Brazil Travel Guide
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Brazil is a land probably best known for its tropical rain forests, spectacular beaches, and the musically-charged people who call this idyllic paradise home. Yet unlike so many other popular vacation destinations, you’ll actually discover with Brazil that the magic is in the stereotype. A profound mix of nature and culture which Brazil is consistently portrayed as having remains at the heart of the country’s appeal – something that truly translates from clichéd advertisements and into the traveler’s experience. In all respects, it indelibly runs to the core of its rich history, as does its equally bright future.
Brazil is a massive country with many different climate zones that should be considered before planning a Brazil vacation. The northern part of the country is closest to the equator and has a two distinct seasons - wet and dry. From Sao Paulo and to the south you’ll for the most part experience four distinct seasons like you would in many other regions of the world. In consideration of peak tourist times, Brazil’s busy season runs from December to March, a time when the country sees surges from both foreign visitors and local vacationing families (schools are generally released from mid-December through the end of Carnaval, typically in February). Finding discount airfare to Brazil or a high amount of available accommodations is undoubtedly difficult during this time, as is dealing with the heavier crowds, but keep in mind this is by far the most festive time of the year. Brazil’s off season starts in May and runs through September, which is you’re best bet at securing discount airfare to Brazil. This also means it’s the least crowded time to visit the country (excluding the month of July, a school holiday month), with a somewhat muted night life in comparison to Carnaval, as well as fairly cold in the southern states.
As tourism spikes around New Year, Carnaval, and Holy week, expect prices to skyrocket and quality accommodations harder to come by without advance booking. This holds especially true for such coastal cities as Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Many hotels will also, during those holidays, restrict bookings to a 3 or 4-day minimum and require payment in advance. Otherwise, Hotels are plentiful in most areas of Brazil and range from luxury beach resorts like the Hotel Emiliano to international standbys like Best Western. The Brazilian tourism regulation board does impose very specific minimum attributes for most types of facilities, but since the 1-5 star rating is no longer enforced, you should always check in advance if your hotel offers the particular services you expect.
Adventures wait for the willing in Brazil, whether it is of the outdoor or intimate nightclub kind. Most look to agencies like the well-respected Brasil Adventures, a destination management company offering custom designed travel programs & itineraries for business and pleasure trips. They can provide any number of activities to suit your fancy, such as 4x4 off-road, sailing, cultural tours, scuba diving, canyoneering, and so on. Even when looking for adventure out on your own, Brazil’s rich ecosystems makes it easy to stumble your way into an amazing array of journeys. There’s horseback-riding through the Pantanal in search of exotic flora and fauna, whale watching off the coast, spectacular river trips along the Amazon, dips in forest streams and hikes atop rocky cliffs to breathtaking views.
Technically, the rules of driving in Brazil are similar to those of Western Europe or the United States. Practice of these rules is a much different matter. Driving in Brazil can best be described as frightening to those accustomed to European or American road culture, due to commonplace nature of violations, and the overall toleration thereof. Distances between vehicles are typically kept at a bare minimum, passing whenever remotely close to possible, and lane changes that occur with little thought of signaling. In contrast, long distance buses are an easy, economical, and rather comfortable way to travel across regions. The city bus terminals play a role close to that of a train station in many countries. Be warned, however, that you should always check travel time and distances while traveling within Brazil. Going from Rio de Janeiro to the southern regions could take over 24 hours, which might just make it worth the plane ticket if you can afford it.