How Things Work in Brazil
Everything Tourists Need to Know
A 10% service charge (gorjeta) is usually already included on restaurant bills and is optional to pay, but small extras are appreciated.
Updated 2025-06
Uber and local app 99 are the safest and most practical options for tourists; São Paulo and Rio have metro systems, while city buses are cheap but difficult to navigate.
Updated 2025-06
Carry comprehensive travel insurance — private hospitals in major cities are excellent but extremely expensive, and the free public system (SUS) involves long waits.
Updated 2025-06
Cannabis is illegal, littering carries fines, LGBTQ+ rights are legally protected nationwide, and Carnival period carries specific public behavior tolerances that do not apply year-round.
Updated 2025-06
Police (Polícia Militar): 190; ambulance (SAMU): 192; fire brigade (Bombeiros): 193; Federal Police: 197.
Updated 2025-06
Brazil is extremely casual in daily life, but beachwear must stay at the beach and religious sites require modest, covered clothing.
Updated 2025-06
The legal drinking age is 18, alcohol is inexpensive and widely available, but drink-driving is strictly enforced with a near-zero tolerance BAC limit.
Updated 2025-06
Bargaining is not standard in shops or restaurants but is accepted and expected at craft markets (feiras de artesanato) and flea markets.
Updated 2025-06
Photography is generally unrestricted in public spaces, but avoid photographing in favelas unless on an organized tour, and always ask permission before photographing indigenous peoples.
Updated 2025-06
Shopping malls open seven days a week, banks are closed on weekends, and Carnival (February or March) shuts down most of the country for approximately five days.
Updated 2025-06
Use Uber or local app 99 rather than hailing street taxis, especially in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo where unofficial taxis carry real safety risks.
Updated 2025-06
Drink bottled or filtered water everywhere in Brazil — tap water is technically treated in major cities but most locals and all tourists should avoid drinking it directly.
Updated 2025-06
Use ATMs inside shopping malls or banks during daylight hours — Bradesco, Banco do Brasil, and Caixa are most reliable for foreign cards, and Pix digital payments are now ubiquitous.
Updated 2025-06
Buy a prepaid SIM from Claro, TIM, or Vivo at the airport or a phone shop — bring your passport as it is legally required for SIM registration.
Updated 2025-06
Brazil uses Type N plugs (two round pins plus a grounding pin) as its national standard, but voltage varies by city — São Paulo and Rio are 127V while many other cities are 220V.
Updated 2025-06
Key scams to watch for include beach theft (arrastão group robberies), distraction pickpockets, express kidnappings in cities, and people posing as police officers.
Updated 2025-06
Brazil has real and serious crime in major cities — stay alert, avoid favelas without organized tours, and take specific precautions on Rio's beaches and in city centers after dark.
Updated 2025-06
Brazilians are warm, physically affectionate, and time-flexible — greet with cheek kisses, embrace the relaxed pace, and understand that football (soccer) is a near-religious passion.
Updated 2025-06
Brazilians speak PORTUGUESE — not Spanish — and they are distinct enough that Spanish speakers cannot reliably communicate without effort; translation apps are essential outside tourist hubs.
Updated 2025-06
Brazil's beaches are world-famous but rip currents (correntes) are a genuine danger — always swim at flagged beaches, never swim alone, and watch for seasonal jellyfish.
Updated 2025-06
Drive on the right, an international driving license is valid, but avoid driving at night in unfamiliar areas and be prepared for chaotic urban traffic and highly variable road conditions.
Updated 2025-06
Brazil's food scene is extraordinary — from churrascaria BBQ and feijoada to street snacks like coxinha and pastel — eat at local boteco bars and kilo restaurants for the best value.
Updated 2025-06
Brazil is predominantly Catholic with a rich Afro-Brazilian religious tradition — cover shoulders and knees for all religious sites, and seek explicit permission before entering or photographing Candomblé and Umbanda spaces.
Updated 2025-06
Rio and São Paulo are best April–June and August–October; the Amazon's dry season runs June–November; the Northeast is drier and sunny almost year-round; Carnival falls in February or March.
Updated 2025-06
Eat prato feito (PF) lunches for R$15–30, use kilo restaurants, take city buses instead of Uber, and enjoy Brazil's free world-class beaches to dramatically cut daily costs.
Updated 2025-06