edit Brazil Travel Guide

• Recife - A major city in the Northeast region, originally settled by Dutch colonizers. Nicknamed "The Brazilian Venice", it is built on several islands linked by many bridges. Rich in history, art and folklore. Do not miss neighboring Olinda and Porto de Galinhas. The city is also a gateway to the amazing archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.
  
• Sao Paulo - Brazil's largest, richest and most cosmopolitan city, where you can find traces of most major cultures of Earth, including Italian, Japanese, German, Russian, Jamaican, Greek and Arab.
• Iguaçu Falls - world-famous waterfalls.
• Manaus - The capital of the Amazonas State and the best place to go to visit the Amazon Forest. Also features the Army Zoo, where wild fierce animals are kept (for soldier training purposes, but open to public visit), and the unique indian-influenced cuisine.
• Belo Horizonte - Another major metropolitan area between Rio de janeiro and Brasilia. In the state of Minas Gerais (translated to general mines) which is known for their precious and semi-precious gems, silver, gold, folk artwork, historic churches, and a pioneer state in eco-tourism.

Visa Requirements

• US Citizens: An U.S. passport and a Brazilian visa are required for U.S. citizens traveling to Brazil for any purpose. Brazilian visas must be obtained in advance from the Brazilian embassy or consulate nearest your place of residence. (visit http://www.brasilemb.org/consulado/consular_jurisdictions.shtml to find the consulate nearest you). You should apply for your visa 30-60 days prior to travel. The fee for US citizens is about $110.00.
• Citizens from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay may enter the country with a valid ID card and stay up to 90 days.
• No visa is required for stays of up to 60 days from holders of passports from Venezuela.

Customs and Immigration

It is illegal to bring in animals, meat, dairy, seeds, plants, eggs, honey, fruit, or any kind of non-processed food without a permit.

By plane

Most travelers from other continents will land in Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.

By car

Brazil shares borders with 10 countries. Travelling over land from all of these countries except Suriname is possible. 

By boat

Amazon river boats connect northern Brazil with Peru, Venezuela and Colombia. The ride is a gruelling 12 days upriver though. From French Guiana, you can cross the river Oyapoque, which takes about 15 minutes.

By train

There are no direct train connections from neighbouring countries into and out of Brazil. There is, however, the option to travel to Bolivia from Corumba and take the train from Quijarro to Santa Cruz, also known as the Death Train. 

While natives lived in the Brazilian region for centures, unfortunately, unlike many of the other Andean tribes, Brazils indigenous people have left little evidence of their early existence. Brazil was 'discovered' by the Portuguese in the 1500's, with Pedro Alvares Cabral leading the original colonisation. During the first century of occupation the major export was Brazilwood (Caesalpinia echinata) giving the country its name. However the Portuguese interest in the country was fairly slack which led to successive attempts by the French and Dutch to invade. The Dutch sacked Bahia in the 1600's and successfully captured Salvador, they formally withdrew in 1661 after successfully occupying the Nordeste for about 30 years.

Interestingly Brazil is one of only two countries among the 'new worlds' that housed an effective legal monarchical state (the other was Mexico), for a period of almost 90 years. Brazil's capital city — Rio de Janeiro — was from 1808 to 1821 the head of the Portuguese empire.

Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 7 September, 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, it has also overcome more than two decades (1964-1988) of military intervention in the governance of the country to pursue a democratic ruling, while facing the challenge of keeping its industrial and agricultural growth and developing its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, today Brazil is South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem. A consequence of this is a high crime rate, specifically in large cities.

After 20 years of democracy, the country has grown strong, and despite the social problems of the unequal income distribution, the people have remained happy and festive.

Economy

Banking

Currency

Brazil uses the Real (pronounced 'hay-AHL'), abbreviated BRL, or just R$. As of June 2007, R$ 1,00 is worth about:

• US$ 0.85
• € 0.39
• £ 0.26
• Yen 64

Credit Cards

Tax

Tipping

Shopping

Working hours are usually from 8 am or 9 am to 6 pm. Street shops tend to close at noon on Saturday and only open again on Monday. Shopping malls normally open from 10 am to 10 pm from Monday to Saturday. Some also open on Sunday afternoons. There is no siesta (that's Hispanic usage, not Portuguese).

It's not a bad idea to pack light and acquire a Brazilian wardrobe within a couple days of arrival. It will make you stand out less. Another good reason for buying clothes and shoes in Brazil is that the quality is usually good and the prices often cheap (excluding foreign brands).

Make sure any appliances you buy are either dual voltage or the same as in your home country. Brazil is 60Hz, so don't buy electric clocks or non-battery operated motorized items if you live in Europe or Australia.

