Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Get your friends together early. You want to know exactly who's going and how much money they can spend before you start planning.
Apply for your passport as soon as possible. With new passport regulations, your application may take a little longer than promised.
Try to go to Brazil during Carnaval. It's a breathtaking festival that happens every spring. Women dress in costumes, there are outrageous floats and thousands of partiers dance to the beats of samba.
Figure out what neighborhood to stay in. Ipanema is great for nightlife and the beach. It's also extremely safe at night. Copacabana is the place to go for daytime tourism activities. Leblon is similar to Ipanema, but is outside the tourism zone and is less crowded.
Decide what kind of lodging you want. There are three choices in Brazil--hotels, hostels and apartments. If you're traveling with a big group, you may want to get your own apartment.
Book your flight as soon as possible. Consider traveling on a weekday to save money.
Read the 10 Commandments on rioforpartiers.com. It will familiarize you with what to expect.