Brazil the largest country in South America is an exotic, incredible and unforgettable nation, which is different from any other region on the planet and this can be experienced easily by traveling to Brazil. It is a major tourist hub in Latin America.
Before the arrival of first Portuguese explorers in 1500, Brazil is believed to have been inhabited by the semi-nomadic populace for around 10,000 years. In the following three centuries, it was reorganized by the Portuguese and subjugated for the natural richness including sugarcane, brazilwood, gold and coffee beans. The manpower here mainly comprised of enslaved peoples initially, but the “Golden Law” abolished slavery in 1888.
Officially the Brazilian Empire was a British style democracy and in the late part of 19th and early 20th centuries, Brazil attracted more than 5 million Japanese, European and Arab immigrants. This was the period when Brazil also got industrialized, more colonized, and the interiors of the country were better developed and explored. Brazil has been considered to be a presidential democracy since 1985.
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Flights & Travel
Book a flight to Brazil and get ready to experience a country of boundless beauty. Hidden behind the spectacular unexplored rainforests are the tranquil rivers and lavish countryside. Travelers who want to travel to Brazil have plenty of options. Amazon can be entered by bus, boat or domestic Brazilian flights which go to all large cities.
Keep in mind that theirs is a lot more to do in Brazil than just see the jungle. Flights can be booked to the resort areas of Brazil like Ipanema and Copacabana. There are luxurious five-star resorts lined on the shimmering beaches of the fashionable cities to lounge in style and travel in comfort. Take a flight to Rio de Janeiro, the most seductive city, which leaves people wanting for more. People are in complete party mode especially during New Year and the Carnavals. Enjoy some dancing on the sand!
Air travel to Brazil
Tam and Varig are the two main airlines in Brazil which offer travelers to fly around the country fairly easily. It is good to remember that domestic air travel in Brazil does not come cheap.
Train travel in Brazil
South America, and especially Brazil offers some of the most scenic trains rides available anywhere on the globe and it is good to travel by trains in Brazil particularly the Curitiba-Paranagua line, which can be enchanting!
Brazil Bus travel
Like other parts of South America, Brazilian’s also love to travel on buses, which is the main way of cheap travel around the country. As a result, buses in Brazil typically offer an excellent and dependable service. Tourist who travels on any of the routes in the main cities must be ready for extensive traffic jams!
Car hire in Brazil
It is generally believed that tourists in Brazil should not hire cars unless they know the place well as road safety here can’t be said to be the best in the world. The standard of driving in the country may not be what the tourists expect.
Brazil Boat travel
Boats in Brazil ferries through some of the most stunning and thick vegetation and if there is ample time this is an excellent way of traveling in Brazil.
As expected from any of the big tourist destinations in the world, travel in and around Brazil is rather well organized and it is not very difficult for tourists to go from one tourist site to another.
Traveling with Children in Brazil
When one thinks of the beaches and carnivals in Brazil, one tends to see themselves traveling it solo or at least with friends or a partner but one never imagines the pitter patter of tiny feet alongside your walks through the Amazon forest or along the pristine beaches that stunning Brazil has to offer! Why is this?
Traveling with children can appear daunting but if the itinerary is filled with exciting travels for both parents and children to enjoy then one shouldn’t have to worry about the potential for disaster.
Brazil may be the country of lights and parties but this doesn’t mean it isn’t child-friendly. In fact, Brazil has hundreds of exciting and thrilling events and activities suited for the whole family. However, that being said, one needs to be particularly careful with children and should ensure that they are inoculated before traveling.
Once the traveling family has found their feet in Brazil, the Amazon should be the first point of interest to introduce the family too. Not only is this an incredible experience but it will instill an ecologically sound educational value within the children, thereby ensuring the next generation of travelers to be more eco-aware.