Costs

Brazil extends over 8.5 million square kilometers, occupying just under half (47%) of the area of Latin America. This includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paolo. It borders with Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. Its coastline is 7,491 Km and its highest point is Pico da Neblina (3,014 m).

Terrain is mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and a coastal belt.

Land use is composed of; arable land: 5%, permanent crops: 1%, permanent pastures: 22%, forests and woodland: 58%, other: 14%. Natural resources include bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Main agricultural products include coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef and main industries in textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment.

Regions

Brazil is the fifth largest country on earth. It is divided into five regions, mainly drawn around state lines, but they also more or less follow natural, economic and cultural borderlines.

• North (includes: Acre, Amapa¡, Amazonas, Para¡, Rondania, Roraima, Tocantins) The Amazon, the rain forest and frontier life, with remarkable indian influence.
• Northeast (includes: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceara¡, Maranhao, Paraa­ba, Pernambuco, Piaua­, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe). Strong black culture (especially in Bahia) mingles with early Iberic folklore. This is often considered the country's most beautiful coastline, and has the sunniest and hottest climate; but it is also the country's driest and poorest region.
• Centralwest (includes: Distrito Federal (Federal District), Goia¡s, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul) The Pantanal wetlands, great farms, young cities, the cerrado and the Federal District, with its outworldly modernist architecture.
• Southeast (includes: Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo). Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are the largest cities of the country and it's economic and industrial hub; there are also some century-old colonial towns.
• South (includes: Parana¡, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina). Is a land of valleys and pampas where a strong gaucho culture (shared with Uruguay and Argentina) meets European influences. It has the best standards of living in Brazil with only two large cities (Curitiba and Porto Alegre) and several mid-size cities with very low crime rates. German, Italian and Portuguese immigrants colonized the region in the mid 19th century. It is also the only region in Brazil where it snows every year, mainly in the central mountains of Santa Catarina State

Although 90 percent of the country is within the tropical zone, more than 60 percent of the population live in areas where altitude, sea winds, or cold polar fronts moderate the temperature. There are five climatic regions in Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semi arid, highland tropical, and subtropical.

The hottest part of Brazil is the northeast where, during the dry season, between May and November, temperatures may reach above 100 °F (38 °C). Along the Atlantic coast from Recife to Rio de Janeiro, mean temperatures range from 73 °F to 81 °F (23-27 °C). Inland, on higher ground; temperatures are lower, ranging from 64 °F to 70 °F (18-21 °C). South of Rio, the seasons are more noticeable and the annual range of temperature greater. The average temperature for this part of the country is in the range between 63 °F to 66 °F (17-19 °C).

Brazil's most intense rainfall is found around the mouth of the Amazon River (around Belém), and also in the upper regions of Amazônia where more than 78 inches (2,000 millimeters) of rain falls each year. The rest of the country has moderate rainfall of between 39 to 59 inches (1,000 to 1,500 millimeters) a year, most of which falls in the summer, between December and April with winters tending to be dry. 

Holidays and Celebrations

• New Year - 1 January
• Carnival - February/March (Movable - 7 weeks before Easter, see box for precise dates. Monday and Tuesday are the actual holidays although celebrations usually begin the Saturday before and last until the morning of Ash Wednesday, when shops and services normally remain closed)
• Holy Friday - March/April (movable) two days before Easter Sunday
• Tiradentes - 21 April
• Labour Day - 1 May
• Corpus Christi - June)
• Independence Day - 7 September
• Patroness of Brazil - 12 October
• All Soul's Day - 2 November
• Republic - 15 November
• Christmas - 25 December

Language

Portuguese is spoken by the entire population (except a few very remotely located Indian tribes, and some recent immigrants). Brazilian Portuguese has a number of pronunciation differences with the language spoken in Portugal, but speakers of either can understand each other.

Note that a few words can have a totally different meaning in Brazil and Portugal. An example of this is "Rapariga" which in Portugal means young girl, and in Brazil mean prostitute.

English is not widely spoken except in some touristy areas. One can always find a way to get around, especially among students and in financial zones. Don't expect bus or taxi drivers to understand English, though, so it may be a good idea to write down the address you are heading to before getting on the cab. In most big and luxurious hotels, it is very likely that the taxi fleet will speak some English.

Spanish speakers are usually able to get by in Brazil, especially towards the south. While written Portuguese can be quite similar to Spanish, spoken Portuguese may be much harder to understand by those who know some Spanish.

