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I concur with Rio Bob and Xpartan. For a first or short trip, Copa is the better choice. Vagabundo's situation and experience is far different from that possessed by first-time visitor to Rio de Janeiro. If you want something a little nicer than Copa that would also work well, then first or short-timers can go with Ipanema or "Ipa". Both Copa and Ipa are highly recommended for the first-timer. At least by The Cane they are LOL!
You can literally roll out of bed and on to the beach, when you stay in Copacabana (or Ipanema). I don't think you can do that at Transamerica. There are two reasons to go to Copacabana Beach. It is a crowded beach when the weather is good. I'm not looking for seclusion when I go to the beach. More people, more garotas! The socioeconomic characteristics of Copa also make it more plausible that you will be able to strike up a connection with a local girl. It's not as easy when Hooker Beach was right in front of the Rio Othon, but it is possible. Just smile and say Hello, to every garota.
Barra is a nicer beach, but it is sprawling compared to Copa and Ipanema.
[QUOTE=AmorPorFavor;2562224]I'm planning to take my first trip to Rio sometime around December or January. I'm trying to decide between Copa and Ipanema. I like to spend a lot of time in the ocean. Is the water cleaner in Ipanema than Copa? How bad is the water quality? I don't mind walking or taking short Uber or taxi rides for mongering. I just want to be able to walk to the beach and swim in a warm clean ocean. Also walk to good restaurants.[/QUOTE]I'm not a water quality expert, but Ipanema seems cleaner. Less sewage run-off and further from the city than Copa. If water quality is the main objective, Barra is better hands down. Ipanema and Leblon (next to it) have good restaurants and cafes.
[QUOTE=AmorPorFavor;2562224]I'm planning to take my first trip to Rio sometime around December or January. I'm trying to decide between Copa and Ipanema. I like to spend a lot of time in the ocean. Is the water cleaner in Ipanema than Copa? How bad is the water quality? I don't mind walking or taking short Uber or taxi rides for mongering. I just want to be able to walk to the beach and swim in a warm clean ocean. Also walk to good restaurants.[/QUOTE]Depending on where you are in Copacabana and how much you like to walk, walking from Copa to Ipanema is easy. So stay in either and walk to the other. Only if you're in the far part of Copa near Av Princess Isabela, it will be a long walk.
Fwiw the water gets cleaner as you go further South. Ipanema is cleaner than Copa but the current is very strong. If you want a nice swimmable clean beach, Barra may be better yet.
[QUOTE=Sperto;2562175]Are you sure your CPF expired? I think they are valid for always.
You can do a check here:
[URL]https://servicos.receita.fazenda.gov.br/Servicos/CPF/ConsultaSituacao/ConsultaPublica.asp[/URL][/QUOTE]You are absolutely correct. I dug through some old paperwork and found my number and plugged it into the website. Still good!
[QUOTE=Xpartan;2559999]Truer words have never been spoken. LOL.
What are all those babes from Tinder and SA doing when they aren't being paid playing girlfriends?[/QUOTE]I would venture getting fucked in the ass by their real namarados. Just my $.02.
[QUOTE=Bravo;2562178]A number of year ago I went to the Varig office in Manhattan to purchase a ticket from Rio to Curitiba, they wanted 300 damn dollars for a one way ticket. When I told him that I was only paying $375 bucks for my round trip ticket from NYC to Rio, the guy just shrugged his shoulders. I called up my girlfriend in Curitiba and she was able to book a ticket for the same day, same time and same flight from Rio to Curitiba for only 80 bucks!! I was pissed![/QUOTE]LOL. It is the same way in Colombia with Avianca. When you use the Spanish version of the Colombian website the tickets are cheaper. It is like this in Peru as well, but they have a disclaimer that if you are not in possession of a Peruvian ID when you show up for the flight, then you will be charged the remainder of the foreigner price.
