Brazil forum: Travel to Brazil - Where should I go!

Posted in the Brazil forum

 
  • Hi everybody! I want to travel to Brazil this fall but don't know yet where I should go. I have 4 weeks in total, so would be great if you could give me some advice. Which are the "must sees" in Brazil, and which ones are just tourist traps. Also - would you recommend to just stay in one region or travel around (Brazil is soooo big ;o)

  • Carsten PfauCarsten Pfau
    22 Aug 2008, 19:51
    Brazil

    Brazil is in fact too big to actually get to know in only four weeks. A must-see would be Rio de Janeiro; though many tourist traps are waiting there, one should have seen the famous Copacabana, Ipanema and the Corcovado-statue. Maybe a short visit to the sugar hut won´t hurt. If you´re looking for big cities - Sao Paulo is a must. Some 20 million people live and work there and there´s nothing they don´t have. If you are looking for some quiet beach days, you should travel to the North. Salvador is great, Recife, too. And not too expensive, actually. Just be prepared that almost nobody speaks English outisde the hotel.

  • Junior .Junior .
    24 Aug 2008, 01:28
    good luck

    Brazil is devided in 5 regions, each one have something different of others.
    I recommend you fly to Venezuela (caracas) that is much more cheap and from there get Brazil by bus. Arriving in Manaus (big city in the middle of Amazon Forest) you take a boat and go accrossing the country for 3 days by the river until you arrive in Belém. From Belém you go around the north east coast, that´s beautiful! From there you start going down passing in Salvador da Bahia, a bit more down Rio de Janeiro and do not stop in São Paulo, keep going down straight to the south region, it´s very different of the other regions, there you can see the Cataratas do Iguaçu (very famous / Iguaçu Falls) in the boarder of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguai, you can see as well a nice island, the smallest capital in Brazil with 43 beatiful beachs (I´m from there   ) and from there you can fly to sao paulo and take your flight back to Europe. (I don´t like Sao Paulo)

    I did all this that I´m saying, I spent just E120 (yes, thats true!!!) , but hitchhiking, camping beside the road or in the "indians place", cooking with fire wood, sleeping in a house of people who I met on the street,.. That was a such good experience and you know what? - I did all this in 25 days!! I went in more than 8 capitals!!

    Of course I don´t recomend you to do it alone!

  • HI, as our friend said, Brazil is a country of continental proportions, Brazil is divided into 5 Regions.
    In the U.S., you should go to the state of Amazon - Manaus, you experience the largest forest of the world.
    In the NORTH, you should know the state of Pernanbuco - in the City Fernando de Noronha, formed by 21 islands, an incredible place, but a little expensive!
    In the Central West, you need to go to the Mato Grosso do Sul, in the City Beautiful - you'll find a wonderful place, with many animals and plants , and lakes of crystalline water!
    In SOUTHEAST, you have 2 options - Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. Sao Paulo is the largest city in Latin America, a city very rich, and you'll find people from all around the world. Already in Rio de Janeiro is a city with many beaches, but lately that a little dangerous! and the Southern Region, you have to go to Foz do Iguacu-am sure that you never saw so much water before. Good luck in choosing and welcome to Brazil!

    Last edited 03 Sep 2008, 17:18
  • Thanks for all your answers! I guess there are more options than time, but I'll probably start in Rio then and move southwards. Sao Paulo is not on my list - too big for me ;o)

  • I´m living in Rio de Janeiro here have many tourist attractions, the basic package is Pão de Açucar (Sugar Loaf), Corcovado, Lapa, Ipanema Beach and Arpoador.

    Hostels in Copacabana

    http://www.copahostel.com.br/index.php?idioma=en
    http://www.happyriohostel.com.br/index_us.php

    If you think to go for South Region the best option is Santa Catarina state, have many paradisiacal beaches and have many options and attractions, to be honest with you I preffer Santa Catarina beachs and city than Rio de Janeiro.

    How go to Santa Catarina from Rio? If you think in most cheap the best option is Bus, but if you think in conffortable and fast book a Flight from Rio to Florianópolis - SC. n Brazil we don´t have rail/train for long travel around country... is insane I know...