Brazil's cuisine is as varied as its geography and culture. On the other hand, some may find it an unrefined melange, and everyday fare can be bland and monotonous. While there are some quite unique dishes of regional origin, many foods were brought by overseas immigrants and have been hybridized through the generations. In Brazil, Italian and Chinese food can often be as baffling as Amazonian fare.

Types of Restaurants

Eating out is a great bargain and a pleasure in Brazil. Even in "expensive" Rio, and in the tourist areas where prices are marked-up, you can have an excellent meal at one of the better restaurants complete with drinks for US$10.

Many inexpensive restaurants are weighted self-service, or por quilo. You pile up your plate with whatever you want, then place it on a scale at the counter, and pay by weight. These restaurants, being the least expensive, are those where Brazilians prefer to eat. Service may be hard to get if you can't speak Portuguese, but this is the place to go if you want to eat good and cheap.

Brazilian restaurants often serve only for two, and you can't order a portion for a single person. It's usually not even indicated on the menu, so you may have to infer from the price or just ask. Also, a Brazilian couple sitting at a restaurant table usually sits side by side, rather than across from each other.

Fast food is also very popular, and the local takes on hamburgers and hot-dogs ("cachorro-quente", translated literally) are well worth trying. Brazilian sandwiches tend to come in many varieties, including various combinations of ingredients like mayonnaise, bacon, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, corn, peas, raisins, french fries, ketchup, eggs, pickles, etc. The fast food chain Bob's is nationwide and has been around almost as long as McDonald's.

Types of Food

Brazil's national dish is feijoada, a hearty stew made of black beans and pork (ears, knuckles, sausage and pieces of beef (usually dried). It's served with a side of white rice, garnished with collard greens and sliced orange. It's usually not served in restaurants, and ones that do, typically have it only twice a week (usually Wednesday and Saturday). A typical mistake made by tourists is to eat too much feijoada shortly after arriving. This is a heavy dish, you need to get used to it before you eat it. Even Brazilians usually eat it parcimoniously. While you are at it, try the caipirinha, Brazil´s signature drink made of wedged limes, sugar and cachaça.

Excellent seafood can be found in coastal towns, especially in the Northeastern part of the country.

In even the smallest most towns it is easy to find self-service restaurants with good food. Brazilian restaurants can have varying degrees of cleanliness. Customers are allowed by law to visit the kitchen and see how the food is being handled.

Most of the self-service restaurants offer two kinds of deals: an all-you-can-eat fixed price (called "rodízio"), or you go "por quilo" - pay-by-weight, very common during lunchtime throughout Brazil.

Brazilian snacks, called lanches, include a wide variety of pastries. Look for coxinha (deep-fried chicken balls), empadinha (a stuffed pastry, unrelated to Latin American empanadas: try out the palmito heart of palm variety), and pastel (fried turnovers). Another common snack is a misto quente, a ham-and-cheese sandwich. Pão-de-queijo, a roll made of cassava flour and cheese is very popular - pão-de-queijo and a cup of fresh Brazilian coffee is a classical combination.

Etiquette

Brazilians handle sandwiches with napkins and use utensils to eat french fries.

Drinks

Brazil's most famous alcoholic drink is cachaça (cah-shah-sah), an extremely potent sugar-cane liquor known to knock the unwary out quite quickly. It can be tried in virtually every bar in the country.

Brazil is known world-wide for its high-quality strong coffee.

Chá, as tea it's called in Portuguese, is most commonly found in its Assam version (orange, light coloured). Some more specialised tea shops and cafés will have Earl Gray and green tea available as well.

Mate is an infusion, similar to tea, that is very high in caffeine. A toasted version, often served chilled, is consumed all around the country, while Chimarrão, the heated, bitter equivalent of mate, can be found in the south, and is highly appreciated by the gaúchos.

High season in Brazil follows the school holidays calendar, December and January (summer) being the busiest months. New Year, Carnival (moveable between February and March, see Understand above) and Holy week are the peak periods, and prices can skyrocket, especially in coastal cities like Rio and Salvador. Also, during those holidays, many hotels restrict bookings to a 3 or 4-day minimum and charge in advance.

Hotels are plentiful in just about all areas of Brazil and can range from luxury beach resorts to very modest and inexpensive choices. The Brazilian tourism regulation board imposes specific minimum attributes for each type of facility, but as the 1-5 star rating is no longer enforced, check in advance if your hotel provides the kind of services you expect.

Pousada means guesthouse (the local equivalent of a French auberge or a British boarding house). They are common in smaller tourist towns and can be quite comfortable (or downright awful...). The term implies that things like 24-hour room service, hot meals throughout the day, etc, are not available. However, most pousadas offer common meals (comprised exclusively of what the owner likes). Pousadas also tend to impose restrictions like a curfew or forbidding taking people in with you.

