check before you plan on going on a hike in the forest or through a favela)
• Transcarioca – find hiking trails in the Floresta de Tijuca

Watch these amazing films to get a better understanding of the cultural & historical context.

• Cidade de Deus
• Tropida elite 1
• Tropida elite 2
• O mecanismo (Netflix series)

• Forro “foho” (for all)
• Sertanejo (sad love stories with a mix or RnB and country music)
• Funk “funki “ favela freaky dance
• Samba
• Pagode – tipo de música, when you’re sad bc you cheated on ur gf for instance. It’s a way to cultivate the pain
• Bossa nova
• MPB – Musica popular brasileira

• Capoeira
• Jiu jitsu
• Samba
• Foot volley
• Altinha – soccer at the beach in circle
• Frescobol (racquetball with wooden rackets)
• Surf
• Malhar – working out
• Novelas – soap operas
• Beijar – making out

Carnaval There are 3 different styles of carnaval parties all happening at the same time, which usually takes place at the end of February during 1 week – officially. Unofficially, pre-carnaval blocos (street parties) starts weeks before and continue weeks after the official carnaval dates.

• Desfile: samba schools parade competition, which takes place in a designated stadium. (You need to pay to go in)
• Blocos na rua: block parties in the street (free)
• Bate bola: favela ‘gangs’ celebration (free, but you absolutely need to go with a local)

Here’s a compiled list of my all-time favorites, that I ate on a daily or weekly basis.

Sweet Snacks

• Churros
• Açaí com banana & sem xarope = without Guarana syrup. Most Brazilians love the syrup, but I think the Xarope de Guarana tastes really unnatural and chemical, so I always get it without.

Destinations