I do a lot of comparison between Rio and San Jose, Costa Rica because those are the two destinations in Latin/South America I know. I hope those of you that have never been to San Jose don't mind the references or feel it takes away from the focus- Rio. I'm a member of Costa Rica Ticas and prepared the report with this perspective to post there. I'm too lazy to take all the references out or write a new one.

I tried hard to research and know the scene in Rio before I went. I have the Bwana Dik report; the Bubba Report; photos, name, number of girls I liked from about 15 Rio escort services cut and pasted to a word doc; info on massage parlors,etc. I also had some conversations (freetranslation.com) for different situations with English and Portuguese translation on paper for picking up girls outside Help, ordering escort girls, expectations, getting termas girls to meet me after work, etc. I put in all in a binder. It was like I had been to Rio training camp. Searching the escort services websites for girls was time consuming but fun as hell. I enjoyed every minute anticipating the Brazilian girls. Knowing I was flying solo and Rio is a big potentially dangerous place I wanted to be prepared and not stumble around like a tool. I tried to get at least through Pimsleur Portuguese 1-18 before I got down there but when I arrived it just didn’t seem like I could speak very much even of what I had studied- oh well. Some of the best advice I got was from a couple brothers on Costa Rica Ticas who had been there before. Thanks to you all.

Side note: One thing I’ve learned is that people who consider this a real hobby at least prepare and read. Friends I have that went on a trip with me really didn’t pay attention to what experienced people had accomplished or recommended; didn’t consider taking their time picking a girl, didn’t really try to choose very well, payed up front, wouldn’t negotiate what they want. They act just as carefree in CR as they do in a US strip club. IMO they got as much out of it as they put into it. I probably over-prepared but really enjoyed it all. It was something I looked forward to.

Day 1(Sunday)
I arrived on a Sunday morning and after eventually getting through customs/immigrations went and checked in to my apartment. I had my own agenda mapped out and started the day looking around- checking out Meia Pataca and the beach.. It was cloudy and supposedly was going to stay that way for a few days. I didn’t feel much vibe and was thinking about going to 4x4(termas) later in the afternoon or calling an escort girl but found myself not wanting to do much of either right away so I just kept walking around, finding landmarks, laundry places, drug stores, all the things I would need during the week. I had been in touch with Ken and Don of Riotrips (amerioca.net)in advance because they run a service that can get you access to almost anything; apts, hotels, tours, information, translating, etc. The reports I read swore by them and I figured it would really help to spend some time with them so that I at least meet some other guys through them to hang with. I meant to do my own thing for a day or two then meet up with them but for some reason I just wasn’t getting the vibe that it would be fun on my own. I think the reason for that is that Rio’s just so stinking big and I realized it would be better to humble myself and get some first hand advice.

I went ahead and hooked up with them and their group later that day. It was pretty laid back and relaxed. I went over my thoughts and what I had planned and found out the downtown termas aren’t open on weekends- I should have remembered. They suggested we trip to Luomo(termas) because the talent there had been particularly good the past month and a couple of the guys at the table had been to a couple other termas and felt like the talent was lacking. I really couldn’t believe the girls at Luomo. That was exactly what I came to Rio to find. They were sweet and friendly and fun. The greatest thing was the attitude of the girls- they were just dancing and having fun and I soon learned first hand how much the Brazilian girls love to dance and how captivating it is- I could sit and watch it all night. I guess one other good thing about being with the small group Don and Ken bring is that they have credibility and the girls of course know you’ll spend money and probably a half decent guy(which paid off big-time as the week went on). I stayed at Luomo for quite a few hours and had a great time- there was just no reason to leave.

When I did finally leave I met up with someone that works with Don and Ken to be shown around the Copa scene at night- Meia Pataca, Terrace Atlantico, Help. After hanging a while I decided not even to go to inside Help. I didn’t see anything outside that was that interesting compared to the Termas girls. In fact, I was disappointed but with the cloudy, almost rainy weather, I figured the prettier girls were staying in so I called it a night.

