TRAVEL FEATURE Out of Town Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Andrew Collins | September 08, 2006 Rio de Janeiro, viewed from Sugarloaf Mountain - Photo by Andrew Collins The Little Black Book Cafeina (Farme de Amoedo 43, 2521-2194) Carretao (Rua Prudente de Morais 1838, 21-2274-8142) Cine Ideal Rua da Carioca 64, 21-2221-1984) Club 117 Rua Candido Mendes 117, 21-2252-0160) Colher de Pau (Rua Farme de Amoedo 39, 21-2523-3018) The Copa Rua Aires Saldanha 13A, 21-2256-7412) Copacabana Palace (Av. Atlantica 1702, 21-2548-7070) Dama de Ferro (Rua Vinicius de Moraes 288, 21-2247-2330) Fosfobox (Rua Siqueira Campos 140, 21-2226-2652) Galeria Cafe (Rua Teixera de Melo 31E, 21-2523-8250) Galitos Grill (Farme de Amoedo 62, 21-2287-7864) Hotel Sofitel (Av. Atlantica 4240, 21-2525-1232) Ipanema Plaza (Rua Farme de Amoedo 34, 21-3687-2000) Le Girl/Le Boy (Rua Raul Pompeia 102, 21-2247-8342) Marina All-Suites Hotel (Av. Delfim Moreira 696, 21-2540-4990) Mio (Rua Farme de Amoedo 52, 21-2523-2886) Point 202 (Rua Siqueira Campos 202, 21-3816-1757) Praia Ipanema (Av. Vieira Souto 706, 21-2540-4949) Rio G Travel (Rua Teixeira de Melo 25-A, 21-3813-0003) Satyricon (Barao da Torre 192, 21-2521-0627) Studio 64 (Rua Redentor 64, 21-2523-5670) Thousands of gays and lesbians live in Rio de Janeiro, a city of more than 10 million residents, and one of the most celebrated gay vacation destinations in the world. Huge numbers turn out for Gay Pride in early July, and the city's festive Carnival celebration (held the week of February 17 in 2007) also sees plenty of "family" pour into the city. But Rio is a fascinating, exciting place to visit year-round, possessing a splendid natural setting, a tropical climate (with highs in the mid-80s in summer and mid-70s in winter), and an extremely welcoming personality. Rio hugs the Atlantic Ocean, its neighborhoods strung between white-sand coves and rocky mountain peaks, the two most visited being Corcovado, topped with its Art Deco-style statue of Christ, and Sugarloaf. You're rarely far from a sugary beach abuzz with vendors hawking fresh coconut juice and tropical cocktails. The city's most established neighborhoods are characterized by attractive, colonial-style architecture, but much of Rio is dominated by modern skyscrapers. One negative aspect of Rio is its reputation for crime, but the city has greatly stepped up efforts to make the touristy areas safe. Crime is still an issue here, but it's not generally any worse than in most other major international metropolises. Americans have been visiting Rio in great numbers in recent years, in part because it's one of the few major cities in the world where the U.S. dollar enjoys a highly favorable exchange rate. Hotels, restaurants, bars, taxis, and shops in Rio are a comparative bargain for Americans, who can often save enough to offset the steep price of airfare to Brazil (this typically costs from $1,000 to $1,500 round-trip). An appealing trait of Cariocas (as residents of Rio de Janeiro are known) is that they tend to be extremely friendly, keen on having fun (whether it be dancing, eating, or beachcombing), and devoted to style. A potential challenge, however, is the language – relatively few Cariocas speak fluent English. You're more likely to encounter English-speaking locals in the more touristy areas, but it's definitely a good idea to pick up a Brazilian Portuguese phrase book and learn a few basics. Although Rio is something of a gay mecca, the scene itself is a bit diffuse. The Ipanema and Copacabana neighborhoods have the majority of the city's gay-popular businesses, and there's one particular two-block area in Ipanema where you can detect a visible queer presence, but overall, this is not a city of gay ghettos and streets lined with rainbow flags. There are only a handful of gay bars and clubs, and the community here blends more or less imperceptibly with the rest of Rio. This is a city that's highly tolerant of homosexuality, especially compared with other major Latin cities, but gays here still tend to conduct themselves with an air of discretion. Ipanema – with its narrow, tree-lined streets and attractive colonial-style buildings – is the best neighborhood to base your explorations, as it has a number of appealing, gay-friendly hotels in every price range, and it's mellower and safer than nearby Copacabana, which you can still easily walk or cab to. Another plus about Ipanema is that it borders the trendy Leblon district, which is rife with fine boutiques and diverting cafes. And Ipanema also has the city's best gay beach (between Rua Farme de Amoedo and Rua Teixeira de Melo). Among hotels, consider the hip Ipanema Plaza, a moderately priced high-rise just steps from the beach, on the city's gayest street. The ground-floor restaurant serves great food, including excellent feijoada (the Brazilian national dish, which contains just about every part of a pig stewed in a black-bean-based broth). Two other good hotel bets are the artfully designed Marina All-Suites Hotel, which is close to the great shopping of Leblon, and the oceanfront Hotel Praia Ipanema, whose rooms all have balconies. Copacabana is the city's main tourist district, a bustling, slightly brash, neighborhood whose beachfront is lined with massive