Latin America, Brazil

Overview

Brazil is South America's giant, a dazzling land of pristine beaches, steamy jungles and manic metropolises. Music and dancing are as integral here as eating and sleeping, and you'll find as many regional styles as there are shades of people, from samba's sensual rhythms to Bahia's axé-charged beats.

When To Go

The weather is worth considering when planning a trip to Brazil, as it can have a significant bearing on how you enjoy certain regions of the country. For example, the Amazon region is one of the world's rainiest places, making travel exceedingly difficult between January and May. Similarly, if you plan to go to the Pantanal, do so during the dry season. The rest of the year, roads are washed out and travel is a nightmare. The south has the most extreme temperatures and during the coldest winter months snow is even possible - but rare.During summer December-February many Brazilians are on vacation, making travel expensive and frequently booked out, and, from Rio to the south, the humidity can be oppressive. However, summer is also the most festive time of year, as Brazilians take to the beaches and streets. School holidays begin in mid-December and go through to Carnaval, usually held in late February.Brazil's low season corresponds to its winter. Rio temperatures hover around 23°C 7

Visas

Brazil has a reciprocal visa system, so if your home country requires Brazilian nationals to secure a visa, then you will need one to enter Brazil. At the time of writing, American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens need visas, but citizens of the UK, Ireland, and most other EU countries as well as South Africa do not. Check with the Brazilian embassy or consulate in your home country.To apply for a visa, you will normally need to present a passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended arrival date, plus a passport photo, a round-trip or onward ticket or a photocopy of it or a statement from a travel agent saying that you have a ticket. If you decide to return to Brazil, your visa is valid for five years.The fee for visas is also reciprocal.

Weather

Being such a vast country, Brazil's climatic patterns vary between regions. In Rio, the humidity can be high in summer, with temperatures hovering around 28°C 82°F. Rainfall is another factor, with October to January the wettest months. In winter Rio temperatures are mild, around 23°C 73°F. On the northeast coast, from Bahia to Maranhão, temperatures are a bit warmer year-round than in Rio - with days reaching 31°C 88°F - but due to a wonderful tropical breeze and less humidity, it's rarely stifling. The rainy season runs from about mid-December to July, though even then you'll encounter gorgeous days. The Amazon region the north is one of the world's rainiest places and rainfall occurs most frequently from December to May, making travel at this time exceedingly difficult. The rest of the year the region still receives plenty of rain, though showers tend to last only an hour or two. The Pantanal also has rainydry seasons, and if you plan to visit, do so during the dry season

Getting There

There are frequent flights to Rio from all major cities in South America and from a number of major airports in the USA and Europe. Other gateway airports in Brazil include São Paulo, Recife, Natal - popular with Northern European package tourists - Fortaleza, Belém and Manaus. Brazilian airlines Varig, TAM, and Gol fly to many major cities in the world. There is a departure tax for international flights, but this is often included in the ticket cost.

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