You have to be there, live in that atmosphere, be overwhelmed by the gorgeous colors of the costumes and immerse yourself in the bustling drums and hot Samba dances, then you can understand why the Rio Carnival is known as "the biggest costume party on the planet".
RIO DE JANEIRO – CITY OF FIRE AND PASSION
Big cities have long been my thing because of their crowdedness and bustle. They have become transit points that I am forced to stop by to continue my journey. However, Rio de Janeiro is a unique exception.
As soon as I stepped off the plane, the city’s vibrant energy really overwhelmed me. Not because I arrived when the city was welcoming millions of tourists for the Carnival season, but because that energy radiated from the simple things at the airport as well as on the streets: the way people welcomed their loved ones returning from far away by jumping into each other’s arms, laughing and crying at the same time; the way they said goodbye to each other with passionate hugs; and of course, the way they danced Samba anytime, anywhere, as long as there was music, as natural as breathing, which made a person like me who usually avoided the hustle and bustle want to dance along.
I must say that Rio de Janeiro is definitely worth a few days. Not only is it famous for its Carnival, but it also has a beautiful natural landscape that captivates people. It is surprising to realize that Rio is built in a harmonious blend of mountains and sea. The layers of houses on the mountain slopes and the seemingly endless coastline give Rio a unique and different feel.
The sunset from Sugarloaf Mountain was stunning. We enjoyed watching the changing colors of the landscape. The blazing sun was partially obscured by a huge gray cloud, but a few bright rays still pierced through the clouds and lit up the mountainside. The sea was as calm as a lake, dotted with toy-like sailboats, and a long bridge connected the two sides of the city. As the sky darkened, the city lit up, twinkling like stars on the ground.
Not far away is Corcovado Mountain, famous for its giant statue of Jesus Christ with open arms. This 30m high statue with 28m long arms has become a cultural and religious symbol of Rio and Brazil, and is also one of the new 7 wonders of the world. At the top of Corcovado Mountain, the whole city of Rio appears magically behind the cloudy sky. It seems that the wonderful scenery is not what tourists care about the most. We burst out laughing when we saw many different poses of people taking pictures, from kneeling to lying on the ground, trying to take pictures with this famous statue of Jesus Christ.
Rio is also known as a coastal city, not because of its many beaches, nor because of the special beauty of the sand and the color of the sea. The special attraction of the Rio coast is the bustling atmosphere here, day and night. We really enjoyed sitting on this beach, enjoying cold beers with the bustling samba music from countless bars nearby. The sea here is also clean and clear, but the high waves near the shore make it difficult for tourists to swim. Many people like us just lie and relax on the beach, watching beautiful men and women from all over the world having fun passing by.
STREET FESTIVAL FULL OF GENEROUSNESS
Brazil's Rio Carnival began as a festival for slaves (mostly Africans) who gathered to sing and dance in the streets for several days each year. Over time, the festival gradually became more formalized, becoming the biggest festival of all Brazil.
No words, pictures or videos can describe the vibrant atmosphere of Rio these days. You have to be there, live the atmosphere to experience and feel the passion and generosity of people in every corner you never thought possible.
The freedom is expressed in colorful and extremely “cool” costumes. Almost everyone we met on the street was wearing costumes, from simple to elaborate, but very diverse and creative. Men wearing tunics, or women in colorful dresses and no underwear became very normal on the street. Although we did not prepare costumes, we were still eager to immerse ourselves in that colorful atmosphere.
The vibrant music of Latin American influences is the easiest way to connect people. When the music starts, strangers from all over the world dance, sing and suddenly become friends. If you have an instrument in your hand, you will be welcomed everywhere, whether you go alone or in a band. Bands are quickly formed from strangers, playing familiar songs together, and the crowd cheers, encourages and follows them everywhere, thus forming a spontaneous parade on the streets. That is also the unique feature of the Rio Carnival, when you can freely join in countless parades on every street of the city, like attending a party without a host and without an invitation.
The generosity of the festival was also reflected in the passionate, yet spontaneous kisses. After kissing, they asked each other for names and phone numbers, making us realize that they were strangers who happened to pass each other in the crowd. A little affection, a little excitement was enough to give each other passionate kisses.