hotels and condos. It's still an appealing neighborhood, but the scale here is less intimate than Ipanema, and crime can be more of a factor, especially at night along the beach. During the day, however, Copacabana's long, crescent-shaped beach is undeniably lovely - great for sunning, reading, and people-watching. Overlooking the waterfront, you'll find the city's grandest hotel, the lavish Copacabana Palace, which dates to the early 20th century. Another excellent, high-end property in the vicinity is the Hotel Sofitel, a modern beauty with full or partial ocean views from every room. When it comes to food, Rio – and especially Ipanema – has plenty of offer, and you'll find that Cariocas approach meals with great gusto; they also tend to eat late by American standards, usually heading out to dinner between 8 and 10 p.m. The city has many great Italian restaurants, with Mio a particularly romantic favorite for same-sex dates. If it's a truly special occasion, head to one of the city's most hallowed eateries (it's said to be a favorite of Madonna), Satyricon, a swank seafood restaurant famous for its lobster and shellfish. Cozy and inviting Colher de Pau is a short walk from the beach; indeed, many beach bums who want a break from the sand head here to dine on pastas, sandwiches (try the one with smoked salmon, brie, and capers), pies, and pastries. It's a nice option for breakfast, too. Galitos Grill is a casual, tres gay choice for chicken dishes. And affordable Carretao is a traditional Brazilian rodizio (a steakhouse serving all-you-can-eat beef, sausage, fish, and chicken, plus a wide variety of sides). A coffeehouse ambience prevails at Cafeina, which offers an extensive array of sandwiches, and is a good place to fill out those postcards or peck away on your laptop. Copacabana is where you want to go if you're up for a late night of dancing and partying – just keep in mind that tourists are sometimes preyed upon in the clubs by hustlers and scam artists (never accept a drink from a stranger). The most famous gay hangout in the city is the Copa, which has long been the domain of hunky muscle men and toned pretty boys. Cine Ideal is a popular weekly party held on Saturday nights – it rumbles well into the wee hours. Le Girl (held on Monday) and Le Boy (held on Sunday) are well-attended weekly parties geared toward lesbians and gay men on their respective nights. One other happening Copacabana disco to keep in mind is Fosfobox, which is busy Thursday through Saturday. Ipanema has the friendliest, safest, and mellowest gay nightlife options. Here you'll find Galeria Cafe, a stylish, intimate club and art gallery that draws a mix of men and women of all ages, most of them tending toward the stylish, professional side. The neighborhood's other major gay club is Dama de Ferro, which buzzes with dancing and drinking Thursday through Saturday nights. As is the case in many gay international destinations, bathhouse culture is alive and well in Rio, and it does not have the somewhat shady air about it that's occasionally the case in U.S. cities. One of the most popular saunas, right in Ipanema, is Studio 64, which has clean and comfortable facilities, including a video lounge, steam room, sauna, and private cabanas. Other well-regarded saunas include Club 117, known for its stable of strippers, and Point 202, which is near the Fosfobox nightclub. Although it's certainly possible to plan a vacation to Rio on your own, the language barrier and distance between North America and Brazil can make this a challenge. You can save yourself some trouble and ensure that you receive plenty of reputable guidance while you're in town by using the services of Rio G Travel, a full-service gay travel agency and tour operator with a gleaming office right in the heart of Ipanema's gayest block. Rio G's staff speaks English and can help you book every aspect of your trip and also advise you on how to obtain the mandatory tourist visa required of U.S. travelers visiting Brazil; they'll even suggest places to eat and go out. The company also offers a wide range of gay-oriented guided tours that show off Rio's leading attractions. These excursions include city tours (where you see the downtown business and cultural district and visit the famous Sugarloaf and Corcovado mountains), day cruises on a schooner, Jeep tours of Tijuca rainforest, helicopter rides, and plenty more. For the latest details on the local gay scene, pick up a copy of the local monthly gay magazine, Odyssey Brasil. It's found at many gay businesses, including the office of Rio G Travel, which also produces its own extremely useful gay guide to the city (it's trilingual, written in Portuguese, English, and Spanish). Rio G Travel's website, www.riogaybrasil.com.br, is very useful, as is the highly informative and easily navigated site, www.riogayguide.com. With so many excellent resources available, it's relatively easy for outsiders to meet gay Cariocas and become knowledgeable about the city and its best hangouts. Come see for yourself why Rio de Janeiro has become Latin America's most enchanting and intriguing gay destination. Andrew Collins is the author of 10 travel guides, including Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA. Previous editions Houston, Texas