In wilderness areas like the Pantanal, travelers usually stay in fazendas, which are ranches with guest facilities. In small towns of Minas Gerais people are fond of hotéis-fazenda (farm hotels) where you can swim, ride, walk, play football, and camp as well as sleep in picturesque barracks.

Also there is great fun in going on a boat hotel which will take you to inaccessible places on the rivers and lakes for great fishing trips or for simply relaxing and watching and photographing the wildlife which is very abundant in the Pantanal. The boats are large, safe, and comfortable with air-conditioned rooms (very necessary). Several small aluminum boats with outboard motor, carried by the boat hotel, driven by experienced fisher/guide will take 2 or 3 tourists to the best "points".

Motel is the local term for a "sex hotel", so be aware of the implications. There's no social stigma per se in staying in one, but the room service and rates are geared to consenting adults staying for 4 to 6 hour periods (alta rotatividade) with utmost discretion and privacy.

Youth hostels (albergues da juventude) are becoming increasingly common too.

High season in Brazil follows the school holidays calendar, December and January (summer) being the busiest months. New Year, Carnival and Holy week are the peak periods, and prices can skyrocket, especially in coastal cities like Rio and Salvador. Also, during those holidays, many hotels restrict bookings to a 3 or 4-day minimum and charge in advance.

Hotels are plentiful in just about all areas of Brazil and can range from luxury beach resorts to very modest and inexpensive choices. The Brazilian tourism regulation board imposes specific minimum attributes for each type of facility, but as the 1-5 star rating is no longer enforced, check in advance if your hotel provides the kind of services you expect.

Pousada means guesthouse (the local equivalent of a French auberge or a British boarding house). They are common in smaller tourist towns and can be quite comfortable (or downright awful...). The term implies that things like 24-hour room service, hot meals throughout the day, etc, are not available. However, most pousadas offer common meals (comprised exclusively of what the owner likes). Pousadas also tend to impose restrictions like a curfew or forbidding taking people in with you.

In wilderness areas like the Pantanal, travelers usually stay in fazendas, which are ranches with guest facilities. In small towns of Minas Gerais people are fond of hotéis-fazenda (farm hotels) where you can swim, ride, walk, play football, and camp as well as sleep in picturesque barracks.

Also there is great fun in going on a boat hotel which will take you to inaccessible places on the rivers and lakes for great fishing trips or for simply relaxing and watching and photographing the wildlife which is very abundant in the Pantanal. The boats are large, safe, and comfortable with air-conditioned rooms (very necessary). Several small aluminum boats with outboard motor, carried by the boat hotel, driven by experienced fisher/guide will take 2 or 3 tourists to the best "points".

Motel is the local term for a "sex hotel", so be aware of the implications. There's no social stigma per se in staying in one, but the room service and rates are geared to consenting adults staying for 4 to 6 hour periods (alta rotatividade) with utmost discretion and privacy.

Youth hostels (albergues da juventude) are becoming increasingly common too

Because Portuguese is not as visible worldwide as English or Spanish, it is not easy to find Portuguese courses for foreigners in Brazil -- especially in medium to small cities. A good alternative is to befriend language students and exchange lessons. Brazilians are usually interested in learning foreign languages and are very patient to teach their difficult, but very cherished language.

You can find language schools that teach Portuguese for as short as 2 weeks, or even longer:

Sao Paulo

• University of Sāo Paulo
• Uniao Cultural Brasil-Estados Unidos
• Senac Sāo Paulo

Rio de Janeiro

• Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) - Offers courses at various levels in Portuguese for Foreigners
• Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) - Its courses Portuguese for Foreigners are popular, but a bit pricey (R$1632 per semester for the beginner's levels).
• Instituto Brasil-Estados Unidos
• Instituto Nacional de Matemática Pura e Aplicada (IMPA) - the National Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics. A center with an international renown for scientific excellence and superb working conditions in Mathematics. You can take any course for free. The summer courses (Jan-Feb) are very popular and there is even the possibility of getting some modest funding for the summer.

Phones

The international phone number format for Brazil is +55-(area code)-(phone number).

Internet

Internet cafes and Lan houses are increasingly common, and even smaller tourist cities often have at least one spot with more or less decent connections.

If you attempt to send mail directly from a LAN house with your laptop, it may be bounced. Anyone, including a spammer, can do this. Use POP-before-SMTP or a securely authenticated connection to your home mail server.

