Expert: Sandra - 6/30/2009

Question
Hello Sandra,

I wonder if you can guide me to the rite area/hotel, for my first trip to Brazil Carnival and beach.

You may think me a bit premature, however i've always wanted to come to Rio to celebrate carnival, beach, nightlife and culture, but i have always left it to late to find decent/affordable accommodation. So i'm starting early this time.

I am 35 years old and i will be travelling alone, I will prefer street parties and paredes rather than the sambodrome option, so maybe Salvador, Olinda, Recife maybe a better option than Rio... What do you think? because i have know idea other than the stuff i have read on the internet.

I am looking at 7 nights from Friday 12th February 2010, somewhere relatively close to all the street parades and parties.  

Is it important to book hotels as early as Aug/Sept 2009?
can you recommend any hotels options which are not too expensive? or should i be looking at a package deal? if so, who?

Any tips will be helpful.

Many Thanks

Mark from London, England.  

Answer
Not premature at all, Mark.

Carnaval in Rio is mainly about the parades at the Sambodromo. I think it would be a shame to go to this probably once in a lifetime event and not spend one night (Sunday or Monday, or the following Saturday winners’ parade) watching the fabulous costumes and spectacular floats amongst the partying locals. An interesting location is Sector 11 next to the niche where the drummers stop to play. You can also arrange (in advance) to buy a costume, rehearse and parade with one of the samba schools. Before Carnaval, the schools all have rehearsals on their home ground that are open to the public, a good way to see the community. The street parties, as you mention, are also a lot of fun. Consider arriving a few days early in order to do some sightseeing and possibly staying a few days afterwards to experience Paraty, Ilha Grande or Buzios. The clubs in Lapa are a great way to hear some samba and dance with locals. Most tourists stay in Ipanema, Arpoador or Copacabana by the beach, but other Zona Sul areas are OK too at this expensive, packed time of year. Some people find that renting an apartment saves some money over staying at a hotel, but prices do rise significantly for Carnaval, so be prepared. It is important to book early in order to have sufficient choices. You can do this on your own, without a package.

A good resource to orient you to the city is www.ipanema.com  which also has alist of accommodations. You can look also on Trip Advisor for hotel reviews, but remember the price rises. And the following site has a lot of good info pertaining to Carnaval: http://www.rio-carnival.net/ and they deliver tickets to your accommodation just before the night of the parade.

I am a fan of Carnaval in Salvador myself, because I love the music. You should familiarize yourself with the music, maybe by using YouTube, to choose which trio(s) electrico(s) you want to follow. There are two main routes of parade for the trios ( Dodo and Osmar), and another in the historic district which also has some events. Each trio sells abadas (T-shirts) that are the entry to the roped off service and dance area between the band/singer’s two trucks. Or you can stay in the ‘pipoca’, the jumping, dancing crowd that is likened to popcorn popping. It is a very intense several days, during which you should not plan on much sleep. Again, arriving early might be good if you want to do some sightseeing in the city, on the islands in the bay, or up the coast. After Carnaval, the party continues at Ressaca (hangover) in Morro do Sao Paulo, down the coast.

Carnaval info can be found here:
http://home.centraldocarnaval.com.br/index_ing.asp
An excellent overview of Salvador can be found at:
www.bahia-online.net

Olinda is also participatory, but although I have seen the ‘bonecas’ (giant dolls) used at  Carnaval, I have not spent Carnaval there and can’t comment from personal experience.

If you have more questions, I’d be happy to answer them. Boa viagem.