Always dreamed of visiting the world-famous samba carnival of Rio de Janeiro at least once in a lifetime?
Look no further, since here we have collected for you all the essential tips and tricks to get yourself prepared for the incredibly mind-blowing carnival in Brazil!
1. Book your flights well in advance! Flights to Rio should be booked preferably months ahead for the carnival, so if you haven't yet, hurry!
2. Be aware that many accommodation providers, such as hostels and budget hotels may have set package prices during the carnival season. This means you may have to make a reservation at least for 5, 6 or 7 nights in a row. And the same rule as with booking flights applies here, too – the earlier you book, the better the availability. The most popular properties are always sold out before the event!
3. If you're heading to the biggest, craziest and most crowded carnival parade city of Rio de Janeiro, be aware the carnival tickets are going to be expensive! Even if your flights will be to Rio, a good alternative to the carnival of Cidade Maravilhosa are those in other Brazilian cities, such as Salvador and Recife ! In Recife the entrance is free for all the visitors and anyone is also free to join the big parade!
4. Consider the weather, since even Brazil is not always all about sunshine. There might also be rainy days in Rio - and most importantly, be prepared for the HEAT! Besides drinking lots of water during the day, remember to get your sunscreen ready to avoid getting sunburned with all the excitement of your first jolly-good-happy holiday moments!
5. If you wish, bring any fancy dress and accessories to wear at the carnival parties already from home. Of course, you may also get your awesome outfit right there on the spot, but it will be better not to leave this issue until the last minute and avoid the crowded stores of visitors having done the same.
6. Since you're probably going to do a bit of walking during your Brazilian journey, make sure to wear nice and comfortable shoes! If you wish, those world-famous Havaianas flip flops will also do perfectly and for example in Rio as a both a city and a beach destination, it's well enough acceptable to walk around in flip flops also on the streets at least during day time.
7. Now that we're talking about a city and a whole country full of carnival fever, be aware of possible pickpockets in the crowd. They do exist for sure, so a handy advice would be to leave all your valuables back at the hostel and only carry the most necessary items with you. If you need to bring money along, have only the amount of cash you estimate would be needed for the day.
8. ENJOY, PARTY, HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE! Even if some precautions need to be considered beforehand, don't be afraid to be open towards people, have a small talk with a cute carioca (a person originally from Rio) next to you and take all the best out of your Carnival visit in Brazil! Cheers, or saúde!
Photos: Cover picture from the website www.acamminare.com; Flickr/ Creative Commons; Digo_Souza, Rodrigo Soldon, Prefeitura de Olinda, Leandro Neumann Cluffo; go-brazil.org