Rio de Janeiro Packing List Tips by dvideira

Packing list - a little more...

Miscellaneous: In general
Bring your sunglasses, high sunblocks, a hat, and good mosquitos repellent as well.

Electricity
The voltage is 110 volts, 60 cycles. In most hotel bathrooms there is a 220-volt outlet. If you're coming from Europe you may need an adapter plug. Sockets will take plugs with round or flat pins, but not usually the flat ones where one side is wider than the other.

Havaianas Sandals

Luggage and bags: As I was saying... do not bring your beach sandals with you. Try the Havaianas!

What is reallly special about them??? I do not know! They are flip-flops that look like flip-flops and yet they became a fever that is spreading worldwide.
Created in 1962 and inspired in a japanese Zori sandal the Brazilian version had a plus point which made all the difference; it was made of a natural and 100% local material, rubber, which guaranteed that the sandals were both long-wearing and comfortable.
To state the difference with the imitations that soon rised, the advertisement slogan for it was for long years : "the ones which do not lose their shape, have no smell and on which the straps do not break"...naïve times those...

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Both pretty and a pleasure to wear they became a cult object.

These sandals are the face (or the feet! ) of at least three generations of Brazilians. They survived the hippie movement, strode through the 70's, 80's and 90's and are in fine form today.

They are democratic: the rubber sandals worn by the country's president, supermodels and street kids alike

From the BBC News: "Havaianas have already taken the US and Australia by storm, and now the UK importer is selling 50,000 pairs a week"

When I went to Austria last year I had to take with me 14 pairs of Havaianas... Just people wanting to have theirs... ( I was afraid I was
going into troubles at customs.... )

Miscellaneous: And doing my homework in order to build this page, I found out at the Havaianas website a link for "where to buy havaianas¨ all over the world.

But if you want to have yours and you are coming to Rio... buy it here. It will cost you way less. They are really cheap here. And they can be quite expensive out there.

They are incredibly easy to find in here. You almost bump into them everywhere. They are found at supermarkets, some drugstores, sport shops, almost everywhere indeed.

Packing List - and what NOT to bring.

Luggage and bags: Pack light! The weather in here is mostly warm even in the winter ( guess what! today is a winter day and we are having 30ºC... ),
unless you are going to the southern states of the country on your trip ( there can be really cold ... Ok... bring at least a sweater... one never knows when the weather changes...A lightweight wrap or jacket is often needed as the major hotels, restaurants and bars, as well as the subway and most taxis and buses, are air-conditioned.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Informality is the keynote in Rio de Janeiro in terms of dressing. Jackets and ties for men are restricted to offices or for a night at the Opera.

Lots of t-shirts (do I need to tell?), cargo shorts and bermudas for the days, jeans, chinos or khakis for the evenings. For a special night. a little-black-goes-with-everything-dress for the girls or a button-down shirt ( with trousers, of course! ) for guys will do just fine!
Remember, summer temperatures easily reach 40ºC. Natural fabrics that breathe, like cotton and light colors will help.

Girls: Just for the start, bring your favorite bikini. Then, buy yourself some of the gorgeous ones you will find here.

You are going to walk a lot. Bring your confortable favorite pair of sneakers. Another pair of casual shoes for the evening. You will need dress shoes only if you are coming on business, or planning to go to the more sophisticated nightclubs. Forget your beach flip-flops at home, and join the Havaianas sandals' club in here ( see next tip )

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Toiletries:
Unless you have this really specific favorite stuff you do not live without ... there is no need to bring shampoos and beauty products They are easily available at import stores and better supermarkets.

Warning: heavy make-up users may experience kind of a face-melting in the summer here

Miscellaneous: You may choose... Bring your umbrellas or buy a cheap one in here....
It may rain in here. As a matter of fact, while I'm just writing in here... Do you remember up there, the 30ºC winter day... Well, it just started raining. :o(