Rio de Janeiro: Beaches, Culture, Food & My World Cup Experience

World famous Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was the first destination of my 2 month Latin America travel in Dec 2022. It had been on my bucket list for the longest time because I have heard so much about the Brazilian Churrasco (BBQ), and I have a few Brazilian friends too.

Fun fact Brazil was the only country in LATAM that speaks Portuguese and not Spanish.

Is Rio Worth Going?

My review is a 100% yes!

Rio is an amazing city, it has beaches, mountains, interesting downtown stuffs to do and favelas to explore etc. People are very friendly, even though I have heard that this city is dangerous, but I felt safe.

I think it is best suited for outdoorsy stuff. It reminds me of the south east asian tropical climate, warm and humid. It is definitely a unique place to visit, a small city that packs a diverse range of stuffs to do.

Food:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Affordability:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Friendliness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Accommodations: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nature: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best for: Outdoorsy, beach people who likes to party

What I Ate in Rio – Brazilian Food You Must Try

Temperarte – The Buffet Where Locals (and Travelers) Load Up

Temperarte Restaurante is a popular buffet-style restaurant located in the Copacabana neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Known for its diverse and affordable offerings, it caters to a wide range of tastes and dietary preferences.

I love to explore local food options and supermarkets. Brazil is famous for meat and pastries. There’s a lot of buffet options. For example I tried the Temperarte buffet joint which is a low-mid tier option. It is decently good with a lot of protein options.

Pão de queijoBrazil’s Cheesy Bread

Pão de queijo, translating to ‘cheese bread’ in Portuguese, is a cherished Brazilian snack originating from the state of Minas Gerais. These small, baked cheese rolls boast a crispy exterior and a chewy, cheesy interior, making them a popular choice for breakfast or as a snack throughout the day.

I like to checkout grocery stores when I am overseas as they carry so much interesting products, such as Pão de queijo and Brazilian beer etc. Usually when I am on a budget I get meals from grocery stores.

Getting Around – Public Transport in Rio

Good public transport system. Something I did not know is that there are subway train sections only for ladies to make them feel safer. I accidentally went into one of those sections and a lady politely asked me to move to another. She spoke to me in Portuguese and quickly realised that I was a foreigner.

World Cup 2022 Watching Brazil Chase Glory

Yup, totally didn’t expect it. I was never a football fan before this trip, I barely even watched World Cup before. I roughly knew that it was World Cup season but I did not research the matches before my trip at all. So imagine my surprise when I got caught up in the World Cup 2022 craze here literally at the moment I reached my Airbnb. The moment I put my bags down I heard Brazilians downstairs celebrating Brazil’s first goal against South Korea.

Round of 16: Brazil vs South Korea The thrashing

Brazil vs Korea round of 16 World Cup 2022

I knew Brazil is a strong football team and most Brazilians are football fans but I was not expecting shops to be closed, people stop working just to watch this match!

Funny thing was that I was the only asian person around, and when South Korea scored a surprise goal towards the end, I was being jokingly “pushed” by a local as if she was angry. No offence taken at all because Brazilians are friendly and warm, in fact I was welcomed to sit with a Brazilian family at the start of the match.

Quarterfinals: Brazil vs CroatiaThe heartbreak

Quarter Finals is the start of serious business because everyone’s expectations of a team like Brazil to be at minimum, top 4. And this match is against Croatia, the 2nd team in World Cup 2018. Although Croatia was 2nd last time, Croatia was still considered as a “black horse” compared to Brazil, which had 5 World Cup wins in total. Needless to say, this was exciting.

For the most part, it was 0 v 0 and it was INTENSE. Croatia’s goalkeeper blocked so many shots until Nemar finally scored in the last few minutes. See happy Brazilians celebrating Nemar’s last minute goal against Croatia. It was MAD!

But as we all know, Croatia did a last minute score as well and brought it to free kicks and won this match. I gotta say, for the rest of the day, every Brazilian I met was so sad. Someone even said the Brazilian team got cocky after they scored and celebrated too early.

This kept me thinking, if Brazil got into Semi-finals, they would be playing against their archenemy Argentina, that would be CRAZYYY! (I only got to know about Brazil, Argentina rivalry during this trip).

Where I Went in Rio – Iconic Sights

Copacabana Beach – Sun, Surf, and Endless Energy

World Famous Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro

Copacabana beach is a world-renowned destination celebrated for its stunning 4-kilometer stretch of golden sand and vibrant atmosphere. It is located beside my Airbnb, talk about convenience!