Once the knowledge has permeated the children’s minds, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are the next best stops as they will keep the mini adults occupied with many activities such as theme parks, science museums, zoos, snake parks, sporting arenas, water parks and it is good to know that Brazil offers many playgrounds for the smaller kids too. While in Rio, one might like to stop in at Museu do Indio in Botafogo where kids can entertain themselves with body paints and stamps while creating native Brazilian designs.
If you’re not keen on spending your holiday cash on the little ones then fear not as Parque do Catete has a ‘toy library’ at your disposal, where you will be able to rent toys by the hour for your children.
There are many more activities and we urge you to discuss these options with your travel agent, depending on you and your family’s unique personality requirements. Remember, Brazil has everything to offer … it just takes a little exploring!
Essentials to Take with You
We have all been there … running around like headless chickens, leaving precious minutes ticking by as we rush around wondering if we have everything we need for this holiday/ event that we are off to. The sudden panic and mad rush almost take all the excitement from our impending holiday which is why it is incredibly important to write down your to-do-lists before the final days of your departure.
One such to-do list involves the conscious acceptance of what one will require while traveling to your destination of choice.
When traveling to Brazil we recommend that you have a safe, yet subtle, money belt; one that you can hide but access easily. Thieves can spot a foreigner by the way they act and their unsure nature at being in a foreign land and so it is very important, wherever you travel, to ensure the safe-keeping of your hard-earned money.
As you would when travelling in any other country, ensure that you have copies of all your important documentation in case you find yourself in a pickle and require information.
Another imperative item would be a universal plug as one is never sure what sockets a country such as Brazil might offer.
As Brazil happens to be mostly tropical, it is advised that travelers bring insect repellent to ward off pesky mosquitoes and other bugs as well as sun-block, sunglasses, and hats to protect themselves from harmful rays.
Last but not least voyagers should bring with them a sense of adventure, an attitude filled with fun and excitement and an undying curiosity that will guarantee a holiday never to forget!
Festivals & Events in Brazil
Festivals and carnivals in Brazil take place in mammoth proportions and make other festivals look plain and simple. The spirit of Brazil is best embodied in the various carnivals held all over. There are several different carnivals and festivals that take place in Brazil.
Carnivals
Rio de Janeiro offers amongst the largest parties in Brazil and the Carnival is held over 5 days during Easter. This event consists of parades flanked by floats, hundreds of drummers and dancers. The carnival in all its wild and colorful spirit is the destination for thousands of visitors who can enjoy the various live shows, balls and obviously ‘caipirinhas’ the Brazilian drink.
The carnival in Salvador takes place during February and is filled with decorations in the city, loud music and ‘trios electricos’, amplified music played from trucks. Each year the city enacts a different theme and two million residents drink and dance till they drop. Olinda is an 11-day carnival held during Easter and people wear different costumes along with plenty of ‘fiestas’ or party.
There are several events which are organized during the Carnivals and activities such as rehearsals and parades can be seen for days. All of them amalgamate to craft days of enchantment, liveliness and enjoyment, which captures the actual pulse of the Brazilian Carnival.
Festivals
Two million pious as well as the secular join to welcome the New Year on the Copacabana beach in Rio. The evening is filled with music and dance and when midnight strikes fireworks fill the sky in striking colors. Sao Luis, Maranhao festival is held from late July to mid-August is a wild, folk-based tradition derived from African, Portuguese and Indian influences. It is known as the Bumba Meu Boi and consists of street performers, theatre, dance, and capoeira.
The biggest festival takes place in Belem on the Amazon River in October. It is based on honoring the Nossa Senhora de Nazare statue, who is considered to have performed miracles. An odd version of Easter is celebrated in the festival of Paratay with a torch lit processions and dancers along the cobblestone streets along with decorations of the town during Corpus Christi.
Carnivals and festivals in Brazil are on the streets, in its people…it is rhythmic as well as never-ending and an experience not to be missed. In fact, it is more than entertainment, they echo the culture of the country for the world to appreciate and see. The Brazilian Carnival celebrates life and spreads euphoria via song, dance, people and food.