[QUOTE=AmorPorFavor;2562224] I like to spend a lot of time in the ocean. Is the water cleaner in Ipanema than Copa? How bad is the water quality? I don't mind walking or taking short Uber or taxi rides for mongering. I just want to be able to walk to the beach and swim in a warm clean ocean. Also walk to good restaurants.[/QUOTE]Meh, it is basically the same water. 1 neighborhood over is not making a difference on water quality. The ocean does not know where the neighborhoods divide. I have been getting into both for years with no ill effects.
[QUOTE=ZebraStripes81;2561567]After kicking around for a few days I think I've got the lay a the land. Here are a few thoughts.
Copacabana- is more grunge and chaotic than I had imagined. Don't get me wrong, the beach is amazing, but as you make your way in a couple streets you begin to see the character of the city. For hobbyists used to a clean, organized American city etc, it will disappoint. It's not immediately logical how to function on the day to day- but certainly can be done. It feels safe enough- don't be an obvious tourist and advertise yourself as a target and you should be fine. Don't accept fliers from guys walking at night on the beach area with no one else around. Don't get fall down drunk and stagger around. I felt fine walking from club to club at night and would feel silly taking a taxi from one to the other. That being said there was a major fracas at 4 am last night outside my window with drunken brawlers and broken car windows that lasted a good 25 minutes before they were chased off. Wouldn't want to walk up on that. The shady characters that are obvious are less dangerous than the shady characters that aren't.
Leblon- I like to walk so yesterday walked from Leblon to Atlantico to see la terre with my own eyes. As mentioned, Leblon is well appointed, clean, safe, expensive. Airbnb's reflect this. If you want an experience "similar" to Santa Monica or Leguna Beach, stay here.
Ipanema- I will be headed to an airbnb there next, it seems like a great mix- organized and clean enough to operate daily tasks, but not so well-heeled as Leblon. There's a nice Starbucks where I can imagine myself writing, etc. And other great facilities- gyms, outdoor cafe's etc. This stuff exists in Copa, but feels more run-down. Will not be able to take out from clubs so easy, but. Trade offs.
Leme- I only discovered this morning. I have a great airbnb on Princesa Isabela and finally walked across Atlantico to are Gustavo Sampaio and having discovered this. Charming. Street, will be doing most of my day to day here. G Sampaio is extremely pleasant, shaded, clean with everything you could want. No point in slogging around in Copa when this is right across the street! The beach on this end is amazing as well, with the Ponta do Leme, a great vantage point to see the city and surfers catch waves (some huge sets rolling in right now).
[/QUOTE]Since your so close to Leme, check out Bar do David as a cool place to hang out and score some local tail:
Chapyou Mangueira. Ladeira Ary Barroso- Leme, Rio de Janeiro. RJ, 22010-060, Brazil.
[QUOTE=AmorPorFavor;2562224]I'm planning to take my first trip to Rio sometime around December or January. I'm trying to decide between Copa and Ipanema. I like to spend a lot of time in the ocean. Is the water cleaner in Ipanema than Copa? How bad is the water quality? I don't mind walking or taking short Uber or taxi rides for mongering. I just want to be able to walk to the beach and swim in a warm clean ocean. Also walk to good restaurants.[/QUOTE]It's not very good.
Like Combo I've always thought that water gets better farther south from Copa. But I'm afraid Mr. E might be right. See for yourself.
[URL]https://praialimpa.net/[/URL]
They rate all the beaches in Rio daily. I wouldn't trust them blindly, but that's some reference. The good thing is you don't have to choose. If you stay close to Arpoador, you can always go left (Copa) or go right (Ipa). Consult the website daily.
By the way: [URL]https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/brazil-privatizes-rio-de-janeiros-water-sewage-utility-77428287[/URL].
We'll see if anything changes in the near future.
My first trip back to Rio in over a year. Can anyone tell me where I can find a 18 year old college student that's desperate for money. I'm looking for a blond about 5 ft 4 in.
OK you can unclench your jaw, loosen your fist and stop pounding your desk. This was my attempt at a little humor. I normally make at least 5 trips to SA a year. I have been spending a lot of time in Colombia. Looks like Columbia may be going into a civil war. Friends that live in Bogota tell me not to come down. They say it is as dangerous as they have ever seen it. Looking around SA, some countries just do not want tourists. Brazil is different. Brazil needs the tourist dollar and the big shots in the government could care less about covid19 deaths. I have had 2 madira shots and what the hell. My little buddy Spike says go for it.
