Before you fly
- Confirm your passport is valid for at least 6 months from arrival.
- Check if your nationality requires an e-Visa — rules change often.
- Take a photo of your passport, visa, and yellow fever certificate.
- Notify your bank of international travel to Brazil.
- Download WhatsApp, Google Translate (offline Portuguese), and a maps app.
- Pre-book your arrival transfer — GIG taxi queues and rideshare pickup points can be confusing after a long flight.
Money & payments
- Bring a small amount of Brazilian reais (BRL) for tips and small vendors.
- Most restaurants and shops accept cards; Amex is less widely accepted than Visa/Mastercard.
- PIX is Brazil's instant payment system — locals use it everywhere. Ask your bank if your cards work.
- Avoid the airport currency exchange counters when possible; rates are the worst you'll see.
Connectivity
- An eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) works the moment you land and skips the SIM counter.
- Local carriers: Vivo, Claro, TIM. Prepaid SIMs are cheap but require a CPF.
- Data is essential — WhatsApp is how everything in Brazil is coordinated.
Your first 24 hours
- Have your driver or concierge details saved offline before landing.
- Stop for water, snacks, and a SIM/eSIM top-up on the way to your hotel.
- Sleep on Brazil time — don't try to power through jet lag on day one.
- Ask a local (not a hotel concierge) where to eat for your first real meal.
Safety, calmly
- Rio and Macaé are safe when you follow local rhythms — avoid empty streets at night, keep your phone tucked away in crowds.
- Use pre-booked transportation instead of hailing cars on the street.
- Carry a small amount of cash separately from your wallet.
This is the checklist we walk every new client through before they fly. If you'd rather have someone handle the whole arrival for you — driver, SIM stop, groceries, hotel check-in — that's what we do.