Crime

Although not in every large city, but one of the unfortunate sides of travel in Brazil is the endemic violent street crime. Brazil's large cities, especially of the north, northeast and southeast states, are notorious for attacks (against foreigners and locals alike), but do not let that deter you. Taking extra precautions to keep yourself safe while travelling in Brazil will let you enjoy your stay like millions of visitors do every year.

Do not walk around big cities at night - take taxis. Don't ever try to enter a slum ("favela") without a guide.

Pay attention to the way the locals dress and buy similar clothes for yourself: looking like a foreigner (e.g. dark socks with bermudas) is not wise as thieves will be after you for your money if they instantly see you are a gringo.

Always carry a small amount of cash that you can hand over quickly in a case of a mugging.

Emergency

190 - Police

192 - Ambulance

193 - Firefighters

Police

Brazilian police are entitled the right to request identification (i.e. documents, from anyone behaving suspiciously), so be sure to have a photocopy of your passport with you at all times.

Hospitals

Gays and lesbians

Illicit drugs and prostitution

Smoking

By plane

Air service connects all major areas of Brazil. Note that not all air routes are as direct as they would seem on a map, and are often required to go through hubs such as Brasilia or Sāo Paulo. Besides the traditional airlines Varig or TAM, there are also cheaper "no frills" airlines such as BRA, Gol and Webjet booking over the internet. For international travelers, air passes for in-country flights may be available while buying your flight to Brazil.

Booking online for domestic flights can be frustrating for non-Brazilian citizens. Often, you will be asked for your CPF national identity number after paying by credit card. Of course, as a foreigner, you don't have one. Some airlines such as GOL will accept American Express cards (but not VISA or Master Card) without a CPF. If all else fails, try calling or e-mailing the airline and ask how to proceed.

Beware of flight listings at the airport which only show the final city in route (which you're probably not aware of). Always know and check your flight NUMBER, not just the city you're flying to (it might not be listed). Expect that a more distant city might be the only one listed for your flight, but the plane will still stop at the airport for which you have a ticket. Strangely, international flights are just the opposite, with only the first destination in Brazil shown -- even though the same flight may go directly to other cities.

Many domestic flights in Brazil are considered "international," giving flyers a chance to purchase items at a "duty free" store in the airport. (There may be passengers on board from other South American countries who have not yet cleared customs.) Also, you must go through immigrations and customs again upon arrival, even though you never left Brazil. Foreign travelers on flights within Brazil do NOT fill out a new immigration form, but show the carbon copy of the one completed upon arriving internationally (with their passport and visa stamp).

By train

By car

The atlas called "Guia de Estradas" can be bought in several newstands. It provides not only maps and distances but also information about current conditions of the roads (which can be indeed very bad). There are the usual car rental companies at the airports. A car is a good idea if you want to explore scenic areas, e.g. the historic cities of Minas Gerais, the Rio-Santos highway, or the beaches in North-East Brazil.

Driving anywhere in Brazil requires a maximum amount of attention. In a recent year, Brazilians won first, second, and third place at the Indy 500 auto race -- which should give you an idea on how they drive -- Velozes e Furiosos! If you're bold enough to drive at all in Brazil, at least consider avoiding night-time driving. The problem behind Brazil's roads is the presence of potholes (mainly because of lack of investments from the government) and animals (which are left free near roads by the locals).

Some guidelines for driving:

• A flashing left signal means that the car ahead is warning you not to pass, for some reason. If the car ahead of you wants to show you that it is safe to pass it will flash the right signal.
• Flashing, twinkling headlights from the cars coming on the opposite side of the road means caution on the road ahead. Most of the time, it indicates that there are animals, cops or speed radar ahead.
• Keep the doors locked and the windows up when stopped, especially in the larger cities, as robberies at stop signs and red lights is not unheard of in certain areas.

By bus

Long-distance buses are a convenient, economical, and sometimes (usually if you buy the most expensive ticket), rather comfortable way to travel between regions. Bus terminals in cities play a role akin to train stations in many countries.

Brazil has a very good bus transport system, Basically, long distance routes depart from capital cities or economical centers, so if the city is big it will have connections to neighbouring capitals at the very least. One can expect just about any town to have a bus route to the capital or a regional economic center. Generally speaking bus tickets are bought at bus terminals at the end points or at the scheduled stops along the route. The facility of flagging a bus and hopping on (if there are available seats) is widespread in the country. This is less likely to work along a few routes where armed robberies have happened frequently, such as those leading to the border with Paraguay and to Foz do Iguaçu.

ANTT, the national authority for land transportation, has a search engine (in Portuguese) for all available domestic bus lines.

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