If you've seen City of God then you probably imagine everyone in Rio de Janeiro is armed to the teeth and ready to shoot you for your baseball cap, much less your watch. The violence in Brazil and Rio in particular is founded on fact and it's not rare to hear the sound of a gun shot coming from the favelas but that doesn't have to mean it's dangerous for you. The fighting is generally between the drug cartels and the military police and is an unsavoury side of Brazil's social inequalities.
This only affects you in as much as some of the guys from the favelas are quite happy to shake down a gringo for his camera, watch and wallet. They have no interest in harming you though, they just want your money. If you're unlucky enough to get mugged, hand over your valuables and he'll leave you alone.
The best way to avoid getting mugged is to learn the basic rules of staying safe in Rio:
- Don't walk around with a camera around your neck, an expensive watch on your wrist or wearing lots of jewelry. And leave your bum bag at home.
- Don't walk down dark streets at night and stick to brightly lit streets. If you're in any doubt catch a taxi to where you're going.
- Don;t walk home drunk as you'll look like an easy target.
- Don't leave your bags on the beach unattended on the beach when you go for a swim or they probably won't be there when you get out.
Apart from the risk of muggings, Rio is pretty safe. Avoid the tap water but the food is clean in most places.
Just be careful of swimming on some of the beaches as the currents and surf can be pretty strong. This is especially true along at Ipanema beach.
If you must buy drgs don;t go to the favelas to do so, hoping for a good deal. Even if they don;t rip you off or shoot you, the police will most likely search you on your way back. If they find anything they'll rob you in exchange for letting you go.
One of the most expensive drugs in the West, cocaine in Rio is dirt cheap and pretty good quality but it's as well to go easy on the powders as the bad attitude of coke isn't the best travel companion.