Brazil

Getting Around By Air

There is a shuttle service between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, a regular service from São Paulo to Brasília and a shuttle service from Brasília to Belo Horizonte. There are air services between all Brazilian cities, since Brazil has one of the largest internal air networks in the world. At weekends it is advisable to book seats as the services are much used. The monthly magazine Panrotas (website: www.panrotas.com.br) gives all timetables and fares for internal air travel. Gol (website: www.voegol.com.br) and TAM (website: www.tam.com.br) operate the largest number of domestic routes. Air taxis are available between all major centres.

Air Passes

TAM Brazil Airpass: available for internal flights with TAM. It can be purchased only outside of Brazil from any IATA international carrier. Four- or eight-flight passes can be purchased. Validity is for 21 days from first day of travel.

Getting Around by Water

Ferries serve most coastal ports. One company, Barcas S/A (tel: (21) 4004 3113; website: www.barcas-sa.com.br), operates ferries between Rio de Janeiro and Niterói, and between Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande. River transport is the most efficient method of travel in the Amazon Delta. The ferry between Belém and Manaus is a popular route, served by a number of different companies.

Getting Around by Rail

Passenger rail connections in Brazil are few and far between and should not be relied on for getting around. There are plans to build a high-speed link between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. A few scenic tourist lines still run, notably scenic Serra Verde Express (website: www.serraverdeexpress.com.br) operating from Curitiba to Morretes in Paraná.

Getting Around by Road

Road conditions vary. Brazil has roads ranging from very good paved highways to pot-holed, dusty tracks. Federal highways crisscross the country between major cities and are denoted by the letters BR plus a number. Smaller roads take the initials of the state (eg RJ for Rio de Janeiro) plus a number. Traffic drives on the right.

Coach: Coaches are by far the easiest and most popular way of getting around Brazil.Services between major cities and tourist destinations are generally comfortable and efficient but distances are long. Main routes include São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, Recife to Salvador and Florianopolis to São Paulo. There are many operators including Expresso Brasileiro (tel: (11) 5061 7566; website: www.expressobrasileiro.com) and Auto Viação 1001 (tel: (11) 4004 5001; website: www.autoviacao1001.com.br).

Car hire: International companies operate from major airports and main city centres. Drivers are generally required to be at least 21 years old.

Regulations: The minimum driving age is 18. The speed limit is 110kph (70mph) on most national highways and 80kph (50mph) in cities. Passing on the right is forbidden. Seat belts must be worn by drivers and passengers.

Emergency breakdown service: Members of automobile clubs in some countries enjoy reciprocal benefits with the Car Club do Brasil (tel: (21) 2533 1129; website: www.carclubsite.com.br).

Documentation: International Driving Permit required.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

There are extensive bus services in all the main centres, often with air-conditioned express executive coaches running at premium fares. Rio and São Paulo both have two-line metros and local rail lines, and there are trolleybuses in São Paulo and a number of other cities. Trolleybuses are increasingly being introduced as an energy-saving measure. Fares are generally regulated with interchange possible between some bus and metro/rail lines, for instance, on the feeder bus linking the Rio metro with Copacabana.

Taxi: In most cities these are identified by red number plates. Fares are inexpensive, costing a little more for the ‘special’ taxis with air conditioning and better comfort. Willingness to accept a taxi driver’s advice on where to go or where to stay should be tempered by the knowledge that places to which he takes a visitor are more than likely to give him a commission - and the highest commissions will usually come from the most expensive places. Taxis are metered and passengers should insist that the meter is turned on. Fares are slightly higher at night and on Sundays. Tipping taxi drivers is not normal practice.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Rio de Janeiro to other major cities/towns in Brazil.

Air Passes

Mercosur Airpass: valid within Argentina, Brazil, Chile (except Easter Island), Paraguay and Uruguay. Participating airlines include Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR), Aerolíneas Del Sur (AS) and Pluna (PU). The pass can only be purchased by passengers who live outside South America and must be booked in conjunction with an international ticket. It is valid for a minimum of seven to a maximum of 45 days. At least two countries must be visited; dates can be changed but the flight route cannot. A maximum of three stopovers is allowed per country. 