I read this site daylie. If it wasn't for ISG I would of jumped off a bridge long ago. Preparing for this trip I reread about 20 pages just to get caught up. When your planning a trip it's fun to reread at least 20-30 pages. I do have a few questions. While in Rio in the evening I always enjoyed Setting on a walkway bench at the beach watching the young kids play soccer or the one I like the best is when they play volleyball but don't use their hands only their feet or their head. These kids have so much talent. I read some time ago that due to covid 19 the beach for locals playing sports was closed. That would be a disappointment. Anyone have a comment on this.
Also normally I stay at the Real Residents Hotel. I wonder if they are still open. But really it doesn't matter. There are so many great bargains on AIRBNB I may try an entire new area in copa.
Ok if anyone can help me with that little blond I'm looking- aw forget it I will be there in 2 weeks so I Will find a blond myself.
The water is so bad at Copa that it is noticably thicker with shit when it is warmer.
Barra posto 1-7 is where you want to be to swim in the ocean.
[QUOTE=AmorPorFavor;2562224]I'm planning to take my first trip to Rio sometime around December or January. I'm trying to decide between Copa and Ipanema. I like to spend a lot of time in the ocean. Is the water cleaner in Ipanema than Copa? How bad is the water quality? I don't mind walking or taking short Uber or taxi rides for mongering. I just want to be able to walk to the beach and swim in a warm clean ocean. Also walk to good restaurants.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=AmorPorFavor;2562224]I just want to be able to walk to the beach and swim in a warm clean ocean. Also walk to good restaurants.[/QUOTE]Also, if you are looking for warm then you are not going to get it in Rio. You would want to go to Bahia and up for that. But if you are there in December or January like you say, then you may welcome the cold water after being on that burning sand. It literally melted my shoes (Crocs flip flops) one Christmas.
[QUOTE=Yossarian;2562266]Since your so close to Leme, check out Bar do David as a cool place to hang out and score some local tail:
Chapyou Mangueira. Ladeira Ary Barroso- Leme, Rio de Janeiro. RJ, 22010-060, Brazil.[/QUOTE]
Bar do David is an excellent choice for food. For those who don't like to enter a favela for having lunch, Bar do David has opened another restaurant in the corner of Rua Barata Ribeiro and Rua Prado Junior. It's not the same atmosphere as the original restaurant but the food is about the same.
I consider Bar do David perfectly save to visit, but a Dutch tourist eating at the restaurant got shot in the belly (I think in Dezember 2018) when there were a shootout between PM and bandits. Usually the bandits have a guy with a machinegun keeping watch 10 metres from the restaurant.
Regarding "scoring local tail" in Chapéu Mangueira. There are plenty of pretty girls passing by the restaurant. Smile and say "Oi" but be very careful trying to score "local tails" in favelas. Most pretty girls in the favelas do have boyfriends.
It's been almost 10 years since my last trip to Brazil, and on a whim me and 2 friends are headed down on Thursday for a week. There has been some great posts the last few days showing me what to expect. I really really miss Help. That was like the Mecca of Mongering but I know it's a new Rio now. We were able to rent a 6 bedroom Penthouse with rooftop pool for $320 a night in Arpador. Can't believe how cheap everything is right now. Looking forward to the termas but my question is what bars and clubs are there in Ipanema, Copa, Leme, that are safe for tourists. I'm not stupid. Don't wear expensive shit and stand out. But my lack of Portugese might give it away. LOL. Have 2 newbies coming with me so want to make sure I show them a good time. I've spent a lot of Covid in Jaco Costa Rica but Covid has gotten worse there and now there is a 9 pm curfew. Also what is the story with Tranamerica building in Barra. I heard there are lots of porn pros in there and wondering how to get in. I was also at Hong Kong this weekend in Tijuana and I can confirm Covid is gone in Tijuana. Lol