THE PEAK OF CREATIVITY AND PASSION
The highlight of Rio Carnival is the Sambardrom Marques de Sapucai. Dubbed “the biggest party on the planet,” it is not just about entertainment, but also about fierce competition between samba unions. 13 teams compete over two nights, with the winning team getting to perform in the finale of the following year’s festival.
The show started from 10pm to 6am the next morning. We wondered why the show started so late and understood the reason after attending. The weather in early February in Rio was so hot and humid that no one could enjoy such a long outdoor performance, neither the audience nor the performers.
We watched 6 of the 7 teams perform that day until 5am. Each team performed for 75 minutes, parading down the runway between the two stands of the stadium, following a separate theme with thousands of dancers, drum teams and mobile vehicles. It was truly a wonderful night, beyond my expectations and imagination. My eyes were opened by the top performances, extremely grand, colorful and extremely creative. That creativity was spectacularly expressed in the design of the dancers' individual gorgeous costumes, in the operation and decoration of the glittering mobile vehicles, which were almost as tall as the stands and could accommodate hundreds of dancers, in the harmony of music, lights, in the drum beats and fiery samba of the lead dancers, and even the large ensemble performances to highlight the main theme of each team.
If the mobile car is the platform to express the idea of the theme, the dancers are the soul of the troupe. They are beautiful and extremely attractive girls in elaborate and eye-catching hand-tailored costumes. Always the leader of the caravan, the Samba dancers with their skillful dance steps on high heels attract all eyes of the audience. The cheers of the audience and the bustling drums are a wonderful resonance for their performance.
It was an all-nighter, but it was a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience. Only by witnessing it with your own eyes can you understand the level of investment and the long, arduous nightly rehearsals that the troupes put in for such a 75-minute performance.
MORE INFORMATION:
Trip
From Vietnam to major cities in Brazil (including Rio) is a long journey of about 25-30 hours of flight. Buying tickets from Emirates, we flew to Sao Paolo, transiting in Dubai. This airline also has direct flights to Rio. Other airlines to choose from are Qatar or Turkish Airlines. If you have a US visa, United Airlines or American Airlines are reasonable alternatives.
Accommodation
There are plenty of options in this sprawling city. If you want to stay close to the beaches, choose a hotel on any of the beaches like Copacabana (lively and popular party spot, also very crowded), Botafogo (next to Copacabana but much quieter and less crowded) or Ipenema (with more luxurious hotels).
We stayed at the Yoo2 Rio de Janeiro by Intercity, on the Botafogo coast, with good location and service, but most importantly the rooftop bar with perfect views of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Travel
We used Uber, which was much cheaper than a regular taxi and safer. The drivers didn’t speak English but were very tech savvy so they used Google translate to communicate with us.
Time
The festival takes place in February or March, with the dates changing each year to coincide with Easter and Lent in the Gregorian calendar. In 2019, Rio Carnival runs from March 1 to March 9. If you’re in town before the official opening, don’t miss out on some of the crazy pre-festival events.
Other Notes for Carnival
- Tickets for the main show: Attracting millions of attendees each year, this show costs from several hundred to several thousand USD. Note that there is no ticket booth on the field, so you must buy tickets in advance, about 2-3 weeks before the festival. There are many websites selling tickets online with detailed instructions.
For me, the grandstands are great because this is where the locals gather. You just need to choose the right grandstand to get a good view but you have to arrive 2 hours in advance to get a seat because it is first come first served, there are no seat numbers. The sections from the middle of the field to the back are usually better because you can see most of the parade. Sections 8 to 11 are probably the best because most of the judges will be sitting there and you will be sitting opposite the drum corps who create the atmosphere for the night.
Visit www.rio-carnival.net for more information about the 2019 Rio carnival.
- Prepare for the show: Bring food, snacks and plenty of drinks to quench your thirst and stave off hunger. For more comfort, you can bring pillows and paper fans because the weather is very hot. Don't forget to bring a camera or phone to record.
- Security: This place is considered the safest in Latin America, where many world celebrities, politicians, royals and crowds gather. All the stands are equally safe. However, you should be extremely careful when leaving after the show ends, it is best to take a taxi right at the gate instead of walking a few minutes in the early morning.