Oneworld Visit South America Pass: valid within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines are American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX), Iberia (IB), Japan Airlines (JL), LAN (LA) and Qantas (QF). The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. It allows unlimited travel to over 30 cities. A minimum of three flights must be booked, with a maximum of 20; prices depend on the amount of flight zones. For further details, contact one of the participating airlines.

Main Airports

Brasilia International (BSB) is 12km (7 miles) south of the city. To/from the airport: Buses run regularly to the city centre (journey time - 30 minutes). Taxis are also available (journey time - 15 minutes). Facilities: Left luggage, first aid, snack bar, post office, banks/bureaux de change, bar, restaurant, shops and car hire. 

Rio de Janeiro (GIG) (Galeão) is 20km (13 miles) north of the city. To/from the airport: Public buses operate 0530-2330 to the city (journey time - 40 minutes). There is an airport shuttle bus which stops at all major resorts and hotels, running every hour. Taxis are also available. Facilities: Left luggage, banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, a pharmacy and a small 24-hour hospital, restaurant, snack bar, car parking, tourist information, post office and car hire companies.

São Paulo (GRU) (Guarulhos)is 25km (16 miles) northeast of the city. To/from the airport: An airport bus runs every 30 minutes (journey time - 30 minutes). Taxis are also available. Facilities: Left luggage, duty-free shops, banks/bureaux de change, pharmacies, restaurants, snack bar, post office and car hire.

Further information on Brazilian airports can be found on the following website: www.infraero.gov.br.

Getting There by Water

The main port is Rio de Janeiro(website: www.portosrio.gov.br), which is used by many international cruise ships.

Other popular ports include Manaus, Fortaleza(website: www.docasdoceara.com.br), Recife(website: www.portodorecife.pe.gov.br), Salvador (website: www.codeba.com.br) and Vitória(website: www.portodevitoria.com.br).

Passenger services are limited but Grimaldi Freighter (tel: +39 81 496 203, in Italy; website: www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com) does offer sailings from Europe. Most major international cruise lines sail to Brazilian ports.

Getting There by Rail

Rail travel is not a really a viable way of getting to or from Brazil, but there is the Trem da Morte (Train of Death) route between Santa Cruz in Bolivia and Corumbá in Brazil, which is popular with backpackers travelling to the Pantanal. Contact Ferroviaria Oriental (website: www.ferroviariaoriental.com) for more information.

Getting There by Road

It is possible to drive or travel by bus to Brazil from all surrounding countries. Entry points include the border with Argentina at Foz de Iguaçu, the border with Uruguay at Jaguarão and from Santa Elena de Uairén in Venezuela.

There are plenty of bus routes from surrounding countries, and it is possible to travel to Brazil from Montevideo (Uruguay), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and as far away as Santiago (Chile). International bus companies include Pluma (tel: (41) 3212 2689; website: www.pluma.com.br) and Crucero del Norte (tel: (11) 6221 0277; website: www.crucerodelnorte.com.ar).

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The climate varies from hot and dry in the arid interior to the humid tropical rainforests of the Amazon jungle. Coastal Brazil tends to be hot and sticky for most of the year but it can get cold in the south and in the mountains during the winter months. Rainy seasons occur from January to April in the north, April to July in the northeast and November to March in the Rio/São Paulo area.

Required Clothing

Lightweight natural fabrics; waterproofs for the rainy season. Warm clothing is needed in the south during winter (June to August). Specialist clothing is needed for the Amazon region. The sunlight is extremely bright and sunglasses are recommended.

Hotels

Accommodation varies according to region. First-class accommodation is largely restricted to the cities of the south and generally expensive. There are also a number of pousadas, small, privately run guesthouses that are less expensive than the major hotels. 

Rio de Janeiro/São Paulo: Many modern hotels, ranging from the very expensive deluxe to the moderately priced. It is vital to book well in advance for Carnival (which takes place annually on the four days leading up to Ash Wednesday, usually in February).

Brasília: Small number of good hotels. Most tourists visit Brasília by air from Rio or São Paulo for a day trip, or make a single-night stopover.

Bahia (Salvador): Small number of good hotels, some moderately priced hotels, some small-scale guesthouses.

Amazon Basin : This region is being developed in part as a tourist attraction and has numerous lodges. Visitors are reminded that hotel tariffs are subject to alteration at any time and are liable to fluctuate according to changes in the exchange rate.