Day 2(Monday)
Sun shined a little so I went around the beach, organized my stuff, shopped, and BS’d til about noon. Then I called a girl I had met at the termas the previous night. I reached her about 1pm and thankfully had someone there to help me translate or she probably wouldn’t have come over.. She arrived about 3. We had drinks at a café and went to the beach for a brief photo session- it’s very nice to take pictures of a really good looking girl with Sugar loaf as a backdrop. We went back to my place later for about an hour. By the way, I made a couple of assumptions. One, I figured she didn’t do this often because she kept asking the name of the building not realizing apt buildings only have numbers. What she was looking for was the name of a hotel so yeah, she had done it but apparently with guys staying in hotels. The other assumption was that she wouldn’t have the nerve to ask for much more than I had payed the termas the night before for a session.. Well, I was wrong. She asked for more than my entire bill the previous nite from the termas- $300 R or about $140 US- The thing about it was how coyly she shook her finger and smiled every time I asked for a lower number- Yup, she had done it before. Anyway, she agreed to a lower price about $200R plus cab… What the hell, even though I don’t consider time at a café people-watching and drinking wine “billable”, we did spend several hours together and it was fun even though she had $$$ signs the whole time. Lesson learned- follow the ABCs of mongering and negotiate everything up front; don’t make assumptions. I was spending another day with Americoa tours and had gotten a little behind the time curve with this girl show up late afternoon.. By the time she left the guys had already headed for termas 4x4.

I decided to take the metro from Copa to Centro where 4x4 is located and meet up with them. It was pretty easy because they gave me directions and instructions. The metro system Rio seemed safe on your own before 9pm on weeknights and I gather just fine during the days on weekends. I think I read some people take it even later in the evenings but it’s not worth it and probably not as safe, especially alone. To use the Metro in Copa you take a cab or bus to the main metro station and since it basically runs straight through downtown from Copa you just get off at the right stop and walk to the direction of the street your termas is on- not too complicated really. I could have cabbed it but would have paid more and been stuck in rush hour traffic. 4x4 is a place you want to go to early because a lot of businessmen crowd this place from 6-10 and it screws up the ratio. If I had it to do over again I get to 4x4 at 4pm or after 10pm when the ratio is 3-1 in my favor. All in all the 4x4 was good. It’s a confusing layout but good overall experience. They give you a nice room and girl for an hour for about $170R(under $80US currently). The little 18 year old I had there was definitely good looking although not a great performer especially by what I would eventually learn are Rio standards. But I’m glad I was there and would go back.

After 4x4 I went to Terrace Atlantico outside Help but didn’t see anything at all that was interesting.. Yes, there were a few good looking girls but mostly down and out girls that really didn’t seem to belong in the game. I went to bed early and was relaxed thanks to the steam room at 4x4. If there was great action outside Help and I was too tired from relaxing in the termas I wouldn’t be happy but since I looked and found many of the girls to be misfits I was happy to go up to my apartment and sleep like a baby by midnite Rio time.

Day 3(Tuesday)

Not sure what happened with the morning.. Called Karla’s Models in the afternoon. Girl that arrived was sweet but her face was only “cute”. Her body was a little different than her pics but very nice overall- I think she told me the pic was taken more than a few years ago(surprise surprise). She was very affectionate. I got two hours for $140R and we made sweet passionate love twice. After she left I guess I just tooled around til the evening and went back to Luomo. The girls were still white hot. I think my impression was that most of the girls there were such quality that it if it were back home it would be hard to approach and get anywhere because they’d probably play the “I’m a hot gringa” game. I stayed around and enjoyed the vibe for hours, had dinner, enjoyed the facilities, then picked a girl and had a fantastic time with her.

After the termas I went to the outside Help/Terrace Atlantico scene after that but found it very average. Yes, there are some cute ones but the broken ones pull the average way down. Some of the girls are standing around the perimeter of the large outdoor café which is Terrace Atlantico so it’s easy enough to talk to them if you want. But a lot of others will be sitting in the café in groups so unless you really see something you like it could be inconvenient to go in and talk or if you see several you might be intereseted in you’re bouncing around table to table like a tool and I just didn’t feel the need. I’m sure if you see something you like it’s pretty easy to make it happen though. That was it for day three.



Day 4(Wednesday)

Days are starting slow but I’m not sure why. In San Jose Costa Rica it seems like I’m up and around early in the AM and ready to go hit the MPs early- they are much better than Rio’s. I don’t drink so I’m usually up early. But I’m waking up with this really laid back attitude.. I think I put a lot into planning and so I’m unwinding. I don’t have any TLNs yet and the Escort Services open early enough to have morning action but I haven’t felt like jumping in to it that early. It is relaxing. Also though, I’m still trying to get my mind around the Rio scene at this point. I enjoy being up early in SJO and heading down for some fresh Oasis box then walking up Paseo Colon back to the Gulch. It’s just a real healthy way to start the day especially with the sex induced “opiates” flowing. The days start later in Rio. Every day I would be up early looking around admiring the sites, eating at kilos, then calling an agency.

