When you type in "Is Brazil" the top search results are:

Is Brazil safe?

Is Brazil safe to visit?

Is Brazil dangerous?

There are dozens of variations for this search term that are specific to different kinds of circumstances but I couldn't find the answer to my question.

Is Brazil safe for black people?

The quick answer, if you don't want to read the rest of my enthralling blog post, is yes. So go book your flight in another tab then come back and finishing reading.

For those of you with a longer attention span. I appreciate you. I want to add a caveat to my "you will be safe" proclamation. You will be safe, however, as a black tourist, you may not always feel comfortable or welcomed everywhere you go.

Brazil was the last country to abolish slavery in the western hemisphere. Like most countries that participated in the slave trade, Brazil is now left with the ugly scars it leaves behind. In my travels, I have learned that most countries with this type of past are currently plagued with racism and/or colorism.

During my time in Brazil, I visited Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo. I'm going to discuss Sao Paulo first then I'll get to Rio. Sao Paulo is your classic metropolitan city. An abundance of shopping and people from all walks of life. Paulista Avenue reminds me of 86th Street here in New York. There are people everywhere and a couple of cool malls. The municipal market literally has every kind of food you could possibly want to try. Meats, cheeses, fruits, and baked goods there are all in one place and the prices are reasonable so you can try everything. The market is a great place to try a pastel. They are deep-fried deliciousness and are similar to pastellitos or empanadas. They are filled with all different things including sausage, cheese, chicken, or fish.

Another place to visit in Sao Paulo is Ibirapuera Park. The park is a cool place to walk around. There are statues, murals, and art installations around the park. The park is free and the artwork is so cool. There isn't too much happening in the park so after about 30 minutes you'll probably be able to go. The park isn't around anything else so you may want to talk a cab there. We took uber everywhere in Sao Paulo because it's the easiest way to get around. Walking on Paulista Avenue is pretty cool. There is a lot of shopping and restaurants. It's similar to the main street of any major city, but it's still cool to walk around and see the sights. It's very crowded but walking around was the best way to see the city. Sao Paulo was one of the highlights of my trip.

You can’t go to Brazil and not go to the beach.

The people I experienced in Sao Paulo were respectful and friendly. The only thing that made Rio De Janeiro better than Sao Paulo was the beach vibe. Rio was beautiful. The city has different neighborhoods that cool to explore. The free walker tours are so informational and they are a great way to see the city. You have to do their downtown tour and pub crawl in the district called Lapa. The downtown tour teaches you so much about the history of the city. Some of the neighborhoods look historical and the tour taught me so much about the country. You must go see the steps and grab some sweet snacks from the street vendors. They have a dulce de leche popcorn that tastes so good.

If you are looking for nightlife start with the free walker tour pub crawl or any organized pub crawl. If you spend a few minutes reading Tripadvisor reviews clubs for Rio you'll see that they run a scam with a sort of club payment plan. So they give you a card when you first walk in. On the card, it says if you order a drink you have to spend 200 or 400 real (50 or 100 USD). There is no option to buy just one drink and this price is per person. This doesn't even include the price to get in for some places. I didn't read the Tripadvisor reviews in advance. But when my sister and I entered a bar, I noticed that the bouncer was only giving cards to darker skin people that entered the bar. Once we read the fine print we promptly gave back the cards and left. We went to another bar that let everyone in without handing out the cards. If you want to avoid all the scams just go on a tour.

Once you avoid all the scams, Lapa is so much fun. Some of the clubs have live music and karaoke. The caipirinha is the signature cocktail of Brazil and my second favorite ones were from Lapa. The best ones were on the beach. The two beaches I went to were Copacabana and Ipanema. I think you should visit as many beaches as possible but my favorite is Ipanema. Copacabana is the more affordable family beach. It's more lively, so don't expect a relaxing day at the beach. The vendors are endless and we definitely got cursed out for refusing to buy sunglasses. The best part of Copacabana was the drinks. Vendors make the best caipirinhas and they are huge like 20 ounces, plus the prices are super cheap compared to restaurant drinks. The drink vendors were super friendly. Walking by Copacabana at night was nice because there are tons of restaurants and bars. It reminds me of a more calm version of Ocean Drive in Miami.

My preference was for Ipanema. Once you visit the beach it's easy to understand why there are songs and movies about this location. The beach is calm and quiet even though there are plenty of beachgoers. There are fewer vendors and almost half the amount of people as Copacabana. They are no drink vendors or food vendors on the beach. The aurora overall is more classy. This made the beach very relaxing. However, when it was time to eat, we had to pack everything up and voyage 5 or 6 blocks from the beach to find food. The restaurants are not "eat by the beach" kind of restaurants. You'll need to be fully dressed and wash the sand off your feet. That was the only thing I preferred about Copacabana.

Two other cool experiences I had in Brazil was the Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ The Redeemer. Although they are classic tourist attractions, they are both amazing. The crowds and hassle to visit both will be worth it, I promise. The best time to visit these locations is before lunch so don't plan on trying to see both in one day.

Overall, I would say that I had a great time in Brazil. The culture, the people, and the food should all be experienced in real life. Don't let the rumors about this country scare you away from a life-changing experience. Also, be a smart traveler and use common sense.