11 things You Should Pack When Visting Brazil 

The first time I went to Brazil I had no idea what to expect or bring. There was not a lot of information out there. The only thing I knew was that I was going to need a passport and a visa. Everyone I spoke to was saying how dangerous it was or how bad the std rate is out there. I decided to pack my bags and go anyway. Today I will tell you 11 things you should pack for Brazil.

Things you will need to pack for Brazil

1. A Travel Adapter

A power converter isn’t truly necessary because the voltage there is not that much different from ours here in the USA. They use 127/220V supply voltage. Here in the USA, we use 120/240. The issue only comes into place when you want to plug your Electronics into the wall. That is where you find out that the wall sockets are different. In Brazil, they use both a 2-socket and a 3-socket prong, but the shape is different. This is why you will need a Travel adapter. I recommend an international Travel adapter that also has a power converter built in so that your future proof the rest of your travels also. The travel adapter that I recommend and still uses to this day has a built-in fan and has not only USA sockets but USB plugs on it also. It comes with about 5 or 6 other adapters that will work in other countries you visit also. Also, Here is the link to the Travel adapter Case. One of the most important items to pack for Brazil.

2. A Crossbody Bag

Now As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I was told how bad crime was in Brazil before I even made it to the airport. While I think a lot of it is over-exaggerated, I will still say there is a lot of petty crime such as pickpocketing and Muggings which usually consist of snatch-and-run crimes. For instance, I have seen someone get their phone snatched from their hands almost every trip I’ve been to Brazil except My first trip and my last 2. This is interesting because my last trip was during Carnival, which is supposed to be one of the worst times for losing your phone and wallet.

I recommend taking a look at a crossbody bag. This will help at least keep you safe from being pickpocketed. There are people that walk around and watch to see which pocket you put your wallet or phone in. Having a cross-body bag that you wear across your chest will definitely make you less likely to become a victim of theft. I highly recommend you pack for brazil

3. A Travel Rewards Credit Card

While a regular credit card will also work for what I’m about to tell you, I recommend that you apply for a Travel Rewards card so that you can apply those points towards taking a vacation for Free. One thing that you will notice is that using a credit card in Brazil is big. This may be because no one wants to carry large amounts of cash around, so it’s better to have to carry a credit card to pay for everything such as dinner, drinks, and booking your excursions online. One thing about having a Travel Rewards Credit Card is that you likely get some sort of protection and Travel insurance as one of the benefits.

I recommend only carrying small amounts of cash for things such as street vendors and souvenirs that people are selling on the streets. Most of the tips are already added to your bill so there is no real reason to carry tip money unless you want to give it away to homeless people.

4. A Prepaid Debit card

I recommend having an International Prepaid debit card. A card that you can transfer funds to so that you can withdraw the local currency from the ATM machines. I would rather have my money separated just in case something happens. There is also a strong possibility that hackers can gather information from you while using an ATM machine. Or worse, you can insert your debit card into the machine, and something happens where it sucks your card into the machine without returning it. If something like that happens, that could leave you cashless for the rest of your trip. Find out about the Best Prepaid Debit Cards for Travel

5. Sun Screen

While visiting Rio De Janeiro it gets really hot. You are very close to the equator, and you will find out soon enough how fast you can get sunburnt. I recommend getting a spray type of sunscreen if you are traveling solo so that you can just spray it on your back also if you don’t have anyone there to help you rub it in. I also use cream sunscreen for my face. During the wintertime in Months like June, July, and August I don’t think you really need to worry about it as much, but if you are going during Carnaval then you will definitely want to pack it in your bag.

6. Flip flops

In Rio de Janeiro you will notice that everyone and their mother is wearing flip flops. Now, the thing about the flip flops is you can bring your own, which I do. I like to wear slide style flip flops but people right away can tell I am not from there. The reason is that most people wear thong style flip flops with the string between their toes. The most popular brand that is worn are the Havaianas flip flops. You can find a lot of different places selling them and they are fairly inexpensive if you are coming from the USA. I want to say around 10 dollars from the date of this article. I’m curious to know what style flip flops you prefer. Let me know in the comments section below.

7. A poncho

When it rains it pours is a phrase that I have heard growing up, but most of the time we weren’t talking about the actual rain lol. Depending on the time of year you are visiting Brazil, you can expect a lot of rain. If you depend on your phone to tell you how the weather is going to be next week, let alone tomorrow you have a rude awakening coming lol. The weather stations are never reliable because if you are in a city like Rio De Janeiro, you are in the middle of an actual Rain Forest. The last thing I want to do is buy some tickets for the Carnaval Samba Parade and be out there getting rained on. That is where a Cheap indispensable Poncho can really come in handy. I normally always keep one in my Cross-body bag.

8. Insect Repellant

I don’t know if you remember hearing a few years back, this was before the pandemic. There was something that they called the Zika Virus, that was coming from Brazil and other South American countries. This was transmitted by mosquitos and one of the things about it was that it could cause serious issues in women especially if they were pregnant. With me saying that Rio de Janeiro is in a Rainforest where lots of mosquitos live, I highly recommend bringing some Insect Repellant. I have been bitten down there quite a bit, but mosquitos are usually attracted to me anyway. I’m usually one of the only people in the group asking anyone else if they have been bitten, with answers of no lol.

9. Yellow Fever Vaccination Card

Now this is something serious that you will need if you are not planning on returning directly to the USA. If you have other plans on going to countries such as Colombia or any other South American countries from there you most likely won’t be boarding that plane. If you’re flying directly back to the USA then you don’t have to worry about it so much. This may also apply to you if you are planning to travel directly to other countries on the continent of Africa such as South Africa. I actually got my Yellow Fever Vaccination for free after visiting Cartagena Colombia.

10. Backup Phone

I don’t know about you, but one of the most important belongings I have is my phone. I use it to take photos and videos and check banking apps, I use it for turn-by-turn Navigation, as a calculator, for foreign currency exchange prices, to schedule an Uber, etc. Too many different things to list right lol. There is no time I will need my phone more than when I am out of the country. Especially with being all the way in Brazil. I am highly suggesting that you bring a Backup phone just in case something happens to your current phone. There are a lot of different things that can happen, you lose it. Misplacing it, or it is stolen or snatched. I Prefer using a Samsung over Apple as my backup phone because all my device are synced up with google. Don’t forget about an International Phone Plan for Travel.

11. Small Decent Camera

While most of us have smartphones these days there normally isn’t a real reason to carry around an Additional camera anymore. Smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy s23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 take amazing photos and videos that can be used on social media such as TikTok and Instagram. I still will recommend bringing a small camera such as a GoPro or an Insta360 Camera that you can bring with you on all the amazing incursions that you will be partaking in. As I have also mentioned numerous times you might want to have your phone out trying to take a picture or some video, especially if that phone has A logo with an apple on the back lol. Thieves love iPhones.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Brazil is a wonderful place to visit. I have now been more times than I have fingers. On one of my trips, I stayed there for 2 months. Rio de Janeiro is definitely my favorite city in Brazil so far. Mostly because I love the culture, food, music, scenery, and Beaches. I personally love being able to come outside every day in shorts and flip-flops and not being judged. When I first visited Brazil I thought I would be able to talk to people with the little Spanish I knew, and boy was I wrong lol. Most people don’t speak English at all unless you are visiting a restaurant. Most people don’t speak Spanish either. I recommend learning some Portuguese before visiting so you can have an even more enjoyable trip.

I hope that you find this List of things you should pack for Brazil helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please ask away in the comments section below. Also please share this post with a friend or on your Facebook. Thanks.