10 Reasons Why Black Men Should Travel to Rio de Janeiro

Are you thinking about traveling to Brazil? One of the most popular articles on this website is my post: 10 Reasons Why Black Men Should Visit Brazil.

That article has received dozens of comments so I want to create a more specific piece about why brothas should focus on Rio de Janeiro first.

1. Most Black Expats Live in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro Beach Party 2015
Rio de Janeiro Beach Party for Black Expats

When brothas talk about traveling to Brazil, most end up settling in Rio de Janeiro. The reason is Rio offers so many things including beaches, nightlife, jobs, cheap rooms, girls, gyms, restaurants, museums, etc.

Although it’s not the capital of Brazil, you will feel like you have access to everything you need in Rio. It’s no surprise that most black expats spend the majority of their time in Rio unless they travel to another city for work and/or relationship reasons.

If you stay in Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro is also one of the safest places in all of Brazil. You don’t want to stray into unknown areas in Brazil because there is lots of poverty around the country. However, I didn’t experience too many problems with the locals because many Brazilians will think you are a local if you are black.

2. World Class Nightlife and Entertainment Options

Party Like a Carioca

Rio de Janeiro nightlife is wild and crazy. It’s a lot different from nightlife in western countries because Brazilian are much more friendlier and social. It’s also much easier to meet and seduce Brazilian women because many people say the ratio of women to men is 3 to 1 in Brazil.

You can find everything from traditional nightclubs to street parties where everyone is drinking and mingling. You don’t have to drink alcohol to have a good time, too. Most nightclubs/bars serve fruit juices & sodas if you abstain from beer or liquor.

If you are interested in a more initimate kind of party, Rio de Janeiro has tons of stripclubs & termas where you can find a girl and take her back to your room.

3. Access to Healthy Foods & Juice Bars

Ipanema Juice Bar, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ipanema Juice Bar

Cariocas, the people of Rio de Janeiro, are extremely health conscious and spend a lot of money to stay slim and good looking. It’s important to eat healthy, nutriousnous food so you stay looking good and energetic during your trip.

You’ll find tons of delicious foods in local restaurants and fresh juice bars along the beach. You can buy a large cup of fresh juice for only 50 cents along Copacabana and Ipanema beach.

The beach culture is huge in Rio so you want to look good with your shirt off. All you have to do is eat healthy, head to the gym a couple times a week or start performing these bodyweight exercises if you want to work out at home.

4. 3 of the Best Beaches in the World

Rio de Janeiro has some of the best beaches in the world in my opinion. Not only can you enjoy crystal clear blue water & sunshine, but you will see so many beautiful Brazilian ladies wearing dental floss bikinis. It’s well known that Brazil produces many supermodels & beautiful looking girls.

5. Get Around the City with Ease Using the Metrorail, Bus & Uber

Ipanema Subway Station
Ipanema Subway Station

Unlike most cities in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro provides world class transportation options that save you a lot of time & money. The easiest way to get around the city is by using the Rio Subway. Tickets are cheap and affordable. You can get around the entire city using the subway only.

There’s also plenty of buses in Rio too but make sure you tell the driver your exact dropoff location. It’s easy to miss your stop if it’s your first time in the city because most streets in Rio don’t have street signs.

Also, ridesharing apps are becoming very popular in Rio so you can easily book an Uber using WIFI.

6. Millions of Beautiful Brazilian Ladies Who Are Eager to Meet Black Men

The women of Rio de Janeiro are beautiful yet unique in their own way. You’ll find a large mix of loiras (blonde girls), pretas (black girls), and morenas (brown skinned girls). There’s also a decent sized female expat community mostly in the Zona Sul (South Zone) made up of European & Asian girls (mostly Japanese).

Brazilian women are very different from western women in so many ways. They are more passionate and easy to talk to. They also require much less game & BS pickup games.

It’s important to be confident and look for eye contact in Brazil. You will know within 2 minutes whether she likes you or not. After that, you must take the lead and invite her somewhere else or back to your place.

