Brazil Travel insurance. Don’t leave home without comprehensive travel insurance. Ensure that you are fully covered for medical treatment, hospitalisation and evacuation to the United Kingdom. Make sure your policy also covers unexpected losses and expenses (eg cancelled flights, lost luggage, stolen cash and credit cards, and stolen/lost passports).       Check Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice before travelling.       Bring enough funds with you for your stay. Travellers’ cheques can be cashed in major hotels and banks, but UK cash cards are not normally accepted by Brazilian cash machines. US Dollars (cash or travellers’ cheques) are more readily exchanged than Sterling. Credit cards are widely accepted in tourist areas and the major cities, but beware of fraud – ensure you always take your copy of the transaction receipt and the carbon paper.       Carry a photocopy of your passport’s data pages at all times. Lock the original in your hotel safe. Retain your Brazilian Immigration landing card, you will need it on departure. Note down the details of your passport, travellers’ cheques and credit/bank cards and keep them separate from the documents eg number, place and date of issue. Enter next of kin details into the back of your passport.       Be conscious of your personal security at all times. Take sensible precautions such as using door chains and spy holes (if available), before admitting people to your room. Ensure your hotel room door is locked at all times. Be aware of those around you.       Take care of your valuables when out sightseeing. Only carry enough money for your immediate needs. Cameras, jewellery, watches, handbags, etc will mark you out as a potential target for a thief and are easily torn off. If you must carry a camera, try to conceal it. Ensure that you do not leave your bags/belongings unattended. Don’t leave valuables visible in a car. Deposit any valuables/money that you are not using in your hotel safe, putting any credit cards in a sealed envelope before doing so.       Don’t resist muggers. Muggers often carry weapons, and are prepared to use them if you offer resistance. Muggers often operate in gangs.       Don’t get involved with drugs. The penalties for drug carrying/trafficking are severe. Don’t accept or offer to carry packages/suitcases on behalf of someone else.       Don’t expect to find work in Brazil. It is illegal to work without a work permit.       Consult your doctor before you travel. Brazil is a huge country. Different vaccinations/ precautions may be needed according to which region you intend to visit.       Retain enough cash to pay airport departure taxes. All passengers departing Brazilian airports must pay a departure tax at check-in before they can obtain their boarding card. Payment of these taxes is not normally included for tickets purchased outside of Brazil. The international departure tax is currently US$36, and can only be paid in cash, either in US dollars or local currency equivalent. Domestic departure taxes vary and you should therefore check in advance their rates.       Don’t accept sweets, food or drink from strangers. It may be drugged. Ensure that any drinks you order, or that you are offered, especially in a Night-club/Disco, are opened and poured in front of you.       Use official metered taxis to get around town. Insist the driver switches on the meter when you get in, and check that they are displaying their obligatory photographic taxi permit. Avoid using buses or trams.       Take extra care when driving in Brazil. The Brazilian style of driving and standards are very different from the United Kingdom. Be prepared to stop unexpectedly, and beware of potholes, slow moving vehicles and people/animals on the road. Avoid driving outside of town at night, vehicles without lights and other hazards can make it dangerous. Keep your car doors locked at all times and the windows shut, especially at traffic lights.       Stick to the tourist areas in cities. Take local advice on where it safe to go, but don’t wander off into alleyways, cul de sacs, or where there are no other people (even during daylight). Don’t enter slum areas or shantytowns, they often have extremely high violent crime rates. Avoid empty beaches. Don’t go on to any beach after dark, muggers often target tourists who do so.       Don’t swim in the sea without taking advice. The open Atlantic currents can be extremely strong and dangerous. The sea can also be polluted, and in some areas sharks can also be a danger. Take local advice before swimming eg from your hotel.