Rio's Copacabana beach - from Will Venn
Brazil Destination Guide
by Jonathan Milligan
Summary
This massive and expansive South American giant offers endless holiday options. It boasts the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, and the Pantanal, the largest wetlands area, two vast natural habitats which are home to the richest variety of flora and fauna on the planet. You can trek and camp in the jungle, laze on incredible beaches, explore some of the largest cities in the world and gawp at breathtaking natural wonders.
There’s accommodation to suit big budgets for luxury holidays with a range of excellent luxury hotels and the vivacious, warm and friendly people definitely add to the experience. If you’re looking for an eye-opening adventure on your next holiday, why not give Brazil a try.
Getting there, getting around Brazil
Brazil's major international airport is in Rio, but others are in Recife, Fortaleza, Salvador, Manaus (for Amazonian destinations) and Belem. British Airways operates direct flights from London.
The sheer size of the country makes the odd internal flight a good option if you want to really explore, with low cost airlines available to selected destinations. As with most Latin American countries, buses are an incredibly popular from of transport and the service in Brazil is excellent, extensive and cheap – just make sure you’re prepared for some very long journeys. Trains are few and far between but the few routes available normal travel through stunning scenery.
Quick facts
Currency: Real
Language: Portuguese
Flight time: 11 hours to Rio, 11 hours 30 minutes to Sao Paulo, nine hours to Recife
GMT: Three hours behind GMT in the east, northeast, south and southeast; four hours behind in the west; five hours behind in the far west
Electricity: 110V/120V, 60Hz
Dialling code: 00 55
Weather: June-August is winter, with moderate temperatures in most regions, falling to 13C (55F) in the south and even snow. In summer, December-February, southern temperatures including Rio can reach over 40C (104F). Rain bursts raise humidity. Average temperature in the Amazon basin is 27C (81F) with highest rainfall and humidity
Iguacu Falls - from Will Venn
Beaches in Brazil
Rio’s Copacabana is undoubtedly the country’s (and possibly the world’s) most famous beach. The golden sands sit right on the edge of this vast metropolis and you’ll find no shortage of skimpy swimming costumes, athletic bodies and plenty in the way of sporty pursuits – think football, volleyball and surfing. Ipanema’s a bit more laid back and is popular with surfers.
The state of Bahia, in the north east of the country, is another popular beach-lovers destination. From the city of Salvador, many beaches are accessible by bus, including Pituba, Armacao, Placaford and Itapoa. If you want to chill out on the most popular beach then Barra is lined with bars and restaurants and is one of the liveliest seaside spots.
Also in the north east lies Natal, dubbed the City of Sun. Ponta Negra is south of the city and boasts a four kilometre long beach backed by lots of good bars and restaurants, an ideal spot for honeymoons. At the south end of the beach sits Morro do Careca, a giant sand dune and one of the most famous landmarks in Natal. You’re not supposed to be allowed to climb up it, but that doesn’t stop lots of people trying. The area’s full of amazing sand dunes and the best way to explore them, as well as a series of lagoons and other beaches along the coast, is to book yourself on a buggy tour. The local bugeiros, or buggy drivers are always up for a laugh and like a bit of serious speed.
Many of the area’s beaches are semi wild, such as Pipa, Pirangi do Sul and Pirangi do Norte. In Pirangi, visit the biggest cashew tree in the world - it's in the Guinness Book of Records.
Sightseeing in Brazil
It’d probably take years to really see all of Brazil’s magnificent sights, but Rio de Janeiro is a good starting place. To get your bearings, head up Corcovado, the peak with the huge statue of Christ the Redeemer or take a cable car up Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain). Visit in February and you can enjoy the biggest party in the world, the Carnaval.
With 17 million inhabitants, Sao Paulo is another huge city, and the baroque Teatro Municipal, the Edificio Copan and the 16th-century Patio do Colegio are all worth a visit. Although not a priority for many tourists, Brasilia, the capital, is a truly intriguing place. Built from scratch between 1957 and 1960, it is a World Heritage site and the most ambitious piece of modern town planning ever undertaken.
Out of the city, the Amazon reaches far and wide across the whole continent. You can book a week or two-week tour into the jungle, looking out for wildlife such as parrots and cayman (similar to alligators), camping on the river bank, swinging on jungle vines and possibly even visiting an indigenous village.
The Pantanal is an even better area for viewing wildlife, as there's no dense foliage for the animals to hide in. It's a vast wetlands area in the centre of South America.
Finally, if you really want a laid-back holiday, head to Jericoacoara, a little fishing village where backpackers and hip Brazilians hang out. You’ll find top beaches and parties most nights.
Family activities in Brazil
Brazil’s beaches are a paradise for children who bore easily. There’s always so much going on and they can easily join in a football game whenever they like really.
In Bahia, the Chapada Diamantina National Park is wonderful for nature-loving families. It’s full of rivers and waterfalls, perfect for a quick dip and there are also lots of caves with mightily impressive stalagmites and stalactites.
Day trips in Brazil
In the south of Brazil, the Iguazu Falls are a must. The result of a volcanic eruption, the falls are higher than those at Niagara and they’re a truly spectacular sight to behold. Straddling the Brazil/Argentina border, you can easily visit both sides and get really close to the thunderous cascading water, either by stepping out into the spray along one of many platforms dotted around the site, or by joining a speed boat tour, which will whiz you almost within touching distance of the falls.
It's possible to tour the falls in a day but better to allow two days if you want to nip into Argentina and see them from that side.
Angra dos Reis - from Will Venn
Eating out in Brazil
Brazilians love their food. The basic cuisine is based around white rice, black beans and manioc flour, usually with chicken, steak or fish. But you can sample all sorts of food from all over the world including French, Italian or Chinese.
Buffet restaurants are popular, where you pay a set price for as much as you can eat, so don’t expect to come back from your holiday any trimmer. Lunch is the main meal of the day for Brazilians, and like many of our European neighbours, they like to eat late.
As far as specialities go, you can try acaraje, croquettes with shrimp, or pirarucu ao forno, the famous fish from the rivers of Amazonia. Spicy feijoada (black beans, meat, white rice and kale) is also popular. In the north, try moqueca (seafood stew with coconut oil), caruru (an okra-heavy vegetable dish with shrimp) and feijoada (bean and meat stew).
Shopping in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro is fantastic for shopping as there are several huge department stores and some whopping great shopping malls as well as the smaller, stylish boutiques. Many of the trendiest shops are found in Ipanema. Both Rio and Sao Paulo are full of vibrant markets which stay open until all hours. Pavilhao de Sao Cristovao is one of the best in Rio.
You’ll also find regular markets along the Copacabana seafront and Brazilian arts and crafts makes great souvenirs – invest in some jewellery, paintings or a set of maracas.
Nightlife in Brazil
There aren’t many places in Brazil where you’ll find yourself short of something to do in the evening as the Brazilians love to party. In Rio, the Leblon and Ipanema areas are filled with more upmarket and trendy clubs ideal for the luxury holiday crowd, while Botafogo is the heart of gay Rio. If you want to experience a more Brazilian night out, then head to the Cinelandia and Lapa areas where you’ll find lots of samba clubs. In the summertime there are free music concerts at the Parque Garota de Ipanema in Arpoador.
The most popular bar hopping areas in Salvador are Rio Vermelho, Pelourinho and Ribeira. The area is the home of samba and you’ll find live music in bars and clubs everywhere.
Related destinations
If you're interested in Brazil you may also like to look at these related destinations:
End of content. You can:
