Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 8/18/2005

Question
i have been planning on going to south america especially Brazil since my senior year. now that i've graduated i find myself being scared of going because i herd it is really dangerous to go by myself or even with someone else. so my question is: is it safe to go to south America alone and if i do what would be an inexspensive way to see all of south america?

Answer
Hi Lailan. Where are you from?

Well, if you are saying senior year in high school and you want to go to Rio by yourself, Id not recommend it, unless you have friends here. Ify ou are a college graduate, then maybe, tho unless you have some specific places youwant to go and things you want to do, then Id recommend you join a tour or find a friend to go with you.

Brazil is not scary. RIO CAN BE scary, but only if you walk around the beaches with gold watches on, where socks with sandals and look like a tourist while you carry $100 in your fanny pack oryour $500 digital camera or laptop, or take a walk up to the favelas cuz you heard it was cool and they had cool parties up there. Then its dangerous.  The problem with Rio is that anythign goes.  YOu can be on a bus when a drug addict decides to take it over.  Of course, this is extremely rare.  Just take cabs and keep the doors locked and youll be safe.  Just dont go to strange bars...go upscale, not common.  Brazil is not scary or overly dangerous. People are traveling to BR in record numbers right now.

Id advise you to get a list of things you want to see.  Brazil is an enormous country and flying is very very expensive.  You can go by bus, busses are cheap and very comfortable (think massive tour busses), but if your Portuguese is bad, it might be nerve wracking for you to figure out what is being said, or what your driver is doing.  I dont know how experienced of a traveler you are in Third world nations.

Let me know where you want to go and I will give you some ideas.

Email me directly at rapoza@igc.org.

Yes, in short, you can see Brazil inexpensively.  Im thinking $3,000 for a week. Its going to cost you $750 round trip from Miami or NYC.  Then a decent hotel is going to cost you at least $75 a night.  Then you have to eat and thatll cost you at least $10 a day on the low end. Thats roughing it for a tourist. Unless you can live off granola bars! ; )

Youd be stuck in one or two states I think on that price. Or youd have to travel between states taht are close together and go by bus -- like Bahia and Pernambuco for instance.

Ken