Note: The best guide to hotels in Brazil is the Portuguese-language Guia do Brasil Quatro Rodas, which includes maps, available from book shops and any news stand in Brazil. 

Grading: The Brazilian Tourist Board has a star-rating system (from 1- to 5-star), but the classification is not widely used.

Camping/Caravanning

Camping is uncommon in Brazil, though some tour operators offer organised group trips in the Amazon and in the Pantanal regions. Since many parts of Brazil are wild, or semi-explored, it is wise to drive on main roads, to camp with organised groups under supervision and with official permits, or otherwise to stay in recognised hotels.

The Camping Clube do Brasil has around 48 sites in 14 states. Those with an ‘international camper’s card’ pay only half the rate of a non-member. For those on a low budget, service stations can be used as campsites. These are equipped with shower facilities and can supply food.

Youth Hostels

There are over 80 youth hostels (albergues de juventude) scattered across the country.

Budget

Dormitórios, which have several beds to a room, cost from as little as US$5 per night, though standards are correspondingly basic (with shared bathroom facilities). A pousada (small guest house) costs from approximately US$10 per night. Rooms with bathrooms are called apartamentos, those without a bathroom are called quartos.

Unique Accommodation

There are a growing number of eco-hotels, located mostly in or near the Amazonian rainforest. Some provide visitors with luxury accommodation built on treetops and also arrange informative tours to the surrounding area; prices tend to be very high.

Accommodation Information

Associacão Brasileira da Industria de Hoteis (Brazilian Hotel Industry Association)

Avenida das Americas 3120 - building 1, sala 213, Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Tel: (21) 3410 5131.

Website: www.abih.com.br 

Camping Clube do Brasil (Camping Club of Brazil)

Divisão de Campings, Rua Senador Dantas 75, 29th floor, 20037 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Tel: (21) 2532 0203.

Website: www.campingclube.com.br

Federação Brasileira dos Albergues da Juventude (Brazilian Youth Hostel Federation)

Rua da Assembleia 10, sala 1617, Centro, 20119-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Tel: (21) 2531 1085.

Website: www.hostel.org.br 

Passport Note

All non-Brazilian nationals under 18 years of age, when not accompanied by both parents, must have a birth certificate (an original or authenticated photocopy). This must be in English, French, Portuguese or Spanish, otherwise an official translation must be presented as well. When travelling alone or with one parent, a declaration from the absent parent(s) must be presented authorising the journey and giving the name and address of the person in Brazil who will be responsible for the minor. In the case of divorced or deceased parents, papers attesting to full custody must be presented.

All travellers must be in possession of onward or return tickets and sufficient funds to cover their stay.

Passports

Passports valid for at least six months from date of entry required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except the following:

(a) 1. nationals of EU countries (except nationals of Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Malta who do require a visa) for touristic and business stays of up to 90 days;

(b) transit passengers continuing their journey to a third country by the same or first connecting flight, provided holding onward documentation and not leaving the airport.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Types of Visa and Cost

Tourist: cost varies according to nationality. Generally, it is around £30. Other prices, based on reciprocity, are £28 (for nationals of Australia); £52 (for nationals of Canada); free, but £104 processing fee (for nationals of the USA). British citizens requiring visas with a validity over 180 days will be subject to a processing fee of £124. Business and Transit: cost varies according to nationality; contact the consulate for details.

Validity

Normally 90 days from date of issue, although this is at the discretion of Brazilian immigration officials. Tourist visas can be used for multiple entry within the period of validity. Tourist visas can be extended up to a further 90 days, provided the application is made at least two weeks before the expiration of the visa. Nationals should apply in Brazil to the federal police; this must be done before the visa expires or there is a risk of deportation.

Note: Some Brazilian immigration officials have been restricting single male tourists aged 25-50 to stays of up to 30 days, particularly in the northeast region, in an effort to combat sex tourism.

Applications to:

Consulate (or consular section at the embassy); see Contact Addresses. Applications made through travel agents or by post are subject to an additional fee.

Working Days Required

Depends on nationality. Up to three days for applications made in person and 10 days for applications made by a third party. Additional time is required to process applications made by post.

Health Care

There is no reciprocal health agreement with the UK or USA. Full insurance is strongly recommended as medical costs are high. The standard of medical care is generally very good in major towns and cities. English-speaking medical staff are found mainly in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The main hospital in São Paulo is the Hospital das Clinicas.