The one I called (40graus.net) sent a girl that could have been the same one from her pic but still she was totally unacceptable. I’m not trying to be mean but her ass looked huge and and her face was not pretty. I told her immediately that I had just eaten and was feeling sick, paid the taxi, said goodbye… It’s still uncomfortable doing that but it has to be done. I tried another agency but found they did not send to apartments, only hotels(I can’t remember which agency). Then I called Company Girl and was pleasantly surprised to find a girl on the other end that spoke English. I explained that I wanted her to send girls that she would be afraid her boyfriend would like. She sent a winner and it was only $120R(under $60US) for an hour. The girl that arrived was cute as hell, spoke English, gave great service, and gave me the low-down on who else at her agency was pretty. Turns out a lot of these sites show different pics of the same girls so it’s possible to call and get the same girl even though you are requesting a different name although I suspect it would be hard to do on the same trip because they probably keep some record of who you ordered previously- At least I would think they try at least that hard not to get caught being lameasses.

Side note: Agencies- you can usually add $50R to their hourly for a second hour. Most make you choose one or two hours up front or threaten you’ll be charged another full hour rate if you decide for an additional hour later.. When they arrive you usually have time to talk if you two speak enough of the same language. Or, hopefully you already have been to Freetranslation.com and copied your requirements(attitude and sexual) on paper in Portuguese so she can get the message.. Meanwhile you’re getting the feel for her to see if you have chemistry, then decide to throw her back or keep her for one hour or two.

Later in the day I just hung out at Alcazar with Don from Americoa Tours- I skipped 4x4 with their group. That night I went over to Terrace Atlantico and found a very sweet girl(Fabiana) and since my place was right around the corner she agreed to $50US for an hour with the idea she could be back soon enough to get more business. She was great and very sweet. She was young and probably could hold her own at a termas with a little seasoning. Finally I got lucky and pulled a nice freelancer! By the time I walked her back to Help area and tooled around for a little while I was getting sleepy. I don’t know why but I was really relaxed in Rio and I’m guessing with all the stress and anticipation of getting ready and finally arriving I was unwinding too. I went to bed at midnight Rio time(9pm) Eastern and basically slept like a log til about 9:30am Rio.

Day 5(Thursday)

Decided to go for a jog and workout a little. Across the street from Alacazar is a group of fitness bars(dip/pullup) that you can work out on if that’s your thing.. I sort of jogged from Copa down to the end of the beach in Leme. They were building the stage for the Rolling Stones to play the Saturday coming so it was pretty cool to see. The stage was about seven stories high. This was a great week to be in Rio.

Later in the day I called Company Girl again. I told the English speaking receptionist “thanks” and that I wanted her to send someone else as good and she agreed Sheyla would fit the bill. This girl is very nice, speaks English, and worked me over good. Apparently since I was in Copa, not even a block away from Help, and had a three ring binder of info and pics she decided I should be treated like a hedonistic pig and she was right. I highly recommend her.

I checked out some other termas and they were pretty decent- Solarium and Monte Carlo. It was a good night overall but still wishing I’d find a stunner around the Help area. I looked for a while but didn’t make anything happen so met up with some guys from Don and Ken’s group . It’s great to have a group to keep up with and talk to.


Day 6(Friday)

Got up at 10am and decided I have to at least try the MPs downtown(Centro) as those are the only ones I know about. I picked some that were mentioned in both the Bwana Dik and Bubba reports. You could take a cab to Centro from Copa, no doubt. But I decided to grab the Metro bus that eventually drops you off at the Copa subway station. You then just get off at the right stops(read the reports). It’s simple and there are small maps floating around and you only need the portion of the map that has Centro. Once I came out of the subway I though, “there’s no way in hell I’ll find these places” but with a map, as long as you’re on the right street and have the address it’s just easy. I was on my fourth stop(Rua Carioca 59) and finally found a couple girls that were decent. It was cool because the entire building(5 floors) are MPs. Now remember, these are dirty places, even worse than Calle 6 in San Jose. I was disappointed until I stumbled on two girls that were actually pretty decent. I would describe them as good enough to hang out around Help and make some money. Quite honestly, my next trip, I’d go back and do these two girls just for fun. They did a no holds barred two on one BBBJ that was fun. If the place wasn’t such a complete dive it would have been great and they were as good looking as a lot of the freelancers I’d seen so far. The price in these places is basically $.50US a minute per girl, $1US per minute for two. It’s a deal but the environment is not pretty. You have to be willing to walk a lot and look around unless you’re willing to settle early. One thing I liked is that this street, Rua Carioca, was shaded and had a few bakeries on it. The bakeries in Rio should be tried along with the juice bars.They are just stocked with great things. I had a couple of banana croissants that were delicious. Next trip I’ll try another group of MPs just for hell of it.

