Is Brazil Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Brazil is a country of many contrasts with unique culture and affluent natural beauty. However, safety can be a concern, particularly for solo female travelers. The different parts of Brazil present varying levels of security. Some safer regions like Florianopolis and Rio Grande do Sul can be enjoyed with relative peace. However, cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo tend to have higher crime rates. It's always advisable to stay alert, avoid isolated areas, especially at night, and to keep your belongings close. As always, knowledge of the local language Portuguese is invaluable to navigate any safety concerns.

Safety rating

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How safe is Brazil?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Unsafe

Brazil, particularly major cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, could pose some safety concerns for a solo female traveler at night. Though there are safer neighborhoods and Brazil boasts beautiful night-time sceneries, it's generally advised not to roam alone after dark. This advice is particularly useful when it comes to secluded or dimly lit areas. Using a reputable taxi service or Uber to get back to your accommodation, rather than walking, could be a safer option.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Moderate

Public transportation in Brazil varies greatly depending upon the location. In large cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the metro and buses run regularly, are relatively safe and usually crowded. However, it is always advised to stay alert for pickpockets, especially during peak hours. At night, it is advisable to avoid certain areas and use trusted taxi services or ride-sharing apps instead. In more remote areas, public transportation can be less reliable and potentially riskier. Therefore, it is recommended to plan your journey carefully, stay in well-trafficked areas, and always be aware of your surroundings.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Moderate

In Brazil, there can be instances of street harassment, such as catcalling or unwanted attention. However, this largely varies by region and individual experiences. Universally, awareness around one's surroundings, avoiding isolated areas, and blending in with local attire can mitigate the risk.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:High

Brazil has a considerable rate of petty crimes like pickpocketing, bag snatching, mugging, and theft, especially in crowded public places and tourist hotspots. There is also the occurrence of 'quicknappings', where criminals abduct a person for a short period to get money from their bank account. As a solo female traveler, it would be wise to take precautions such as not displaying wealth, being vigilant in public areas, and avoiding walking alone at night.

Is Brazil worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 62 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

4.5/5

Safety

3.8/5

Food

4.2/5

Budget-friendly

4/5

São Paulo, Solo travel

Sao Paulo is a very fast-paced city, full of life and lights. It has great places to visit, such as parks and avenues. In my experience, the people were polite and I really liked it! However, many people warned me to be careful because the robbery and crime rate there is high, which made me quite worried.

Posted: May 7, 2025Experienced: April, 2025
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São Paulo, Family travel

I was worried to visit São Paulo after hearing a lot of people say it was dangerous. After it went dark I did feel a bit unsafe and we ubered everywhere. But during the day it was completely fine, I took my phone out when I had to and just kept to busier areas.

Posted: May 2, 2025
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Thaïs

Thaïs

France

Brazil, Solo travel

Travelling to brazil was an amazing experience !! People were nice, Rio was amazing , and islands and landscapes were crazy! I can’t wait to be back there . I felt safe even if i was careful and i didn’t go out at night in Rio especially

Posted: April 26, 2025
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Wlianni

Wlianni

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Couple travel

A city with beautiful places but I constantly felt in danger and had to stay alert all the time. I really liked the places I visited. I avoided going up hills, but I wouldn't return to the city because of the lack of safety.

Posted: April 21, 2025
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São Paulo, Solo travel

It's an interesting place, the culinary variety is wonderful. I just didn't feel very safe walking around some places. I prefer traveling with someone. I think my experience wasn't that good because I was alone, so I avoided going out after dark.

Posted: April 20, 2025
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São Paulo, Group travel

São Paulo is a city full of culture, we stayed at Pinheiros neighborhood which was pretty safe but you still have to be alert and prefer areas where there's a crowd of people. There's a lot of good restaurants and cafes to enjoy

Posted: April 18, 2025Experienced: March, 2023
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Livia

Livia

Brazil

Bahia, Family travel

I always travel to Bahia, it is two days always by car from where I live, but it’s always worth it. By going to Bahia I skip going to Salvador, the capital, bc I always go on high season (January, June, December) and this is not the best city to go in these times of the year. So I go to Chapada Diamantina. This is the best region of Bahia, where you’re in the interior of the state and can see the most beaten landscapes of your life. To go to Chapada Diamantina you really need a tourist guide to go with you to the places there, bc it’s not a very known place and walking by yourself is kinda hard. It is a very safe place to women, the less safe pleces is the road full of trucks and poorly signposted. (that’s also why I said it’s better to go with a guide) Moreover and last but not least Chapada Diamantina has the best people in the world. You can live a completely new experience, for example trying to find somewhere to eat and ending up in someone else’s home cause people wanted you to eat with them. And a lot of other amazing things you can find on your way there. Oh, also Chapada Diamantina doesn’t have beaches. My pictures at the beach was taken in Morro de São Paulo, which as island in the state of Bahia.

Posted: April 1, 2025
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Nicolette

Nicolette

United States

Costa Rica, Solo travel

I never felt unsafe in Costa Rica, and I went to a handful of different towns on my own. I think the scariest part was the spiders in the cloud forest! I had great food, and met really hospitable locals. I tried to practice my Spanish but everyone kept speaking to me in English! So if you don’t know Spanish I think you’ll do just fine here.

Posted: March 30, 2025
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Ouro Preto, Family travel

Ouro Preto is a beautiful city in the Minais Gerais mountains. It feels really safe, has nice restaurants as well. I would recomend visiting the different churches over multiple days, there are so many!

Posted: March 26, 2025Experienced: February, 2025
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Paula

Paula

Portugal

Rio de Janeiro, Solo travel

I loved Rio! I also managed to see some carnival celebrations as they started in January already! I felt very safe although I was also cautious because I know that it can be very unsafe there. Prices were very affordable but, as usually, in more touristic areas they were higher than they should be. I can definitely reccomend! And the weather was awesome.

Posted: February 3, 2025Experienced: December, 2024
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Is Brazil safe for women?

Safety index

3.4 /5

Based on 176 local experiences

Crime index

3 /5

Based on 176 local experiences

Belo Horizonte

It's a quiet city but I don't go out much. I'm constantly afraid because you can't really trust people... It's great to walk around Belo Horizonte, there aren't many crimes, but of course, be careful and keep your guard up. The nights are dangerous.

Posted: May 6, 2025
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Luisa

Luisa

Suzano

Being in a metropolitan area , I think it's fair to say it could be worse. The biggest problem I'm seeing is people getting robbed. I've been harassed in the streets several times, but I've noticed it's better now. You should probably wander around the city with a local to not end up in a dangerous zone

Posted: May 1, 2025
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Safety in Brazil