Solo Travel in Brazil – Tips From & For Women

Following my solo travels to Brazil, I have LOADS to tell you! This enormous country had been on my radar for years so I’m thrilled I finally visited.

Around the size of Europe, with a different language from its neighbours, and a safety record that leaves a lot to be desired, I can see why the thought of travelling alone in Brazil as a woman is overwhelming! I’m here to make it seem more manageable.

Brazil may not make many lists of the best places for women to travel alone but, provided you’re confident and cautious, I see no reason not to.

Is Brazil good for solo travel?

Is Brazil safe for women to travel alone?

Despite its poor safety rating, I had a great time travelling Brazil as a solo woman and didn’t experience any problems. In comparison, my phone was stolen during my solo trip to Chile, which is often listed as one of the safest countries in Latin America, so it just proves that statistics aren’t everything.

I’ll say again what I said in my solo Mexico guide: there are two questions here. Is Brazil a safe country free from social problems? Well, no. Can you have a safe and trouble-free trip with a little planning? Yes!

Overall, Brazil is not somewhere you can walk around at night, wave your valuables around and generally give no thought to safety. You have to be vigilant. But I’ve learnt how to do this while travelling alone in South Africa and India without compromising on enjoyment.

Once you adopt certain habits, it becomes second nature. Keep reading for my solo female travel safety tips.

In summary, Brazil is safe for solo female travel provided you stay careful and wary.

Good things about solo travel in Brazil

• Plenty of hostels – I found the standard of these higher than in Chile and Argentina, many with privacy curtains and personal lamps and chargers. Many have bars and group events. If you love to let your hair down, you’ll easily find friends to do it with (if not, opt for smaller hostels and guesthouses rather than party hostels).
• Good quality buses – they’re comfy and clean with huge reclining seats. Also, they stop for you to stretch your legs and buy food (a novelty after I spent a month travelling solo in Argentina where they don’t stop!).
• A mix of cities and nature tourism – the diversity will impress everyone but, as a solo traveller, my social battery was preserved by socialising in busy cities, then having alone time in more rural places.

More South America solo guides:

• Solo female travel in Chile
• Tips for solo Patagonia travel
• Is solo travel in Argentina safe?

Bad things about solo travel in Brazil

• Language barriers make it tricky – I’ve been trying to learn Spanish during my Latin America travels. But this won’t help you in Brazil where they speak Portuguese. I was expecting more locals to know Spanish as a second language but English seems more common – but still not very common!
• Safety issues – in short, Brazil has high levels of crime. However, you can mitigate this by visiting safer destinations and choosing your neighbourhoods wisely in São Paulo and Rio.
• Expensive to get around – I got decision fatigue because there are SO many destinations to choose from, many requiring flights to reach. I found air travel pricey compared to Chile and Argentina, so budget accordingly.
• Lots of taxi rides required – although Uber is cheap, it adds up. Intercity public transport isn’t great (and you may feel overwhelmed navigating it alone in big cities). If you can get together with other travellers at the hostel to sightsee together, it’ll reduce your Uber bills.

Is Brazil expensive? Not exactly. It’s somewhere between Western countries and cheaper countries in Latin America like Guatemala and Bolivia. It’s cheaper than Costa Rica and Chile.

Hostel beds can cost $20+ in Rio and São Paulo, a meal with a drink can cost $15, and intercountry buses cost $10-40 depending on distance. Flights are where you’ll need to up the budget! (Prices quoted in USD)

Is Brazil suitable for first-time solo travellers?

Honestly, no, I wouldn’t recommend it for those travelling alone for the first time.

I’d suggest getting experience in other places first. Some of the best places for solo female travellers include Europe (I love Portugal and the Balkan countries like Croatia and Slovenia), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia etc) and Australia / New Zealand.

South America is generally best for a second or third solo trip, if you ask me!

Best places to travel solo in Brazil

You’re unlikely to visit every popular Brazilian destination during one trip unless you’re staying for months! With a month or less, pick a few places and do them justice especially since air travel is expensive.

Iguazu Falls

Foz do Iguaçu was the first place I travelled solo in Brazil after crossing the border and finishing my Argentina itinerary. You can see the majestic Iguazu Falls from both sides and, while it’s better from the Argentina side because the park is much bigger with more viewpoints and wildlife, either side is fantastic!

A local bus (the same one that services the airport) from the town to Iguaçu National Park costs around 5 Real ($1) and park entry costs 100 Real ($20). A fun upgrade is the Macuco Safari including a jungle train and boat ride (around $60).

Don’t miss the Parque das Aves (Bird Park) next door. With a focus on conservation, you’ll see everything from toucans to hummingbirds and parrots. I was there for hours!

Tips for Foz do Iguaçu town: I didn’t love the town or feel overly safe walking after dark, but at least there’s Uber. Two nights is enough; spend the day in the middle at the falls.

Stay: Hostel e Pousada El Shaddai from $10 for dorms with single beds (and private rooms), a swimming pool and the best hostel breakfast buffet I’ve seen in my life!

Eat: I loved Cheiro Verde restaurant near the hostel. It’s a vegetarian, Asian buffet with lovely owners. Unlimited food, coffee and dessert will cost you about $6.

Rio de Janeiro

The crazy metropolis of Rio de Janeiro can’t be missed! Although it’s one of the least safe places in Brazil, it’s also the most visited by foreign travellers – and for good reason.

You could easily spend weeks in Rio if you like hiking and beaches. There’s so much more than the main beaches like Copacabana!