Side note- Take a small bottle of hand gel disinfectant or packaged mini bar of soap from a termas with you if you attempt the MP scene in Rio- you’ll want to wash up when you’re done and don't count on the MP to give you a clean place to do it.

On my way back from Centro to Copa I realized the sun was shining finally- did I mention it was cloudy, even rainy up to this point in the week? The beach felt good… not too many girls even at 4pm. I tried to get an escort but was having communication problems and Don helped me out but the Service dropped the ball and the girl never showed.. It occurred to me while waiting that I could go to a termas and spend $200R on a second session later in the night for about what a $140R or $190(two hours with cab) escort session might cost so I was glad they dropped the ball because my attitude towards having that girl come over changed after an hour passed. I cannot remember which service it was that pulled the no-show but who cares. I had two sessions at the termas later that night and had an excellent time. Up to that point I had usually just had one session per night at the termas. I found you can go to any of the big termas(Monte Carlo, Solarium, Luomo, 4x4) and find at least one very good looking girl for yourself. The key is knowing which one or two termas that happen to have the most good looking girls at that time

Side note- Centaurus supposedly plays games with the tourists asking for a large deposit so I had not gone there yet. They basically try to hold your money and potentially decide how much you get back from what I read- Ultimately I never made it to Centaurus.

Day 7(Saturday)

All the anticipation was in the air for the Rolling Stones playing tonite.. I tried to get Delta to let me stay another day but no luck- they were full. Copa was rocking early. I went for a walk down to where the Stones were going to be playing and took some pics. Here is a link to pics someone else took. http://www.iorr.org/rio/index.htm It was a big deal needless to say. I went to a brazilian Steakhouse and ate very well, exercised, went to the beach, and had another Company Girl girl over. She was pretty decent. I went back to Luomo so that I would also be close to the concert and could go back and forth or whatever.. I was in Luomo when the Stones started playing and to my surprise it was live on TV. The girls were really excited and it was cool knowing all this was going on just 5 blocks or so away. The views from helicopters flying from the one end of the crowd to the stage were breathtaking. The manager shut Luomo down early so the girls bolted and I went to see the show. This was a major event and the city pulled it off beautifully. I wasn’t like I was going to arrive late and find a spot with a view that none of the other one million people in attendance had not thought of. I couldn’t see much but hey, I was there. Went back to the Help area of Copa and almost went to Help but decided not to.. I didn’t really care if I saw the inside of the place or not. Instead, I hung out with Don and Ken’s group and called it a night.


Day 8(Sunday)

Packed and called Company Girl. It was difficult to understand what the girl was saying because my English speaking girl was not there. The one that finally arrived was decent. She became more attractive when she started servicing like a Brazilian girl- they are good.

I said my goodbyes around the neighborhood and headed off for Luomo. I got abused by this girl with a hot hot tush. I was afraid the way she was doing me that if I slipped out and she landed on me I’d have a fractured pee pee.. I tried to get her to slow down but no way.. Finally I got her to bbbj. Being screwed that hard sometimes is good, or sometimes makes you go numb..There’s nothing like the feeling of BBBJ and she was just as passionate about doing that. She got me there quick and tried for a second time in just a 40 minute session.. I don’t know if this girl is insane, deprived, or just the hardest worker in show business but she definitely left an impression. Ken and Don had set it up so their driver would be waiting outside Luomo at 8:30 with my bags. They told me to relax and that their driver would be there on time and sure enough he was. It was Sunday and my flight left at 11pm so that was plenty of time. I made it to the airport and slept most of the way back to Atlanta. Life was good.



Impressions/surprises:

* How sexual these girls are. One person told me that they will try to get you off twice even in a 40 minute session and it’s true.
* The amazing asses Brazilian girls have as a population. Their asses look textbook on all fours- It’s a national treasure.
* How average the overall scene is around Help, including the beach.
* That I spent 8 days, and was with mostly the prettiest girls and had best sex of my life, but still barely scratched the surface of what’s available.
* Rio’s airport was tiny and not busy. What gives with that- is their more than one major airport? I’ve never seen a major international city’s airport so small and slow.

A couple thoughts: Brazilian women are definitely sexy. Some of the civilians I saw were drop-dead and prettier than the top termas girls. I wish I spoke Portuguese because without it you have little game with the non-working. Rio is a huge city, a metropolis of at least many millions(10-15?). The natural setting of the beach in Rio is outstanding; The land formations are incredible. The food is pretty good. I ate at Kilos and the Brazilian steakhouses quite a bit; you could eat at the same kilo every day because the extensive variety of good fresh food. They are called kilo because the food is weighed and you pay x amount per kilo. I heard some guys talking about restaurants they went to that were outstanding- world class. I kept it pretty basic.

