Where to Eat, Stay & Play: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hola from Rio de Janeiro - the birth place of the Samba, Brazilian waxing and home to the famous Carnival! There are endless stretches of beaches, a host of magnificent sights and some of the best sushi. (Brazil has the second largest population of Japanese people outside Japan.)

Thinking of taking your next vacation to this marvelous city? Well here are our top picks for the best places to eat, stay and play in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

NOTE: Canadians must get a Visa to enter Brazil ($90 and expires in 5 years). I almost had to cancel my trip 4 days before because I missed out on this one little fact! So make sure you visit the Brazilian Consulate 3-4 weeks prior to your departure date.

What To Eat:
Take a break from tanning at Ipanema Beach and stop in for a quick healthy lunch at Bento. This is an amazing self-serve sushi place where you can completely customize the cutest bento box! Mix and match with rolls, sashimi, soba noodles, veggie apps and even dessert! $

You definitely can't say you were in Brazil without going to a Churrascaria restaurant (aka Brazilian Steakhouse) where the meat is served fast and plentiful. Check out Carretão Classic Grill and get ready for a feast of all-you-can-eat meats, poultry, seafood, cold cuts and a fresh salad bar. $$$

Head to the upscale neighbourhood of Leblon and indulge in pan-Asian delights at Mekong Restaurant. They serve familiar starters from summer rolls to amazing squid to more unique dishes with a southeast Asian flare. Their signature drink - named the "Mekong" of course, puts to use an infused liquor concoction of sake, dark rum with vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and lemongrass! Come on Wednesdays to dine and stay for the party. $$

Where To Stay:
Feel like a true jet-setting princess and book your stay at Copacabana Palace - it's the place to live the fantasy of retro Rio glamour of decades gone by! Built in 1923, the classic style guest rooms are not spared of elegance. City View Rooms start around $450 but if you really want to splurge and feel like royalty, upgrade to the Beach View Room and you'll be waking up to a post card view.


How To Play:

• Do all the touristy stuff simply because it's worth it! Corcovado - Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain are a must-see. (Tip: you can book half/full day tours with your hotel but it's not necessary as you can easily show up at the sites and buy an entrance pass).

• The two main beaches are Ipanema (favoured by the locals) and Copacabana (what you see in the movies and attracts more tourism). They connect over a 6km stretch against a stunning backdrop of forest-covered peaks.

• Centro is Rio's business district with all the trappings of a busy modern city. Stop in at the National History Museum which is housed in the former 1764 arsenal.

Inside the Favelas: Slums of Rio de Janeiro

When we think of Brazil we think of the celebratory Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and the long stretch of beaches with sand like brown sugar but during my recent vacation there, I ventured off the beaten path and discovered a totally different cultural experience.

Going on a Favela Tour definitely gives you a perspective of Brazilian society beyond the basic tourist attractions. This part walking, part mini-bus tour is 3 hours long and takes you inside Rochinha, the biggest slum in Latin America.

To get there, you drive up the hill through one of Rio's wealthiest neighbourhoods with picturesque views of Christ the Redeemer before hitting narrow streets littered with garbage. The houses in the favelas are built with a mishmash of materials and are randomly stacked on top of each other like Jenga building blocks. About 20% of Rio's population live in one of the 500-some favelas and earn a salary of around $350/month. It's the classic example of a city of contrasts between Rio's social elite and the poorest of the poor.