Just as you would expect of a Brazilian beach, there’s lots of people sun tanning, many half-naked, and gotta say I kind of enjoyed it, but it was too crowded for my liking. I did not see many Asians though, not that I was concerned or anything as I am pretty adaptable, but I did get a little bit of stares here.

Christ the Redeemer – Towering Views from Corcovado

Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) is an iconic Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ located atop Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Completed in 1931, the statue stands 30 meters (98 feet) tall, with its arms spanning 28 meters (92 feet), and rests on an 8-meter (26-foot) pedestal.

It was quite easy to get to because of the train system in Rio, there were lots of people at the top, but otherwise the view was amazing. I have always felt this statue is so iconic, especially after seeing it in the 2016 Olympics.

Rocinha Favela – Eye-Opening Glimpses into another side of Brazil

Rocinha, nestled between Rio de Janeiro’s affluent districts of São Conrado and Gávea, stands as Brazil’s largest favela, with an estimated population ranging from 69,000 to 200,000 residents. Perched on a steep hillside, Rocinha offers a complex tapestry of narrow alleys, vibrant street art, and a bustling community life that has evolved from a shantytown into a neighborhood with concrete homes, basic sanitation, and electricity.

I took a booked a favela tour I found on airbnb, the tour guide lives in Rocinha and is familiar with the roads inside (checkout his Instagram @riofavelatour ). So apparently favelas are “lawless” and police do not really have influence here. It has its own ecosystem and residence of favelas may also work in the bigger cities. I am not sure how true is that although I did feel that as a foreigner it may not be convenient for me to explore the favela by myself (I saw many tour groups but no individual tourists). However I did see some Airbnb listings of Rocinha favela apartments and the tour guide told me there’s some foreigners who came and live here for few months.

Not entirely sure how safe it is/ how it works, but the residences I met are very friendly. Overall 10/10 recommended activity.

Leblon beach – The Chic, Quieter Neighbor of Ipanema

Leblon Beach situated west of Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro’s affluent South Zone, offers a tranquil and sophisticated coastal experience. Known for its upscale ambiance, the beach attracts families and those seeking a quieter retreat compared to its neighbouring shores.

It is the quieter version of Copacabana, and just 10-15 bus ride away. This area is nicer, higher-end compared to Copacabana and I certainly felt this is calmer. Good spot for a sunset stroll.

Centro – Rio’s Downtown Mix of Old & New

Centro (Downtown) Rio has tons to do. Take a stroll in the business district, check out the Royal Portuguese Reading Room, a cultural and architectural gem nestled in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Established in 1837 by Portuguese immigrants, this institution was founded to promote and preserve Portuguese literature and culture in the then-capital of the Brazilian Empire.

I think Centro an interesting mix of Portuguese and Asian vibes. Surprisingly found a lot of similarities to Asian cities here, maybe it is the same hot and humid climate?

However Centro can be a little shady, homelessness and rowdiness are more here. But go in the day and you should be fine, avoid nights.

Lapa – The hipster neighborhood

Lapa is a hip neighborhood near Centro known for its lively music scene and bustling nightlife. 2 highlights in this area are:

Selaro Steps, a vibrant mosaic staircase located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, connecting the neighborhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa. This iconic landmark was transformed by Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón as a tribute to the Brazilian people.

Lapa Arches, a prominent historical landmark in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Originally constructed in the mid-18th century as the Carioca Aqueduct, their primary purpose was to transport fresh water from the Carioca River to the city’s downtown area, addressing the prevalent water shortage issues of that era. Today, the Lapa Arches stand as a symbol of Rio’s rich cultural heritage.

Selaro Steps was pretty crowded while Lapa Arches, which is just an interesting architecture, is a lot more shady because of lack of tourists and homelessness. These 2 are however, good stops to check out.

Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian – Futuristic Spiritual Landmark

Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, commonly known as the Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, stands as a remarkable example of modernist architecture in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Designed by architect Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca, the cathedral’s construction spanned from 1964 to 1979, culminating in a structure that seamlessly blends contemporary design with profound spiritual significance.

In all honestly, I didn’t know much about this place, I just researched that it is cool so I went in. It turned out to be a really unique architecture! I took a little rest in this Cathedral before heading out.

Thoughts

There are so much more to Rio that I did not have time to cover such as the Corcovado Trail.

I definitely want to go back to Brazil sometime, such a big country, very diverse mix. I could find good cafes and weekend markets selling tropical produces easily. Rio felt like the Latin America version of New York City (with the diverse mix of people) and asian beaches vibes (Bali).

Rio has a reputation for being dangerous but I didn’t feel it much besides at Centro Very nice people, cool favelas, I did feel a little out of place as an asian, but overall this city reminds me a lot of Asian in terms of infrastructure.