The metro in Rio works very well and they have a good bus system provided someone explains how to get where you want to go in English just so you know you’re doing it the right way first couple times.

The significance of the time difference between Rio and East Coast US: Because of the time difference I can leave Atlanta at 8pm and arrive Rio the next morning flying direct. Coming back, I can leave Rio at 11pm and arrive between 7 and 8am. It means I can work full days and not lose time to travel but also have full days in Rio the days I arrive and depart. I found the plane was easy to sleep on and many people had three middle seats to themselves, so a bed more or less. Because of that, I can see taking trips of as little as four days down the road when I get to know Rio better and exactly how to get four days of pure fun- much like I can do with the scene in San Jose now. Yes, I’d rather stay a week or more but I’m just saying, four nights is doable with that airline schedule without much vacation and little loss of monger time in transit. Rio is going to be more of a monster to get figured out but soon I’ll be able to make it there and hit the ground running so that as little as four days and nights might be worth it.

I hope the Dollar stops losing value to the Real or Rio’s going to be priced out. Right now you can do a session at a major termas for $80-110US. If it slides to 1.5US to a Real that is up to around $140-$160 and I’d probably think of other options for sure. The value is in Rio now and might not be in a year or three. I am told just a couple years ago it was 3US-1R so you might want to get there soon.

What would I change or do differently next trip:

I’m going to check out a couple of the second tier termas that are less expensive. They only cost a few bucks to get in and as little as $40 a session I believe. They might open early afternoon so I could check them maybe then off to one the majors. Of course, that also depends on what I hear from other people.

I’m going to check out different escort sites(Riosexsite.net and Hotside.com.br ) along with Company Girl again. The Riosexsite and Hotside are independents and hot as hell. A lot of them are reviewed at http://www.gpguia.net/phpbb2/index.php - click on “English translation by Google”.

Another thing I’m able to do now is take a lot less info- I don’t need 150 pages of market intelligence but I’ll take some of the pages, parts of reports, and some escort service info with me next time. It’s definitely worthwhile to read the major reports on Rio and know which girls you want the escort services to send. Take the Bwana Dik report with you as a reference regardless. You can PM me if you want to know which escort services were easy to work with. I plan to know more soon.

What would I do the same next trip:

I will get help finding the two or three termas that are hot and stick with them mostly. I want a couple locations that have at least 20 girls that are hot, beautiful, or stunning and I need current information to do that. If I have two termas with stunning girls and great attitudes, and good facilities, why search harder unless you have weeks to spend. If you have only a week or so, it makes more sense to me to find a couple termas that have a lot of smoking hot girls and just pick their fruit all week.

Most of the girls in Brazil speak practically no English. I will get help translating and once again I will create a conversation/invitation/expectations on paper in Portuguese for when I am on my own and I want to invite a girl to come over right then or meet me later- it’s just an 8.5x11 piece of paper(if that) folded in my pocket. I pull it out and point her to what I want her to read. Type it in English and put the Portuguese translation next to it(free translation.com). It’s a little clumsy but useful nonetheless.

I’d hire some help again. The termas scenes do change. So it’s not safe to assume one termas was great last year and will be the same when you come back. I do not want to waste time at any major termas where half the girls are “doable”; I want to know the day I arrive which two or three are hot. There’s no sense in traveling to Rio to do “doable” girls, although the sex might be incredible. I was surprised that there was some turnover at Luomo during the week and my last two days I met about 5 brand new girls. I actually had things scheduled ass-backwards and would have wasted quite a bit of time and money before hitting the bulls eye had I not had help. Plus, I had a better time right from the start.

I liked having an apartment. I made coffee in the mornings and kept meat, cheese, bread around for snack and beer, cokes, water for the garotas. One escort service(Barra VIPS I think) would not send girls to an apartment, and another would not send to any location that did not have its own phone line but I still wouldn’t want to pay high hotel prices just for those two when there are 12 other escort services to choose from that do service apts. Be prepared to have some of your own laundry done in an apartment if they don’t change it out fast enough. There’s a place to have your laundry done on every other block.