To see the highlights, I recommend around 5 days in Rio. My itinerary looked like this:

• Day 1 – Christ the Redeemer (early) then the rest of the day on Ipanema Beach
• Day 2 – Santa Teresa neighbourhood and Sugarloaf Mountain (best visited around 3pm so you can see it in daylight then wait for sunset)
• Day 3 – sunset hike to Morro Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers Mountain). Note – you MUST do this with a tour for safety reasons as it starts in a favela
• Day 4 – city centre: I recommend a free walking tour then visiting the gorgeous Confeitaria Colombo cafe
• Day 5 – beach morning at Copacabana then a sunset helicopter ride (a treat at $150 but well worth it).

Where to stay in Rio: I suggest Ipanema because it’s one of the safest areas, right by the beach. You can easily walk to iconic Copacabana (or jump in an Uber) but this area feels less secure, especially at night so I preferred staying in Ipanema.

How to get around: I mainly took Ubers, joining together with others at the hostel to save money.

Rio safety tips for solo female travellers:

• Take Uber after sunset and note this happens early, around 5.30pm
• Pick a social hostel with group activities or, if hostels aren’t your thing, take group tours (GetYourGuide are a favourite of mine) – you’ll be fine in touristic places alone but it can still be good to buddy up!
• Get a SIM card so you can call Ubers etc. I got one in a local mall but it was quite time-consuming and took a while to activate so you could download an Airalo e-SIM in advance
• Consider bringing an old spare phone as a backup in case yours is stolen. I had one I’d swap my SIM into when I went to less safe areas like Rio city centre (leaving my main phone in the hostel locker).
• To experience the nightlife, consider joining an organised bar crawl
• Be vigilant at the samba parties in Lapa – I was planning to go with a new friend from the hostel but we cancelled after the staff warned us the last guests who went were robbed. However, other travellers went and had a good time. So, if you want to go, get the latest info from locals (at your accom or tour guides) and be vigilant.

Paraty

This coastal town is one of the nicest places to break up the bus journey from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. This whole coast is stunning with beautiful beaches and mountain scenery, but Paraty also offers charismatic cobbled streets, colonial architecture and excellent seafood restaurants.

There’s not loads to ‘do’ in Paraty but, as a rest stop between two megacities, this might be what you want! I spent two days wandering the cobbled streets (actually quite a workout), sipping coffee, eating delicious seafood and watching sunset from the beach.

It’s worth noting that Paraty is a very safe place for solo female travel in Brazil. You won’t feel on edge as you often do in big Brazilian cities.

Where to stay: I loved Encanto Beach House because it’s 10 steps from Pontal Beach (meaning solo travellers can leave their stuff in their room and go swimming without worrying) and still only a 10-minute walk to town. You have a private room and en suite with a shared courtyard and kitchen area. Check availability from $25.

Ilha Grande

This island near Rio is paradise for beach and marine lovers. With sandy beaches around its coast and rainforest across the middle, it’s a great destination for hiking and rewarding yourself by relaxing on the beach or snorkelling (you can also catch boats between the beaches if you’re not a hiker).

The best-rated hostel on the island is Hi Holandes where you’ll meet other travellers to embark on island adventures with. Get to Ilha Grande by taking a bus to Angra dos Reis and changing to a ferry or, the easier option, a shared shuttle transfer with hotel pickup from Rio.

The spectacular region of Florianopolis can mostly be found on the 54km-long Santa Catarina island connected to the mainland by bridge. Most travellers will forgo the main city in favour of wonderful beaches, hikes and nature experiences. You can spend days or weeks here!

Praia Mole is one of the nicest beaches in the area and nearby Praia de Galheta is also beautiful (note this is a nude beach). If you’re feeling active, try surfing, paragliding, paddleboarding or scuba diving.

The towns on Santa Catarina are pleasant, safe places for solo travellers in Brazil. Fans of seafood will enjoy trying fresh, local oysters.

For untouched beaches, take an Uber to Praia do Campeche and board the 10am speedboat to Ilha do Campeche, returning at 3pm. It’s a beautiful island with nothing to do but swim and sunbathe. There are no facilities so bring lunch, water and sunscreen!

Where to stay: I’ve found Selina hostels to be a mixed bag but the Florianopolis one is amazing, almost like a resort with co-working facilities to boot.

What to eat in Brazil

Brazilian food is very tasty although not especially healthy as everything seems to be fried! Still, don’t miss…

• Moqueca – a tasty fish stew with coconut milk, tomatoes and peppers usually served over rice
• Pão de queijo – these morsels of cheese bread are delicious and cheap! I was hooked
• Açaí – this Amazonian fruit with superfood status is blended with ice and sometimes other fruits, drunk as a refreshing smoothie-like drink
• Feijoada – a rich stew with black beans, pork and sausage. If you’re not a stew fan, try prato feito featuring similar ingredients on a plate with rice and farofa (cassava flour)
• Coxinha – deep-fried balls of chicken and potato (sometimes with cream cheese) are popular bar snacks. There are similar variations including a cheese and mushroom one I’m still drooling thinking about!
• Desserts: brigadeiros (cocoa, condensed milk and butter) and quindim (circular golden puddings topped with shaved coconut) are popular sweet treats
• Caipirinha cocktails made with cachaça (fermented sugarcane juice), lime and sugar.

Best time to visit Brazil

December to March (summer) is peak season but, with humid temperatures of up to 35°C and plenty of mosquitos (often carrying diseases such as dengue), it may not be everyone’s idea of a good time.

Winter (July-September) rarely gets below 13°C and can even see highs of 25°C. Some of the best places to go during this season include the coast between Rio and Sao Pãulo and places in the north like Manaus and Pantanal as it’s dry season.

Spring (late Sept-Nov) and autumn (March-May) are good shoulder seasons to visit without the crowds and humidity of summer.