Remember: The female to male ratio is 3 to 1 so competition for good men is fierce. Most Brazilian girls like black men so don’t worry about any of the BS you deal with in the US or other western countries.

7. Easy Access to Gyms & Outdoor Sports

Rio de Janeiro Outdoor Gym
Free Outdoor Gym in Rio de Janeiro

Rio has a rich outdoor culture due to the warm weather & high concentration of beaches. Looking good is a must so I recommend engaging in some sort of physical activity a couple times per week.

There are two different types of gyms in Rio: free outdoor gyms along the beach and professional indoor gyms similar to ones in the United States.

You can purchase a gym membership very easily in Rio. Gyms are everywhere and they accept foreigners for daily, weekly and monthly memberships. Another option is using the gym at your hotel if they offer one.

If you like to play sports, head over to Flamengo Park and play a game of basketball or soccer (futebol). Brazilians love soccer and they play all day long from 6pm to 3am in the morning. Basketball is becoming more popular as well and most games start after 6pm.

8. Large Number of English Speakers in Zona Sul

Learning Portuguese is extremely important but it normally takes around 3 months to become semi-fluent speaking any foreign language. The good thing about Rio is that many people in Zona Sul speak English because they learned English in school and have access to higher paying jobs.

Zona Sul is the main tourist area and consists of the most popular vacation and expat hangouts in Rio de Janeiro. It’s easy to mingle and meet other English speakers to hang out with.

Download HelloTalk, the mobile app for finding a language partner, so you can connect with a Brazilian who wants to practice their English. This is another great way to make friends and learn Portuguese faster.

If you only plan on spending a week or two, then stay in Zona Sul so you don’t have to struggle with the language barrier.

9. Tons of Affordable Hotels & AirBNB Rooms

You have lots of accommodation options in Rio de Janeiro depending on your personal tastes and needs. First, figure out your budget per night then search for a room based on what you can afford.

There are several different accommodation options in Rio:

  • Hostels: The cheapest accommodation option available. You get a bed in a dorm room and share the room with several other people. Hostels are great for saving money and meeting new people, but the downside is you have no privacy and cannot take guests back to your room. I recommend getting your own room in Rio so you can bring guests.
  • Hotels: The easiest option for most travelers. You have your own room with added privacy and security against theft. Some hotels have rules against bringing guests back to your room so be sure to ask about that in advance. Hotels can be expensive too so use sites like Booking.com to compare rates.
  • Apartments: The best and cheapest option for long term stays of 2 weeks or more. Apartments give you tons of freedom and you’ll feel like a local. It’s also good for establishing a routine and staying productive in Rio if you have some sort of online business. Check RioRentals4Less for cheap apartments.
  • AirBNB Condos: The perfect solution for short term and long term stays. AirBNB gives you privacy, security and flexibility as well. Use this link to sign up and book your first room.

10. Best Overall Experience in Terms of Fun, Sun & Lifestyle

Rio de Janeiro Carnival
Rio de Janeiro Carnival

I’ve been to several cities in Brazil yet none of them compare to Rio de Janeiro. If you are looking for the best bang (no pun intended) for your buck, then Rio has everything you need. They also hosted the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics so the infrastructure has improved quite a bit over the years.

Rio de Janeiro is a world class city with so many things to do and you will rarely find a dull moment. It’s a great place for brothas to visit, relax, unwind and enjoy the complete experience of living like a cariocoa.

What Do You Think?

Please share your questions, comments, and thoughts in the comments section below about Rio de Janeiro.

If you have visited Rio de Janeiro before, please share your personal travel experience as well.

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3 Comments

  1. I started going to Rio in 2003 and the main reason was the exchange rate of money which was 2 to 1. I rented an apartment through an American named Thompson that had a driver pick me up at the airport. He provided cell phones and it was the truth. At that time club Help was there and it closed. Being black I blended in and knew cab drivers “gigi” rest in peace. I now am considering retiring in Rio.