Some comparisons of Rio and San Jose:

I didn’t enjoy every aspect of the Rio monger scene but enjoyed a couple options enough to say Rio can be extremely good if you know where to go. I was with some girls that were seriously good looking and very likable. Rio is so big and crowded, you never feel you have any “space”. To put it in contrast to SJO: In San Jose, you can get up early; grab a quick cab down to Paseo colon; make sweet love to a honey from Oasis for $24; take a shower; then have a nice walk back to the Gulch area enjoying the life, the people, the shops, etc. By mid morning you’ve accomplished a lot in a very stress free environment and you’ve covered traversed a big part of downtown. I’m not sure there’s anything like that in Rio. To put the size of Rio in perspective, I mentioned catching the subway down to Centro(downtown) a couple times. When we were taking the cab back to the airport, it seemed like we had been driving 15 minutes and I asked the driver what part of town that was off in the distance but to our right and he said “Centro”. That’s how big Rio is.

I did a lot of research and picked a few of the MPs and they were all pretty darn nasty- along the lines of the Calle 6 joints in SJO. Until further notice, the MP scene in Rio is surprisingly and disappointingly lame- but I will search some of the others to see if I’m missing anything(J). Supposedly there are dozens of MPs in Rio and I only made it four but they are all supposed to be about the same atmosphere-wise. I would love to find out there are some decent ones if anyone knows of them because I like simple, dependable daytime action. For now I think the escort services in Rio are the best daytime action if you know the agencies and which girls to ask for.

I really feel like San Jose offers a better variety of viable cost-effective options for sex and debauchery-MPs, Strip Clubs, Del Rey/Key Largo- in a simple, easy environment. You have that “everything’s right around the corner” feeling in San Jose. Rio offers very good sex and a lot of extremely good looking girls grouped together in an almost cannot-miss environment(termas) and I think the escort services are going to be great for value and service eventually especially if I get some Portuguese under my belt- they can still be great with help translating if you know which girl(s) you are trying to get. Rio gives you more access to gorgeous women and once you build a stable in Rio, look out!

I realize a lot of food is bland in San Jose and the food in Rio can be fantastic but I also know of quite a few restaurants in San Jose where the food is good and they feed you very well. There’s a Colombian restaurant(Rincon?) across and down from St Thomas Hotel on Ave 7 that serves a serious lunch/early dinner for practically nothing and I think it’s delicious. I know that many of us CRTers have places in SJO that we eat at and don’t feel like we’re missing a thing.

It doesn’t seem like you find the type of natural comradery in Rio like you find in San Jose. It didn’t seem easy even later in the week as I was a little more experienced and on my own. I did meet a lot of good guys through Americoa Tours but just don’t believe I’d have met too many people to hang with on my own(YMMV). While I realize we’re not there to make buddies, it does help, especially in a big city, to have a base of friends you can trust for good current information. You can certainly go to Rio on your own, I just wouldn’t recommend flying totally solo your first time. On the other hand, because of CRT, if I could get a friend or two hooked up with some of the guys in SJO I’d definitely tell them to go. As long as they’re hanging around DR/KL, the rail at the Presidente, the Sportsmen’s Lodge, had Prolijo’s map and RBC’s list, they’d be fine and would have plenty of people to ask for advice. I was very comfortable in SJO my first trip solo not even knowing CRT exists and made a lot of friends even flying solo. Rio’s just a bigger place with a different attitude. It’s awesome once you get connected but maybe just a little harder to get to that point and well worth shortening your on-the-job learning curve.

If DR/KL and Help area are the ground zeros, DR/KL is much more conducive to being able to talk to girls. You almost never get cut off from a girl in DR/KL unless she’s with a guy. Outside Help because girls are in a large busy restaurant scene they can be five tables away and hard to get to. I just don’t find that barrier in SJO and I think it’s way more friendly. The same goes for Meia Pataca; A lot of the time you cannot just walk by and say hello like you can most of the time in DR/KL. I’m not comparing sex or quality of girls, just that it doesn’t matter how hot a table of girls might be in Rio if you cannot even get to them to see if you have any vibe or interest after they open their mouths. Another interesting aspect of the outdoor scene in Rio is just how casually dressed most of the girls dress. A lot of them, especially around Meia Pataca during the day, didn’t even try to look sexy and some of the ones that did, should not. Remember, I never went inside Help so it could be fantastic fun in there and I might have missed out for not going in. I might warm up to it next trip. But, if the escort services send good girls at a good price and I have a few incredible termas for the evenings I will have a great time. Anything beyond that from the Help area is just an added bonus- it’s something to do when I’m not in termas or entertaining a girl in the apartment. Do not think for a minute I am down on Rio or think San Jose is definitely a better place to go. San Jose itself is not much to look at, especially at night. But with all the natural resources(eco-tourism) available in SJO, the girls, the comradery, it’s a really good place all things considered. But, Rio’s a place I can go and guarantee I’ll be in a 2-1 ratio(minimum) of girls to guys and the girls will have great attitudes and be incredibly sexy. I mean, these termas girls wear phucking bikinis, have tight bodies, and are dancing for you all night. It is very sweet.

