[spaceman]

Guys (and roosh), considering going to Carnaval next month. That pros in the city thing is running a trip down there and a few friends are going. But considering booking on my own trip, flight + hostel...

is Rio during caranval time worth it and fun?

[Roosh]

Your question is too open-ended. Describe what you are looking for and alternative places you would go to besides . It IS fun but the worth is too relative.

[speakeasy]

Don't you have the book WAAAAY in advance if you want to go to Rio for carnival? I heard it's extremely difficult to get a room of any sort unless you booked months prior. You could always check but that sounds like one of those plan ahead things.

[speakeasy]

I'm having some last minute thoughts about heading down for Carnival. The apartment rentals have a minimum 10 night stay for that period and the prices are astronomical, like 3x normal rates. I'm looking at my options. I'd love to experience Carnival in Rio, but don't know if I can afford the prices. Any advice would be welcome...

[Roosh]

I think carnival is pretty overrated in my opinion, especially if you're going alone and don't know anyone

[speakeasy]

(01-27-2009 06:07 PM)Roosh Wrote:  

I think carnival is pretty overrated in my opinion, especially if you're going alone and don't know anyone

I didn't know you were there Carnival.

[Vacancier Permanent]

I travel frequently to Brasil for both business and vacation/fun and I was in Rio for the 2009 Carnaval and it was a total blast, one of the best vacations I've had. The Rio Carnaval, specially the Samba Schools parade at the Sambodromo is one of those events that everyone must experience at least once in their lifetime. I was left speechless by the sheer beauty, creativity and the communion between the participants and the people in the stands watching the parade. I love samba and follow religiously the Rio Samba Parades each year on tv so for me, it was a total no brainer. Plus the daily street parties and street parades all over town was a blast too.

However, one thing i'd like to warn people in here about Carnaval, is that you better have your accommodation reserved ahead of time if you want to have a decent place without breaking the bank. During Carnaval, the cost of everything is multiplied 3 if not more. Hotel rooms go through the roof. I stayed at the Rio Othon Palace, right on Avenida Atlantica, which is an ok 4 star hotel which during Carnaval, was charging insane prices: US$1000 per night for a deluxe ocean front suite. I was lucky that I was able to book the entire week of Carnaval there in a very nice suite, on the 21st floor, facing the ocean, for $650 for the entire week of carnaval thanks to my travel business. I invited a Brasilian buddy of mine to join me and I also met a very cool American guy there and a Carioca and all 3-4 of us had a blast there. But the highlight of the trip for me was the Samba School parade. Freaking unbelievable. The biggest show and the greatest party on Earth. I truly believe it's a must for everyone to experience the Rio Carnaval and the Rio Samba Schools Parade. You will be left speechless in front of the sheer beauty. Even the last placed school in the Rio Parade would totally dwarf the top 2-3 Broadway shows. No kidding!

So all in all, Rio during Carnaval is well worth it. But it's not cheap. However, it's well worth every single centavo and more! But make sure you settle your accommodations as soon as possible if you don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it.

Any questions about the Rio Carnaval, let me know and I'd be happy to assist with those.

Cheers,

Lorenzo.

[Seamus]

Was going to create a new thread, but found this.

I'm currently in Argentina, but have the opportunity to shoot over to Rio for Carnaval in a few days as a last minute thing. I've checked the Airbnb prices and, while it's expensive, I could get a private room in a good location for a decent price. The catch is, while I've been to Brazil before, I don't know anyone in Rio and would be traveling by myself.

I see Roosh didn't love it, while VP thinks it was great, so I'd love to get some more opinions. Anybody else been to Rio Carnaval, especially traveling solo? I'll be traveling back to Brazil soon anyway, but I'm wondering if Carnaval is something I'll always regret skipping out on, or if it's just an overrated event.

[Sp5]

I would go, but go to a smaller city like Sao Joao del Rei in Minas (I love it) or even Belo Horizonte, or pick anywhere. Since you're in Argentina, why not Porto Alegre or Florianopolis in the south of Brazil?

You don't get to say "I was in Rio for Carneval," but in other ways the experience is likely to be better - you might be the only foreigner, it won't be a total mob, more likely to connect with locals. Much less expensive, too.

It's the same way I feel about Oktoberfest in Munich vs. the hundreds of small-city bier und wein- feste in Germany - the experience in the smaller places is better.

[Seamus]

(02-11-2015 06:32 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  

I would go, but go to a smaller city like Sao Joao del Rei in Minas (I love it) or even Belo Horizonte, or pick anywhere. Since you're in Argentina, why not Porto Alegre or Florianopolis in the south of Brazil?

You don't get to say "I was in Rio for Carneval," but in other ways the experience is likely to be better - you might be the only foreigner, it won't be a total mob, more likely to connect with locals. Much less expensive, too.

It's the same way I feel about Oktoberfest in Munich vs. the hundreds of small-city bier und wein- feste in Germany - the experience in the smaller places is better.

That's a really good point. I have to admit there is a strong desire to say "I was in Rio during Carnaval", and check it off the list so to speak. At the same time, I realize that's stupid and I should just go where I'll have the most fun. I'll research today and book tickets this afternoon, if I decide to pull the trigger.

Is Salvador as big of a shitshow as Rio?

[Americas]

(02-10-2015 05:23 PM)Seamus Wrote:  

I see Roosh didn't love it, while VP thinks it was great, so I'd love to get some more opinions. Anybody else been to Rio Carnaval, especially traveling solo? I'll be traveling back to Brazil soon anyway, but I'm wondering if Carnaval is something I'll always regret skipping out on, or if it's just an overrated event.

I had a fantastic time. I stayed in a hostel though so I made some friends really quick (I still stay in touch and see a couple of them once in a while). Sambadrome was epic, the blocos were fantastic, and the general mood of the city was amazing.

I actually only ended up sleeping at the hostel one night the whole week. Got laid a bunch of times and met a Brazilian girl that I ended up being in a 3 or 4 month relationship with and prolonged my stay in Rio for that time period.

Probably one of the best travel experiences I ever had.

[heavy]

Glad Roosh jumped in on this. I was going to say...

Did you read A Dead Bat In Paraguay?

[Sp5]

(02-11-2015 09:12 AM)Seamus Wrote:  

(02-11-2015 06:32 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  

I would go, but go to a smaller city like Sao Joao del Rei in Minas (I love it) or even Belo Horizonte, or pick anywhere. Since you're in Argentina, why not Porto Alegre or Florianopolis in the south of Brazil?

You don't get to say "I was in Rio for Carneval," but in other ways the experience is likely to be better - you might be the only foreigner, it won't be a total mob, more likely to connect with locals. Much less expensive, too.

It's the same way I feel about Oktoberfest in Munich vs. the hundreds of small-city bier und wein- feste in Germany - the experience in the smaller places is better.

That's a really good point. I have to admit there is a strong desire to say "I was in Rio during Carnaval", and check it off the list so to speak. At the same time, I realize that's stupid and I should just go where I'll have the most fun. I'll research today and book tickets this afternoon, if I decide to pull the trigger.

Is Salvador as big of a shitshow as Rio?

Brazilians have told me Carneval in Salvador is better than Rio. My experience with Carneval has been in the USA with Brazilians, which was pretty good even if confined to hotel ballrooms. I went to a Samba festival in Rio once, it was a great big open air party, and also went to a small town festival in Minas Gerais, which was fun, too.

I think no matter where you go it will be great, so making your decision on the basis of flights and accommodation is ok.