Some of the biggest favelas in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro are becoming unlikely tourist destinations. In 2024, the Vidigal and Rocinha favelas saw more international visitors than the Christ the Redeemer statue and the Selarón Steps. As people climb through Vidigal to reach the Morro Dois Irmaos mountain, a social trend with drones draws people to the rooftops of Rocinha. But are the visits safe and ethical? For decades, these densely packed communities were long avoided by outsiders because of their dangerous reputations. And following a recent shootout in Vidigal, some travellers are now reconsidering whether they should visit these neighbourhoods at all. Isabel Fernandes, a Portuguese visitor who recently explored Vidigal, said she didn't visit "out of 'tourist' curiosity, but because I believe that each place has its own stories, people, strength, difficulties and beauty." While Daria Kurpiewska, a Polish visitor who visited in March said she passed a playground with chi...