It’s breathtaking to walk along the beach with the Sugar Loaf in the distance realizing you’re not in Kansas anymore and you have arrived. I’ve already booked my next trip to the Rio.

Flight- Rio is no doubt more expensive and harder to get to- It's a hassle and expensive just to apply for your visa(but worth it). I get the feeling most people can fly to San Jose in 4-6 hours at a reasonable price. Figure Rio to be almost double unless you get a deal. I had the chance to book RT $655 the other day to Rio but the airline would forced me to stay an extra day to get that rate so staying the extra day would be fun but cost a lot more too. Plus, it was a 15+ hour flight each way with stops and changes.. I missed by one day the direct on Delta(9 hours) for $770 then prices jumped to over $1000 on all my usual sources. But, I got it a couple days later day for $830 thanks to someone on CRT mentioning Expedia- man this site is a value- Anyway, it usually takes more planning and most likely going to cost more to fly Rio.

Lodging- if you go the apartment route and are not in Rio during an overly expensive time(Carnival) you can have a pretty decent efficiency in Copa or Leme for about $60US. The math is better if you have a roommate. My point there is that lodging can be less expensive than San Jose.

Food is more expensive- but it's hard to complain about that when there are three guys at your table asking you which type of meat you want them to cut for you compared to chewing leather for beef in SJO.

Taxis- surprisingly cheap and hardly an expense if you have more than one person and are splitting the fairs. Metro of course is even cheaper.

Garotas- Undoubtedly Rio is more expensive, even way more for me. I can get three quality experiences in SJO for $100 a day. Of course, you might gag at what I call quality, who knows. In all seriousness, I feel I have a pretty good eye and with two $25 MP sessions and a $50 session from DR/KL at night I'm spending $100. Right now it sounds like you can have a daytime session in SJO for $25 and a SC session with a couple hours of entertainment in the $75 range, which sounds good. Yes, of course it's possible to spend way more and some guys spend hundreds a day in SJO but that's not exactly the comparison I'm trying to make. To get the same kind of quality relative to what each town offers you could easily spend hundreds getting three separate sessions in Rio. Now, it is also true though that I can spend those hundreds in Rio and get motivated stunners with a little shopping. You can get a girl in Rio from an agency that's very good for around $65 an hour including taxi in Rio right now.. If you opt up front for two hours she's about $80. You can order duplas(two girls) from agencies at great promo prices sometimes- You might get two girls for two hours for around $125. Add to any agency a termas session at the good ones and you're looking $115 and up usually. So it's pretty easy to see how a couple sessions a day in Rio can run $200 plus or three could cost you a few hundred US. But, we're talking Rio sessions and they can be a true experience. If you do go to Help, you pay $15-$20US to get in then have to find and negotiate, etc. I suppose you might find something good in there for $50 but I believe it's higher than that even with a good Help session in your mix is still probably $100. The thing I have read about Help is that by and large when you take a girl out of there she plans to be with your for a while- more than one hour, if not all night. I also realize that some guys have novias in either place and do not pay much but I'm talking about the average joe tripping to either place and what they would spend for the good quality action either town has to offer.

On a side note, I'm very interested in what I can find at the "second tier" termas in Rio and will report back. There might be some quality $40 dollar options there but I have to make it a point to check some of them out early in the evening.

You can get two sessions at Rio MPs and find something from the beach, Meia Pataca, or outside Help for $100 too but it could be ugly and not nearly as good as the three sessions I used as an example for SJO and I sure as heck wouldn't travel back to Rio for that while I would to SJO. Right now I don't believe the scene outside Help or the beach offers good relative quality for what's available in Rio so I'm just not considering them even though you can probably get something for $40-60 an hour in those spots and occasionally find something good. But why bother going to Rio to do their average girls?

I hope my comparisons aren't too confusing. In short, to get the better of what's available in Rio I believe you generally spend double what you would spend in SJO. But, the better of what's available in Rio is really nice. I'm not saying either is better just don't go with the illusion that you'll find a lot of quality in Rio cheap and out in the open for the taking. You can get lucky and YMMV. Plus, once you spend a few hours in a rocking termas, you're generally phucked.

PM me if you want some tips on applying for your visa that were given to me by an expat living in Rio.