Note

* Malaria risk exists throughout the year below 900m (2,953ft) in Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Maranhão (western part), Mato Grosso (northern part), Pará (except Belém City), Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins states, as well as some larger cities, such as on the periphery of Pôrto Velho, Boa Vista, Macapá, Manaus, Santerém, Rio Branco and Maraba.

** A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over nine months old arriving within from infected regions. Vaccination is strongly recommended for those intending to visit some rural areas.

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Food and Drink

Brazilian food caters for all tastes and standards are generally very high. European, North American and Asian foods are widely available in resorts and main cities. There are many traditional dishes and regional specialities, such as those developed by slaves in Bahia during the days when they had to cook scraps and anything that could be caught locally, together with coconut milk and palm oil. 

Things to know: Some bars have waiters and table service. There are no licensing hours or restrictions on drinking.

National specialities:

• Feijoada (rich stew of black beans, chunks of pork, sausage, chops, pigs’ ears and tails on white rice, chopped kale and orange slices).

•Moqueca (fish or seafood stew from Bahia made with palm oil and coconut milk).

•Vatapá (shrimps, fish oil, coconut milk, manioc paste and rice).

•Acarajé (mashed, deep-fried bean fritters often served with dried shrimps, okra, onions and peppers).

•Churrasco (mixed grilled meat served with manioc flour).   

National drinks:

•Draught beer is called chopp and Brahma is the most popular brand.

•The local firewater is cachaça, a spirit derived from sugar cane popular with locals. It is often mixed with sugar, crushed ice and limes to make a caipirinha, a refreshing if intoxicating cocktail, and the Brazilian national drink.

•Southern Brazilian wine is of a high quality.

•Sucos (fruit juices) are freshly made at juice bars.

•Guaraná is a popular fizzy drink made with energy-giving extract from an Amazonian plant.  

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: 10% is usual for most services not included on the bill.

Nightlife

The best entertainment occurs in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In Rio, the major clubs do not present their main acts until after midnight - the daily paper gives current information; small clubs (boites) provide nightly entertainment throughout the city. São Paulo nightlife is more sophisticated, with greater choice. Both cities host top international DJs. Samba clubs featuring live music are popular, especially in Rio. Outside the main cities, most towns have late night bars and clubs.

Shopping

In Rio and São Paulo, major shops and markets stay open quite late in the evening. Rio and Salvador specialise in antiques and jewellery. Special purchases include gems (particularly emeralds) and jewellery (particularly silver). Fashions and permissible antiques, crystal and pottery are a speciality of São Paulo. Belém, the city of the Amazon valley, specialises in jungle items, but visitors should be careful not to purchase objects that have been plundered from the jungle, contributing to the general destruction. Travellers should also be aware there may be restrictions on import to their home country of goods made from skins of protected species.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1900. Supermarkets are open Mon-Sat 0800-2200. Major shopping centres also open on Sundays 1500-2200. All the above times are subject to local variations and many shops open until late in the evenings, especially in December.

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• Join the mayhem in one of the world’s best parties at Rio de Janeiro ’s Carnival.While Rio’s event is famed, Carnival is celebrated throughout Brazil. Salvador also holds a big city-wide carnival, as does Olinda, which throws the most traditional fest.

• Explore the Amazon, the world’s largest rain forest. It contains one-third of all the living species on earth and is crossed by 10 of the world’s 20 largest rivers, including the River Amazon. The usual base for trips is Manaus.

• Soar above the tropical landscape on a tandem hang-gliding flight from Pedra Bonita in São Conrado, just outside Rio. This popular adventure excursion gives a bird’s-eye view of Rio and the Atlantic forest before landing on the beach.

• Stroll along the world-famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches in Rio de Janeiro, where sun-bronzed beauties share the sands with beach soccer and volleyball players.

• Go wildlife watching in the Pantanal, a spectacularly rich ecosystem that is home to jaguars, caiman, giant river otters, toucans and hundreds of other species.

• Explore the many islands and gorgeous beaches along Brazil’s coastline, including the chic beach resort of Buzios, the bohemian Jericoacoara in Ceará state and the car-free Morro de S ã o Paulo in Bahia.

• Learn to dance the samba. Have a local show you the moves at a celebration inside an escola de samba (samba school), which open their doors to visitors a couple of months before Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival.

