Here’s our guide to help you plan a trip to Brazil. Brazil has so much more than beaches to offer! If you have planned a trip to Brazil and have an extra tip please share it by leaving a comment!
Best time of year to travel to Brazil
Since the seasons are completely opposite from the UK you should consider when travelling, and make the best of it. Summer is normally from 21st December to March, winter begins June 20th. The more north you travel in Brazil, then the warmer it becomes, but normally you can expect an average temperature of 30° C and up throughout the country during the summer.
Where to go on holiday in Brazil
If you want to see the beautiful beaches you can go to Florianópolis which lies along the southern coast. It is a place known for its beautiful cities. Paraná is known for its beautiful beaches.
The more south you go, the more like Europe is, in some places only German and Polish are spoken!. Want to see nature so maybe a trip to Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso (which means dense forest) and Amazonia may be appropriate. In Minas Gerais there are beautiful old buildings, mansions, which are not seen elsewhere in Brazil.
A trip to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo is well worth it and easily acessible, perhaps before or after your flights to Brazil. These cities are full of life!
For the food & recipes the state of Bahia in northern Brazil will quench a thirst for very exotic food. Throughout Brazil, there are various fruits that do not exist elsewhere, not even in Brazil. In the north, the food is spicy.
One of the world’s largest theme park is located in the State of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, and named Beto Carrero World, assume that you need two days to go through the whole park and zoo!.
Accommodation in Brazil
Places to stay in Brazil can be found in all possible forms. A good place to check hotel rates is Room Wizard, you just enter where you want in the world, not just Brazil, and they find hotels with good prices for you.
Hostels are also a good choice for budget travel in Brazil, however, they are harder to find in smaller towns. For long stays in Brazil it is possible to rent an apartment or house. Like in all destinations. if you want a better standard you have to pay more. To rent in high season, Dec.-Mar, is more expensive, and the nearer the beach you get, the higher the cost.
Is Brazil Expensive?
How much money do I bring? Since everything is relative it depends of course on where you are going and how you want to stay and what to want to do on your holiday to Brazil.
Food - Go to a decent restaurant, you can expect a bill of at least £12 for two people. A 2.5 liter CocaCola costs about £1, one beer approximately 70 pence. If you want to eat lunch on the street you can get a hamburger for something like 50 pence. It all depend where you are and to what extent you are prepared to seek out the non touristic areas.
Clothing – If you want to spend money on clothes, in Brazil you can find clothes in all sorts of price classes. If you want quality as may be expected a typical top costs about £5 and up. Like food, how much money you need to take with you depends entirely on how long you should stay and which standard you want.
What to pack on a Brazil Holiday
As with all travel this depends on what you going to do on your holiday in Brazil. If you have booked a tour to Brazil with Intrepid Travel for example they have a detailed itinerary with suggested items to pack. In general pack as light as possible.
What Electricity current does Brazil use ?
This is a recurring theme, can I bring a hair dryer / phone charger etc.? Answer: Yes, usually. In Brazil the type of socket and the current can vary so exercise caution. Often you will find an EU style two pin plug so you just need an adapter.
Food in Brazil
What can you eat in Brazil? Rice and beans is the staple food and is normally included with each meal. The food is usually not spicy, but again with Brazil being such a huge country this varies with the north having spicier food. Chili sauce is included with each meal usually if you prefer spicy food. Anyway, the food is good and if you like ordinary UK food you will probably enjoy the food in Brazil. Steaks are very popular with UK guests to Brazil.
Speak Portuguese in Brazil
One item to pack is a Berlitz Portuguese / English mini dictionary. It contains everything you need to know. For a longer holiday in Brazil or if you really want to get the most out of your trip invest in some language lessons or a Linguaphone course so you can make yourself understood. Most older people do not speak English, if you are talking to younger people it is more likely.
Is Brazil Safe for Travel ?
Brazil is a wonderful country, people are open and sharing with the things they have. Never give personal valuables to others to care for, or leave bags unattended. Avoid being flash with your cash and exercise common sense when it comes to jewellery, expensive watches etc.. Avoid gangs, is not to say they will do anything but exercise caution. Read the FCO advise on travel to Brazil.
Hope you enjoy a safe and wonderful holiday in Brazil!