Some thoughts on termas and getting value:

Remember, at a top termas, with the current exhange rate(2.1-2.2R= 1USD), you will easily spend $115 US on cover charge and your first 40 minute session(60 minute with larger cabin more money). Add another $90 US for a second session and you’re talking some money. Add $25US for drinks(or $50 if you’re not careful). The girls will ask for drinks and red bull is usually $6US and a simple juice can be $4US so watch the girls, they will order something expensive just like SJO chicas. Tell them water or beer and keep it simple unless you feel like spending the dough. I told a lot of them “no.” I did buy a drink or drinks for legitimate girls that had been good to me so far, that I just had a session with, or that I was certain I wanted to endear slightly so that I would have some rapport for later in the week. Many will come up and be real sweet for a minute like they truly dig you then ask for a drink.. I usually say “no” when it’s clear they are just being sweet for a drink but that’s just me. Also, Make sure you know what portion of the bill you can pay with cash and credit card at the termas you are entering too. At the end of my first night in a termas I had violated the “no cien rule” hadn’t I? Well yeah, I had. But here’s the thing: I had seen some of the talent on the beach and cafes already and wouldn’t have paid $50 for them. Some or most of these girls termas girls were so damn good looking- better than I was used to anywhere else in the world and they were fun as hell. Anyway, at the termas, in my opinion, you have to make it to the ones that are hot at that time so that you want to stay and hangout. Getting local information helps. Bouncing from termas to termas does not pay well as you lose time, increase effort and stress, and pay $25 cover charges.. Then you have to settle in to the scene at each one you visit. Obviously it’s much better to know which 2 or 3 are really hot at the time you’re Rio… It is very entertaining to watch the girls party and have fun. I spent about $130 my first night and was probably there for 6-8 hours. So for hours of enjoyment, food, eventually sex, a nice sauna, a close shave and some relaxing TV and conversation with other mongers it seems like a fair price.. It’s like being in a private club more or less.. My point is that termas are not cheap even just to go in for a look so it’s best to make it to the good ones and not screw around too much searching unless you have plenty of time and money on your hands. The scene changes somewhat rapidly in these termas I think. For instance, I didn’t see a couple girls I liked later in the week at Luomo but my last night counted about 5 girls that said they just started. I figure it only takes a month or so for 20 girls to leave one place and end up in another. The key is knowing which termas are really good right then and that’s why I enjoyed being around other mongers through Ken and Don who had been around for a week and had been doing the tour. If someone tells me they had been to place X a couple times because they read it was good but each time they stayed an hour and left it tells me that place just isn’t on top that week so I saved a lot of cover charge, time and effort that way. The reason I didn’t feel so bad about spending $130 my first night in a termas is because I was talking to(with help translating) so many different girls and making friends for later in the week. $130 may not sound like much but when you have a CRT background and generally a “no cien” mentality it’s a little bit of a sticker shock your first trip, first night in Rio. Two sessions in a top termas runs $200US+ with drinks.

Great Report. You were obviously well prepared. I've never been to CR, and I've only been to Rio once. I've been to Thailand many times. I really like Help, but many people don't. I think it is my Thai background. I like the nightclub atmosphere of mingling, and then taking a girl home to your apartment.

Did your apt have a safe? I'd like a place close to Help, but since I bring a lot of cash, I have to have a safe.

Your girl Fabiana sounds familiar. I took a girl home from outside Help with the same name 8 months ago who had just turned 18. I have some pics. If your curious, PM me, and I'll email to you.

One stat to think about - the entire country of Costa Rica has about 4 million people. The City of Rio has 6 million jammed in California-style in the valleys and coastal strips. There are another 7 million living in the outlying areas (Barra/Recreo, Niteroi, etc.)

Good report, I think you picked up on most of the main points. Good mix of escorts and termas. As far as the massage places go, some are cheap and some are affordable. The cheap one like the one you went to, you kinda get what you pay for. There are much nicer places, think along the lines of a large nicely furnished 4-bedroom apartment with nice bathrooms attached to each bedroom, a little music playing, coffee machines, etc. Just like termas, 4x4 is a shithole compared to 65 or Rio Antigo or even Luomo, but the price is lot lower too.

Good observations. I've been to both destinations over a dozen time each, and I know you can get quality for less than you're spending in Rio. It takes time to get a list of 15 or 20 garotas who serve as a "base" and can introduce to new girls, too. Supplement that with termas, TA, R100 hits from the beach, and frankly, the strret. I have met some beauties at the juice stands and they often will go for R100 to 150. I offered one R50 on the beach, and she laughed at first. When nothing materialized, two hours later she was naked in my crib and saw me 2 more times for same. She had a killer bod and nice face, and could do the wild thing. Go figure.