• Wander the historic streets of Salvador ’s lively Pelourinho District, a beautifully preserved colonial neighbourhood, set with baroque churches, colourful shops and vibrant restaurants and cafes.

• Ride the waves on Brazil’s fantastic surf beaches.Surfing hotspots include Joaquina Beach on Santa Catarina island, Saquarema in Rio state, Itacaré in Bahia, Pipa near Natal and Cacimba do Padre on Fernando de Noronha.

• Dive into the deep blue waters of coastal Brazil. Diving is popular in the protected marine park on the island of Fernando de Noronha.The coastoff Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro state is littered with 300 islands ripe for underwater exploration.

• Watch a game of football in Rio’s Maracanã Stadium, which was the largest stadium in the world when it was built. Football is a national obsession and matches are colourful and noisy affairs.

• Go rafting beneath the awe-inspiring Iguaçu Waterfalls. Set amid rain forest in southern Brazil, these majestic falls are one of the great wonders of the Americas, with 275 individual falls encompassing an area more than 3km wide.

• Go hiking in Bahia’s Diamantina National Park. This is one of Brazil’s ecotourism hotspots and an adventure playground for trekking, caving, diving and rafting. The park is full of natural attractions including mountains, forests, caves, underground lakes and waterfalls.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

• Take Rio de Janeiro’s cog train (website: www.corcovado.com.br) to the top of Corcovado (Hunchback) mountain and enjoy oneof the most beautiful views in the world from under the arms of the iconic Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue.

• Witness the spectacular sight of Iguaçu Falls (website: www.fozdoiguacu.pr.gov.br) an awesome set of high waterfalls with 275 cataracts, including the impressive Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat). The area surrounding the falls is protected national park containing abundant wildlife.

• Explore the colourful city of Salvador da Bahia,with Pelourinho’s colonial era buildings and winding cobblestone streets. This UNESCO World Heritage site boasts a staggering number of churches. The Museu Afro-Brasileiro (website: www.ceao.ufba.br/mafro) gives a fascinating insight into Afro-Brazilian culture.

• See Oscar Niemeyer’s futuristic vision in the capital Brasília. Often overlooked by visitors, the city was designed by the renowned architect, and many of his creations, including the city’s cathedral and the national congress, are now UNESCO World Heritage sites.

• Visit Manaus , in the heart of the Amazon. Transformed by the 19th-century rubber boom, the city boasts some extraordinary colonial buildings including the famous Teatro Amazonas and the Centro Cultural de Palacio Rio Negro, containing extensive archives of naturalist Alexandre Ferreira.

• Wander the cobblestone streets of Paraty (website: www.paraty.com.br), a charming town that was once a major port for the export of gold. This wealth is reflected in the beautiful colonial buildings, such as Santa Rita Church, built by freed slaves.

• Photograph Brazil’s natural beauty in the Pantanal (website: www.pantanal.com) in the southwest. This vast wilderness supports a number of different ecosystems, including the largest wetlands area in the Americas.

• Join the carnival atmosphere in the historical town of Olinda, a colourful, colonial town that was once the centre of Brazil’s slave trade and is another of the country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.

• Journey to the northern coastal city of Fortaleza, a popular resort and the starting point for a trip to Jericoacoara. Just four hours by car, this picturesque village sits between a dazzling white sand-dune desert and a balmy turquoise sea.

• Visit the ruins of 300-year-old Jesuit missions (website: www.rotamissoes.com.br) in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. One of the most fascinating is Saõ Miguel das Missões, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site.

• Experience a little piece of Germany in Blumenau (website: www.blumenau.com.br) and Joinville (website: www.promotur.com.br)in Santa Catarina state, where many German immigrants settled in the 19th century. German architecture and culture lives on, as does Blumenau’s hugely popular annual Oktoberfest. 

• Head to the mountainous inland state of Minas Gerais (website: www.turismo.mg.gov.br) and witness some of Brazil’s best preserved colonial architecture. Owing to the area’s abundant gold and diamond mines, the state has become a gold and baroque art.

• Journey to the mouth of the Amazon at Belém, a thriving port city with an exquisite historical centre. The Goeldi Museum (website: www.museu-goeldi.br) boasts a breathtaking collection of tropical plants. The docks house the early morning Ver O Peso market.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

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