    Bus option

    Rio-Florianópolis - 18 hours
    Price: R$ 162,00 - USD $ 87,99
    Links:

    http://200.203.200.4/forza/frame.jsp?acao=reservapassagens.j
    sp

    www.novorio.com.br/index.asp

    Flights

    Rio-Florianópolis - 2 hours
    Prices: depends of company
    Links:

    *OceanAir - www.oceanair.com.br
    TAM - www.tam.com.br
    GOL - www.voegol.com.br
    VARIG - www.varig.com.br

    * best price found, R$ 430,00 - USD $ 238,45

    ===> Santa Catarina

    Best destinations: Florianópolis(capital), Balneário Camboriú, Laguna.

    Hostel

    www.floripahostel.com.br
    www.alberguedopirata.com.br
    www.albergues.com.br/sitenovo/hostelbrasil.php?UF=SC

    Some links for you.

    www.guiasantacatarina.com.br
    www.guiafloripa.com.br

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Catarina_(Brazil)
    http://wikitravel.org/en/Florian%C3%B3polis
    http://wikitravel.org/en/Balne%C3%A1rio_Cambori%C3%BA

    www.travelsinparadise.com/travelarticle/florianpolis-brazil.
    html

    Last edited 17 Sep 2008, 10:34
  • Simon PierreSimon Pierre replied to Blizzy Everhard
    23 Oct 2008, 21:29
    Hi Dear!

    Yes Brazil is so Big. But Rio de Janeiro receive 40% of foreign visitors. The main atractions are: the christ Statue, The sugar mountain, The maracanã stadium, The tIjuca forest, The santa Teresa Neighborghood. Also interesting to visist The Northeastern part of the Country ( Salvador, Fortaleza, Natal, João Pessoa).
    You may also see the Iguaçu falls.
    Well if you can stay in contact and can help you out.
    Take care

  • Heli MarquesHeli Marques replied to Adalberto Ferreira
    17 Nov 2008, 13:54
    Nunca foi

    E furada ir pra amazonia, lugar cheio de doenças, acho que voce deve ter muito dinheiro pra falar isso. Estar no brasil vivendo em mansões, andando de carro o tempo todo, ter empregada domestica pra fazer tudo, enfim, não fazer na da e ter suas contas e os bolsos cheios é uma coisa. Você so fala dos pontos turísticos. Pô, é claro que esses locais são mascarados pra enganar turista. Em outros lugares do mundo que ja fui, os lugares são reais sem sem ter aquela sensação de que foram mascarados pra enganar os turistas. Você nunca foi na zona de perigo, onde estão os necessitados, pois, viver aqui sem dinheiro, sem condições nenhuma de sobrevivência é outra coisa. Falar que no brasil existem lugares lindo é pior ainda. Já viajei o mundo todo e não acredito que Brasil seja o melhor lugar do mundo. Lugar cheio de perigo. Copacabana é um lixo, centro do rio é outro lixo, aterro do flamengo nem se fala. As coisas no brasil são mascaradas pra enganar os turistas. Claro, alguns falam bem porque os puxa sacos aqui fazem de tudo pra causar uma boa imprensão. Tudo, fora do Brasil funciona e é claro que existem guerras, terremotos ou outras coisas a mais, mas prefiro estar la do que estar aqui exposto a doenças e bandidos.

  • Heli MarquesHeli Marques replied to Blizzy Everhard
    17 Nov 2008, 14:00
    Hi

    My name is Heli, is nice to talking with you. The place that you can go is "Arraial do Cabo" There is a paradise. If you wanna know more about you can find any information over the internet. The local sate is Rio de Janeiro. Double click on http://www.arraialdocabo-rj.com.br. If you wanna add me to have a live talking about: [Email hidden]
    Have a nice day!

  • Johnny Smith replied to Blizzy Everhard
    08 Dec 2008, 17:05
    Try the Northeast!

    hey, I just recently travelled to the Northeast of Brazil and had a great time! ... its not as well visited like Sao Paulo or Rio, but it is closer to seeing the "real" brazil and has some of the most beautiful beaches.

    I stayed in Recife but I recommend travelling around outside of Recife to the surrounding area.

    A good website I found useful, is called www.visitrecife.info

    Check it out, they have some photos and places to visit...

  • Steve BaseSteve Base replied to Blizzy Everhard
    10 Sep 2009, 05:32
    first time in Brazil

    I would recommend you 1 weeks you stay in Rio de Janeiro and then stayed 1 week in Angra dos Reis, Ilha Grande, if possible rent a boat to spend a week there by boat, you'll love, 1 week in Sao Paulo and 1 week in El Salvador for a first coming is good.

 

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